The bulk of NHL free agency is far in the rearview mirror. But there are still some unrestricted free agents (UFAs) out there who could be intriguing short-term options, especially for the Seattle Kraken, who still need to add to their depth.
The Kraken have already made a few notable moves this offseason. Briefly: they acquired Mason Marchment from the Dallas Stars, signed free-agent defenseman Ryan Lindgren, and traded for forward Freddy Gaudreau.
Even with those additions and some re-signings, the Kraken still have a little over $6.5 million in cap space to work with if they choose to make another move. While general manager Jason Botterill has indicated the team is happy with its offseason so far, there’s always room for more.
“You look at our forwards, our defense, our goaltending. We’re trying to bring depth to our organization,” Botterill said at development camp regarding the moves made this season. “We’re trying to create competition in a lot of different positions.”
Being competitive consistently is what the Kraken have always strived for, but three of their four seasons have fallen short due to a dearth of starpower up top and a lack of depth at the bottom of the lineup—both offensively and defensively.
New head coach Lane Lambert could benefit from adding another depth piece that can help at both ends of the ice.
“We have to find competitive advantages down the lineup. Whether that’s a third- or fourth-liner in the forward position or having a strong second or third D-pair, those are things that we need to continue to work on,” Botterill said.
Looking at the current depth chart, there’s certainly room for at least one more veteran addition. So, with about a month before training camp starts, here are a few names still on the market that could be good fits for the Kraken—and what they might cost.
Victor Olofsson – wing, 30 years old
GP: 56 | G: 15 | A: 14 | P: 29 | PPG: 0.52 | PIM: 16
Previous Cap Hit: $1.075 million, 1 year
Escaping the grasps of the Buffalo Sabres and joining the Vegas Golden Knights seemed to do wonders for the Swedish right winger, as he finished with a positive rating for the first time in his six full NHL seasons—plus-17.
Olofsson was also a key contributor to Vegas’ power-play success last season, scoring six goals. He would be a boost in helping the Kraken’s special teams get off to a fast start.
Luke Kunin – center / wing, 27
GP: 63 | G: 11 | A: 7 | P: 18 | PPG: 0.29 | PIM: 46
Previous Cap Hit: $2.75 million, 1 year
Kunin offers some offensive upside and could fit the competitive mold the Kraken are looking for in their depth pieces.
Physicality is his bread and butter, however, as he’s near the top of the league in hits each season, with 187 last season. Unsurprisingly, he does also collect a lot of penalty minutes because of the edge he plays with.
Matt Grzelcyk – left defense, 31
GP: 82 | G: 1 | A: 39 | P: 40 | PPG: 0.49 | PIM: 16
Previous Cap Hit: $2.75 million, 1 year
Grzelcyk isn’t going to wow you with his goal scoring, but he is a smart passer who creates breakout plays. His 39 assists last season were a career high.
While it’s unlikely the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder signs with Seattle given the current collection of left-shot defensemen with Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, Ryker Evans, Josh Mahura, and the aforementioned Lindgren, Grzelcyk could be a fit if Botterill ends up trading a lefty blueliner.
Jan Rutta – right defense, 34
GP: 54 | G: 3 | A: 6 | P: 9 | PPG: 0.17 | PIM: 28
Previous Cap Hit: $2.75 million, 3 years
Again, with the blue line currently appearing full, signing a defenseman feels unlikely. But if somebody were to move out, adding a right-shot defenseman might be more up the Kraken’s alley. Rutta stands at 6-foot-3, 210 lbs. The former two-time Stanley Cup champion would bring penalty-killing experience and some size D corps.
Other names still available
Forwards:
- Craig Smith, 35 – 18 points (9-9=18) in 59 games played last season
- Jack Roslovic, 28 – 39 points (22-17=39) in 81 GP
- Joel Kiviranta, 29 – 23 points (16-7=23) in 79 GP
Defensemen:
- TJ Brodie, 33 – 10 points (2-8=10) in 54 GP
- Travis Hamonic, 34 – (1-6=7) in 59 GP
So what do you think? Should the Kraken consider any of the names mentioned above? Leave your thoughts below.
I believe JB when he says they are happy with the current roster and looking to create some opportunity for young players (read Catton and Nyman), so I’m not expecting any signings before camp. Maybe we see some moves after camp if things don’t play out as expected.
PTO contracts serve both purposes of creating competition for the remaining spots, while neither handing a spot to someone not ready, nor blocking a rookie with a good camp.
Off topic: any updates on Kraken prospects playing at the world juniors summer showcase? I know Catton and O’Brien are there. Seems like Catton might be Canadas 1C if he isn’t playing in the NHL at the time. Is Miettinen there?
I could see how Olofsson might be a good guy to bring in for a year as a hedge against Firkus, Melanson, and Nyman all being not quite ready, although Nyman seems a fairly safe bet. That said, it is a make-or-break year for another right winger, Ryan Winterton, who looked like a lock the previous year but then fell off the map. Prospects are unpredictable like that. Then there is Jordan Eberle’s recent injury to consider. The team could go without bringing in veteran insurance at right wing and probably be alright, but I can certainly imagine a cautious manager not wanting to take the chance that everything breaks spectacularly wrong.
Interesting note: lefty Eeli Tolvannen is currently listed on the Kraken depth chart as a right wing. Keep an eye on his deployment during camp. If he takes well to the right side, it would solve several problems for the club.
Similarly Rutta, even at his age, would be a good hedge against Ottavainen and Nelson spending another season in Coachella Valley, although really Cale Fleury can handle that duty. In fact, Fleury looked pretty solid last season apart from the occasional chancey play that defensemen were all but encouraged to make in the previous system. It would make for a crowded depth chart on defense, but perhaps Fleury could make a push for a full-time role this year given how thin the team is on the right side and the fact that Jamie Oleksiak is a lefty who will likely be playing on his off side if one of the right-handed Firebirds defensemen does not make the leap to the big club.
Tangentially related, why doesn’t Ryker Evans have a new contract yet???
Because Evans does not have arbitration rights, so Botterill can push the signing way down on his list of priorities while Evans’ agent waits for a promising signing elsewhere in the league to bump up the market for players in Evans’ age range and lineup projection. So the GM is in no hurry, and the agent is hoping for a lucky event to give him a bit of leverage to work with. Remember when Matty Beniers waited right up until the beginning of the preseason to sign his contract while folks were all sweating and talking about a possible hold-out? It’s the same deal here. That Evans will sign is a foregone conclusion. The only question is some dollars and cents that will be determined by the market for young, promising third-pairing power play defensemen in the run-up to the season as teams’ rosters start to shape up. Don’t spend a moment worrying about it.