Prospect Info: With the #109 pick, the Wild select Kaapo Kahkonen

[tyratoku]

Kaapo Kahkonen
Espoo Blues
4th Rd. 109th Overall

Year | Team | GP | GAA | SV%
2012-2013 | Espoo Blues U18 | 2 | 3.00 | .864
| Espoo Blues U20 | 28 | 2.43 | .917
| Finland International U17 | 3 | 5.51 | .855
| Finland International U18 | 1 | 1.00 | .957
2013-2014 | Espoo Blues U20 | 38 | | .912
| Finland WJC U18 | 5 | 3.37 | .886
| Finland International U18 | 15 | 3.29 |

• Eliteprospects.com Player Profile
  

  Birthyear: 1996-08-16
  Birthplace: Helsinki, FIN
  Age: 17
  Nation: Finland
  Position: G
  Catches: L
  Height: 187 cm / 6'2"
  Weight: 91 kg / 201 lbs

• hockey's future Player Profile
  

  Talent Analysis
  
  Kahkonen has the prototypical size for an NHL goaltender and is strong in all areas of the game. While utilizing a butterfly style, he appears in control at all times and has quick feet that allow him to move laterally quickly. Playing in almost every game for his junior team, he has proven to be durable and is technically sound.
  
  Future
  
  Kahkonen is the heir apparent to Nashville prospect Juuse Saros (NSH) with regards to Finland's U20 and U18 teams and is a bit bigger than Saros. Beginning to separate himself from some of the other young Finnish goaltending prospects, though still developing, he could be the next goalie from that country to emerge as a starting goaltender in the NHL.

• mynhldraft.com Player Profile
  

  Kahkonen is an active puck stopper who plays the game with confidence especially when seeing a heavy workload. He utilizes the butterfly but rarely swims around his crease unlike others. He goes down and pops right back up quickly and moves side-to-side well. (August 2013)

• Lastwordonsports Player Profile
  

  Kaapo Kahkonen has been a mainstay of the Finnish National team program for quite some time. At the age of 16 he helped the Finns win the Youth (U16) Olympic Gold Medal. He also participated in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka and the 2014 Under 18 World Hockey Championships. Don’t be fooled by the statistics, Kahkonen was fantastic at the Hlinka and through most of the Under-18 for what was a weaker than normal team for Finland in his age group. One bad game against Sweden, where Finland was greatly outplayed, and Kahkonen hung out to dry, has a major effect on the U18 numbers.

Click to read more...

 

[this providence]

A Finnish goalie!

That'll never work.

 

[Minnesota]

Finnish goaltender? Pretty much guarantees success, right?

 

[gphr513]

It's like our scouts have never visited another European country besides Finland

 

[Sharppi]

But is he a dynamic goalie?

 

[Granlund 64]

It's like our scouts have never visited another European country besides Finland

Aside from the multitude of Swedes we've drafted recently, sure

 

[forthewild]

It's like our scouts have never visited another European country besides Finland

He was probably taken to piss off Johan Gustafsson because the organization just drafted a dynamic Fin to compete with the non dynamic swede

 

[LastWordArmy]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/06/11/2014-nhl-draft-profile-64-kaapo-kahkonen/

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Another goalie ?

We already have Kuemper and Gustafsson down in the AHL...

 

[Victorious Secret]

I like this one. Very much.

 

[Victorious Secret]

Another goalie ?

We already have Kuemper and Gustafsson down in the AHL...

Because 2 goalies, which is typically the longest position to develop, is enough.

 

[Minnesota]

Another goalie ?

We already have Kuemper and Gustafsson down in the AHL...

Kuemper's our starter.

 

[Lapa]

Finnish goalie? Well that sucks!

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Kuemper's our starter.

Over Harding ?

I don't doubt he'll start but right now I see him stuck behind Harding and Backstrom...

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Because 2 goalies, which is typically the longest position to develop, is enough.

Well you can never really have enough of anything. I feel that Keumper and Gustafsson are close however, but I'll guess this guys 2 years away from pro, and well I'm sure we'll be looking to add pieces to run for the cup soon and I suppose it makes sense because we could dangle a goalie.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Over Harding ?

I don't doubt he'll start but right now I see him stuck behind Harding and Backstrom...

Umm Harding? Maybe, if he's healthy. Backstrom? Snowballs chance in hell.

 

[Minnesota]

Over Harding ?

I don't doubt he'll start but right now I see him stuck behind Harding and Backstrom...

Until Backstrom gets injured or traded and Harding's MS flares up again... Which unfortunately won't take long.

Both Backstrom and Harding don't look like they'll be around long.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

To clarify I don't think Backstrom starts... But I don't think they'll want Kuemper riding the bench.

 

[Victorious Secret]

Well you can never really have enough of anything. I feel that Keumper and Gustafsson are close however, but I'll guess this guys 2 years away from pro, and well I'm sure we'll be looking to add pieces to run for the cup soon and I suppose it makes sense because we could dangle a goalie.

I'd guess he spends at least 2 more years in Finland.

 

[tyratoku]

Kahkonen on what he knows about Minnesota: "I heard that it’s like Finland. There’s some trees and mosquitos and lakes too." #mnwild

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

I'd guess he spends at least 2 more years in Finland.

I hope that one of those years in spent in the SM-Liga.

I need to be more specific, but i think he's 2 years away from pro hockey.

 

[Gaps]

I'm guessing he'll get some Liiga games next season. I will probably have a chance to watch him live.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

A Finnish goalie?

As close to a sure thing as there is.

 

[Sharppi]

Excellent choice of GIF

Very dynamic.

 

[57special]

Token Finn pick.