All the handwringing and concern amongst some of the Rangers’ faithful can now end. Kaapo Kakko, the second overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, has signed his entry-level contract. I think nearly – if not – all of us knew this was a foregone conclusion, but good to have this out of the way.
OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with forward Kaapo Kakko on an entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/gX1JkpWk8k
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 11, 2019
Kakko is expected to compete for a roster spot in training camp. The main question is more so where he slots into the lineup, rather than if. You know my view on that, as I would start him on the third line and have him move up the ladder as his performance warrants. But I have seen several, including many on this blog, penciling Kakko in on the first line. His ultimate placement will help decide if Kakko meets any of the performance bonuses in his entry-level contract. Kakko’s base salary is $925k, but the key for future cap management purposes will be if he meets/exceeds those performance bonus levels, see screen shot below from Cap Friendly showing the $2.65 million in bonuses. If Kappo does hit those marks, I believe the way it works is that New York absorbs the cap hit it the team has enough room. If there is an overage, it hits the Rangers’ cap for next season.
Performance Bonuses:
In line with past 2nd overall picks, Kaapo Kakko's ELC with the NY #Rangers breaks down as follows:
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 11, 2019
$925k cap hit / $3.575M AAV
$832,500 Base (all 3 yrs)
$92,500 Signing Bonus (all 3 yrs)
$850,000 A Bonus (all 3 yrs)
$1,800,000 B Bonus (all 3 yrs)https://t.co/NJ3sO4v7PM pic.twitter.com/Y0IRcVoBdc
Category A and B bonuses defined:
For anyone interested: Type A and Type B bonuses explained for Kaapo Kakko's entry level contract #NYR #Kakko #ELC pic.twitter.com/ruqxpNsTdk
— Stat Boy (@StatBoy_Steven) July 11, 2019