Prospect Update: Kyle Kukkonen

By Thomas Harrington

A sixth round pick from 2021, 162nd overall, forward Kyle Kukkonen finished his second year at Michigan Tech this past season.

Kukkonen’s sophomore year was a step back from a strong freshman season. After scoring 18 goals and 27 points in 39 games, he fell to one goal and 12 points in 27 games. His 11 assists ranked seventh on the team, and his 12 points were tied for 10th. He missed time with injury and was never consistently a dangerous player on the ice. Michigan Tech made the NCAA tournament, but lost in the first round to Boston College and fellow Anaheim prospect Cutter Gauthier.

I had three expectations for Kukkonen last summer, but he missed on all of them. First, I wanted him to hit the 20 goal and 30 point marks. Second, I wanted him to lead Michigan Tech in scoring. Finally, I wanted him to play in every game. Unfortunately, he wasn’t close to any of these as he had a difficult season.

After a season that saw Kukkonen struggle with Michigan Tech, he made the decision to transfer to the University of Wisconsin. At Wisconsin, he’ll be given new opportunities with new teammates and new coaches. Hopefully things will go better for him than the previous season.

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After a difficult season, I don’t want to put Kukkonen’s expectations too high. First, I’d like him to stay healthy and play in most of Wisconsin’s games. Second, for him to put up better numbers than he did as a sophomore. If he could match or exceed what he did as a freshman, that would be great, but I’ll be happy to see him put last year in the rear view mirror and have a better season.

After a strong freshman season, I was very excited about Kukkonen’s future and figured he’d sign his entry-level deal in a season or two. However, after how his sophomore year went, I think it’s more likely he’ll stay in the NCAA for all four years before he tries to turn pro. He’ll also likely spend time in the AHL before getting a shot at Anaheim. So the earliest we could see him in a Ducks uniform probably isn’t until the 2027-2028 season.

Kukkonen is currently unsigned and will be until the conclusion of his college career. Anaheim controls his rights until August 15, 2026. If he can bounce back from a rough sophomore campaign and put together two good seasons as a junior and senior, the Ducks will likely sign him to a standard entry-level contract. However, if his regression continues or even his play just plateaus, then the Ducks will probably let him become a free agent that summer.

The next prospect update will be on goaltender Calle Clang.

Related Articles:

Prospect Update: Rodwin Dionicio

Prospect Update: Josh Lopina

Prospect Update: Yegor Sidorov

Prospect Update: Noah Warren

Prospect Update: William Francis

Prospect Update: Coulson Pitre

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September 15th, 2024