In a surprising move, the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks executed a sensational exchange of goaltenders just ahead of the NHL trade deadline on Friday, March 8, at 3 PM Eastern Time.
The Devils announced that they had acquired goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the Sharks, finalizing the deal by sending their own netminder, Vitek Vanecek, and a seventh-round pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft to San Jose.
The 27-year-old Kahkonen is in the last season of his two-year contract, which amounts to $5.5 million with an average annual value (AAV) of $2.75 million. At the conclusion of the current campaign, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
Throughout the current season, the Finnish player has maintained a record of 6 wins, 20 losses, and 3 ties, accompanied by a save percentage of .895 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.81.
This transaction represents the second goalie trade of the day for the busy Devils, who had previously secured Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens.
Vitek Vanecek is currently out of action
Vanecek endured a lower-body injury in his most recent match against the Carolina Hurricanes on February 10, sidelining him from play since then.
The 28-year-old Czech native has participated in 32 games for the Devils this season and has accumulated a record of 17 wins, 9 losses, and 3 ties. His performance is reflected in a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.18 and a save percentage (SV%) of .890.
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