Hurricanes should add Kasimir Kaskisuo for goaltending stability.
The Carolina Hurricanes currently have just two active goaltenders. They’ve been without Frederik Andersen since October, when he was diagnosed with blood clots in his leg. Carolina lost Pyotr Kochetkov on Star Wars Night against the Anaheim Ducks on January 11. They are down to Antti Raanta and Yaniv Perets, who made his NHL debut on Monday, Jan. 15, losing 5-2 to the Los Angeles Kings. Having said that, the Hurricanes are desperate for goalkeeper depth, as they only have four in the system, two of whom are injured.
Hurricanes goalkeeper Jakob Vondras is with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and he will not be able to join the team this season owing to agreements between the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) about players eligible for juniors. Despite being low on goalies, they have the opportunity to sign one on an affordable salary if they are unwilling to trade for one. There is someone they should look at to assist offer stability and depth to the position within the organisation.
Kaskisuo gets another Finnish goalie.
The Hurricanes are known for having a large number of Finnish players in their organization, so why not add another? They have Raanta as their only Finnish goalkeeper, and they claim “Finns Get Winns” when it comes to the Hurricanes. Carolina may want to look into Kasimir Kaskisuo, a native of Vantaa, Finland. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie is on a professional tryout (PTO) with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL), the Montreal Canadiens’ affiliate. He has appeared in three games this season and has a record of 3-0-0 with a 1.95 goals-against average (GAA).and a.943 save percentage (SV%). He is also a YouTube hockey content developer and vlogger, with films covering his time from the 2020 NHL Playoff Bubble until the 2021 COVID season. He has also created vlogs during his time in Sweden and now with the Rocket.
Kaskisuo did not get much ice time in Finland with Jokerit’s U18 and U20 teams, so he chose to come to North America to find a place for himself. He was able to secure a berth with the Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), where he produced a.944 SV% and a 1.48 GAA in 32 games. After one season with the Wilderness, he was able to attend Minnesota-Duluth and play NCAA hockey with the Bulldogs for two years.
In his two seasons at Minnesota-Duluth, he went 18-14-3 in 2014-15 and 19-15-15 in 2015-16. During the 2014-15 season, he appeared in 36 games, recording a.917 SV% and a 2.30 GAA. He followed that up with a.923 save percentage and a 1.92 GAA in 39 games. This was before the Bulldogs became the Division I powerhouse they are now. He did, however, put up impressive stats in two seasons with Duluth before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A journey starts somewhere.
In his professional career, Kaskisuo spent the most of the 2016-17 season with the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, where he had a 14-11-5 record with a.899 save percentage and a 3.45 GAA in 32 games. He followed that season with a 13-13-2 record for the Chicago Wolves. He concluded the 2017-18 season with a 2.38 GAA and a.914 save percentage.
Kaskisuo was eventually able to secure a permanent spot in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies in 2018-19 and 2019-20. During those two seasons, his finest time between the pipes for the Marlies came in 2019-20. He finished the season with a 14-9-3 record, a 2.79 GAA, and a.909 save percentage. He was putting together a CV to become an NHL backup goalie. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was put on hold due to the playoffs being in a bubble later that summer and into the fall. He only appeared in one game for the Maple Leafs in 2020, recording a 6.00 GAA and.842 SV%.
He signed with the Nashville Predators for the 2021 COVID season, with the chance of playing for the Predators’ AHL club, the Milwaukee Admirals. The Admirals opted out of the season, and the Predators combined their prospects with the Hurricanes’ prospects, who were then affiliated with the Chicago Wolves. Kaskisuo was on Nashville’s taxi squad entire season and only played one game, finishing with a 0-0-0 record and 1.000 SV%.
Welcome to Sweden! Kasimir
Following the COVID season, Kaskisuo returned to Europe in search of a more stable starting job after only playing two games in over two years. After almost two seasons of not playing much, he returned back to Scandinavia to play for Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In his debut season with Leksands, he went 23-22-0 with a.910 save percentage and a 2.64 goals against average. In the SHL playoffs, he appeared in three games, going 1-2-0 with a.911 SV% and a 2.39 GAA. The fact that Kaskisuo was able to carry a subpar Leksands IF club should demonstrate that he can play at an elite level.
After only 14 games the next season (2022-23), Kaskisuo returned to North America to try again for a spot in the AHL and/or NHL.
Rocket to the Moon.
The 2023-24 season began, and Kaskisuo was in Duluth, Minnesota, awaiting a contract to join any team. He was able to stay prepared in the event of a contract by practicing with the Bulldogs at his former NCAA program, Minnesota-Duluth. From the 2020 Playoff Bubble to the present, he has provided fans with a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what it takes to be a professional goaltender via his YouTube channel. On the channel, he announced that he has signed a PTO deal with the Laval Rocket, where he had a 3-0-0 record this season.
A PTO allows any team to sign him, which is where the Hurricanes come in. Kaskisuo’s career numbers create a compelling case for Carolina to add him to their roster. Even if Andersen returns, which there is no schedule for, Kaskisuo might be a valuable addition to the organization.
Let’s Make A Deal.
Raanta’s current contract will expire at the end of the season, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA). If Carolina does not re-sign him, Kaskisuo might be kept on a multi-season contract as the Hurricanes’ third goaltender. An ideal contract for Kaskisuo and the Hurricanes would be two or three years with an average annual value (AAV) of $750,000, with the option of a two-way contract. It’s a low-risk situation for Carolina, which needs goaltender depth, and it helps to ensure long-term consistency at the position.
It will also give Kaskisuo stability because he will not be jumping from team to team each season. He will be with one organization, receiving consistent playing time, and will be available in the event of an emergency due to injury or other circumstances. He has enjoyed a successful career in the NAHL, AHL, and even the SHL. His current performance in the AHL with the Rockets has demonstrated that he is an excellent goaltender who can be relied on. It is a mutually beneficial agreement, and the Hurricanes should make it a reality by bringing him on board. Both the Hurricanes and Kaskisuo benefit from this arrangement.
