Kaapo Kähkönen

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing Finland
World Junior Championships
World U18 Championships

Kaapo Kähkönen
Kaapo Kähkönen
	Kähkönen with the Iowa Wild in 2019
Born	16 August 1996 (age 28); Helsinki, Finland
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team; Former teams	Winnipeg Jets; Espoo Blues; Lukko; Minnesota Wild; San Jose Sharks; New Jersey Devils
NHL draft	109th overall, 2014; Minnesota Wild
Playing career	2015–present

Kaapo Kähkönen (born 16 August 1996) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kähkönen was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Kähkönen played as a youth in his homeland within the Espoo Blues organization. He made his professional debut on loan to TUTO Hockey of the Mestis in the 2014–15 season before returning to make his Liiga debut with the Blues during the following 2015–16 Liiga season.

On 13 April 2016, Kähkönen left the Blues in order to be exposed to more playing time. He agreed to a two-year contract with Lukko.^[1]

In the 2017–18 season, Kähkönen produced career best markers in leading the Liiga in games played, minutes and shutouts.

Upon completion of his two-year pact with Lukko, Kähkönen agreed to a two-year, entry-level contract with his draft club, the Minnesota Wild, on 17 May 2018.^[2] In his second year in North America, during the 2019–20 season, Kähkönen was recalled by Minnesota from AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, on 20 November 2019.^[3] After serving as backup for two games, he became just the fourth Minnesota Wild goaltender to be given a start for his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on 26 November 2019. He made 32 saves, recording his first career victory in a 3–2 win over the Devils.^[4] Kähkönen officially conceded his first goal against to Devils' rookie Jesper Boqvist, despite the NHL later admitting error from an incorrect ruling in a coach's challenge review from the Wild.^[5]

In the 2020–21 season, Kähkönen became a full-time NHL player, serving as the backup to Cam Talbot. Between 18 February and 16 March 2021, he won nine consecutive games while being a starter, putting up a .947 save percentage and getting two shutouts during the winning streak.^[6]

During the 2021–22 season, on 21 March 2022, Kähkönen was dealt at the NHL trade deadline to the San Jose Sharks, in exchange for defenceman Jacob Middleton and a fifth-round draft selection.^[7] As a restricted free agent in the following off-season, Kähkönen was re-signed to a two-year, $5.5 million contract extension with the Sharks on 18 July 2022.^[8]

On 8 March 2024, Kähkönen was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Vítek Vaněček and a 2025 seventh-round pick.^[9]

On 1 July 2024, Kähkönen signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets. ^[10]

International play

Kähkönen represented The Finnish men's national under 20 ice hockey team at the 2015 and 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where the team won gold.

In the 2015 tournament, he was the team's third goalie, behind Juuse Saros and Ville Husso, and did not receive any playing time.

In 2016, Kähkönen started the tournament as the second goalie option behind Veini Vehviläinen, but ended up playing more as the tournament progressed. Ultimately it was Kähkönen who led the team to its 4th gold medal, after being substituted for Vehviläinen against Canada in the quarterfinal game in the second period.

Kähkönen then made 21 saves in a 2–1 win against Sweden in the semifinals ^[11] before helping his team beat Russia 4–3 in the gold medal game in overtime making 22 saves.^[12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season									Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%	GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2012–13	Espoo Blues	Jr. A	28	—	—	—	1676	68	4	2.43	.917	12	—	—	628	28	2	2.68	.901
2013–14	Espoo Blues	Jr. A	38	—	—	—	2279	91	3	2.39	.911	10	—	—	599	21	0	2.10	.915
2014–15	TuTo	Mestis	47	—	—	—	—	92	—	2.11	.925	13	—	—	—	—	—	1.95	.934
2015–16	Espoo Blues	Liiga	27	6	15	5	1581	71	1	2.69	.908	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	TuTo	Mestis	1	0	0	0	28	0	0	0.00	1.000	6	—	—	—	18	—	3.03	.885
2016–17	Lukko	Liiga	34	12	12	10	2020	87	2	2.58	.921	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Lukko	Liiga	56	20	23	12	3275	120	6	2.20	.920	2	0	2	126	5	0	2.38	.921
2018–19	Iowa Wild	AHL	39	17	14	8	2373	110	6	2.78	.908	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Iowa Wild	AHL	34	25	6	3	2058	71	7	2.07	.927	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Minnesota Wild	NHL	5	3	1	1	305	15	0	2.96	.913	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Minnesota Wild	NHL	24	16	8	0	1414	68	2	2.88	.902	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	Minnesota Wild	NHL	25	12	8	3	1381	66	0	2.87	.910	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	San Jose Sharks	NHL	11	2	6	1	566	27	0	2.86	.916	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	San Jose Sharks	NHL	37	9	20	7	2,107	135	1	3.85	.883	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	San Jose Sharks	NHL	31	6	20	3	1651	105	0	3.81	.895	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	New Jersey Devils	NHL	6	1	4	0	263	11	1	2.51	.923	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Liiga totals			117	38	50	27	6,876	278	9	2.43	.918	2	0	2	126	5	0	2.38	.921
NHL totals			139	49	67	15	7,686	427	4	3.33	.899	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result	GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2013	Finland	U17	7th	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	4.48	.858
2013	Finland	IH18	5th	3	2	1	0	174	10	0	3.45	.881
2014	Finland	U18	6th	5	2	3	0	269	15	0	3.37	.886
2016	Finland	WJC		4	4	0	0	214	9	0	2.52	.909
Junior totals				16	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Awards and honours

Award	Year	Ref
Mestis
Best Goaltender	2015
First All-Star Team	2015
Rookie of the Year	2015
AHL
All-Star Game	2019
First All-Star Team	2020	^[13]
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award	2020	^[14]