Kevin Lankinen improved in the season’s final weeks, but not enough to salvage his poor season-long statistics.AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Before the Nashville Predators wrapped up the 2022 development camp there were a few more additions to the organization.
Goaltender Kevin Lankinen was signed Thursday by the Predators to a $1.5 million contract for one year. He was most recently with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Lankinen is the presumed backup to Juuse Saros for the 2022-23 season. He fills in for David Rittich who was left unsigned by Nashville and chose to sign a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets.
Lankinen, 27, is a Finnish netminder who is a late bloomer at the NHL level. He signed as a free agent with Chicago back in 2018 and worked his way through the minor leagues.
Overall during his stint in the Windy City Lankinen posted a 25-29-11 record with a 3.23 GAA and a .901 SV%.
Up next the Predators signed forward Kiefer Sherwood to a one-year one-way deal, the third former Colorado Eagle signed by Nashville in two days. Sherwood finished the 21-22 season fifth among the AHL in scoring with 75 points.
Sherwood has appeared in 87 NHL games since 2018 with the bulk of his time being spent with the Anaheim Ducks.
Nashville also retained a familiar face in Milwaukee by signing Cole Smith to a one-year two-way deal after being qualified on July 11. The forward out of Brainerd, Minnesota had 41 points in 59 AHL games.
Smith has appeared in nine NHL games since he signed as a free agent back in 2020. He was a taxi squad player for the Predators in 2020.
One of the three forwards added thus far is a former 2012 first-round pick, Mark Jankowski. Nashville signed the 6 foot 4 inch center to a two-year two-way deal.
After splitting time with the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans Jankowski found his way to Nashville. In the AHL Jankowski posted 27 points in 32 games and dressed in 19 games for Buffalo.
Predators General Manager David Poile has been adding a lot of depth with the lone NHL deal given out to Lankinen.
As of July 14, the Predators have $9.2 million in salary cap space according to Cap Friendly.
Free agent signees to date:
- F – Kiefer Sherwood
- F – Cole Smith
- D – Jordan Gross
- D – Mark Jankowski
- D – Roland McKeown
- D – Kevin Gravel
- G – Kevin Lankinen
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