Sharks Goaltender Getting Plenty of Trade Interest
The San Jose Sharks' woeful 2023-24 season continues, as their latest losing streak has now reached 11 consecutive games. Teams around the league are swirling like vultures, looking to scoop up any veteran talent the Sharks are willing to move.
The latest trade candidate, according to a recent report by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, is goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. He had a strong December, posting a .914 Save percentage and a 2.96 goals against.
“Expiring deal," noted Friedman, "and if you look at the underlying numbers – the Moneypuck numbers – very good goals saved above expected."
According to San Jose Hockey Now, Kahkonen ranks 17th in the NHL with a +3.36 Goals Saved Above Expected. And sporting a .900 save percentage on a team this bad is certainly a feather in anyone's cap.
The 27-year-old netminder is wrapping up a 2-year, $5.5 million deal, carrying a $2.75M cap hit. That's affordable for plenty of clubs to fit under the cap.
“I think there’s a few teams that thought about him,” Friedman added. “Number one, what’s the price? Number two, the only negative I heard was that you just don’t know. He’s just never really had to do it before.”
Kahkonen's biggest workload to date came last season with the Sharks, when he started 37 games while posting a 3.85 GAA and .883 Sv%. His overall career marks include a 3.28 GAA and an .899 Sv%. And he just might be tired of losing.
Kaapo Kahkonen expresses frustration after the Sharks' ninth consecutive loss pic.twitter.com/c8ry8ourEk
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) January 3, 2024
With a number of contenders looking to boost their goaltending, the trade prices for "even a middling goalie" notes Friedman, "are crazy." The Sharks would be remiss if they don't try to take advantage of the market.
:photo: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports
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