Contract Termination: [VGK] Mikael Hakkarainen

[JJTT]

Hakkarainen was traded for Fleury earlier this summer.

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[Treb]

I assume he wants to go back to Europe.

0 point in 14 AHL games, 5 points in 9 ECHL games.

 

[Esko6]

He did an interview recently where he said the Blackhawks organization treated him badly and he wants out. Apparently when he was traded to Vegas they made it clear they did not want him and immediately loaned him back to Chicago's AHL team that also made it clear he would not be playing.

 

[Gurglesons]

lol damn.

 

[CraigsList]

Now after this, the reigning Vezina winner wasn’t even traded for future considerations. He was legit free.

 

[banks]

I honestly didn't recognize the name until the OP mentioned he was in the Fleury trade.

 

[Puckstop40]

Fleury was officially-officially given away for nothing now.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Now after this, the reigning Vezina winner wasn’t even traded for future considerations. He was legit free.

Not only that, they hot potatoed the cost back and forth like two people awkwardly arguing over who gets to pick up the tab.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Kid wants to go home and play in Europe

 

[mattihp]

Must be depressing.

 

[JAK]

And people say cap space isn't worth anything.

MAF's capspace was worth the reigning Vezina trophy and multiple Cups and Finals appearance veteran goalie, MAF.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Traded for nothing

 

[Vegan Knight]

And people say cap space isn't worth anything.

MAF's capspace was worth the reigning Vezina trophy and multiple Cups and Finals appearance veteran goalie, MAF.

He threatened to retire and tanked his value. Even though it was an empty threat it was still negotiating leverage for Chicago. He was actively trying to get teams disinterested in order to force Vegas to keep him. If he doesn't do that Vegas probably would have gotten a 2nd or a couple 3rds for him.

 

[GoldenSeal]

After winning the Vezina, VGK could have gotten a 3rd or something

 

[MarkusKetterer]

You’d think that Vegas would have taken a late pick in addition to getting this guy in exchange for Fleury. Especially if they didn’t even want the guy. At least walk away with something.

 

[Sens]

You’d think that Vegas would have taken a late pick in addition to getting this guy in exchange for Fleury. Especially if they didn’t even want the guy. At least walk away with something.

they walked away with cap space

 

[MarkusKetterer]

they walked away with cap space

Besides that. Cap space won’t do shit beyond this season. Especially if they keep dumping people just to turn around and spend it all.

 

[Guttersniped]

Kid wants to go home and play in Europe

No he doesn’t, he wants to be with a NHL organization that actually wants him, Vegas is dumping him. When teams terminate minor league deals it’s a little more one sided, the team is looking to dump him and it’s sort not that mutual.

Hakkarainen understands the trade from a business perspective. The Blackhawks were looking to move out a contract, which has one year remaining on it, and the Golden Knights didn’t envision him playing for their AHL team.

Hakkarainen also understood his play over the last few years wouldn’t make him too attractive. He signed with the Blackhawks out of the USHL, played just 11 games in the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season due to a concussion and a neck injury and then played just 12 games last season due to a foot injury.

Still, there is a human element to it all, and that’s often forgotten.

“This a kid who left Europe at a young age with NHL aspirations,” Boston said. “There were those who advised against it, and he followed his dream. He earned that NHL contract. From a human aspect, not a business one, I want to see him get a chance to play a year healthy and see what he can do.”

It’s all Hakkarainen desires, too. He’ll be fine with wherever he plays this upcoming season. He just wants an opportunity to prove himself. As of now, he’s still not sure what team he’ll play for. He said the Blackhawks said he could play for their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel, and he has some potential European options.

“It’s a weird situation where Chicago has their own players that they want to develop in Rockford, and I’m not with Chicago anymore,” Hakkarainen said. “I feel like they don’t want a player there that’s not theirs. It’s a weird situation because I’ve never had this situation before. It’s crazy. I’m all for going to Indy and developing the best I can and hopefully stay healthy.”
[…]
Hakkarainen isn’t giving up his NHL dream. It may be off course, but he’s still hopeful. He’s worked as much on his mind as his body in the last few years, and that’s been key to him moving forward in hockey.

“At the moment right now, I’m in a great headspace,” Hakkarainen said. “When I got the injury after (being on) the taxi squad (last season), it was tough because I felt like I could have had a chance to play games last year if I didn’t get injured. That’s how I felt in my head. It was a huge crush of my dreams.

“I had a conversation with a psychologist and they’ve helped a lot. It’s not always easy to love the game because as much as we put in, I put a lot of hours, like everyone else, but sometimes it feels like it hasn’t given me much lately.

Traded for Marc-André Fleury and unwanted by the Golden Knights, Mikael Hakkarainen is in a strange situation

 

[Jumptheshark]

Fluery was traded to free up 7mill in cap space

 

[Seachd]

No he doesn’t, he wants to be with a NHL organization that actually wants him, Vegas is dumping him. When teams terminate minor league deals it’s a little more one sided, the team is looking to dump him and it’s sort not that mutual.

It’s very mutual. If Hakkarainen didn’t agree to end the contract, there’s nothing Vegas could have done about it.

Unless he knows of a team who wants to sign him, and Vegas said “yeah, go fill your boots”. But why would any team be interested in him?

 

[DFF]

It’s very mutual. If Hakkarainen didn’t agree to end the contract, there’s nothing Vegas could have done about it.

Unless he knows of a team who wants to sign him, and Vegas said “yeah, go fill your boots”. But why would any team be interested in him?

He has options. Like you said, he agreed so he has options.

 

[NewtJorden]

Vegas really didnt wanted to get anything for Fleury...

 

[Seachd]

He has options. Like you said, he agreed so he has options.

Lots of Europeans agree to mutual termination without NHL options.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Curious as to what the Hawks saw in him both to draft him and then sign him in the first place?

He had one good season as a 19-year-old in the USHL and played just one game for Providence College.

And not that it is a requirement to play in the NHL but he never skated for Finland's U18 or U20 teams.

 

[Kahvi]

Curious as to what the Hawks saw in him both to draft him and then sign him in the first place?

He had one good season as a 19-year-old in the USHL and played just one game for Providence College.

And not that it is a requirement to play in the NHL but he never skated for Finland's U18 or U20 teams.

5th round picks are crapshoot anyway.

What is come to national team, he moved to NA quite young and NT probably just didn't care about him. Although I can't say if he even would have been NT material