SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Brent Flahr today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Kahkonen, 21 (8/16/96), went 20-23-12 with a 2.20 goals-against average (GAA), a .915 save percentage (SV%) and six shutouts in 56 games for Lukko Rauma in the Finnish Elite League this season. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound native of Helsinki, Finland, recorded career highs in games played, wins and shutouts this season while leading league goalies in games played, minutes (3,275) and shutouts, ranked T-3rd in wins, fourth in SV% and fifth in GAA. The backstop posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career, making all 32 saves at HIFK (12/15) and stopping all 31 shots vs. KooKoo (12/19).
Kahkonen registered a 38-50-27 record with a 2.43 GAA, a .918 SV% and nine shutouts in 117 career games in the Finnish Elite League (2015-18), appearing in one season with the Blues and two seasons with Lukko Rauma. Kahkonen won a gold medal playing for Finland at the 2016 World Junior Championship, going 4-0-0 with a 2.52 GAA and a .909 SV% in four games. He also represented Finland at the 2015 World Junior Championship, serving as the third goalie.
Kahkonen was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.