While the quiet part of the NHL offseason is well underway, there was still some notable news around the NHL, especially on the contract front with several deals being featured in our key stories.
Three For Kakko: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was the first of the scheduled salary arbitration hearings but it didn’t get that far. Instead, the two sides worked out a three-year contract that carries a cap hit of $4.525MM per season. Seattle acquired the 24-year-old midseason from the Rangers and the change of scenery gave him a boost as he had 30 points in 49 games down the stretch, propelling him to a career-high 44 points for the season. The contract gives Kakko a raise of more than $2MM per season while Seattle gets two extra years of club control, a sign that they feel he could be part of the longer-term solution moving forward.
Not Guilty Verdicts: More than three months after their trial began after being charged in connection with sexual assault, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, and Cal Foote were all found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario. The allegations became public back in 2022 with charges being laid in January 2024; none of those players have played in the NHL since then. They won’t be eligible to return right away either as the league indicated that they will be “reviewing and considering the judge’s findings” to determine next steps. The NHLPA has already indicated that they are addressing this with the league, citing that the NHL’s declaration is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.
Blake Gets Eight: Hurricanes winger Jackson Blake had a solid rookie season, notching 17 goals and 17 assists in 80 games during the regular season. Management clearly feels that he’s a part of the long-term plans, as they signed him to an eight-year, $45MM contract extension that will begin in 2026-27. While the normal AAV of that deal would be $5.625MM, the deal has $15.9MM in deferred signing bonus payments that won’t be paid until the day after the contract expires, July 1, 2034. In doing so, the AAV and cap charge is lowered to $5.117MM. Deferred compensation contracts have been outlawed in the CBA extension but until that kicks in (in mid-September 2026), they’re fully legal; it’s now the third such contract on Carolina’s books, joining Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis.
Zacha In Play? Center help has been something that many teams are seeking but…
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