Scouting Report
EVALUATED 31/07/2024
Austin Robson
Regional Scout- Eastern Canada
The only player from Team Black to earn a spot on the U17 5 Nations roster, Vauhkonen’s mature and stout defensive play really helped set him apart from the rest of the defensive corps. Using an active stick and his strong four-way mobility, he was quite the effective rush defender by forcing opposing forwards to the outside to limit their time and space and clogging up passing lanes to nullify and cross-ice attempts. He was moving pucks at a high level consistently throughout the event by using subtle shoulder fakes to rid himself of forecheckers and execute crisp and accurate outlet passes on both his forehand and backhand. He definitely wasn’t lacking on the offensive side of things either, showing flashes of smart activation off the rush by dishing off to a forward and using his long stride to drive the net and push back defenders to create space up high.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 05/05/2024
Alex Annun
Regional Scout - USA
Odin Vauhkonen is another defenseman whose contributions at both ends make him an enticing option for USHL teams looking to take a blueliner early. He has shown over the last two seasons that he is able to read plays well and quickly anticipate the opposition’s course of action and step up to intercept passes and quickly put a stop to developing plays. He skates well and does a nice job protecting the center of the ice and using his long reach to force players to the outside. He does a good job retrieving the puck and quickly finding an outlet to get his team up the ice to alleviate pressure in the defensive end. His vision with the puck is impressive and he is quick to move the puck, constantly finding passing lanes in the offensive zone to set up good scoring opportunities. He picks his moments well to jump up in the rush and act as a fourth forward, highlighting the great instincts he possesses.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 27/01/2023 Alex Annun
Regional Scout- USA
Shattuck St. Mary’s is enjoying another fine season with their 14U class and each player looks better than the last, but Odin Vauhkonen is a player that can fly under the radar on such a talented team. The big defender from California is a rock at the back for Shattuck and he does a great job of reading plays in the neutral zone and is quick to step up and snuff out attacks while they’re in their early stages. He is a mobile defenseman with a quick first step and good footspeed and he is able to keep up with plays to the outside and use his long reach to prevent the puck carrier from getting around him. He is a good puck mover on the back end and makes smart passes that are weighted well to the tape and hits his players in stride. A sturdy player along the boards, he excels in winning puck battles and is capable of keeping the puck carrier pinned as he awaits a teammate to swoop in and claim the puck. If he finds himself out of position he is quick to step in and close down the gap and sacrifice his body and eat pucks. He is also capable of wrapping his long reach around the puck carrier if he’s been beaten and knocking the puck loose, making it even more difficult to beat him one on one. Offensively he is an understated threat and his heavy point shot can be a valuable tool to create rebounds around the net, but it is his passing that makes him so useful. His quick passing and decision making allows his teammates to continue operating at pace and using their skills to break down the opposition, his best asset is that he allows the offense to work the way they want to.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 17/07/2024
Chase Allen
Regional Scout- USA
In terms of making plays with the puck, and really driving play, I didn’t see as much of that from Odin Vaukhonen as I may have expected, yet, it was still very clear to me, that this defender can skate, and move accordingly to play at a high level, cover ice, and get in front of puck carriers. Don’t get me wrong, he still had moments of good puck movement, making a strong first pass and such, but the bulk of these plays were driven via strong mobility and power, outskating forecheckers, and creating lanes for himself. He activated a few times to join the rush off-puck, bursting up ice with a strong forward stride, he positioned himself in such a way he made himself an option, forcing defenders to adapt to the possibility of a pass coming his way.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 12/07/2024 Austin Robson
Regional Scout- Eastern Canada
Vauhkonen’s stout defensive play and willingness to get involved offensively made him the game’s most effective defender, in my opinion. He was doing a great job at defending odd man rushes throughout this game, either using his stick to clog a passing lane or his strong lateral mobility to gap up on an opposing forward quicker than he realized. He showed versatility on his breakout skills by being able to execute outlet passes on both his forehand and backhand, which helped his team exit the zone more efficiently when he was on the ice. Vauhkonen wasn’t afraid to carry the puck up himself either, usually opting to dish outside before driving the net with speed looking for a rebound.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 08/04/2024 Austin Robson
Regional Scout- Eastern Canada
I’ve really taken a liking to Vauhkonen’s game throughout this tournament, and his performance in this game did nothing to squander that admiration. He finished the game with three assists, but his impact on the ice far transcended the scoresheet. He did a good job forcing attackers wide off the rush and denying access to the interior with good body positioning and an active stick. He was showing confidence walking the blueline in the offensive zone, keeping his head up and waiting for shooting or passing lanes to open up. In transition he proved to be effective as well, moving the puck up ice with precision and using his feet to take advantage of the ice that was given to him.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 04/04/2024 Austin Robson
Regional Scout- Eastern Canada
Vauhkonen’s effective and intelligent play in all three zones made him one of the better defenders throughout the duration of this game. He was making great reads in the neutral zone throughout this contest, stepping up and using his long reach to stymie Neponset’s transition game or force dump ins. In the defensive zone he was using his reach and quick feet tto limit time and space for opposing forwards and stick with them in tight quarters. His anticipation allowed him to get to pucks first in the defensive zone and thwart some of Neponset’s attempts to establish a cycle game. His intelligence shone bright on the offensive side of things as well, where he showed good instincts on when to jump into the rush and create a numbers advantage in transition for his team. He was shooting a lot from the point, and even earned an assist when one of his attempts was deflected by John Riffey in front for the game’s first goal.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 04/04/2024
Alex Annun
Regional Scout - USA
I thought Vauhkonen had a strong game, locking things down and using his strength to win puck battles and getting the puck down low in the offensive zone. He made smart decisions on the puck and his quick and simple passes made it easy for his side to get the puck out of the zone and move up the ice. He was quick to collapse into the slot and close down the shooting lanes, mopping up in front of the net. The Gulls defense was pretty difficult to break down as well so Vauhkonen didn’t have a particularly prolific game at that end of the ice, but he was very responsible defensively and worked hard to limit chances.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 05/11/2023
Jordan Malette
Regional Scout- Ontario
Odin's value became incredibly apparent on the many Shattuck powerplays. He acted as their central quarterback, moving the puck quickly and precisely to where it needed to go. He never held onto the puck for too long, moving it to his teammates on the winger who were open in shooting positions. There were some moments where he opted for shots from distance, especially on a 5-on-3, where I felt he could have moved the puck around, but otherwise, his play as a powerplay distributor was excellent.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 22/07/2023 Jordan Malette
Regional Scout- Ontario
I only realy noticed Odin for his play in the offensive zone, but I liked what he was doing. When he received the puck at the point, he was patient and always looking to create better shooting positions for himself. He sidestepped a few forecheckers to win the inside lane, then drove into the slot for quality shots. One of his point shots spared a rebound for Will Schlechtweg, who batted it home. There were a few hiccups where he rushed his decisions at the point, opting for a low danger shots when he had time and space, but for most of his opportunities, Vauhkonen showed he was eager and confident to attack the slot.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 18/07/2023
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
He was joining the rush on the backdoor and pulled pucks to his reach along the exterior of the offensive zone to protect and slash back into the interior. His ability to shift and pull the pucks to the extension of his reach makes opening up space at a higher potential than most. It was one of those higher end moments that make you dream about figuring out a way to find more consistency with it.
Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
COMMITTED:
Harvard
24/08/2024
SIGNED:
Victoria Royals
03/07/2025
TEAM PREDICTION
-
Harvard
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2025
03/07/2025
Victoria Royals sign Odin Vauhkonen
- 2024
24/08/2024
Odin Vauhkonen commits to Harvard
- 2023
10/05/2023
Victoria Royals select Odin Vauhkonen in the WHL US Prospect Draft