29-year-old defensemen Sami Vatanen, well known name to Devils fans and new face to the Carolina Hurricanes, has been out injured for the majority of the season as a result of a lower-body injury.
Vatanen withstood this lower-body injury before being traded to the ‘Canes organization, having yet to play a game with his new team. The injury was sustained while blocking a shot back on February 24th against the Dallas Stars. No return date was set after the native of Finland sustained the injury.
While it was hoped he would make a return for the March 4th tilt against the Philadelphia Flyers, during practice, Vatanen aggravated the injury, having to leave the ice early and was then out from the four-game away streak that the ‘Canes went on before the play was halted due to the virus.
Vatanen had not had an overly stellar season before his injury, having recorded 23 points in 47 games, comprised of 18 assists to alongside five goals. The trade for an injured player left some ‘Canes fans questioning the move as they already had one injured defensemen in Dougie Hamilton a native of Toronto. As well, Vatanen’s contract with New Jersey was already coming to an end in Newark, making him eligible to become an unrestricted free agent, giving the ‘Canes a chance to lock him up without having to give anything to the Devils organization. Now, the organization may lose the player they traded for due to his contract which is set to expire. This being unless he signs an extension with the organization he’s yet to play for.
Vatanen represents a desirable player, being sourced as a good presence in the locker room and having a fairly good defensive record in past seasons. The question has to be asked, can this player bounce back from his injuries? At his age, the recovery process has naturally taken longer for the body to recover. Vatanen has the advantage of being a veteran player, easily able to sign for most teams with a modest wage and good defensive abilities.
It is my belief that Vatanen should stay with the Hurricanes organization as he would fit well with the young organization, assisting in bringing up the younger players of the team. It also allows him to play in a low pressure environment, thanks to the patient fan base of the Hurricanes organization. Vatanen would pair well with many of the defensemen in the organization, as well as skating when on the power play and when the hockey club is on the penalty kill.
As a reliable defensemen, Vatanen has the ability to regain puck possession, make breakout passes up the ice to start offensive pushes, or dump the puck so that penalty killers can switch lines while the power play chases down the puck. Overall, Vatanen makes a strong defensemen and the ‘Canes team should be bolstered by his skill when he returns to the ice for the NHL’s play-in round.