Borgen Steady, Vaakanainen Struggles

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It's June 9th. This is New York Rangers News Today, driven by AI, your team, non-stop. All right, let's talk about the New York Rangers defense. This past season, they were pretty middle of the pack, letting in about three goals a game.
While the whole team contributes to that stat, the defense as a unit actually played better than the year before, and a big part of that was Vladislav Gavrikov joining the squad. He was so solid, he earned an A in our end of season grades. Now, focusing on two specific guys, Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen. Borgen, who got a C+, played in 75 games this year, only missing 7 due to injury. He filled a steady, if not flashy, roll on the right side, often paired with Carson Soucy before Soucy was traded. Borgen blocked a lot of shots and threw a lot of hits, showing his defensive grit, and even chipped in with five goals. He was also a key player on their penalty kill.
On the other hand, Urho Vaakanainen, who landed a D+, didn't quite live up to expectations after signing a new contract. He started the season in the lineup but quickly lost his spot to a rookie. When he did get ice time, it was less than ever before, and he didn't do much to stand out on either end of the ice.
His offensive game is limited, and while goals were even when he was out there, the Rangers gave up more dangerous chances. Vaakanainen also isn't known for blocking shots or being physical. Despite being a high draft pick years ago, he's really more of a third pair defenseman or an extra guy on the roster, which is where he ended up this season. It's worth noting though that he did help Finland win gold at the World Championship. So, while Borgen carved out a useful role, especially on the penalty kill, Vaakanainen struggled to find consistent impact. The Rangers defense is a unit with different pieces, and these two guys represent different outcomes for the team this season.