The New Jersey Devils signed Janne Kuokkanen to a two-year deal. The contract will carry an average annual value of $1.825M, paying the young forward $1.6M in 2021-22 and $2.05M in 2022-23.
Kuokkanen, 23, found a home in New Jersey after beginning his career with the Carolina Hurricanes. The second-round pick became a full-time contributor in the NHL this past year, posting 25 points in 50 games while lining up most often next to Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich. The trio of youngsters could very well be a line again next season, though the addition of Tomas Tatar obviously gives the Devils another top-six option to work with.
No matter where he fits into the lineup, the key is that Kuokkanen has made it, finally escaping the roller-coaster between the AHL and NHL. Before arriving in New Jersey through a 2020 deadline trade he had played just 11 games with the Hurricanes and failed to score a single point. He was a strong contributor at the minor league level but could never land a spot on the NHL roster.
With his emergence, that deadline deal looks like a masterstroke by GM Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils retained half of Sami Vatanen’s salary but ended up receiving Kuokkanen, Fredrik Claesson and a third-round pick. Vatanen, who was injured at the time, didn’t play a single game in the regular season for the Hurricanes, suiting up for just seven postseason contests in the bubble before re-signing with the Devils in free agency.
A two-year contract for Kuokkanen leaves him as a restricted free agent in 2023, but he will have arbitration rights at that point. He’ll also be in line for a $2.05M qualifying offer, meaning he’ll have to continue to bring positive value over the next two seasons to be worth retaining at that price point.
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