NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 26: Kaapo Kahkonen #31 of the Minnesota Wild skates in warm-ups prior to playing in his first NHL game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on November 26, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
It’s looking more and more like the time is now for 24-year-old Helsinki Finland native Kaapo Kahkonen to be an NHL goaltender. Maybe not as a full-time starter just yet, but at least a reliable backup, if not a platoon with fellow netminder Cam Talbot.
Gone are the days of starters being thrown out there for 60 to70 plus games.