Janne Kuokkanen Explained

Janne Kuokkanen
Birth Date:25 May 1998
Birth Place:Oulunsalo, Finland
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lbs:187
Position:Forward
Shoots:Left
League:NL
Team:Lausanne HC
Former Teams:Oulun Kärpät
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
HC Fribourg-Gottéron
Malmö Redhawks
Draft:43rd overall
Draft Year:2016
Draft Team:Carolina Hurricanes
Career Start:2016

Janne Kuokkanen (born 25 May 1998) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward for Lausanne HC of the National League. Kuokkanen was drafted 43rd overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Before joining London Knights for the 2016–17 season, Kuokkanen played one game in his native Finland for Oulun Kärpät in the Finnish Liiga. He also played one game for their affiliate team Hokki in the Finnish 2nd level and 47 games for Kärpät in their U20 team.[1] Approaching the post-season in his rookie season in North America with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League and having averaged over a point-per-game offensively with 26 goals and 62 points in 60 games, Kuokkanen was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on 24 March 2017.[2] After a second round exit in the post-season with the Knights, Kuokkanen was assigned to join the Hurricanes AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, during their first round series against the Chicago Wolves. Kuokkanen made his North American professional debut appearing in a single game with the Checkers in their first round defeat.

Kuokkanen started the 2017–18 season with the Hurricanes but after playing four games and garnering no points he was reassigned to the Checkers on 30 October 2017.[3]

During the 2019–20 season, while leading the Charlotte Checkers in scoring with 42 points through 52 games, Kuokkanen was dealt by the Hurricanes at the NHL trade deadline, along with Fredrik Claesson and a conditional 2020 fourth-round pick to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Sami Vatanen on 24 February 2020.[4] Kuokkanen scored his first NHL goal on 30 January 2021, in a 4–3 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres.[5] On 9 August, Kuokkanen was re-signed to a two-year contract by the Devils.[6]

On 13 July 2022, the Devils bought out the final year of Kuokkanen's contract.[7] Leaving the NHL, he was later signed to a one-year contract with Swiss club, HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the National League (NL), on 27 July 2022.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2014–15Oulun KärpätJr. A353121516
2015–16Oulun KärpätJr. A472231535330112
2015–16Oulun KärpätLiiga12020
2015–16 Mestis season2015–16HokkiMestis11122
2016–17London KnightsOHL602636621414106162
2016–17Charlotte CheckersAHL10000
2017–18Carolina HurricanesNHL40000
2017–18Charlotte CheckersAHL601129401683142
2018–19Charlotte CheckersAHL4812263816
2018–19Carolina HurricanesNHL70004
2019–20Charlotte CheckersAHL5212304216
2019–20Binghamton DevilsAHL43362
2019–20New Jersey DevilsNHL10000
2020–21Oulun KärpätLiiga163472
2020–21New Jersey DevilsNHL508172514
2021–22New Jersey DevilsNHL576111710
2022–23HC Fribourg-GottéronNL421021311210000
2023–24Malmö RedhawksSHL4318264412
Liiga totals17 5 4 9 2
NHL totals119 14 28 42 28
NL totals42 10 21 31 121 0 0 0 0
SHL totals43 18 26 44 12

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014FinlandU174th62356
2015FinlandIH184th50664
2016FinlandWJC1873474
2017FinlandWJC9th60112
Junior totals245141916

Awards and honours

AwardYear
AHL
All-Star Game2019
Calder Cup2019[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Janne Kuokkanen player profile . Eliteprospects . 8 October 2017.
  2. Web site: Canes agree to terms with Kuokkanen . . 24 March 2017 . 24 March 2017.
  3. Web site: Niedzielski. Nicholas. Hurricanes assign Janne Kuokkanen to Charlotte. gocheckers.com. Charlotte Checkers. 12 December 2017. 30 October 2017.
  4. Web site: RELEASE: Devils Acquire Janne Kuokkanen, Fredrik Claesson and 4th Rd Pick . NHL.com . 24 February 2020 . 24 February 2020.
  5. Web site: Ryan . Chris . Devils fall to Sabres in shootout after Janne Kuokkanen's 1st NHL goal forced OT . NJ.com . 30 January 2021 . 30 January 2021.
  6. Web site: Janne Kuokkanen Re-Signs with Devils . NHL.com . 10 August 2021 . 9 August 2021.
  7. Web site: Flyers Waive Oskar Lindblom With Intent Of Buyout, Donate $100,000 To Cancer Organization . CBS Philly . 13 July 2022 . 12 July 2022.
  8. Web site: Janne Kuokkanen signs with Fribourg-Gottéron . . 27 July 2022 . 27 July 2022 . French . .
  9. Web site: Check and Mate! Charlotte wins Calder Cup . . 8 June 2019 . 8 June 2019.