The Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) announced today the signing of goaltender Kim Saarinen from HPK to a three-year, entry-level contract worth $975,000 AAV. Saarinen was Seattle's second pick in the third round (88th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
The 6'4", 181-pound Finn excelled with HPK's U20 squad during the 2023-24 season, boasting a 14-5 record, two shutouts, a 2.41 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage. His save percentage was the second-best among all SM-sarja U20 goaltenders. Saarinen's stellar performance earned him the U20 SM-sarja Best Goalie award and a spot on the U20 First All-Star Team. In addition, he achieved a 9-1-1 record in 11 games with HPK's U18 and Finnish Elite (Liiga) squads.
Saarinen has progressed through the HPK system from 2020-21 to 2023-24, playing for their U16, U18, U20, and Liiga teams. He has appeared in 89 regular-season games, achieving a 48-22-1 record, and participated in eight postseason games.
Hailing from Hämeenlinna, Finland, Saarinen has represented his country in the IIHF U18 World Championships and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (both in 2023-24) as well as the 2022-23 U17 World Hockey Challenge, where he won a bronze medal.
