Henri Jokiharju and Urho Vaakanainen bolster Team Finland’s lineup ahead of the 4-Nations Tournament.

Jan 31, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju (10) skates with the puck in the first period in a game against the Nashville Predators at the KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Team Finland has added defensemen Henri Jokiharju from the Buffalo Sabres and Urho Vaakanainen from the New York Rangers to their roster for the 4-Nations Tournament. They’re stepping in to replace Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa, who are sidelined with injuries and won’t return until February. Jokiharju and Vaakanainen will join a strong Finnish blue line, including Esa Lindell (Dallas), Olli Maatta (Utah), Niko Mikkola (Florida), Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia), and Juuso Valimaki (Utah).

With limited options, Finland has now invited nine of the 11 active Finnish NHL defensemen to the tournament. Ville Heinola (Winnipeg) and Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa), who are currently playing in the AHL, are the only eligible players not called up by team GM Jere Lehtinen.

Although Jokiharju and Vaakanainen may not fully match the skill level of Heiskanen and Hakanpaa, they bring complementary styles to the team. Jokiharju is an aggressive two-way defender known for controlling play in the neutral zone. While he has just four points in 36 games this season, he’s maintained a solid +6 rating and is looking to rediscover the form that saw him post a career-high 20 points last year.

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Vaakanainen, on the other hand, is a more defensive-minded player who will fill Hakanpaa’s role as a physical presence on the blue line. After starting the season with the Anaheim Ducks, he joined the Rangers in a trade and has played 21 games in a bottom-pairing role, contributing five assists, 10 penalty minutes, and a +2 rating. His physicality and defensive reliability will be key for Finland as they navigate the tournament without two of their top defensemen.

Image Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images