Vainio has some really exciting talent, including excellent skating ability and strong puck skills, but there are also areas that need work. He has an excellent point shot, especially his slap shot that is really heavy and quick. Multiple shot types are always flying off his stick; has a good, quick snap shot off a one-timer that makes its way through traffic regularly. He is gifted in possession, keeping his eyes up and moves well around the offensive zone with the puck look- ing for passing and shooting lanes. He does a good job of walking the line and keeping pucks in the offensive zone as well. He brings a lot of poise with the puck and his skating is at a world class level; he’s very smooth with great agility and first step acceleration. He is very creative offensively with the puck on his stick. He doesn’t play physically in the defensive zone when going into corners, almost looking scared of contact. Vainio will need to focus on his defensive zone coverage going forward. He can also be lazy on the ice without the puck. Even though he’s a pretty lanky defenseman, he doesn’t use his reach nearly enough in puck battles. He could become an excellent defenseman if he starts to work on his physical weakness. (May 2015)