Seattle has locked up 2022-23 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $49.98 million contract extension ($7,140,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 21-year-old centre was Seattle's inaugural draft pick when he went 2nd overall in 2021 from the University of Michigan (NCAA). In 77 games in 2023-24, the 6'2" American had 15 goals, 37 points, 133 SOG and a -11 plus/minus.
The final arbitration contract in the NHL was figured out on Tuesday as Ryan Lindgren and the New York Rangers agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension. The 26-year-old dfensemen is entering his seventh NHL seasn with New York and had three goals, 17 points, 36 PIMs and a +22 plus/minus in 76 games played in 2023-24.
Saarinen was a third-round pick (No.88 overall) in this year's NHL Draft. The 6-foot-4 netminder spent most of the 2024 season with HPK in the Finnish U20 league, were he was 14-5-0 with a. 2.41 GAA, .917 SV% and two shutouts. In two games in the top Finnish league (Liiga), he was 1-0-1 with a 2.46 GAA and .909 SV%.
Tolvanen played up and down the Kraken's top-9 last season, finishing with a career-high 41 points (16G / 25A) in 81 games. The Kraken's most used and most consistent line throughout the season was Tolvanen with Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand, a trio that will likely see a lot of time together this upcoming season as well.
Seattle added to its defensive depth on Wednesday by adding six-year veteran Josh Mahura on a one-year, $775,000 contract. The 26-year-old was only able to appear in 30 games for the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers in 2023-24 and had no goals, nine assists, 20 PIMs and a -2 plus/minus.
Seattle added to its offensive depth on Tuesday by signing Mitchell Stephens to a two-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old centre has appeared in 95 career NHL games including 23 games with Montreal in 2023-24, picking up two goals and three points.
Seattle added a bottom-six piece on Tuesday as it signed Ben Meyers to a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 25-year-old spent 2023-24 between Colorado and Anaheim and had a goal, three points and six PIMs while averaging 10:07 TOI/GP.
The final big piece of the free agent market has signed in Seattle as the Kraken signed Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year contract worth $43.75 million ($6.25M AAV). The 30-year-old smooth skating centre had spent the last five years in Vegas and had 16 goals, 51 points and 25 PIMs in 75 games played in 2023-24.
Matt Murray will remain a Toronto Maple Leaf after signing a one-year, $850,000 contract extension on Monday. The 30-year-old last appeared in the NHL in 2022-23 with Toronto but made three appearances with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) in 2023-24, putting up a 4.03 GAA and .846 SV%.
Arguably the biggest defensive free agent is off the market early on Monday as Seattle has signed reigning Stanley Cup Champion Brandon Montour to a seven-year deal worth $49.98 million ($7.14M AAV). The 30-year-old smashed his career highs in 2022-23 after he ended the season fifth in the NHL in defensive scoring with 16 goals and 73 points in 80 games but came back down to earth in 2023-24 with eight goals and 33 points in 66 games played.
Fisker Molgaard is Seattle's 2023 second-round pick (52nd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken on Saturday. The 19-year-old centre spent 2023-24 in Sweden's top league with HV71 (SHL) and had nine goals and 21 points in 50 games played.
Kakko was a healthy scratch for Game 2 but will return to New York's lineup with Jimmy Vesey being out week-to-week and join the Rangers' third line. The 23-year-old winger has struggled throughout the playoffs this year, with a goal, two points and 17 SOG in 11 games played.
McMann has yet to play in the first round due to a lower-body injury that he suffered on April 13th vs. the Red Wings. McMann could be ready for game one of round two, if the Maple Leafs are able to eliminate the Bruins on Saturday.
Price was selected in the third round by the Kraken in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old defenseman scored 13 goals and added 42 assists in 62 games with Kelowna (WHL) this season.
Rehkopf was the 50th overall pick of Seattle in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Canadian center-iceman scored an impressive 95 points (52G / 43A) in 60 games with the Kitchener Rangers (OHL) this season.
Tolvanen will draw back in for the Kraken's regular season finale on Thursday after missing their previous game for an undisclosed reason. Tolvanen has 16 goals and 25 assists in 80 games this season.
The Kraken will go back to Daccord for their regular season finale on Thursday after Philipp Grubauer got the nod in Winnipeg on Tuesday. Though he conceded playing time to Grubauer during the latter half of the season, Daccord has undoubtedly enjoyed a breakout campaign. The 27-year-old netminder owns an impressive .916 SV% across 49 appearances this season, though a lack of a goal support has limited him to an 18-18-11 record. He might have a hard time finishing off his season on a winning note, as the Kraken find themselves as +150 underdogs in Minnesota on Thursday.
