Kevin Lankinen

Kevin Lankinen was born on April 28, 1995, in Helsinki, Finland, and arrived in the NHL without the benefit of a North American draft selection — a path through European hockey that eventually led him to Chicago, Nashville, and Vancouver over the course of a 210-game NHL career.

Lankinen made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks, appearing in 37 games during the shortened 2020-21 season. He went 17-14 that year with a 3.01 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and two shutouts — a debut season that established him as a genuine NHL-level option between the pipes. The following year, 2021-22, he appeared in 32 games for the Blackhawks, finishing 8-15 with a 3.5 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage.

After two seasons in Chicago, Lankinen moved to the Nashville Predators. His two years there were the most statistically compact of his career. In 2022-23 he went 9-8 in 19 appearances, posting a 2.75 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. His 2023-24 campaign in Nashville brought 11 wins and six losses across 24 games, a 2.82 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.

Lankinen then signed with the Vancouver Canucks, and his 2024-25 season was the busiest and most statistically productive of his NHL career to that point. He appeared in 51 games, went 25-15, recorded four shutouts, and posted a 2.62 goals-against average alongside a .902 save percentage — career marks in wins, shutouts, and volume. His goals-against average of 2.62 was the lowest single-season figure of his NHL career.

The 2025-26 season has brought a heavier workload and more difficult results. Through 47 games with Vancouver, Lankinen carries an 11-27 record, a 3.7 goals-against average, and a .875 save percentage, with no shutouts on the season.

Across 210 NHL games, the left-catching Helsinki native owns 81 wins, seven shutouts, a career 3.1 goals-against average, and a .898 career save percentage, playing for three franchises over parts of six seasons.