The Rangers will have another representative during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament later this month, as defenseman Urho Vaakanainen was added to Team Finland’s roster as an injury replacement 10 days before the first game.
Vaakanainen and Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju took the spots of the Stars’ Miro Heiskanen and the Maple Leafs’ Jani Hakanpaa — both injured — on Finland’s roster, and Vaakanainen will join Adam Fox (Team USA), Vincent Trocheck (USA), Chris Kreider (USA), J.T. Miller (USA) and Mika Zibanejad (Team Sweden) as members of the Blueshirts to participate in the international event that takes the place of the NHL’s All-Star Game this season.
The four countries will meet in a round-robin style event — with games in Boston and Montreal — before the top two meet in a championship game on Feb. 20.
“Certainly a great nod for him to be added to that tournament and that team,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said before the Blueshirts defeated the Golden Knights, 4-2, at the Garden on Sunday. “I think it shows that he’s played well since he’s been here, and injuries happen, you get an opportunity to jump in. And it’s great for him.”
After arriving in the December trade that sent Jacob Trouba to the Ducks, Vaakanainen has settled into a spot on the Rangers’ third defensive pairing alongside Braden Schneider.
He has finished plus-two in his first 22 games — while collecting five assists and averaging 15:16 of ice time entering Sunday — as part of that unit’s in-season refresh when general manager Chris Drury departed with Trouba, added Vaakanainen and then picked up Will Borgen in the Kaapo Kakko deal later that month.
“He’s a good defender,” Laviolette said of Vaakanainen. “He moves the puck. He’s big. He’s strong.”
Vaakanainen’s stint with the Rangers could be brief. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent after the season. But for now, before all of that settles into place once the season ends, the 26-year-old and former first-round pick will have a chance to skate for Finland on an international stage for the first time since securing a gold medal — against Team USA and current teammate K’Andre Miller — in the 2019 World Juniors.
Zibanejad’s goal in the Rangers’ three-goal third period marked his 240th with the Rangers, placing him in a tie with Brian Leetch for the 10th-most in franchise history.
It was also the 39th three-point game of his career — moving him ahead of Vic Hadfield and into eighth place in team history.
The Rangers scored multiple goals on the power play — Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin — for the fifth time this season.
Filip Chytil scored a goal in his first game with the Canucks since the blockbuster trade Friday that brought Miller to the Rangers, and he told reporters before the game that the potential for more ice time is “what I’m happy about” — while calling the Rangers’ spiral this season a “very difficult stretch” given what unfolded during their Presidents’ Trophy campaign last year.
He also told reporters he was watching a “Harry Potter” movie when he found out about the deal.
Adam Edstrom, who exited Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, was out and still being evaluated, according to Laviolette.
Jimmy Vesey took his spot on the fourth line alongside Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe.
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