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After missing the playoffs for the third time in four years, the Seattle Kraken looked to have a productive offseason. The Kraken have been busy this summer, making a few solid free-agency moves while also hitting the trade market to improve the roster. To cap off the summer, Seattle has brought back Kaapo Kakko on a three-year deal.
The Kraken opened summer with a major move, firing Dan Bylsma and bringing in Lane Lambert to be the new head coach. They would then work on reshaping the roster. Seattle added Mason Marchment via a trade with the Dallas Stars. They also sent Andre Burakovsky to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno. The trades would not end there, as they added Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild. Seattle would also add Ryan Lindgren on a four-year deal, improving their blue line. These moves would leave the team with just over $11.5 million in cap space. The franchise still had some restricted free agents to take care of, and one of those was Kakko.
The Fin is the former 2nd overall pick of the New York Rangers in 2019. He would join the Rangers that season, playing in 66 games in 2019-20 with 10 goals and 13 assists. The forward would have his breakout campaign in 2022-23, scoring 18 goals and adding 22 assists while playing all 82 games. He took a step back the next year, but was returning to pace last season. He would be traded in December of 2024 to Seattle in exchange for Will Borgen and some draft picks. The winger would make an impact quickly in Seattle, scoring 10 goals and adding 20 assists in just 49 games with the team.
The Kraken retain youth and talent
The Kraken do not have a ton of youth currently on the roster. With this still being a young franchise, many of their draft picks have not yet developed into NHL players. They are coming off another solid draft, and former picks Matty Beniers and Ryker Evans have already made an impact on the roster. Kakko adds to some of the youth on the roster, as he will not turn 25 until the middle of next season.
The Fin has also continued to grow as a player. In his top season with the Rangers, he averaged just under .5 points per game. While that took a step back the next year, he was great last season. Overall, he played 79 games and scored 44 points. That is good for .55 points per game. He was also better with the Kraken, averaging .61 points per game. That projects to 50 points per 82 games.
A 50-point season would have placed him third on the team in points last year. Meanwhile, his advanced stats have improved over the last three seasons and peaked in his 49 games with Seattle. His individual point percentage, IPP, which measures the percentage of times he is involved in the point when a goal is scored with him on the ice, hit a career high in his time with the Kraken. Meanwhile, his defense also improved. He had career highs in both hits and shots blocked last season.
Kakko is expected to stay on the top line with Jaden Schwartz and Beniers. Beniers saw major improvement in his game when paired with Kakko. He had scored just five times in the season before the trade, but scored six goals in the next month after the trade. This re-signing brings continuity and production to the top line, which is great for a team hoping to make a run at a playoff spot in 2025-26.
Final thoughts and grade on Kaapo Kakko contract
The Kraken gave a three-year deal with an average annual value of $4.525 million to Kakko. That makes him the seventh highest-paid forward on the team. He is projected to be a top-line forward, and last season he was third in points per game on the team. The NHL average on a contract is $144,557 per point, with an effective contract being $100,000 of pay per point of production.
If the former second-round pick continues to produce at the rate he has been, he will easily exceed the threshold of contract efficiency. Adding in the fact that they did not have to give a no-trade clause, and considering that Beniers improved when playing with Kakko, the Kraken got a great deal.
For the player, this was also a solid pact. Kakko's salary projection was for $4.46 million over three years. He got just over that amount. Further, the formerly restricted free agent will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of his contract. He will also be just 27 years old and will be able to sign for a big payday if his growth continues in the Emerald City. This was a winning contract for both parties involved.
Seattle Kraken Grade: A
Kaapo Kakko Grade: A-
