The Seattle Kraken have recalled goaltender Nikke Kokko from the Coachella Valley Firebirds and have reassigned Ales Stezka and Cale Fleury.
Stezka played in his first career NHL game last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 4-1 loss. The 28-year-old turned away 19 of the 22 shots he faced but was not able to pick up the win. He’ll rejoin the Firebirds, where he’s been as solid as they come.
With the return of Ryker Evans, Fleury has been sent down to the Firebirds. In seven NHL games, Fleury recorded one assist while averaging 12:20 of ice time.
In the AHL, Kokko has shown a lot of promise. In 21 games, the 20-year-old has posted a .909 SV% and a 2.44 GAA. Kokko has also posted a 15-4-1 record with the Firebirds.
Drafted in the second round (58th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft, Kokko has impressed at every level. His numbers in Finland’s top professional league last season were outstanding, and he’s carried the confidence into his rookie campaign with the Firebirds.
The Kraken are back in action on Tuesday with a road battle against the St. Louis Blues, but following the game, the Kraken are out of action until Saturday. Nothing has been shared about whether Kokko will get into any game action, but practicing with the team throughout the week and possibly backing up Joey Daccord will be a great experience for the young netminder.
Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Tampa Bay Lightning and will do so with Ales Stezka in between the pipes.
