Eemil Vinni, Jokipojat
At 6’2, 185 lbs, Eemil Vinni doesn’t carry the same size as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Topias Leinonen, and thankfully, he was nowhere near Liiga this year following a pair of forgettable appearances in 2022-23. But Vinni logged a solid season in 2023-24 with JoKP of Mestis with 37 appearances, a 2.72 GAA, an 0.892 save percentage, plus two shutouts.
Vinni didn’t fare as well in the playoffs, with an 0.867 save percentage and a 3.13 GAA in seven games, but he has played much better on the international stage, with a 5-0-0 record, a shutout, a 1.39 GAA, and a 0.942 save percentage.
Should he go to the Sabres, Kevyn Adams’ best bet would be to pick him between Rounds 3 and 4 and avoid the reach as he did a couple of seasons back with Leinonen. Remember, building organizational depth should be the key here, and Vinni has the potential to both put on more size and continue to develop well in Finland before he even needs to make a trip to North America.
Like others on this list, Vinni also wouldn’t need to sign an entry-level deal with the team anytime soon, so he would be a low-risk, potentially high-reward pick.