5 goaltending prospects for Red Wings fans to know about for the 2024 NHL Draft
Petteri Rimpinen, K-Espoo
Petteri Rimpinen is another goaltender on this list who lacks size, but he more than makes up for it with what have been ultra-dynamic outings. We saw it this season with his overall performance in Mestis with Kiekko-Espoo, finishing with a 0.925 save percentage, a 1.94 GAA, and two shutouts across 14 appearances.
He also finished the regular season with a 6-4-3 record, so it’s not like Espoo was one of the league’s best teams. They actually finished fourth in the 13-team Mestis and found themselves swept in the semi-finals, adding more weight to Rimpinen’s overall performance.
Sure, Rimpinen’s playoff statline is also something you can point to for the team’s success, but again, he finished just 5-5 in 11 appearances. That said, Kiekko-Espoo didn’t have the kind of team winning games despite their goaltender, and this is further evidenced thanks to Rimpinen’s 0.926 save percentage and 1.82 GAA in the playoffs.
Overall, Rimpinen would be a great addition, and someone who should be there between the fourth and fifth rounds. He’s also a player nobody needs to rush into the North American game, but could instead opt to keep him in Finland for another two seasons before he jumps to North America.
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(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)