• Vaakanainen compiled 4-2—6 in the 2016-17 regular season (41 GP) and 0-3—3 in the playoffs (14 GP) with JYP of Finland’s top professional league. He also represented Finland at the 2017 World Junior Championship (1-0—1 in 6 GP) and the 2017 Under-18 World Championship (3-3—6 in 5 GP), where he won a silver medal.

• The 2015-16 season saw Vaakanainen make his Finnish Elite League debut with the Espoo Blues (1-5—6 in 25 GP) in addition to helping the Blues under-20 club secure a junior league silver medal. Vaakanainen also registered 1-2—3 with Finland in their gold-medal entry at the 2016 Under-18 World Championship (7 GP).

• Models his style of play after Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Coyotes blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson.