You’ve seen them at development camp. Now it’s time to figure out where the Kraken prospects will play this upcoming season.
With a few high-profile prospects expected to make the leap from the American Hockey League to the NHL, and several other players set to “graduate” to the AHL from junior hockey, there should be plenty of upward movement in Seattle’s system this year.
Graduating to NHL
Ryker Evans
Evans, 22, has little left to prove in the AHL. After flirting with being an NHL regular for parts of last season, we expect Evans to fill Brian Dumoulin’s spot on the roster in 2024-25 after the veteran left-shot blueliner was traded to Anaheim on July 2.
Shane Wright
After a successful campaign in Coachella Valley as a 20-year-old, the former fourth overall pick is poised to make the jump to Seattle’s lineup next season.
Shane Wright (Photo/Brian Liesse)
In the mix for NHL
Ryan Winterton
Carson Rehkopf
Logan Morrison
Even with the Kraken signing Chandler Stephenson, there’s still room for a player to break into a fourth-line role with Seattle in 2024-25. Another spot could even open up if Brandon Tanev is traded to free up cap space this season, something we could still foresee happening being that he is on the last year of a contract that carries a $3.5 million cap hit.
Winterton, 20, and Morrison, 22, are coming off productive first seasons with Coachella Valley. Winterton, who tallied 35 points in 58 games for the Firebirds, is a good potential fit for a checking line role with his play style and looked good in his end-of-season stint with the Kraken.
Carson Rehkopf is entering his 19-year-old season and isn’t eligible to play in the AHL due to the NHL-CHL transfer agreement. He will likely be sent back to Kitchener in the Ontario Hockey League for one last season of junior hockey. However, Rehkopf is one of Seattle’s best prospects and, while unlikely, he could fight for a roster spot in 2024-25 with a good training camp.
Logan Morrison (Photo/Brian Liesse)
NHL long shots, likely headed to AHL
Ville Ottavainen
Ottavainen will almost certainly begin the season in the AHL, but he could be in the mix for the first call-up if an injury arises on the Kraken blue line. The 21-year-old rearguard’s development will be better served playing every day in the AHL than as a seventh defenseman for the Kraken, but he’s huge at 6-foot-5, 216 pounds, and he is well regarded in the organization. Ottavainen could have an NHL future.
NHL long shots, likely headed to junior
Berkly Catton
In a similar vein to Rehkopf, Catton, the Kraken’s first-round pick in 2024, has a very slim chance to make the NHL roster. More realistically, he’ll be immediately sent back to junior or, if he impresses in training camp, he’ll play the 10-game trail allotted to prospects while still retaining the option of having their contracts “slide.”
Berkly Catton (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Graduating to AHL
Jagger Firkus
Ty Nelson
David Goyette
Jani Nyman
Niklas Kokko
Lleyton Roed
Firkus, Nelson, and Goyette are members of Seattle’s exciting 2022 draft class who are finally eligible to play in Coachella Valley after successful junior careers.
Nyman and goaltender Kokko are also members of said draft class and are expected to make the full-time jump to North America from their native Finland. Nyman had 43 points in 48 games for Ilves in Liiga, Finland’s top league. Kokko played for two teams in Liiga this past season and experienced his best success with Pelicans, posting a .926 save percentage and a 1.49 goals-against average and backstopping that team to the final.
Roed, a college free-agent signing, should be one to watch on Coachella Valley next season. The 21-year-old forward is coming off a 38-point season (30 games) for Bemidji State and can absolutely fly. He’s a fun player to watch.
Niklas Kokko (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Status up in the air
Andrei Loshko
Tyson Jugnauth
Both Loshko and Jugnauth are entering their 20-year-old seasons, meaning they are eligible to play in the AHL, but are unsigned. The Kraken could sign either of them and place them on the AHL roster, but that decision is two-fold: the Kraken first must decide whether it’s wise to add them to their prospect pool, then if there’s enough playing time available to put them on the AHL roster.
Loshko, a fourth-round selection in 2023, was traded to Rouyn-Noranda of the QMJHL before last season and posted 67 points (28 goals) in 64 games.
Not getting the role he expected with the Wisconsin Badgers, Jugnauth, a fourth-round pick in 2022, moved to the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, where he was a point-per-game player (41 points in 41 games).
Tyson Jugnauth (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Staying/heading overseas
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard
Zeb Forsfjall
Kim Saarinen
Peetro Seppala
Visa Vedenpaa
Semyon Vyazovoy
Fisker-Mølgaard likely will play a minimum of one more season overseas before heading stateside. The Danish forward is set to return to HV71 in the SHL, Sweden’s top league, where he helped that club stave off relegation last season.
After playing the last two seasons for Coachella Valley, Seppala was signed by Orebro HK in the SHL this offseason. He remains in the Kraken system.
All of the listed CHL players are too young for the AHL and will head back to juniors this next season.
We might not see the NCAA players for a while. The Kraken hold their rights until they run out of eligibility in college hockey. Janicke, an incoming senior at Notre Dame, is the closest to graduation of the bunch.
The Seattle Kraken drafted Alexis Bernier, a right-shot defenseman out of the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar with the No. 73 pick in the NHL Draft. Despite speculation the Seattle Kraken would invest on the blue line in this draft, the team came away from the first two rounds with three forwards: Berkly Catton, Julius Miettenen, and Nathan Villeneuve. Bernier, who played top-pair minutes for a Baie-Comeau club that made it to the QMJHL finals in 2023-24, was the first defenseman selected by Seattle.
This pick was a bit surprising based on the public rankings. Bernier’s highest ranking we tracked came from Elite Prospects, which had him at No. 100 overall. NHL Central Scouting ranked him the No. 62 North American skater.
Alexis Bernier defends Lleyton Roed at 2024 Kraken Development Camp
Evaluating Bernier, the prospect
Bernier played in all situations for Baie-Comeau, taking difficult matchups at 5-on-5 and logging minutes on both the power play and penalty kill. He’s a fluid mover and adept puck handler, and he was one of his junior team’s best players at breaking out of the defensive zone.
Perhaps his strongest trait, according to scouts, is his hockey sense, which allows him to diagnose and shut down opposing offensive chances before they materialize. Among defensemen, he was second on his team and seventh in the QMJHL with an on-ice plus-minus of +38 during the 2023-24 regular season.
He has adequate size and bulk at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds, and demonstrated the ability to box out opponents at the net front at Kraken Development Camp. I saw a very smooth and polished skater. On the other hand, I saw a shot and offensive skill level that were a notch or two below other offensive-minded blue liners in attendance. In addition to adding strength, the in-zone offensive aspects of the game will be a key area of development for Bernier.
While it is very early, Bernier looked like a third-pair or depth projection at camp.
The Sound Of Hockey Big Board had Bernier at No. 122 overall. On most public analyst boards, he was a mid- to late-round consideration. Bob McKenzie’s scout-informed list had Bernier listed among 10 honorable mentions after a ranked list of the top 90 players. So, the 73rd overall pick was either the early edge of his range or a few rounds early. My data-only ranking had Bernier at No. 341 overall, though that ranking favors scorers.
Video scouting Bernier
Scouting breakdown
Strengths:
“His head swivels in the defensive zone. He locates attackers all around him and adopts the right positioning and stick angle to nullify as many of their plays as possible on them. And then, with the calm of a veteran, he picks up the puck, turns toward the play, and launches the perfect pass to a teammate inside space.
“Bernier’s breakout abilities help him cut down his defensive zone time. They contribute to his shutdown abilities. As much as possible, he keeps the puck in control of his team with his poise and clever, simple passes. If a teammate gets open in the offensive zone, he spots him. And if another frees himself for a breakaway, he lands the stretch pass.” – Elite Prospects
“He’s a fast, agile defenseman who really knows how to utilize his skating ability. He loves using it to keep the tempo high, whether that’s with his gap control, man-to-man defending, breaking pucks out, or activating from the offensive blueline. Despite not being overly big he really plays hard and with an edge. He might never be a true specialist on either side of special teams, but he’ll be someone who can comfortably handle the responsibilities of both.
“The Drakkar are going to be top contenders in the QMJHL for the next two seasons, and Bernier seems like the type of player who elevates his game to new heights during a deep playoff run and then never looks back.” – McKeen’s
Weaknesses:
“He makes the occasional poor read under pressure but also shows the skills to manipulate pressure. The skill levels and skating are both questions. Fluid, but a bit upright and unable to really correct mistakes or separate from opponents with speed… He could be a mid-to-late-rounder. Not sure that any of his dimensions rank highly enough to project him confidently to the NHL, but his foundation of skills grades highly.” – Elite Prospects
Final thoughts
As mentioned above, based on scoring data only, I had Bernier as a borderline 2024 NHL Draft prospect. Players of his profile rarely develop scoring touch later in their careers, so Bernier likely needs to be a defensive standout to progress beyond the AHL. And, while I saw some building blocks at camp, he looks like he needs to take developmental leaps on that side of his game too.
During the draft I admit that I was disappointed that the Kraken targeted a defensive defenseman at No. 73, given the team’s desperate need for skill and offense from the back end and the availability of a few other gambles, such as Henry Mews (74 overall pick to Calgary) and Luca Marrelli (86 overall to Columbus).
Only time will tell if Bernier hits. But, even if he does hit, he’s highly unlikely to be the kind of top-of-the-lineup defender many were anticipating the Kraken would land in this draft. Bernier’s skill level simply didn’t compare to some of the team’s better blue line prospects at Development Camp, much less surpass it.
None of this is Bernier’s fault, of course. But Seattle’s blue line depth chart–both from a quality and quantity perspective–remains a question.
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.
It’s no secret that the Seattle Kraken, since the announcement of the 32nd NHL franchise in 2018, have worked hard at establishing their roots in any way possible in the Pacific Northwest.
From doing pop-up community events throughout the PNW to inking a new TV deal aimed at reaching a wider swath of fans across the region, it’s clear they’re trying to create and sustain lasting bonds within the local community.
Much of the most die-hard fan engagement in the early days came from the WHL fanbases in the U.S. Division, where the Kraken’s roots are grounded with the core group of people that drove the interest of attaining a franchise in the first place.
In their inaugural season, as a means of thanking those loyal fans from the markets that pushed for the franchise, the Kraken chose to hold their home preseason games in Spokane, Everett, and Kent while Climate Pledge Arena was in the final stages of construction. When they could have chosen one venue and stuck with it for that preseason, the team decided it was better for engagement purposes to do the games at those three separate junior hockey venues across Washington State.
We have since seen on several occasions that the organization has a penchant for bringing players into the fold with local ties. This is likely just by happenstance, but it does create some nice benefits for both the team and its fans, with whom the Kraken continue to foster relationships.
They’ve continued to nurture partnerships with the local WHL clubs and cities ever since the “Three-Rink Rush” days, but three years later, keeping a local flair in the players they employ is helping to strengthen those bonds in a more organic way.
WHL-heavy NHL Draft
The Kraken started off on Night 1 of this summer’s NHL Draft with the selection of Berkly Catton at No. 8 overall from the Spokane Chiefs. One of the most skillful and intelligent forwards in the class, he led all WHL draft-eligible players in goals (54) and points (116) in 2023-24.
On Day 2, Seattle stuck with the theme by taking three more WHL forwards, selecting power forward Julius Miettinen from the Everett Silvertips, then striking in the later rounds with two solid two-way forwards in Swift Current’s Clarke Caswell and Red Deer’s Ollie Josephson.
When the draft concluded on Saturday, a total of 34 WHL players were selected throughout both Days 1 and 2, which was the most of any eligible developmental league in the world. The Kraken’s four picks were the most of any NHL team.
Add in last season’s selections of Everett’s Kaden Hammell and Tri-City’s Lukas Dragicevic, as well as Tyson Jugnauth joining Portland midseason, and the Kraken now have at least one player representing almost every team in the division. Beyond the U.S. division, Seattle also selected Caden Price from Kelowna in 2023 and Jagger Firkus from Moose Jaw in 2022.
Ron Francis in his media availability after the draft detailed why his staff leaned towards the WHL.
“Our player development staff, as it plays out, doesn’t have to travel very far to see some of our players now,” Francis said. “The WHL has always been a good league, and the cities around Seattle have always had good teams and good players.”
While all those players in their own rights were worthy of being selected, the Kraken notably avoided drafting a defenseman until Round 3, which was shocking considering many pegged them to lean heavily on the blue line this draft given their shallow defense pool. Touted defensive prospects Zeev Buium or Zayne Parekh were a couple of the names that were available at No. 8.
Of course, Seattle scouts players across the globe, so it’s impossible to claim that the team is specifically looking locally, but having youngsters develop in the team’s backyard definitely makes for easier logistics.
“Our budget just went down for travel,” Kraken director of player development Jeff Tambellini joked last week about selecting Catton and Miettinen in the first two rounds. “But to have Berkly Catton so close, to have Miettinen so close, it’s fantastic. Any chance they get to see our team play and be around our group, the better, so we’re really exeited in the development staff that we’re going to see those guys a lot.”
Is staying local a good strategy?
Staying local is certainly enticing. Why not just go with what you’re most familiar and comfortable with instead of taking a shot in the dark? If you rank two players similarly but have seen one 10 times and the other once or twice, it becomes very easy to lean toward that player you’ve seen 10 times.
But the benefits of having the player close don’t really kick in until after the player is selected, when the Kraken can take a hands-on approach to development.
Kraken prospect and Everett Silvertips defenseman Kaden Hammell emphasized having that familiarity with Seattle has been helpful for his progression as a player.
“Not many players get to play as close [to their NHL team] as I do here,” Hammell said. “With Seattle being right down the road from Everett, anything that I have needed, they’ve been amazing with.”
Portland’s Jugnauth shared a similar sentiment on the latest episode of theSound Of Hockey Podcast.
“Seattle would be great [at making] an effort to see me when I was in Wisconsin, but obviously when they’re coming out there, it’s just to see me,” Jugnauth said. “But now with [Hammell and Miettinen] in Everett, and [Catton] in Spokane, all of a sudden they’re around all the time.”
While the development angle is great, there are always pros and cons when it comes to staying nearby for scouting. While both players and management can make it easier on themselves to access one another whenever they need, a drawback to this approach is it could be limiting the Kraken’s talent pool slightly.
Of course, the Kraken do not limit themselves to drafting locally, and there’s no doubt they do their due diligence when it comes to deciding on the players that enter the organization.
Fans like local talent
We do believe it will be a long-term challenge to retain season ticket holders and keep the casual game-attending audience engaged in Seattle. Having players that were either born in Washington or developed their game in Washington seems to help create connections between fans and players, as the fan relates to the player more.
There’s no better example of this than with the home-state signing of Kailer Yamamoto last summer. While it was a low-risk deal for the Kraken to make at just one year, $1.5 million, Yamamoto was never a great fit for Seattle. We have to think that he was more interested in playing for the Kraken, and the Kraken may have become interested in him at least in small part because of him being born and raised in Spokane and previously playing for the Chiefs.
Sure, there was some upside he could have tapped into, having that first-round pedigree from 2017, but Francis even alluded to Yamamoto’s local ties in the initial press release following the acquisition.
“He played junior hockey in his hometown of Spokane, Washington, and we’re happy to welcome him to the Kraken,” Francis said on July 1, 2023.
Yamamoto wound up appearing in 59 games as a Kraken, scoring only eight goals in his tenure and averaging five fewer minutes than he previously grew accustomed to in Edmonton. Still, there was a fervent group of fans that was not shy in telling us how much they loved Yamamoto and how furious they were any time he was left out of the lineup.
On the other side of the local coin, Oliver Bjorkstrand doesn’t necessarily belong in the same category as Yamamoto given how much more productive he has been as a member of the Kraken. But it’s important to note that him being a former Portland Winterhawk allowed the large and rabid audience down in the ‘Rose City’ to have an in when it came to keeping a rooting interest in the team.
The Kraken aren’t unique in selecting players from their own implicit biases, as many teams boast either hometown or local products of their own. Correlation isn’t always causation in this case.
But with the talent pool being less concentrated in the Pacific Northwest compared to the combined other regions on the continent, and for them to acquire the talent from around here as often as they do, whether it be via the draft or acquisition, it’s easier to see the patterns start to emerge and wonder if there’s reason for their choices beyond impact on the ice.
As the smoke clears from an active opening to free agency, we at Sound Of Hockey, wanted to highlight some of the movements around the NHL. There were 190 signings on the first day of free agency and 252 signings and counting so far with more than $1 billion committed across the league. We will focus on the impacts to the Pacific Division teams, what the new additions to the Seattle Kraken mean for their chances, and touch on a few other teams that made significant moves around the NHL.
Seattle Kraken
General manager Ron Francis was not his usual conservative self and made a big splash, signing two big free-agent targets:
Brandon Montour (RD) – Seven years at $7.14M AAV ($50M total)
Chandler Stephenson (C) – Seven years at $6.25M AAV ($43.75M total)
"#SeaKraken reportedly signing defenseman Brandon Montour to a monster seven-year contract"@DarrenFunBrown gives quick analysis on the surprising seven-year signing and considers how Montour could fit with the Kraken.
"#SeaKraken make another splash, signing Chandler Stephenson for seven years" @DarrenFunBrown gives his reaction to the signing and an update on where Seattle sits after grabbing Stephenson and Brandon Montour.
The initial feedback has not been all positive. Both players are 30 years old and signed seven-year deals. If either player actually plays out the entirety of his contract, he will be in a small minority of players in the league at that point. Only 15 NHL players were 37 at the start of the 2023-24 season. The cost of each contract has been described as an overpay, but that is the cost of doing business in free agency, especially if you want to attract talented players.
There are some positives from these signings. Let’s start with a simple question, are the Seattle Kraken better with Montour and Stephenson? On paper, this is a resounding yes, they have strengthened the defense and improved at the center position. Montour will most likely play on the second defensive pairing, but is capable of a first-pairing role and led all Florida Panthers in ice time last season. Stephenson is an improvement over former Kraken center Alex Wennberg and provides a bit more offensive punch. Stephenson will also be able to fill the second-line center role, hopefully reducing some pressure on Shane Wright, who looks to make the Kraken roster full-time this upcoming season.
Contract length
Seven years is the longest contract the Kraken could award to these players. Offering this term was likely a driving factor in Stephenson and Montour choosing to play for Seattle, which does not have the allure of being a true Stanley Cup contender.
I’m not terribly worried about the contract length, though I know this is a big part of the discourse about these signings. The reason I’m not worried about it is because a lot can happen during seven years. Players can be traded, bought out, get injured, or retire. While I don’t hope for the last two, the reality is injuries happen in hockey, and it is possible these contracts get moved to long-term injured reserve after a number of years.
Average annual value (AAV)
The AAV also seems high, but remember, seven years ago the NHL salary cap was at $75 million. It has increased 17.33 percent to $88 million. If the cap continues to grow at this rate, these deals may not seem as rich in a few years. If they produce, $6 million and $7 million contracts could seem cheap a couple years from now.
Players tend to decline in performance as they age, but these are the only two contracts currently on the books from 2027-28 onward.
Acquired through free agency
There are four ways to acquire a player, drafting, signing as a free agent, trading, or claiming off waivers. It’s generally believed that the best way to build a team is to build from the draft, but that takes time. Trading or signing free agents can speed up the timeline, but both have positives and negatives.
The positive for signing a free agent is the prospect pool remains intact, whereas trading often costs draft picks and/or prospects. The Kraken have a promising prospect pool, so to be able to add two solid players to their current roster without giving up any futures is a positive. To me, keeping that pool intact is worth a few extra million in overpay.
Stanley Cup pedigree
Ron Francis has a penchant for signing players that have won the Stanley Cup. Both Montour and Stephenson have hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup, and Francis believes that experience is valuable when it comes to the grind of the season and the playoffs. Other Stanley Cup winners that have been signed by Ron Francis include Jaden Schwartz, Andre Burakovsky, Philipp Grubauer, Justin Schultz, and Brian Dumoulin (and, of course, head coach Dan Bylsma).
Signings overall
The Seattle Kraken have improved their roster with these signings, and, at least for the next two-three years, fans will get to enjoy this benefit. Hopefully by the time the contracts start to age, we will see a boost in performance from Seattle’s prospects.
Other Signings
The Kraken also made the following signings, mainly to backfill for departures from the Coachella Valley Firebirds, although Ben Meyers and Josh Mahura will certainly be looking to secure spots on the NHL roster. Their one-way contracts give them each an inside track to these spots, but we will see how training camp shakes out.
Signed Ben Meyers (LW, C) – One year, 775K AAV one-way contract
Signed Mitchell Stephens (C) – Two year, 775K AAV, two-way contract
Signed Brandon Biro (LW) – One year, 775K AAV, two-way contract
Signed Nikolas Brouillard (D) – One year, 775K AAV, two-way contract
Signed Maxime Lajoie (LD) – One year, 775K AAV, two-way contract
Signed Josh Mahura (LD) – One year, 775K AAV, one-way contract
Kraken moves overall
The Kraken have improved on both the offensive and defensive sides of puck. But have they done enough to secure a playoff spot? Time will tell, but it is reasonable to expect growth from Matty Beniers, Eeli Tolvanen, and Ryker Evans, and Andre Burakovsky should have a rebound year as well. With the additions of two legit players, the Kraken have a deeper roster than before, and all four lines should produce offense closer to what they did two seasons ago. Seattle also has a new coach in Bylsma who hopefully can bring an uptick in production.
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Brian Dumoulin
Jakob Silfverberg
Same – Anaheim was bad last year and will continue to build this year.
Calgary Flames
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Anthony Mantha Ryan Lomberg
Jacob Markstrom Andrew Mangiapane
Worse – They still have some work to do to get a starting goaltender to replace Markstrom.
I would love to see Dustin Wolf get a crack at the starting job, but that seems farfetched. The Flames will need to find a starting goalie. Some Seattle Kraken fans will dream of Grubauer getting traded, but Seattle needs him, especially without Chris Driedger stashed in the AHL. Grubauer also has a 10-team no-trade list and a huge contract, so we don’t see him getting traded.
Edmonton Oilers
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Viktor Arvidsson Jeff Skinner
Warren Foegele
Better – Resigned many of their current team and added, if you can believe it, more offense.
Jeff Skinner is an excellent signing and should easily replace the offensive output of Warren Foegele. This should be the year Skinner finally gets to play in a playoff game.
Los Angeles Kings
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Warren Foegele Tanner Jeannot Joel Edmundson Darcy Kuemper
Pierre-Luc Dubois Cam Talbot Matt Roy Viktor Arvidsson Blake Lizotte
Worse – Dubois never panned out in LA, but Warren Foegele’s offensive ceiling is close to Dubois’ floor. Both had about 40 points this last season. It was Foegele’s best season and Dubois’ worst season.
San Jose Sharks
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Tyler Toffoli Alex Wennberg Macklin Celebrini (Draft) Barclay Goodrow (waivers)
Devin Cooley
Better – They definitely have an improved forward group, but their defense and goaltenders still need some help. They probably are not the favorite to land another first overall draft pick, but making the playoffs would still be a huge stretch.
Back in January, we at Sound Of Hockey predicted it would take between $4.5-$5.5M to re-sign Wennberg, and that is exactly what San Jose paid, coming in at $5M AAV for two seasons.
Alex Wennberg
Vancouver Canucks
Added
Lost
Same/Better/Worse
Jake DeBrusk
Ian Cole Elias Lindholm Nikita Zadorov Casey DeSmith
Same – Lindholm did not work out, but prior to him coming, Vancouver was good. DeBrusk brings some more offense, and Arturs Silovs proved he is worthy of a backup role in the NHL.
Jake DeBrusk has averaged a 24-goal pace for his NHL career.
Jake DeBrusk, signed 7x$5.5M by VAN, is a top six scoring winger with a well-rounded offensive game and good defensive metrics who plays in all situations. Lots of goal-scoring upside even if it's not the most consistent. #Canuckspic.twitter.com/ZAyIBKjxVe
Chandler Stephenson Jonathan Marchessault Anthony Mantha Logan Thompson
Slightly Worse – The Golden Knights lost a lot of offense, but they did add Hertl last year at the trade deadline. The goalie and defense situation should be similar to what it was before, even after trading Thompson.
Hertl can replace Stephenson’s offensive production. Olofsson is a proven 20-goal scorer and did it on only 14 minutes of ice time with the Sabres. However, he will not match Marchessault’s production, which has now moved on to Nashville. Samsonov might thrive in a 1B role after shedding the pressure of playing in Toronto.
Overall Pacific Division
After a few days of free agency, it is way too early to predict standings for next season, but I’ll give it a try…
The Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks look poised to hold onto the top two spots in the Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Calgary Flames appear ready to slide in the standings and open the door for the Kraken to slip into a playoff spot. The Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks are content in the cellar for another year.
There is a lot of offseason left, and these teams will continue to make moves. But if the season started today, here is my (way too early) prediction for the Pacific Division standings:
Edmonton Oilers
Vancouver Canucks
Seattle Kraken
Vegas Golden Knights
Los Angeles Kings
Calgary Flames
San Jose Sharks
Anaheim Ducks
Around the NHL
A handful of teams set off some fireworks in the early goings of free agency. We will not review every free agency move, but we will highlight some teams that made a big boom or lit a dud. Moves include trades and draft picks that happened around free agency as well. With it being a long 4th of July weekend, we will provide ratings using fireworks.
Boston Bruins
Players added: Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Joonas Korpisalo (trade)
Players that left: Jake DeBrusk and Linus Ullmark (trade)
Firework rating: Firecracker thrown from your hand. Definitely made a bang with their signings, but there is risk in signing Lindholm at $7.75M AAV after his struggles in Vancouver. I like the Kraken’s signing of Stephenson better.
Carolina Hurricanes
Player added: Shayne Gostisbehere
Players that left: Jake Guenztel (traded rights away), Brady Skjei, Teuvo Teravainen
Firework rating: Bottle rocket dud. Carolina was not able to capitalize on Guenztel, who seemed to fit into their system, scoring 34 points in his 28 games after being acquired at the deadline.
Nashville Predators
Players added: Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei
Players that left: Anthony Beauvillier and Jason Zucker
Firework rating: Mortars with report. Nashville was not happy with its first-round exit and brought in some big names on offense and defense. This improved team might be able to exceed its 18-game point streak from last season.
Breaking: The Predators are adding star forward Steven Stamkos, former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei. pic.twitter.com/a7CRkcLkcJ
Firework rating: Ground Snake. Lou Lamoriello was able to keep this signing quiet, but Duclair is a solid pick-up.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Player added: Jake Guentzel
Players that left: Steven Stamkos, Tanner Jeannot (trade), and Matt Dumba
Firework rating: Ground Fountain. Tampa is out with the old and in with the new. It will be a new era in Tampa Bay with long-time captain Stamkos moving to Nashville. Guentzel was a nice piece of work, though.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Players added: Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Players that left: Tyler Bertuzzi, T.J. Brodie, and Ilya Samsonov
Firework rating: Saturn missile. You never know which way the missiles are going to fire. This year, Toronto is adding veteran defense and a new coach in Craig Berube. The team should be playoff bound again, but it will be interesting to see how this roster responds to the offseason changes.
Washington Capitals
Players added: Jakob Chychrun, Logan Thompson, Andrew Mangiapane, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Matt Roy
Players that left: Nick Jenson and Darcy Kuemper
Firework rating: 500-gram firework cake. The Capitals did most of their moves through trades, but they have brought in a good group of players. These players should be able to improve Washington’s record, but the Caps are currently projected to be ~$13M over the cap. So, some work still needs to be done.
Wrapping up
It has been a busy start to the summer with all the free-agent signings, the trades, the NHL Draft, and Kraken Development Camp all hitting at about the same time. We are only a couple weeks into the official offseason, and I am already looking forward to the start of next season.
Please let me know your thoughts on the players acquired or traded and how you think this impacts the Kraken and/or league. You can follow @blaizg on x.com
Jessica Campbell and Bob Woods have been hired as assistant coaches for the Seattle Kraken, the team announced on Wednesday.
Campbell, 32, becomes the first female to be hired full-time as an assistant coach in the NHL, while Woods, 56, joins the organization after spending parts of the last seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild.
Campbell broke ground two seasons ago as the first woman in AHL history to hold a full-time assistant coach position. She made headlines once more on Sept. 25, 2023, when she coached a Kraken preseason game against the Calgary Flames at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, joining a select group of women who have coached behind an NHL bench.
Now, she takes perhaps her biggest step yet by ascending to the NHL.
“This is an important day for our organization,” general manager Ron Francis said. “We’re bringing in valuable coaching experience to our staff and are confident that both Bob and Jessica will make an immediate impact for our team.”
A native of Rocanville, Saskatchewan, Campbell helped lead the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL to two consecutive Calder Cup Finals in 2022-23 and 2023-24, where they lost to the Hershey Bears both times. With Coachella Valley, she managed the forward corps and power play and is well-regarded in the Seattle organization for her ability to develop prospects.
“During our tenure in Coachella Valley, I saw firsthand Jessica’s commitment to player development,” Bylsma said. “Her ability to establish relationships with her players, specifically Tye Kartye, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans, was an important factor in this hire. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with her at the NHL level.”
Campbell’s name began circulating in rumors that she could join the NHL staff after Bylsma, who initially hired Campbell for her AHL role on July 4, 2022, was promoted to head coach of the Kraken in May.
During Bylsma’s introductory press conference on May 28, Kraken general manager Ron Francis suggested that Campbell would be considered for a promotion. “We didn’t hire her [for Coachella Valley] because she’s a woman; we hired her because she’s a good coach,” Francis said. “She has an impressive background in skating and skill development, which has been integral to Coachella Valley’s success. She oversees the power play, works with our forwards, and helps everyone improve their skating and skills.”
Bylsma took over from Dave Hakstol, who was relieved of his duties as Kraken head coach on April 29 after three seasons. Assistant coach Paul McFarland also departed at that time, and Jay Leach later departed to join the Boston Bruins, creating openings for Campbell and Woods.
Campbell has long said that her childhood dream was to become the first woman to reach the NHL as a player. When she realized that dream wouldn’t come to fruition, she shifted her focus to coaching after attending Cornell University and playing professionally for the Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and the Malmo Redhawks of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League.
Throughout her coaching career, she has helped players at all levels from juniors to the NHL improve their individual skills, proving to be a valuable asset to the Kraken organization.
Woods’ coaching career spans nearly three decades, including NHL assistant coaching roles in Washington, Anaheim, and Buffalo, where he previously worked with Bylsma. He has also served as a GM, head coach, and assistant coach in the AHL, ECHL, and WHL.
“After spending a season together in Buffalo, I’m excited to be reunited with Bob here in Seattle,” Bylsma said. “Bob’s resume speaks for itself – he has worked with some of the NHL’s top defensemen in Washington, Minnesota and Anaheim, and I know he will bring valuable experience to our locker room.”
Woods will be responsible for the defense and the power play, with input from Campbell. It is expected that Campbell’s focus will be primarily on Seattle’s offense.
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 signing defenseman Brandon Montour to the largest contract in franchise history at the opening of free agency on Monday, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis raised eyebrows for a second time by signing center Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year contract that carries a $6.25 million average annual value.
Like Montour, Stephenson is also 30 years old, but while Montour was brought in to help drive offense from the back end, Stephenson will be expected to slot in as a pivot on one of Seattle’s top two forward lines.
After a few low-production, bottom-of-the-lineup years with the Washington Capitals, Stephenson’s career blossomed with the Golden Knights after he was traded there in December, 2019. He ascended to a top-six role and became one of the key pieces that helped Vegas win the Stanley Cup in 2022-23.
How Stephenson fits
In the current makeup of the Kraken roster, Stephenson is a good fit. He’s a solid face-off guy, a two-way forward, and can chip in offensively, having produced at least 16 goals in each of the last three seasons.
Assuming Shane Wright becomes a full-time NHLer next season, and assuming no trades of centers, the Kraken now have Matty Beniers, Stephenson, Wright, and Yanni Gourde down the middle. In a way, Stephenson replaces Alex Wennberg, who went to the New York Rangers at the NHL Trade Deadline in March.
Last week, I predicted the Kraken would aim to add a 20-goal winger and a 20-goal center but did not predict an upgrade to the blue line, which came by way of Montour.
Jared McCann // Matty Beniers // NEW 20-GOAL WINGER Jordan Eberle // **Chandler Stephenson // Andre Burakovsky Eeli Tolvanen // Shane Wright // Oliver Bjorkstrand Tye Kartye // Yanni Gourde // Jaden Schwartz Brandon Tanev
We still think there’s a chance Seattle looks to snag a scoring winger either via trade or with a shorter-term deal for one of the remaining free agents out there.
Worth noting, Stephenson only broke that 20-goal plateau one time in 2021-22 when he notched 21 goals and 43 assists, so whether he really drives a big offensive improvement for Seattle remains to be seen.
Considering Stephenson’s age and the length of his contract, there are concerns that this deal could be a bad one to have on the books in a few years. The analytics community was overwhelmingly down on this signing, which is certainly concerning.
Chandler Stephenson (7×6.25m with Seattle) is coming off a horrific year with Vegas. Even if he bounces back to his career best, which seems unlikely to me, he'll only just be worth the money. pic.twitter.com/NmJjwTQg9w
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 1, 2024
Still, as I noted with Montour, teams have to overpay to land some of the biggest names in free agency. Is this an example of an overpay? Yes. Could it end up being worth it? Maybe.
Cap situation
As I noted when writing about Montour earlier, the Kraken are reaching salary cap pinch territory. We still don’t know where new contracts for Eeli Tolvanen or Matty Beniers will land, and even without those factored in, Seattle is already down to about $8 million. Add in Tolvanen and Beniers, and they’re likely over the cap.
So, there are certainly moves coming to create space, and if the team does want to add one more forward, then multiple contracts will likely have to be dumped.
Aggressive moves
The Kraken have made no secret they want to be more competitive next season. These are now two splashy moves, and we do not believe they are done.
What say you, folks? Have the Kraken made themselves better?
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.
