Rangers defenseman hopes to lean on 4 Nations experience as NHL season resumes

Team Finland failed to reach the championship game in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, but New York Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen says he learned valuable lessons at the highest level of hockey that he’s ready to apply to the rest of the NHL season.

Less than two weeks before the tournament began, Vaakanainen and Henri Jokiharju were both added as injury replacements to Finland’s roster when Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa dropped out. Vaakanainen appeared in all three of Finland’s games, playing a third-pair role, but struggled as the Finns went 1-2-0. 

Vaakanainen has been a useful third-pairing defenseman during the Rangers’ resurgence. He’s gotten acclimated after the trade that brought him to New York along with two draft picks while sending defenseman and captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks.

“He’s a real good defender that closes quick and plays with a little bit of attitude out there,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “I think he’s come in here and played really well for us, so it’s nice that he got recognized to be a part of that.”

Vaakanainen, usually paired with Ottawa Senators rookie Nikolas Matinpalo, went scoreless in the three games and finished minus-5, including minus-3 in a 5-3 loss to Canada on Monday that kept Finland out of the championship game. However, the experience of playing in a best-on-best event is undoubtedly valuable for the 26-year-old defenseman.

While some may say that having the two weeks off to relax and reset is more useful for a player on a team in a playoff race, Vaakanainen believes the tournament leaves him better prepared for the must-win stretch to come.

“I think it’s a great thing,” Vaakanainen said of his participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off. “Those are probably the hardest games you could play anywhere in the world, against the best players with high intensity and high skill level. It’s only a positive for you if you get to play those games.”

Vaakanainen has played seven NHL seasons but has yet to participate in a Stanley Cup Playoff game. Representing his country in the 4 Nations Face-Off gives him valuable big-game experience to take with him — nearly every player who took part in the tournament compared the intensity to playoff hockey.

“That’s what my teammates said. It felt like a playoff atmosphere, for sure,” Vaakanainen said.

The Rangers need to bring playoff intensity for their final 27 games if they want to grab one of the two wild-card spots. They resume their season against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, three points out of the second wild card.

Overtime win vs. Sweden was ‘top two’ in Vaakanainen’s career

Finland’s lone win in the 4 Nations Face-Off was unforgettable for its players and fans: a come-from-behind, 4-3 overtime victory over Sweden, their biggest rival.

That win kept them in contention before the loss to Canada knocked them out of the tournament. For Vaakanainen, the victory against the Swedes was one of the favorite games of his career.

“It’s up there, for sure. It’s probably top two with the World Juniors win,” said Vaakanainen. “Awesome game, great to be a part of it.”

Vaakanainen was a member of Finland’s 2019 squad that took home the gold medal at the World Junior Championship, defeating Team USA in the final. Finland won 3-2, thanks to a game-winning goal by his eventual Rangers teammate Kaapo Kakko, with 1:26 remaining in the third period.

He may have been a late addition to the 4 Nations Face-Off, but Vaakanainen has his sights set on representing Finland again at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014.

“I think after that tournament, you want to be a part of it even more,” Vaakanainen said. “That’s definitely a big goal for next year.”