Story Summary
Kaapo Kakko has been waiting since March for the Seattle Kraken‘s trip to Finland, and the forward is now set to play NHL games in front of family, friends and former coaches in Helsinki. Seattle face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes twice at Veikkaus Arena in the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland, with Kakko taking on an informal host’s role away from the rink.
The 25-year-old, who grew up in Turku, said his grandparents will attend their first NHL game after never travelling to North America. He also expects relatives, friends and old coaches to be in Helsinki, turning the trip into the nearest thing to a home fixture available to him in the NHL.
Kakko has 13 points, made up of three goals and 10 assists, in 16 games this season. He is tied with Chandler Stephenson for second on Seattle’s scoring list as the Kraken arrive following a 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers.
Key Facts
- Kaapo Kakko grew up in Turku, around 90 miles west-northwest of Helsinki.
- Seattle will play Carolina twice at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki in the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland.
- The Global Series games will be the Kraken’s first fixtures outside North America since the club entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2021.
- Kakko’s grandparents are expected to attend their first NHL game, having never travelled to North America.
- Kakko is in his third season with Seattle after joining the Kraken in a trade from the New York Rangers on 18 December 2024.
- Kakko has three goals and 10 assists in 16 games and is tied with Chandler Stephenson for second on the Kraken with 13 points.
- Seattle’s other Finnish players are defenceman Ville Ottavainen, forward Jani Nyman and goaltender Nikke Kokko.
- Kakko played for TPS Turku in Liiga for two seasons before the Rangers selected him second overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.
- Seattle and Carolina will each hold an open practice at Veikkaus Arena on Friday.
IHM Discussion
For Kakko, the journey carries a significance that goes beyond the two games. He spent his childhood following NHL hockey from Finland through a 10-hour time difference, and he recalled that attending NHL games in Helsinki was beyond his family’s budget when he was young. Now he returns as an established NHL forward, with people close to him able to see him play in person.
The trip also gives Seattle a different sort of road-week experience. The Kraken completed a five-game Eastern Conference trip in October, but that involved the usual rhythm of games, travel and hotel changes. In Helsinki, they will remain in one city for the week. Kakko believes that setting offers the team a chance to share something outside its standard schedule.
He has sought recommendations from former Seattle forward Eeli Tolvanen, now with the Rangers, while putting together ideas for restaurants and activities. Kakko has identified sauna, a Baltic Sea plunge and salmon soup among the Finnish experiences he would like his teammates to try. Rain is forecast for the week, but he has been working to find ways for the group to enjoy Helsinki regardless.
Why It Matters
The games place four Finnish Kraken players in front of a home-country audience, but Kakko’s connection is particularly deep. He knows Helsinki from national-team appearances at the arena and from growing up within reach of the capital, while his history with TPS Turku links the occasion to Finnish hockey’s domestic top flight.
There is also a public-facing element to the week. Kakko said that, as a child, he would have relished the opportunity to watch NHL players practise. Seattle and Carolina’s open practices give young Finnish supporters a close look at preparation as well as the two scheduled games.
For the Kraken, the visit is an opportunity to introduce the club abroad in its first games beyond North America. Kakko’s role is not limited to being a Finnish player on the roster; he is helping teammates encounter the country through places, food and traditions that are familiar to him.
Mini Q&A
Why is the Finland trip especially important to Kaapo Kakko?
Kakko grew up in Turku and will play in front of family, friends, former coaches and grandparents who are due to attend their first NHL game.
What has Kakko produced for Seattle this season?
He has recorded three goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 16 games, tying Chandler Stephenson for second on the Kraken.
What will the Kraken do in Helsinki besides play Carolina?
Kakko plans to introduce teammates to Finnish experiences including sauna and salmon soup, while Seattle will also hold an open practice on Friday.
Coach Mark Comment
The detail about Kakko’s grandparents gives this trip its proper scale. They have followed his NHL career from Finland without making the journey to North America, and now their first live NHL game will feature him in a Seattle jersey in Helsinki. That is a remarkable turn from the boy who remembered Global Series tickets being too expensive to attend.
His plans for sauna and salmon soup are enjoyable colour, but the family gathering is the part that makes these fixtures more than an overseas date on the calendar. Kakko will have a building full of hockey around him, with his own people finally able to share the occasion from the stands.
What Comes Next
Seattle play Carolina on Thursday and again on Saturday at Veikkaus Arena. Between the games, the Kraken and Hurricanes will hold open practices on Friday in Helsinki.
IHM Final View
Kakko’s return to Finland joins a meaningful personal moment to a major first for Seattle. The Kraken will approach two games against Carolina with their usual competitive focus, but Helsinki also offers a rare chance for one of their leading scorers to bring his NHL life closer to the people and hockey culture that shaped it.