San Jose Sharks sign 2023 draft selection Kasper Halttunen to entry-level contract

The San Jose Sharks have signed recent draftee Kasper Halttunen to an entry-level contract. The deal carries an AAV of $950,000 with a $940,000 cap hit. The first year of the deal will pay him an $825,000 base salary, $95,000 signing bonus and a $30,000 bonus if he plays a predetermined amount of games in his rookie season. The second and third years of the deal pay him an $855,000 base salary with a $95,000 signing bonus. He will earn $82,500 annually in the minors.

Halttunen was selected in the second-round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Sharks, 36th overall. He played the 2022-23 season with HIFK Helsinki, scoring one point in 23 games. In a scouting report for Daily Faceoff, Steven Ellis noted, “for a player his size, Halttunen is a strong skater. That goes back to the main theme: power. His stride has taken nice steps forward over the past year, even in comparison to the previous iteration of the U-18s. Sometimes it might take him a bit to get to his top speed, but when he does, he’s quick. And then if you let him, he’ll absolutely flatten you.”

At 18 years old, Halttunen has nearly untapped potential and could be a strong two-way forward for a long time in San Jose.