Development camp: Vaisanen brings strong skating, 'underrated' defense

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Joona Vaisanen said he had a couple of meetings with the Penguins over course of this past season, including one where he really felt as if he "saw their interest." He was "definitely, definitely looking forward" to hearing the Penguins potentially call his name on Day 2 of the draft in Las Vegas last month.

When the Penguins were on the clock in the sixth round, they used their pick on the Finnish defenseman, addressing an area of need by adding to their pool of right-handed defense prospects.

"I knew there was a chance, and that chance came came true," Vaisanen told me at the Penguins' development camp earlier this month. "So I was really, really happy for that, and really excited. I'm really excited for the future."

Vaisanen, who turns 20 years old on Monday, was in his third year of draft eligibility, having been passed over twice in previous drafts. Vaisanen grew up playing in the youth system for his hometown Espoo Blues, and had OK seasons leading up to his first two draft years. He spent 2021-22 mostly in the Finnish U18 junior league, racking up eight goals and 28 assists in 40 games. He played for Espoo's U20 team in 2022-23, leading his team's defensemen in scoring with four goals and 24 assists in 44 games ... while also finishing with a minus-12 rating, the lowest among the team's defensemen.

It was decent production for a defenseman in those leagues, but Vaisanen didn't do enough to set himself apart, and he wasn't cracking any rosters for a Finnish pro league like some of the higher-end draft-eligible defensemen those years.

So coming into this past season, the 6-foot, 176-pound blueliner made a change and moved to North America. He entered the USHL Entry Draft, and was selected in the second round by the Dubuque Fighting Saints. It was part of a larger plan to eventually move to college hockey, with Vaisanen committed to Western Michigan starting next season.

"I think the college route is a really good route, especially for me," Vaisanen explained of his decision. "I'm a little smaller in size, so I got more time to develop in my body and get stronger. So far, it's worked really well. I'm looking forward to it."

It's fair to say the move worked. Vaisanen had nine goals and 31 assists in 53 regular-season games, with his 40 points being the fourth-most among USHL defensemen. He had another one goal and two assists in 11 postseason games as Dubuque went on to lose in the Clark Cup Final.

When the Penguins drafted Vaisanen, then-director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor said that Vaisanen also got a ringing endorsement from Kirk MacDonald -- his Dubuque head coach, now head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after being hired this offseason.

"Kirk said very, very positive things about him," Pryor said. "As a player and as a person. It only added to the information that we had, and made us feel even better about selecting Joona when we got him."

MacDonald offered more of those endorsements during his first media availability during development camp.

"It was pretty awesome to hear his name called by us," MacDonald said. "I think he's a guy that's a great skater. He can move the puck. His defending is a little underrated, in my opinion. He did a great job for us last year, has a great work ethic. He didn't wear a letter for us in Dubuque, but he was a great leader for us. It was more because he was a first-year player, didn't know him coming in. I've got nothing but good things to say about him. I think he's got a bright future. I think it was a pretty good pick in the late rounds."

Vaisanen, who would label himself as an "offensive, two-way defenseman," named his skating as playmaking as his biggest strengths when asked to describe his own game. He said he tries to watch more "skilled" defensemen, like the Rangers' Adam Fox or Avalanche's Cale Makar.

In the midst of the USHL season, Vaisanen also got to experience what he called "a dream come true" -- playing for the Finnish national team in the World Junior Championship. He went scoreless in seven games, and saw playing time alongside fellow Penguins defense prospects Kalle Kangas and Emil Pieniniemi.

"I was fighting for the last spot on the roster," Vaisanen said. "It went all right. I mean, I think I could have given way more. But I think after all, I learned a lot from it, and improved my game after that. That's what I think is most important."

Vaisanen said his summer plans were to head to Western Michigan right after camp ended. He said it was the style of play and coaching staff that attracted him to Western Michigan, and noted that the school has a history of developing strong defensemen -- over the last three seasons, six Broncos defensemen have signed professional contracts. Vaisanen said the biggest things for him to work on over these next couple years are "just trying to get stronger and more physical"

"That happens off the ice, mostly," Vaisanen said. "So, it's a big summer for me. I'm trying to get better."