Veeti Vaisanen
2023-24 Team: KooKoo (Liiga)
Date of Birth: Feb 16, 2006
Place of Birth: Hamina, Finland
Height: 6-foot, Weight: 179 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first year eligible
Rankings
- The Hockey Writers (Baracchini): 45th
- The Hockey Writers (Horn): 43rd
- The Hockey Writers (Forbes): 30th
- NHL Central Scouting (EU): 21st
- TSN/Bob McKenzie: 73rd
For a draft class with seemingly lots of disparity outside of the top 12, Veeti Vaisanen appears to have a relatively consistent opinion among scouts. He is an impressive defensive defenseman who has a full season of professional experience under his belt in Finland’s premier league, the Liiga. He stands out among other draft-eligible defensemen for his smooth skating and poise in the defensive zone. He makes professional reads and is not afraid to block shots, using his strong IQ to strategically neutralize the opposition.
Heading into the season, Aron Kiviharju was viewed as the top defensive prospect in the draft. Kiviharju, who is also from Finland and a member of HIFK in the Liiga, overshadowed Vaisanen because of his impressive history in Finland’s premier leagues. However, an early season injury to Kiviharju cleared the way for Vaisanen to take center stage, and he has not disappointed.
Vaisanen took strides in his offensive game, improving his vision and playmaking ability, helping drive KooKoo’s offense. He may have had just 10 points in 50 games, but those are impressive numbers for a rookie in one of hockey’s best professional leagues. Moving forward, Vaisanen will continue to play in Finland and develop his overall game. He should emerge as KooKoo’s top defenseman next season, leading the primary penalty-killing unit as well as frequenting the powerplay. His skating and IQ are what will help him reach the NHL, but he is a few seasons away from reaching that point.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Given his average size, he has accomplished a lot thus far in his hockey career. It was an impressive achievement to suit up for KooKoo as a 17-year-old this past season, and even more impressive to play in 50 games. By the end of the season, he solidified his spot in the lineup through his defensive play, and he is sure to continue his success in future seasons in the Liiga and beyond.
Veeti Vaisanen – NHL Draft Projection
Given most scouts have Vaisanen ranked somewhere in the 30-60 range, he is likely to be a second-round draft selection. He can become a reliable NHL defenseman, but he does not have the intangibles other prospects of his caliber may have to be worthy of the first round. There are a few teams in the second round that could be viewed as good fits, such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, and Seattle Kraken. The most likely outcome is to see him go in the 40s to a team that selected a forward in the first round and is looking to add a safe, defensive prospect in the second.
Quotables
“Väisänen relies on his hockey sense as he positions himself proactively to shut down the opponent. He has a great mobility that has allowed him to beat opponents in races to 50/50 pucks. He likes to engage physically and is effective at closing in on the boards, even against the pro competition.” – Anni Karvinen, Dobber Prospects
Sign up for our NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter
“With Väisänen, one of the first things you’ll notice about him is just how good of a skater he is. He possesses great speed, agility, and edgework, allowing him to navigate the ice with ease. His smooth stride and balance make him a dangerous defender, both in transitioning the puck from defense to offense and in covering opposing players. His skating allows him to get out of a jam, and dictate the tempo of the game as he sees fit. You will regularly see Väisänen activate from the blueline using his skating to great effect in the offensive zone, catching defenders’ flat-footed. He also isn’t afraid to use his skating to transport the puck up the ice and is naturally quite an effective player in the transitional game because of it.” – Steven Graves, McKeen’s Hockey
“Veeti Väisänen is a smooth-skating left-handed defenseman, who’s been logging regular Liiga minutes with KooKoo. He plays a reliable two-way game closing gaps effectively and positioning well. While he may not possess the flashiest tools, he utilizes them extremely effectively. Väisänen plays very mature hockey and rarely looks out of place when playing against professional competition. Despite not having the biggest frame (6’0″ & 163 lbs) he uses it quite well when closing in on the boards even against the Liiga competition. As the season has progressed, he’s seemed more comfortable playing in the Liiga and playing to his strengths. I look forward to seeing if he can elevate his game by becoming more active in the offensive zone on a regular basis” –Anni Karvinen, Dobber Prospects
Strengths
- Maturity
- Hockey IQ
- Defensive positioning
- Passing
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Shot quality
- Offensive production
- Strength
NHL Potential
Given Vaisanen’s experience in professional hockey, he has a good chance of reaching the NHL. He is mature and smart and has continued to grow throughout his hockey career. His ceiling is a strong second-pairing defenseman, with more realistic expectations being a strong bottom-four defenseman. His floor is to become a fringe NHL defenseman.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 3/10, Defense – 7.5/10
Awards/Achievements
- Hlinka Gretzky Cup Bronze Medal
- U17 WHC Bronze Medal
- U20 SM-sarja Rookie of the Year (Yrjö Hakala Award)
Veeti Vaisanen Stats
Interviews/Links
Youtube: KooKoo TV (Finnish)