Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
When free company opened final July, Kaapo Kähkönen had a plan.
He secured a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets, and was prepared to go to coaching camp to compete with Eric Comrie for the back-job job to Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. One would keep on with a Stanley Cup contender, and the opposite would be a part of the Manitoba Moose.
However plans change. When Kähkönen was waived on the finish of coaching camp for the aim of being assigned to the Moose, the Colorado Avalanche got here calling. A title contender in their very own proper, the Avalanche had simply taken an 8-4 opening-night thumping from Vegas, with each Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen struggling. Kähkönen was claimed by Colorado on Oct. 11.
He stayed with the large membership for 2 weeks with out seeing any motion, then was despatched to the AHL Eagles on a conditioning task. Kähkönen made back-to-back begins in a weekend journey to Calgary earlier than returning to the Avalanche, the place he allowed 4 objectives on 20 photographs in a loss to Tampa Bay on Oct. 30. One other two weeks later, he was again on waivers.
Kähkönen was reclaimed by Winnipeg and assigned to Manitoba, the place he would go 6-14-1 with a 3.29 goals-against common and an .885 save proportion in 22 appearances with a struggling group looking for itself.
Lastly, on Mar. 6, the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers shook up their depth chart, buying Kähkönen from the Jets for Chris Driedger. For Kähkönen, who performed for San Jose and New Jersey in 2023-24, it was his fifth group in 12 months.
“It’s been a protracted season, for positive,” Kähkönen acknowledged. “It’s been form of a curler coaster, however what? That’s what it’s generally, and also you’ve simply acquired to attempt to take benefit. It’s not ultimate (transferring round), however I’m actually blissful the best way it has turned out.”
The best way it’s turned out is that Kähkönen is the number-one goaltender on a group vying for the Calder Cup. He has introduced stability and success to the Charlotte Checkers and shortly earned the belief of head coach Geordie Kinnear, who began him closely down the stretch within the common season and in each recreation up to now throughout the playoffs.
Kähkönen acquired the Checkers’ postseason off to a scorching begin with two highway wins in opposition to Windfall, together with a 32-save shutout in Sport 2. After dispatching the Bruins in 5 video games, Charlotte took care of the back-to-back Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears in a sweep of the Atlantic Division Finals.
Each events have made sturdy early impressions on one another. For Kinnear and the Florida group, it’s Kähkönen’s dedication to elite-level health. He has at all times been able to taking up a heavy schedule. As a 21-year-old in 2017-18, he performed 56 of 60 regular-season video games for Finland’s Lukko Rauma, his remaining Liiga season earlier than he got here to North America. And with the Charlotte blue line a bit banged up this postseason, Kähkönen’s presence has softened that problem.
“He’s a really match particular person, so he can deal with the minutes,” Kinnear outlined. “He’s acquired an excessive quantity of composure. He brings that composure to these guys to settle issues down when it will get just a little intense.”
From Kähkönen’s perspective, Florida’s organizational tradition has stood out for him. Together with his all-business character, he discovered his match with the Checkers.
“It’s an excellent group, nice teaching workers,” Kähkönen mentioned. “I believe total there’s this tradition of successful and intent in something we do. There’s a cause for every little thing we do. It’s very skilled. You recognize precisely the place different guys are going to be. There’s this belief to one another, to the system, after which to the people as nicely to take over when the sport provides you that chance.”
Now comes the subsequent problem. The Checkers are by means of to the Jap Convention Finals, the place they’ll face the regular-season champion Laval Rocket. Lest anybody underrate the Checkers, nevertheless, this can be a group that held the proficient P-Bruins to all of eight photographs within the deciding Sport 5 of their collection. They subsequent stifled the Bears, a totally playoff-tested group, holding Hershey to only six objectives in three video games. Charlotte is permitting simply 23 photographs per recreation, the fewest within the AHL this postseason. And when opponents have damaged by means of, they’ve run straight into Kähkönen and his .918 playoff save proportion.
Charlotte faces a substantial impediment within the Rocket. However 4 wins from the Finals and eight wins from a Calder Cup championship – the closest a Panthers affiliate has ever gotten – the Checkers are rolling.
And so is Kähkönen, whose season has not gone in line with plan but has nonetheless introduced him an opportunity to play into June and compete for a Calder Cup. Eligible to develop into an unrestricted free agent July 1, he additionally has set himself up nicely to discipline provides this summer time. For now, although, it’s all about determining a option to take the Checkers previous Laval.
“Our construction is sweet,” Kähkönen mentioned. “It’s enjoyable to look at. It’s enjoyable to be a part of. It’s an excellent feeling, however on the similar time no person right here is admittedly happy but. We’re actually trying ahead to this subsequent one and going all the best way.
“It’s an excellent alternative to do one thing particular with an excellent group of men.”
On the American Hockey League beat for 20 years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a daily contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.
