The San Jose Sharks have signed goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and forward Luke Kunin to matching two-year contracts annually worth $2.75M, according to multiple reports.
Kahkonen, 25, posted a 14–14–4 record and a .912 save percentage in 36 games split between the Sharks and the Minnesota Wild in 2021–22.
The Sharks acquired Kahkonen and a fifth-round pick from the Wild at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Jacob Middleton. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound goaltender went 2–6–1 with a .916 save percentage in 11 appearances with the Sharks after the trade.
Kunin, 24, scored 13 goals and 22 points in 82 games with the Nashville Predators during the 2021–22 regular season. The 6-foot, 197-pound center added one assist in four playoff games with the Predators.
The Sharks acquired Kunin from Nashville earlier this month in exchange for forward John Leonard and a 2023 third-round pick. In 251 career games with Minnesota and Nashville, Kunin has scored 46 goals and 93 points.
Kunin and Kahkonen played together with Minnesota during the 2019–20 season. The Wild originally selected Kunin with the No. 15 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft and Kahkonen in the fourth round (No. 109 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Kahkonen emerged as Cam Talbot’s backup with the Wild in 2020–21 and played an even bigger role with the team this past season before being traded to make room for Marc-Andre Fleury. In 65 career games with Minnesota and San Jose, Kahkonen has put together a 33–23–5 record and a .908 save percentage.
The Sharks now have three expensive goaltenders signed for 2022–23: Kahkonen ($2.75M AAV), James Reimer ($2.25 M AAV), and Adin Hill ($2.175M AAV). Both Reimer and Hill are set to become unrestricted free agents next summer.
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