Eemil Vinni comes in at #6 in the Oil Rig Edmonton Oilers Prospect Rankings. Edmonton used their most recent second pick on the Finnish netminder, adding him to a goaltender prospect pool consisting of Olivier Rodrigue, Connor Ungar, Samuel Jonsson, and Nathaniel Day.
Who is Eemil Vinni?
| Position | Catches | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goaltender | Left | 6’3″ | 187 lbs |
Vinni was the top ranked European goaltender in the 2024 by NHL Central Scouting, and was ranked 56th overall by Elite Prospects. Additionally, Bob McKenzie’s final drafting ranking had the lanky Finn at 74th, while Lines.com had the now Oilers’ prospect at 63. This means that the Edmonton selection of Vinni at 64 was right in the ballpark for where he should have gone. Add in Director of Amateur Scouting Rick Pracey’s comments that he likes to take a goaltender each year and the fact that Day and Jonsson have struggled since being drafted, it’s not a surprise that the Oilers went with a high upside option early in the draft.
Since being selected, new information has come to light about why Vinni might have been available at the end of the second round. On Sports 1440’s Jason Gregor Show, InGoal Mag’s Kevin Woodley shared that Vinni had back surgery right before the draft. While most of these teams looked at Vinni as a high end prospect, there was worry that the back problems could plague the rest of his career, leading some organizations to move him down or completely off their draft boards. It seems that the Oilers were satisfied with the medical results that Vinni’s camp reportedly made available, as they selected the netminder where he would have gone otherwise.
Vinni’s Stats
Vinni spent his DY-1 seaspm with HIFK U20 in the Finnish Junior League before playing his Draft Year in the organization’s Division 2 Men’s pro league. He had some success at the level, particularly considering that he was 18-years-old, but has found more success when playing internationally for Finland. It is currently anticipated that Vinni will make the jump to the Tier 1 Liiga with HIFK for the 2024–25 season.
Vinni’s player profile
Vinni’s Strengths
Eemil Vinni has a large frame and lanky body, but is able to press on that advantage by being a good skater that gets around the crease efficiently. He’s able to beat passes and set early so that he can track pucks. This also allows to be tactically aggressive, trusting his defence to cover up the back door while he can make saves. Vinni only got beat through the middle of the net twice on 219 shots (per Elite Prospects), showing that he was capable of making the easy saves while still showing upside.
Another factor that showed well for Vinni was his post play. The European game can be spread out, so prospects coming from accross the pond need an adjustment period when faced with the net play that regularly happens on the smaller North American surface. Vinni doesn’t look like he’ll have those issues, as he looks comfortable integrating into the post when flowing backwards and driving out on low-to-high plays.
Vinni’s areas of improvement
A lot of the goalies that have been drafted under Dustin Schwartz’s tenure as the goalie coach for the Oilers have had similar archetypes: bigger bodies that move well but need to reel in their game and track the puck better. Despite having a higher upside, Vinni is no different. When under pressure, Vinni can get reachy, which opens holes to the edges of the net and can generate rebounds. That pressure can also lead to Vinni chasing the play, particularly from his knees. Maintaining edges and staying patient will be a key progression for him to make as he advances.
Vinni’s next steps
Vinni looks to be slotting in as the back up to returnee Roope Taponen on HIFK in the Liiga for the 2024–25 season. The Oilers’ and their fans should be hoping that his raw skills start to develop and he can gain a greater share of the starts as the season progresses, and can finally break through the .900 SV% mark for his club team.
Vinni will likely play at least two more seasons in Finland before coming over to North America, where he would presumably start with the Bakersfield Condors. The Oilers’ depth chart could look a lot different by then, as no contracts in the organization extend past the end of Stuart Skinner’s three year contract. However, Vinni should be well placed to develop as Jonsson and Day seem unlikely to receive entry-level contracts at this point.
Projection with the Oilers
Vinni has a high upside, which has allowed The Oil Rig to place him sixth in our prospect rankings despite being a fresh pick at the end of the second round. It seems clear that he has NHL calibre tools, but the Oilers will need him to refine his tool box over the coming years so that he can earn NHL playing time. At this point, Vinni’s trajectory has him on pace for the NHL, but it’s too early to tell if it will be as a starter, backup or tandem mate.
