Kokko is having himself somewhat of a sophomore swoon in his second year of North American professional hockey. Compared to last year’s line of 33 games, a 2.26 GAA and .913 save percentage, he’s sitting at an inflated 3.19 GAA and a .900 save rate. Given that Joey Daccord still runs the Seattle net, and Philipp Grubauer is having a welcome renaissance, there is no need to rush Kokko, and allow him to work through the struggles in the AHL and build his confidence.

Coachella Valley has seen a number of veteran defensemen from last season move to new locales- Maxime Lajoie (378 AHL games), Nikolas Brouillard (354 AHL games), Cale Fleury (258 AHL games), and Ryan Jones (212 AHL games) are all missing from the Firebirds’ back end, and newcomers Lukas Dragicevic, Tyson Jugnauth and Caden Price are all transitioning from Junior.

In only two seasons, with as much contrast as there has been, it’s hard to tell which version of Kokko is most like what he will become, but his slide is explainable by the blueline attrition this year, and given the crapshoot goalies can feel like at times anyways, he is a worthwhile buy low right now so we can see how he progresses with the defenders in front of him.

Kokko completed his AHL rookie campaign showing he certainly belongs in the North American professional leagues. Finishing the season with 20-10-2 record, 2.26 GAA and a .913 save percentage. This put him 10th in goals against average and 13th in save percentage across the entire AHL. He finished the season with a 75% quality start rate, and only allowed three or more goals in a a game nine times, and followed three of those games up with a one goal effort. He did not record a shutout all season, but his minimal number of bad games, and his tendency to bounce back quickly are excellent signs. Kokko could battle Matt Murray and Phillip Grubauer for a shot at the back-up role this coming season, but more likely than not he will be the man in Coachella Valley and gain valuable experience waiting for an injury, or making himself undeniable to force his way up to the big club.

Kokko is enjoying his first year in the AHL, putting up a 14-3-1 record, with a 2.37 GAA and .912 SV%. These marks put him in the top 20 for AHL goaltenders this season and the majority of the netminders ahead of him are older with more experience. The window to acquire Kokko, if still open, is closing quickly given the recent demotion of Grubauer to the AHL.