SEATTLE, Wash. — July 14, 2024 — Today, the Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) announced that they have signed goaltender Kim Saarinen from HPK to a three-year, entry-level contract ($975,000 AAV). Saarinen was Seattle’s second pick in the third round (88th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
The six-foot-four, 181-pound Finn spent most of the 2023-24 season on HPK’s U20 squad, posting a 14-5 record with two shutouts, a 2.41 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. His save percentage was second among all SM-sarja U20 netminders in 2023-24. His efforts earned him the U20 SM-sarja Best Goalie award and a spot on the U20 First All-Star Team. In 11 games between HPK’s U18 and Finnish Elite (Liiga) squads, he posted a 9-1-1 record in the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
Saarinen has spent his entire career in the HPK system from 2020-21 to 2023-24, making stops with their U16, U18, U20 and Liiga teams. In total, Saarinen has appeared in 89 regular-season games in the HPK system for an overall record of 48-22-1 and eight games in the postseason.
The Hämeenlinna, Finland, native represented his country in the IIHF U18 World Championships and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (both in 2023-24) and the 2022-23 U17 World Hockey Challenge, winning a bronze medal with the team.
