The NHL’s annual mad dash from the Stanley Cup Final to the July 4th holiday has ended. While there is still business being transacted, things have cooled off following a chaotic two-week fever dream that included the NHL Draft, free agency, Development Camps, the first buyout window, qualifying restricted free agents, and—just to keep things interesting—a slew of trades.
With things settling down, this feels like a good time to empty the Kraken Notebook and bring you up to speed on what has transpired for Seattle over the past fortnight.
Philipp Grubauer is staying
This is relatively old news, and although we talked about it on last week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, I haven’t written about it yet. So, here’s the update: Philipp Grubauer is staying with the Seattle Kraken.
Jason Botterill just confirmed that Philipp Grubauer will be back next season. #SeaKraken
After a gruelingly long Day 1 of the NHL Draft, Kraken general manager Jason Botterill was asked point blank by Glenn Dreyfuss if Grubauer would be back next season following much speculation both locally and nationally that he would be bought out of the last two years of his contract.
Here’s what Botterill said:
“Yeah, Philipp will be part of our group here, for sure, and we’ll continue to work on different things on— obviously, we brought in Colin [Zulienello] to be our goalie coach moving forward here. We are going to have different things to work on from that standpoint. We’ll continue to look at different ways we can improve the team in front of [the goalies]. I think it’s one of the things that Lane [Lambert] has talked a lot about as a head coach is making sure that we play strong in front of them, and we’ll continue to look at different ways to improve our goaltending position with both Joey and Philipp.
“It’s a situation that— people sometimes think that if you buy a player out, it just automatically goes away. There’s still a cap hit and stuff from that standpoint. And we believe Philipp can bounce back from that situation, and we think there’s an opportunity still for success here.”
A month ago, I was certain Seattle would find a way to move on from Grubauer and his $5.9 million cap hit over the next two seasons. Coming off the worst season of his career, in which he went 8-17-1 with a 3.49 goals-against average and .875 save percentage and even landed in AHL Coachella Valley for a stretch, it seemed to me there was no way Seattle could bring him back.
But once the team fired goalie coach Steve Briere and replaced him with Firebirds goalie coach Colin Zulienello, signs were suddenly pointing toward the relationship with Grubauer continuing. After all, when Grubauer returned from his stint in CV at the end of last season, he spoke glowingly of his time working with Zulienello, while also taking a few pot shots (at least I thought they were pot shots) at Briere and former head coach Dan Bylsma for their communication and the way they were deploying Grubauer in net. Promoting a goalie coach that Grubauer clearly likes indicated that he could end up sticking around. Lo and behold, Grubauer remains with the team.
Financially speaking, if the team had bought Grubauer out, then he would have still counted for $1.98 million in 2025-26 and $3.08 million in 2026-27. Then, the team would have had two additional penalty years of $1.68 million per season in 2027-28 and 2028-29. So what Botterill said about that side of the decision is true.
But the optics are still difficult when you consider just how tough of a season Grubauer had. The Kraken want to portray to the fanbase that they are looking to become a perennial playoff contender, yet they’re running it back with a goalie who couldn’t even be relied upon in the second of back-to-backs last season while making $5.9 million.
I don’t believe the front office is blind to said optics, though. Where I think the decision to keep Grubauer (and instead replace the goalie coach) was really made was when the market for free-agent goalies started to develop. Plain and simple, there were no worthwhile goalies on the market. The best option was Jake Allen, who ended up re-signing in New Jersey anyway, so he wasn’t even really available. Beyond that, guys like David Rittich, Dan Vladar, and Alex Lyon were the only ones getting signed as backups, and none of those strike me as massive upgrades over Grubauer.
In fairness to Grubauer, he did look a lot better when he got back from the AHL at the end of last season, and he was excellent at the IIHF World Championship for Team Germany, going 2-1-0 with a 2.02 GAA and .930 save percentage. Maybe that carries over into next season?
I do also want to call out that Grubauer remains an extremely easy guy to root for, continuing to make Seattle his summer home and even appearing at Kraken Development Camp last week to help prospect Visa Vedenpää and the other invitee goalies that were there. It would be really nice to see him bounce back and finally put together the type of season that made us think the Kraken had hit the jackpot when they signed him in 2021.
Here’s hoping he sticks it to me and all the other media people that incorrectly predicted the Kraken would buy him out.
Development Camp thoughts
Speaking of Vedenpää, he was awesome in the Stucky Cup scrimmage on Thursday, backstopping Team Blue to a 4-3 comeback win over Team White. Vedenpää, the only drafted goalie in attendance, played the whole game and made a bunch of big-time stops, while the three camp invitees rotated through Team White’s net.
Vedenpää, 20, had a tough season in Finland, missing most of the year with an undisclosed health issue.
“With Visa, we’re so proud of this kid,” Kraken former (more on that in a bit) director of player development Jeff Tambellini said. “He dealt with some tough health issues throughout the year, missed the whole back half. He was supposed to be one of the goaltenders for Team Finland at World Juniors, so for him to make the comeback, get in a game, play that well in front of all our fans, for us, that’s a 10 out of 10 day.”
Unsurprisingly, Berkly Catton also jumped off the page at Dev Camp, looking lightyears ahead of some of the other players in attendance. It’s important to remember that he’s facing other very young players in that setting, but for a 19-year-old looking to make the jump from the WHL to the NHL in a few months, you want to see progression, and you want him to stand out from the pack. He definitely accomplished that. He’s faster and stronger than last summer, he’s mature well beyond his years, and the way he floats across the ice gives a real “NHL-ready” vibe.
Blake Fiddler – The 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman that the Kraken traded up to get in the second round looks like a real player. He’s remarkably smooth for his size and seems to handle the puck well. He also told us in his interview on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast that he’s “still growing.”
Jake O’Brien – O’Brien got a little too cute with the puck a couple times in the Stucky Cup, but he also showed flashes of the elite skill that made him worthy of the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. He’s very shifty and has fantastic playmaking vision. It will be fun to see how he progresses in the OHL this next season. Botterill walked out on the ice at halftime of the scrimmage and had O’Brien sign his entry-level contract in front of the many attending fans.
Caden Price – The 19-year-old defenseman who got traded from Kelowna to Lethbridge in the WHL this past season was flying under the radar as a prospect for a while. But he ended up playing a big role for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, and he placed first in fitness testing this past week and looked great on the ice. Keep an eye on him over the next season or two…
Ben MacDonald – As a 21-year-old college player, MacDonald was on the older end of the Dev Camp spectrum. Still, he was notable with his play in the Stucky Cup and even his practice performances. He looked strong and fast and set up a highlight-reel goal in the scrimmage by spinning off a check in the corner and finding an open teammate in the slot.
Reese Hamilton – Hamilton is not a Kraken prospect but was invited to camp after going undrafted last week. He had an impressive 16-year-old season for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL with eight goals and 23 assists in 42 games but then went pretty quiet in his 17 season with just 14 total points (4-10=14) in 59 games split across the Hitmen and Regina Pats. But Hamilton caught my eye a bunch of times at Dev Camp and got called out by both Tyson Jugnauth and Tambellini as a player they both thought should have been drafted. Hamilton will go back into the draft next year, but he’s a player to monitor.
“To get a Reese Hamilton into camp, a player that at the start of the year was being talked about in the first or second round, and we get a free look at him here,” Tambellini said. “From our standpoint, that’s fantastic. So we’re looking at them all differently. Again, different timelines, but always great when you get a player that you don’t expect to get to camp.”
Tambellini moving on
Speaking of Tambellini, news broke Monday morning that he has been hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant general manager. Selfishly, we’re devastated by this news, because Tambellini did an awesome job in his role for the Kraken, and working with him was an absolute delight. That said, many congrats to “Tambo,” and we wish him the very best in his new role.
RFA updates
Last week, the Kraken extended qualifying offers to all three of their restricted free agents, Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Tye Kartye. They then signed Kartye to a two-year deal with a $1.25 million cap hit. That’s a fine number and a nice payday for the depth forward who was signed as an undrafted free agent and worked his way up through the ranks to become a full-time NHLer with the Kraken.
Kakko filed for arbitration on Saturday. That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be an abitration hearing. Indeed, parties more frequently agree to a new deal before the hearing, which will be scheduled to happen between July 20 and August 4. It does guarantee that, one way or another, a deal will get done with Kakko. It also eliminates the possibility of him signing an offer sheet with another team. If this does end in a hearing, the neutral arbitrator will award a one-year contract, after which Kakko will be an unrestricted free agent.
Arbitration hearings are contentious and can really tarnish a team’s relationship with a player. Plus, the Kraken surely want to lock Kakko up for longer than one year, so it behooves Seattle to get something done before this gets to a hearing. But from the player’s perspective, he’s also as little as one year away from a massive payday on the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
I believe Kakko likes playing in Seattle, but does he like it enough to sign a longer-term deal in the next couple weeks and forgo his upcoming opportunity to become a UFA?
Are the Kraken done reshaping their roster?
Aside from the trades that brought in Mason Marchment and Freddy Gaudreau and removed Andre Burakovsky (the Kraken did end up buying out Joe Veleno, the return in the Burakovsky trade) and the signing of shutdown defenseman Ryan Lindgren, the Kraken still haven’t made a move that I think puts them back in playoff contention. I believe that—if they do truly want to compete for the postseason next year—they need to add a winger that can reliably score 30-plus goals.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has speculated that the Kraken were considering a trade with the St. Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou but didn’t pull the trigger. That, to me, fits the bill as exactly the kind of acquisition the Kraken need and also tells me they aren’t opposed to continuing to seek offensive upgrades.
In my reaction to the Lindgren signing, I wrote that the numbers don’t align right now, with five left-shot defensemen in the fold. So is this the roster that Seattle will roll with in 2025-26? Or is there yet a “splashy” acquisition on the horizon, perhaps with a defenseman exiting and a top-six forward entering?
Here’s what Botterill said when I asked him about that at the draft:
“I think there’s 31 other teams that want to make a splasher addition to their roster, and I think you see in other markets, everyone’s trying from that standpoint, for sure. We’ll continue to work on developing our own players internally. We’re excited about some of our young players, excited about a player like Chandler Stephenson being comfortable in this market in his second year. But hey, we continue to have draft capital, continue to have cap space to work on that, and we’ll see how it goes.”
Here’s my updated depth chart projection after adding in Lindgren and removing Veleno. I do not think Jani Nyman and Berkly Catton will play together on the fourth line; it’s just where I think they “stack up” at the moment.
There is room to add a forward and remove a defenseman here…
Vince Dunn // Adam Larsson Ryker Evans // Brandon Montour Ryan Lindgren // Jamie Oleksiak Josh Mahura Ville Ottavainen
Goalies
Joey Daccord Philipp Grubauer Matt Murray
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
The Seattle Kraken emerged from the 2025 NHL Draft with a projectable top-six scoring forward, a consensus late first-round defense talent, and several depth blueliners who are lottery tickets to contribute at the NHL level but can fill the organizational need for defensive depth. All in, it was a productive draft that received positive reviews from many analysts. Let’s take a look at each of the selections before concluding with a few general takeaways.
Pick analysis: Though it was disappointing to some fans (and perhaps also in the Kraken draft room) to see Porter Martone and James Hagens come off the board with the two picks before Seattle’s No. 8 pick, Jake O’Brien is not just a consolation prize. His scoring production over the last two seasons was rivaled only by Michael Misa among OHL first-time eligible 2025 draft picks. (He was No. 5 overall on our preseason data-only watchlist, based on 2023-24 season data, and No. 4 on our final watchlist, based on data from the 2024-25 seasons.)
O’Brien is a 6-foot-2 playmaking, right-shot, center-capable forward who brings offensive and transition skill reminiscent of Wyatt Johnston, according to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects. Brantford relied on him heavily in all situations, including on the power play and penalty kill. Some scouts expressed concern that most of his scoring production came on the man advantage, rather than 5-on-5. At this point, I don’t project him as a game-breaking, star forward, but the tools are there to contribute in a top-six role, whether at center or on the wing.
For more on O’Brien, check out John Barr’s draft-day post here.
Scouting report: “O’Brien displays the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make difficult plays and run an NHL power play. He’s extremely skilled with the puck, showing the soft touch and quick hands to create a lot of scoring chances and improvise on difficult plays often. He’s a decent enough skater. His game can lack pace at times in part because he pulls up to make his skilled plays too much, but when he gets going, he moves well. O’Brien isn’t overly physical, but he gets to the net to create chances, can kill penalties and isn’t a pushover. He projects as a very good top-two-line center who could score a lot in the NHL.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Pick analysis: The 6-foot-4, 209-pound, native Tennessean brings a physical element, as well as strong speed and agility for his size. He also has NHL experience in the family; his father Vernon Fiddler played 14 years in the NHL as a forward for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, among other teams.
Fiddler was viewed by most scouts as a late-first-round talent. He was No. 27 overall on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Of the sources we gathered, Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News was the highest on Fiddler, ranking him No. 17 overall. Elite Prospects had him ranked No. 23 overall, and McKeen’s had him at No. 22.
For more on Fiddler, check out Saturday’s instant reaction post here.
Scouting report: “With three-zone skills and unusual mobility for a player this size, it’s impossible not to see Fiddler’s potential. In a single shift, he dangles through the opposition for an entry, blows up an opposing rush, and then stretches the ice with a long-range breakout pass while fending off pressure. . . Mostly, Fiddler’s impact comes through his defensive impact and frequent advantage creation. With explosive backward crossovers, he wins the race to the middle before pivoting and surfing into the stop. Always thinking about body position, he skates through the hands, intercepts opponents with his back, and eliminates off-puck threats. On retrievals, he picks up the puck cleanly, waits for pressure to engage, and places it in a good spot for a teammate to carry it out.” – Elite Prospects
Scouting video:
Round 3, Pick 68: Will Reynolds, D, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
Pick analysis: Will Reynolds was No. 137 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board—ranking behind a few players the Kraken later selected—but the Kraken saw a lot to recommend his profile in this range. Reynolds is a relatively young (August birthday) defender with a good frame and skating skill. Public analysts that had him graded in the third- or fourth-round range noted Reynolds’ offensive skill level came along as his draft season progressed. That said, Reynolds’ profile and projection is mostly about his ability to shut down the opposition defensively.
For more on Reynolds, check out our instant reaction post here.
Scouting report: “The 6-foot-2 blueliner is an excellent athlete who is very mobile; he is nearly impossible to beat off the rush already. His four-way mobility is excellent, and this allows him to not only shut down the transition game of the opposition, it makes him routinely first to retrievals so that he can kickstart his own team’s transition game. Over the course of the QMJHL season, Reynolds’ play with the puck greatly improved, making him a much more effective two-way defender. While his skill and creativity with the puck are pretty limited, he can make a solid first pass and that bodes well for a future pro career.” – McKeen’s
Pick analysis: Agafonov is the first Russian-born skater ever drafted by the Seattle Kraken, and just the second player overall the Kraken have drafted out of Russia. When asked what gave the Kraken the confidence in their evaluation given the difficulty of getting crossover scouts into Russia, GM Jason Botterill pointed to the fact that Director of Amateur Scouting Robert Kron was able to view and interview Agafonov at the Gold Star Hockey Development in Florida the week before the draft.
Agafonov was well-regarded by public analysts going into the draft, landing at No. 60 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Corey Pronman of The Athletic had Agafonov at No. 79 on his board, while Craig Button of TSN had him at No. 78. NHL Central Scouting slotted Agafonov as the No. 33 European-born skater in the class. He was the sixth-highest-ranked player and second-highest ranked defenseman still available on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board when Seattle selected.
In addition to 35 games at the junior level in Russia, Agafonov logged 12 games in the VHL, Russia’s lower-level pro league that scouts analogize to the ECHL. He had one goal and two assists in those 12 games.
Scouting report: “[Agafonov] plays with confidence and wants to attack and make plays. He absorbs pressure and protects pucks well, frequently looking to carry the puck past the first layer of pressure and move off of the pass. He walks the line well and can snap it. He’s strong and has a pro body. But he also doesn’t think the game well, makes his fair share of mistakes with and without the puck and needs to learn to defend better and make better reads. He’s worth drafting as a long-term project that you leave with Tolpar and reassess in a few years, though, as there is something there.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)
Pick analysis: The Kraken traded their seventh-round pick (No. 198 overall) for two seventh-round picks (Nos. 205 and 218). At No. 205, the Kraken selected another defenseman who fell farther than some might have anticipated, selecting right-shot defenseman Karl Annborn. According to some scouts, the Swedish-born defenseman fell short of lofty expectations coming into the year, but he played 21 games for the Swedish U18 team, typically earning first- or second-pair minutes with Sasha Boumedienne and other well-regarded prospects. He also earned five SHL games with HV71 this past season, during which he recorded his first professional point, an assist.
Annborn was No. 124 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Only one other seventh-round pick (Filip Ekberg) ranked higher. NHL Central Scouting had Annborn one spot ahead of Agafanov, at No. 32 among European skaters.
Scouting report: “[T]here isn’t a single area of the game where [Annborn] isn’t able to contribute, at least to some extent. While the term ‘two-way defenceman’ fits the bill well with Annborn, in our eyes, the most projectable parts of his game are the defensive work and the puck-moving. He’s got strong defensive habits, breaking up plays cleanly with his stick while also holding his own in battles along the wall and very rarely getting caught out of position. Once a breakup is created, Annborn also knows what to do next with the puck. He keeps his touches simple yet reliable and occasionally wows with a more complex breakout sequence. What ultimately kept Annborn from rising higher on our board is that while he’s well-rounded, he’s also not exceptional in any aspect of the game.” – Elite Prospects ($)
Pick analysis: With the team’s final pick of the draft, Seattle went with a player largely unconsidered by public analysts. Krantz, a winger in the Swedish junior league, was not ranked by any of the sources we gathered for the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. His scoring in the Swedish junior league was also fairly pedestrian for that league.
Krantz is a 6-foot-2 right-shot forward, and, based on two games viewed (so far), presents with plus speed and release on his shot. This pick seems to be an investment in tools identified and valued by Seattle’s Swedish area scouts. With a four-year time horizon to sign the player, it is likely Krantz will remain in Sweden for the foreseeable future and work to climb the ranks there.
Scouting video:
Draft news and notes
Beefing up the blue line
In Seattle’s first four NHL Entry Drafts, the Kraken did not shy away from shorter (e.g., Ty Nelson and Tyson Jugnauth) or slighter (e.g., Ryker Evans and Lukas Dragicevic) prospects on the blue line. In fact, the team had selected just two defensemen taller than6-foot-1 in their history: the hulking Finn Ville Ottavainen and Dragicevic, who continues to work on filling out his 6-foot-2 frame.
This draft was a different story for Seattle, with the Kraken adding four defensemen, all of whom were at least 6-foot-1: Fiddler (6-foot-4.5), Reynolds (6-foot-3), Agafonov (6-foot-2), and Annborn (6-foot-1).
This followed a league-wide trend toward taller defense prospects in this draft. Indeed, not one blueliner who measured in below the 6-foot threshold was drafted this year. This is a small sample, of course, and these things can be cyclical, but it’s something to keep an eye on as we move forward and factor into prospect rankings.
Revisiting NHL Draft Combine performances
Botterill recently told Sound Of Hockey that he viewed the physical testing at the combine as the most important part of that event to his draft evaluations. Looking back at the results, it is possible that Fiddler’s performance pushed him up Seattle’s board. Fiddler measured in taller (.5 inch) and heavier (11 pounds) than he had been listed previously. And Fiddler himself just told us this week that he’s “still growing.” His wingspan (79.75 inches) was sixth-largest in the class, and he ranked in the top five of grip strength in both his left and right hands.
The Kraken got younger
Whether by design or coincidence, Seattle drafted the youngest class by average age of any team in the league based on data compiled by John Barr.
When asked about the youth of the class, Botterill and Kron emphasized that youth is a factor in a propsect’s favor because it means there is a longer runway for both physical and skill development.
Scandinavian competition
Following the selections of Annborn and Krantz, Seattle has now drafted three Swedish players in its history, but, interestingly, none of those has come higher than pick No. 180 where Seattle selected Zeb Forsfjall in the 2023 draft. By contrast, Seattle has selected five Finns within the top 100.
Trading for Fiddler
After the draft, we asked Botterill about the process that led to Seattle trading their two second-round picks (Nos. 38 and 57) to Philadelphia for pick No. 36 and a third-round pick (No. 68) early on Day 2. Botterill indicated that the team evaluated Fiddler to be in a tier of defensemen that began to come off the board in the mid-to-late first round. His presence on the board to begin Day 2 immediately appealed to Seattle, and the Kraken had conversations with multiple teams at the top of Round 2 in an effort to move up for the player.
#SeaKraken GM Jason Botterill said the team started talks with teams on trade up before round 2; PHI deal was preferable bc the team also got the third-rd pick back. Seattle had Blake Fiddler in a tier of D who were selected starting in the mid-to-late first rd. Those picks ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YqVVUGEXS2
Botterill indicated that the team was comfortable with the Flyers trade because it was a two-for-two swap where Seattle also got back a third rounder. I infer from this that other teams were asking for both of Seattle’s second-round picks to move up and/or were offering back a second pick that Seattle did not view as valuable. Fortunately for the team, Fiddler was still on the board at No. 36, and Seattle made the trade.
Semyon Vyazovoi likely to stay in Russia another year
As noted, Afagonov is just the second Russian player Seattle has ever drafted and the first since Russia was expelled from the international hockey community in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. The other player is goalie Semyon Vyazovoi, a 2021 sixth-round pick. Vyazovoi, 22, excelled in his first opportunity in the KHL, Russia’s top-level professional league, last season, recording a league-leading .938 save percentage in 28 regular-season games. Despite some media speculation in Russia that Vyazovoi may come to North America next season, Botterill indicated that the team expected him to stay in the KHL another year.
Kraken Development Camp underway
Kraken Development Camp kicked off Monday, June 30, with physical testing, and the players have been participating in split-group on-ice sessions Tuesday and Wednesday. The roster includes almost all of the younger prospects in Seattle’s system, with the exception of Clarke Caswell, a handful of Europeans (Forsfjall, Vyzaovoi, and Kim Saarinen), and players who have played a full season at the AHL level (including Eduard Sale and Jagger Firkus).
Among the non-roster invites listed, 6-foot-1 defenseman Reese Hamilton is a name that stands out. Hamilton had a hugely productive draft-minus-one year in the WHL, piling up 31 points in 42 games for the Calgary Hitmen. This placed him sixth overall on our preseason data-only watchlist, just behind Jake O’Brien. As you likely guessed, his draft season did not reach the same level. He struggled in Calgary and was eventually traded to Regina. While scouts continued to credit his standout skating skill, they noted that he was repeating mistakes throughout the 2024-25 season. Ultimately, he landed at No. 102 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and went undrafted. Check out his shifts from his October 5, 2024, game against Red Deer here.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
The Seattle Kraken made their first dip into the 2025 free agency market on Tuesday with the signing of left-shot defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a four-year contract carrying a $4.5 million annual cap hit.
“Ryan’s a heart-and-soul player who competes every shift,” said Kraken general manager Jason Botterill. “He does whatever it takes to win and has been a key fixture on the penalty kill throughout his career. We’re excited to welcome him to the team.”
The 27-year-old, who was born in my hometown of Burnsville, Minn., is a defensive-minded defenseman who has consistently averaged north of 19 minutes per night. He doesn’t contribute much offensively, but he’s a guy who was leaned on by the New York Rangers for years as a shutdown-type player.
This past season, Lindgren had two goals and 17 assists in 54 games for the Rangers before adding two more goals and one assist in 18 games with the Avs. He’s considered a great locker room guy—one who will take on the toughest assignments, block shots, and—as Botterill noted—kill penalties.
Where Lindgren fits with the Kraken
If you’re scratching your head about how Lindgren fits in at this point, you’re not alone. The Kraken already had four left-shot defensemen in Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, Ryker Evans, and Josh Mahura.
So obviously, something has to give with one of those four. Any of Dunn, Oleksiak, or Evans could be valuable trade chips, although both Dunn (two years remaining on his deal) and Oleksiak (one year remaining) have 16-team no-trade clauses in their contracts.
This does harken back to memories of last offseason when the Kraken signed Brandon Montour to a seven-year, $50 million contract at the opening of free agency, leading to Brian Dumoulin being traded to the Anaheim Ducks the following day. Could something along those lines be in the works? Stay tuned.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
After a shrewd trade that sent Andre Burakovsky to Chicago for Joe Veleno, followed by a buyout of Veleno’s contract, the Seattle Kraken head into free agency on July 1 with roughly $18 million in cap space. But let’s not get carried away, the Kraken aren’t likely to go on a shopping spree.
Around $8 million of that cap space is earmarked for pending restricted free-agent contracts with Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Tye Kartye, which leaves roughly $10 million in realistic spending room. And just because you can spend doesn’t mean you should. With plenty of long-term flexibility and a mostly set roster, the Kraken appear positioned to take a more surgical approach in free agency this summer.
There’s been some speculative chatter about Seattle’s interest in players like Jordan Kyrou, and while I’m not big on rumor-based hypotheticals, it’s worth noting that preserving cap flexibility leaves the door open for trades or bold moves if the right fit emerges. If the Kraken *were* to make a splashier acquisition this summer, the trade route feels most likely. So as far as free agency is concerned, I expect a guarded approach.
A different summer than last
Last summer, the Kraken were among the more aggressive teams in free agency, landing Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson on significant deals. This year feels different.
The top three forward lines and top two defensive pairings are basically set, and the organization is keeping an eye on several prospects who could make the jump to the NHL. Names like Berkly Catton, Ryan Winterton, and Jani Nyman are expected to compete for forward roles, while Jacob Melanson and Nathan Villeneuve could be in the mix for fourth-line roles should the organization look for a more conventional fourth line. On the back end, Ville Ottavainen may push for a full-time spot.
So while there’s optimism about internal growth, it’s risky to assume that prospects will step in and stick. That leaves the Kraken in a bit of a balancing act, in that they don’t want to block young players, but they also can’t leave roster holes if those players aren’t ready.
What they actually need
Assuming no major trades and the team’s intention to sign its RFA’s, the Kraken’s needs look relatively modest:
One left winger, ideally with some flexibility and penalty-killing upside
One third-pair defenseman
Of course, we should expect them to add more than two extra bodies for depth or injury insurance, especially players who can start the year in Coachella Valley.
One note before we get into names: No, I won’t be predicting offer sheets. Despite the “summer of offer sheets” hype, they almost never happen. Additionally, while elite names like Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers would look great in deep sea blue, I am trying to be realistic, and that kind of splash is extremely unlikely this summer.
With all that said, here are a few realistic free agent options the Kraken might consider:
Left wing Kraken targets
Ideal profile: Comfortable in a fourth-line role, can handle elevated minutes if needed, offers some goal-scoring pop and can kill penalties.
Joel Kiviranta – 29 years old
A sneaky good fit. Kiviranta is a solid fourth-line winger with the ability to slide up the lineup in a pinch. He also logged significant penalty kill time in Colorado. As a bonus, he’d become the fourth Finnish forward on the roster, and if my line projections are even close, that would put one Finn on each line.
Whether it’s against them or for them, with the Avs, Joel Kiviranta just hits different. pic.twitter.com/1Om6kqy6rZ
I’m not sure he’s an ideal fourth-liner, but if the Kraken are trying to rebuild a depth-scoring line like the 2022-23 version, Beauvillier could be a nice fit. He played under new head coach Lane Lambert on Long Island, so there’s some built-in familiarity.
Tanner Jeannot – 28 years old
It’s been a while since Jeannot’s 24-goal breakout with Nashville in 2021-22. Since then, he hasn’t topped seven goals in a season. But that might mean he’s open to a short-term, “prove-it” deal. The physicality and gritty playstyle make him a natural fourth-liner who could still chip in some scoring. He also has a bit of the nasty gene that a lot of people think the team needs. He’s a low-risk, medium-reward option, likely under $3M AAV.
Seattle’s top four on the blue line is locked in, so this is about adding a third-pair option, ideally someone who can play both sides. No need for power-play time or major penalty kill minutes here.
Jon Merrill – 33 years old
A classic stay-at-home vet. No offense to speak of, but he’s steady and won’t cost much. He’s not flashy, but you can trust him to give you safe minutes in a sheltered role.
Nick Perbix – 27 years old
Perbix brings more size (6’4″) than Merrill and is a bit younger, but he still is not going to bring much offense. If Seattle wants a little more term or ceiling in their depth role, Perbix might be the better option—though he’ll likely come at a slightly higher price.
There are some good fits in this year’s free agent crop, but signing a player requires interest from both sides. Just because a player looks like a perfect addition doesn’t mean he’s open to joining a team that’s still building its identity and long-term core.
The Kraken’s approach this summer might not generate headlines, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be effective. Whether they spend their cap space or keep some powder dry for a midseason opportunity, the key is adding value without blocking development.
Who would you like to see Seattle go after on July 1? Let us know in the comments.
The Seattle Kraken began Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft Saturday with the sixth pick in the second round (No. 38), but they didn’t wait that long to grab a player they had highly rated on their board. The Kraken traded their two second-round picks (Nos. 38 and 57) to Philadelphia for pick No. 36 and a third-round pick (No. 68). The trade may have been an ever-so-slight overpay based on our trade market value chart, but Seattle got a hulking, right-shot defenseman in Blake Fiddler that few anticipated to still be on the board at this point in the draft. By trading, Seattle effectively jumped over Philadelphia and Washington, one of which took another right-shot defenseman in Carter Amico.
At the top of the third round, Seattle then took another defenseman in Will Reynolds at No. 68 overall. What are the Kraken getting in Fiddler and Reynolds? Let’s dive in.
With the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken selected defenseman Blake Fiddler from the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound, native Tennessean brings a physical element, as well as strong speed and agility for his size. He also has NHL experience in the family; his father Vernon Fiddler played 14 years in the NHL as a forward for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, among other teams.
Beyond size, speed, and bloodlines, Blake Fiddler brings significant upside as a shutdown top-four defenseman. “With three-zone skills and unusual mobility for a player this size, it’s impossible not to see Fiddler’s potential,” says Elite Prospects. “In a single shift, he dangles through the opposition for an entry, blows up an opposing rush, and then stretches the ice with a long-range breakout pass while fending off pressure. … Fiddler is highly creative, manipulating defenders with fakes before pulling the puck through them, beating them off the point, drawing pressure before passing through them on the breakout, and patiently waiting for the perfect lane to open. Many plays don’t quite click, but that he’s willing to experiment and push bodes well for his future.”
For his part, Fiddler compared his own game to Moritz Seider in a post-draft press conference with the Seattle media.
The defenseman scored 10 goals and added 23 assists in 64 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings, a .52 point-per-game pace. His 33 points ranked fifth among all first-time eligible WHL defensemen in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Fiddler was viewed by most scouts as a late-first-round talent. He was No. 27 overall on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Of the sources we gathered, Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News was the highest on Fiddler, ranking him No. 17 overall. Elite Prospects had him ranked No. 23 overall, and McKeen’s had him at No. 22.
What Fiddler does for Seattle is fill a glaring hole in the Kraken organization: a blueliner who could conceivably fill a top-pair role for the team once the current NHL players atop the depth chart start to age out. He may not project as a true offensive No. 1, but his all-around profile could compliment a more offense-oriented pair partner. The Kraken have a number of intriguing defense prospects, from Caden Price to Tyson Jugnauth, but each projects into more of a support or one-way role at this point. If it all comes together, Fiddler could be an alpha on the blue line long term.
If he’s going to reach his upside, the hockey sense and consistency needs to develop, “particularly reading the play,” says Elite Prospects. “Achieving a top shutdown projection will require better timing on his pivots, a consistently tight gap, and more physicality. An occasional lack of awareness and a plethora of miscues with possession will have to be cleaned up to translate his puck-moving to the NHL, too.”
As a July, 2007 birthday, Fiddler is a young draft entry. There is a long development runway ahead. We should not expect Fiddler on the roster in the next couple years, but his frame and style of play could have him knocking at the door thereafter if things coalesce quickly for him.
Round 3, Pick 68: Will Reynolds, D, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
For the second-straight draft, the Kraken departed from (some) public analyst consensus to select a QMJHL defenseman whose calling card is defensive play at the top of the third round. Last year it was Alexis Bernier. This year it is Reynolds, a young (August, 2007 birthday), big and mobile left-shot defenseman.
“There’s potential for growth in Will Reynolds’ game,” says Elite Prospects. “One of the youngest players in the draft, with room to fill out, Reynolds already boasts a few professional-level defensive abilities. Reading opposing breakouts and timing himself with the play, he pinches on opponents as they receive the puck, nullifying rushes. His aggressive approach does lead to some misses, but Reynolds has the edgework needed to catch up to attackers and push them to the outside anyway.”
The defenseman scored four goals and added 10 assists in 64 games for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL. In 2021, the Kraken selected Jacob Melanson out of Acadie-Bathurst.
Reynolds was viewed by most scouts as a mid-round talent, checking in at No. 137 on the Big Board. McKeen’s thought Reynolds should be picked in this range, ranking him No. 75 overall. NHL Central Scouting had Reynolds No. 63 among North American skaters.
“The next step for Reynolds is developing his puck-moving game,” says Elite Prospects. “He can separate opponents from the puck, but extends his time spent defending when he can’t pass it around the forecheck to open teammates. If he can develop his poise, handling, and passing skills, he could become a bottom-pairing NHL insulator.”
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Seattle has two picks left in the 2025 NHL Draft, one in the fifth round (No. 134) and one in the seventh round (No. 198). Seattle added a creative, right-shot center on Day 1 in Jake O’Brien. The team then added size, mobility, and defensive upside to the prospect pool on Day 2 with Fiddler and Reynolds.
What do you think of the picks? Any players you’d have preferred to see Seattle select? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or BluSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
