Restricted free agent Kaapo Kahkonen will avoid salary arbitration after all, as the Minnesota Wild announced Monday that they have signed their Finnish goaltender to a two-year, $1.45 million deal worth an average of $725,000 per year. The contract is a two-way deal for next season and a one-way deal in 2021-22.
The 24-year-old Kahkonen started five games during his 2019-20 NHL debut, earning a record of 3-1-1 and finishing with a .913 save percentage and a 2.96 goals against average. Wild general manager Bill Guerin has already indicated the newly-signed free agent Cam Talbot will enter training camp as the team’s number one netminder, leaving Kahkonen and Alex Stalock to battle it out for the second spot.