Goaltender Kevin Lankinen took a minute before the All Star break to answer five quick questions about his season, his downtime, and his favorite hockey memory.
What is one word to describe your season so far?
This is a question that gave some players pause, but the 28-year-old Helsinki native had no trouble coming up with one word.
"Winning."
It hasn't been an easy season in net for the Predators. With a new system, changing defensive pairings, and Juuse Saros struggling at times, Lankinen has been reliable for the Predators in net and in relief. He's played 14 games, and while his stats may not jump off the page, the starts that Andrew Brunette has trusted him with are impressive. In his ten starts, Lankinen has faced all but one playoff contending team.
What is something you do every game day?
Like many of his teammates, Lankinen is sure to get a nap in on game days.
If there was a rule you could change or clarify, what would it be and why?
"I would probably get rid of the trapezoid behind the net," Lankinen said. "That's probably the one."
Surprised he didn't mention anything about what feels like the most nebulous rule — goaltender interference — I asked Lankinen if he fully understands when goalie interference is and isn't called.
"That's a tricky one," Lankinen said. ""Sometimes you're in no man's land for a little bit. Maybe they could do a better job just clarifying, like setting up a couple examples."
"At the end of the day, it's hockey and things happen fast and refs are just doing their best," he said. "So I'm never gonna go after a ref for anything."
For Lankinen, his focus is on what he needs to do and not what is happening around him.
"My job is to stop the puck and keep it out of the net."
If you have downtime, are you more likely to read a book, listen to music, or watch a show?
Lankinen is a reader, and his stack of books is an eclectic mix.
"I'm reading a book about American history right now. A couple on spiritual stuff," Lankinen shared. "I bought Matthew McConaughey's autobiography just recently so that's on my list."
His taste in books is, as he says, "pretty wide spread".
What is your favorite hockey memory?
"That'd probably be winning the World Championships with Team Finland 2019," Lankinen said.
It's easy to understand why. Finland played a stacked Team Canada roster that included former Predator Kyle Turris, current teammate Dante Fabbro, Jared McCann, Sam Reinhart, and Matt Murray in the opposing goal. The less well known Finns were the only team to beat Canada in the tournament heading into the championship game played in Slovakia.
With Lankinen in net, Team Finland won to take home gold. Lankinen stopped an impressive 43 of 44 shots on goal, allowing Canada to score just once in the first period before he shut the door on their offense.
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