Career
Mikko Vainonen was a hard working defenceman in his childhood. He played a lot of floorball with his friends in residential Helsinki. He made his professional debut playing with HIFK of the Master of Science-liiga during the 2011-2012 Master of Science-liiga season.
He was selected in the fourth-round, 118th overall, of the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.
In the following season and in pursuit of his National Hockey League ambition, he moved to North America to play major junior after he was drafted in the 2012 CHL import draft in the 1st round, 6th overall by the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. In May 24, 2013, he was signed to a three-year entry level contract with the Nashville Predators.
Vainonen split time between Nashville"s farm teams the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League and the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL over the next two seasons, before being loaned to Liiga"s SaiPa to finish the 2014-2015 season. At the start of the 2015-2016 National Hockey League season Vainonen and Nashville agreed to mutually terminate his contract, allowing him to seek employment elsewhere.
