The Preds made some additions to their roster this offseason, so let’s get to know each of them a little better. Next up: Kevin Lankinen.
It’s hard to miss Kevin Lankinen‘s seemingly permanent ear-to-ear grin, even from under a goalie mask.
The 27-year-old Finn, who Signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Predators in July, brings his infectious smile and positivity to Nashville, where he adds even more depth to a talented goaltending group behind starter Jesus Saros that includes Connor Ingram, Devin Cooley and Yaroslav Askarov.
Lankinen earned acclaim on the international stage in 2019, when he led Finland to a gold medal at the IIHF World Championship. He went 7-1-0 with a .942 save percentage and 1.50 GAA during the tournament, ranking first among IIHF goaltenders in GAA and second in both minutes (480:41) and save percentage. His standout performance in the tournament included a 32-save shutout in the semifinals against a Russian team that featured a 51-goal-scorer from the 2018-19 NHL season Alex Ovechkin, as well as 41-goal-scorer Nikita Kucherov and 21 -goal-scorer Evgeni Malkin. He went on to stop a tournament-high 43 pucks on 44 shots in the Gold Medal Game against Canada.
Lankinen, who played four seasons in Finland’s SM-liiga before joining the Chicago Blackhawks organization in 2018, hopes to establish himself as part of Nashville’s rich Finnish goaltending history alongside Saros and Pekka Rinne.
“It’s pretty cool that [the Predators] have had a history of Finnish goalies,” Lankinen said.[Rinne] is obviously a legend, not only in Nashville but in Finland, too. He was one of my idols growing up, so I would watch him pretty closely. I was able to have a couple of good chats with him prior to coming over, and he was telling me about the city and the coaching staff and the boys. So, that was pretty cool.”
Thanks to Rinne’s guidance, Lankinen hasn’t wasted any time in getting acclimated to his new home in Nashville.
“My first weekend I did the whole Broadway experience,” he said. “It’s been really cool.”
When he’s not at the rink, expect to find Lankinen outside. He has already fallen in love with Nashville’s climate, which offers a welcome change from the long, cold winters of Chicago.
“I’m really surprised how beautiful it is outside,” Lankinen said. “There’s a lot of green outside, and I’m a big outdoor guy so I enjoy it. I enjoy being outdoors, and it seems like it’s a laid back city with people that are super friendly… I’m loving it.”
Having a familiar face in Saros has also helped Lankinen adjust to his new city and team.
“Obviously, we’re the same age, so we’ve been playing together on junior national teams and playing against each other in Finland,” Lankinen said. “We’ve always been good friends and [we’re] both hard working guys, trying to be the best we can be.”
Lankinen, who made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2021, also looks to Saros as a mentor and an example as he looks to become an NHL mainstay.
“He works hard and I work hard, and I think we can push each other to be better every day,” Lankinen said. “Obviously, I’ve got a lot of respect for him. I mean, he’s one of the top goalies in the league. I feel like I can learn from him as well.”
The Preds are also known for playing a strong game in front of the net, which gives Lankinen even more confidence as he settles into his new role in Nashville’s crease.
“It’s always been tough to play against these guys,” Lankinen said of his new teammates. “So, it’s actually fun to be on this side now.”
Lankinen joins elite company and faces some pressure as he looks to find consistency in the Predators crease, but rest assured that he is up to the task.
“I’m looking forward to the new challenge,” he said. “I’m looking forward to settling in and playing for a full crowd at Bridgestone.”
In the meantime, look for that smile during training camp next week – Trust me, you can’t miss it.
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