The Los Angeles Kings used a fifth-round pick on 19-year-old Petteri Rimpinen, a Finnish goaltender whose game leans on poise, efficient routes, and “quiet” saves in the Liiga. For Kings fans, the key question isn’t flash, it’s how his technical foundation and decision-making translate to North American ice and an eventual Ontario Reign runway.
In this report, I’ll track his post-draft preseason, grade his toolkit using my scouting framework, and explain how he fits the Kings’ long-term plan. I’ll also touch on Kiekko-Espoo’s development pipeline, outline where his progress could stall, use Juuse Saros as a template for how a “smaller” goalie plays big, compare Rimpinen’s profile with Daniel Salonen’s, and finish with concrete KPIs for 2025–26 plus a 2–5 year projection.
Bio Box
Petteri Rimpinen
Draft: 2025, Round 5, No. 152 Overall (Los Angeles Kings)
Current Club: Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga, Finland)
Age: 19 (April 25, 2006)
Height / Weight: 6-foot-0, 176 pounds
Catches / Position: Left; Goaltender
2024–25 Snapshot: Liiga: 40 GP, 2.35 goals-against average (GAA), .912 save percentage (SV%) (Kiekko-Espoo); WJC: 2.34 GAA, .933 SV%, silver medal, Best Goaltender + All-Star.
“We didn’t go into the draft looking for a goalie… by 152 we’d already passed on him twice because of our goalie situation… he’s a bit undersized, but he claimed a No. 1 job in Liiga at 19; that’s rare.”
Source – ‘Kings ignited from league sensation Petteri Rimpinen slowly‘ – Mark Yannetti (Kings SVP, Scouting) – NHL.com/fi – 06/29/2025
What’s Happened Since the Draft (Preseason Tracker)
LA Kings Development Camp (late June–early July): First look in Kings colors; organizational backdrop on why the Kings liked him after his Liiga/WJC year.
World Junior Summer Showcase (late July–early August): Two starts, two wins for Finland (6–3 vs USA; 3–1 vs Sweden), 46/50 saves; LAK Insider highlighted a composed 26-of-27 finale.
“He was so great, game after game… his focus was so good.”
Source – ‘2025 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 3‘ – Lauri Mikkola (Finland U20 coach) – NHL.com – 07/29/2025
Liiga Preseason Friendlies (August): Dressed for Aug 15: K-Espoo 0–1 (OT) HIFK
Why the LA Kings Drafted Him
Rimpinen is 19 and already a Liiga starter who has shouldered a Liiga workload and handled pressure events (WJC, WJSS). He isn’t big by NHL standards, but the tape shows poise, reads, and efficiency, traits that map to LA’s structure-first identity.
“Speed and agility are strengths, but they still need to improve, especially as a smaller goalie on North American ice… and add a certain calm so it doesn’t become overplaying.”
Source – ‘Petteri Rimpinen demands more and more of himself with Puck-Espoo goal” – Petteri Rimpinen – NHL.com/fi – 08/13/2025
| Letter | Score Range | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 8.5–9.0 | NHL-caliber top-6/top-4D — elite, ready for NHL role |
| A | 7.5–8.4 | True Liiga-level talent — high-end pro / Liiga regular |
| B+ | 6.5–7.4 | Solid Mestis-level performer — pro depth in Finland’s 2nd tier |
| B | 5.5–6.4 | Fringe Mestis / top junior — upper-junior / lower-Mestis |
| C+ | 4.5–5.4 | Top junior-league regular — high-end U20/U18 |
| C | 3.5–4.4 | Mid/lower junior-league — developmental junior |
| D–F | < 3.5 | Below pro standard — developmental stages |
Goalie Toolkit Grades (1–9)
Goalie Toolkit Explanation: Finding a System, Part II: Building Structure Into Goalie Evaluation
Skating: 7.1 — Efficient routes, balanced edges, quick re-squares; minimal over-slides at men’s pace.
Transitions: 7.2 — Clean ups/downs and RVH entries/exits; settles scrambles without chasing.
Hands: 7.3 — Calm glove; blocker typically steers to safe lanes; puck-handling reads trending up.
Tracking: 7.8 — Head/eye through traffic is the separator; late-screen saves stay “quiet” at Liiga speed.
Post: 7.0 — Sharper seals on wraps/short-side; still an area for incremental tightening.
Depth: 7.4 — Disciplined angle management; challenges on rush without over-committing.
Overall Snapshot: 7.7 (A — Low-A Liiga Starter)
Well within the A band given full-season Liiga starts plus international résumé; room to push mid-A with top-quartile SV% and cleaner post integrations.
How 7.7 Stacks Up Among Liiga Starters
| Band | Grade | Archetype (Liiga) | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-A | 8.1–8.4 | Top-5 starter | ~.920 SV%, strong GSAx, heavy workload, playoff impact |
| Mid-A | 7.8–8.0 | Top-10 starter | Above-avg SV%, consistent PK/save quality, limited volatility |
| Low-A | 7.5–7.7 | Lower-performing #1 / strong 1A | Reliable starts, positive trends in rebounds and post play |
| Upper B+ | 7.2–7.4 | 1B/platoon or rising starter | Good spurts, some pace/detail leaks under load |
Takeaway: At 7.7, Rimpinen projects as Low-A today, a credible Liiga #1 whose next step to Mid-A is tightening RVH/post details and sustaining top-quartile shot-quality results.
Context Versus Other Finnish Goalie 2025 NHL Draft Pick, Daniel Salonen
On my scale, I have Salonen at 7.2 (B+), a promising goalie still proving durability and pace at the pro level. I outlined that reasoning in a related article. By contrast, Rimpinen grades at 7.7 (A) for me today: a teenage Liiga starter with a clearer track record against men, a noticeable tracking edge, and strong pressure-event results (WJC Best Goaltender; WJSS two starts, two wins).
Related: What the Oilers Need From Goalie Prospect Daniel Salonen
What Kings Fans Should Watch (2025–26 Season KPIs)
Rebound Control (Hands/Tracking): Limit second looks; steer or smother under traffic.
Sharp-Angle Defense (Post): Clean RVH seals on jams/wraps; minimize short-side leaks.
Rush Angles and Resets (Depth): Challenge-then-adjust on east–west; arrive square.
Recovery Discipline (Skating/Transitions): Controlled slides, quick re-squares after scrambles.
Concern Points and Why He Lasted to No. 152
Below-Average NHL Size: ~182 cm; clubs discount height due to net-front traffic and coverage. (NHL.com/fi draft feature emphasized size context and why LA waited until 152.)
Detail Work Still Maturing: Post-integration and first-touch rebounds can run hot when pace spikes, exactly the right next-step focus areas.
Translation Risk: Only one season of full men’s league starter sample pre-draft; Goalies grown in Europe could equal a North American translation risk
Where Development Could Stall
North American Translation: Smaller ice compresses angles; end-board bounces arrive faster; traffic layers are heavier. Rimpinen himself flagged “more speed… and a certain calm” as priorities for NA play.
Net-Front Layers/Screens: At his size, Tracking + Post must be consistently elite against heavy crease play.
Workload Rhythm: American Hockey League (AHL) back-to-backs/travel can nick consistency; he’ll need to show pro-routine resilience.
Juuse Saros Comparison: A Template for “Small but Elite”
Why It Fits: Juuse Saros (5-foot-10) is the modern blueprint for shorter goalies who “play big” with angles, edges, and tracking. (NHL.com and technical breakdowns repeatedly note he’s the shortest goalie and thrives by squaring early and reading through traffic.)
Actionable Lessons for Rimpinen
- Beat Passes on Your Edges, Not With Depth Lunges: Arrive early, stay square; let quiet hands make you “look big.”
- Traffic Toolkit > Raw Size: Saros: “I don’t really pay much attention to the size… you appreciate how [a goalie] controls his body and changes direction.”
- Stepwise Runway: Another Liiga year to tighten posts/rebounds → AHL Ontario Reign acclimation → NHL reps (mirrors Saros’s HPK → AHL Milwaukee → NHL path).
Kiekko-Espoo Development: What Kings Fans Should Expect
Club Context: Top-league hockey returned to Espoo with Kiekko-Espoo’s admission to Liiga for 2024–25; the club also joined the E.H.C. Alliance.
Why That Matters for Goalies:
Adult-League Reps Early: Young pros face Liiga shot quality before crossing; K-Espoo’s preseason/fixture load adds repetition (e.g., Aug. 15 vs HIFK).
Ecosystem & Scale: Kiekko-Espoo is Finland’s largest junior ice sports organization (~3,000 athletes across hockey/ringette), feeding consistent, detail-driven habits up the ladder.
Projection and Kings Timeline (2–5 Years)
2025–26 (Liiga): Hold the starter’s chair; stay above league-mean SV%; quiet rebounds and lock short-side seals. (WJSS composure is a promising tell.)
Related: Finland Made a Statement at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase
2026–27: AHL Ontario Reign acclimation, angles/traffic on smaller ice; build third-defenseman puck-handling routes.
2027–29: Push for NHL 1B/backup minutes; starter ceiling if Post/Hands continue to trend and “quiet saves” remain his identity.
