Kraken defensemen in contract years will lead to success in 2024-25 – Hockey Writers – Seattle Kraken

Although the contract negotiations for Matty Beniers are there it is now officially overthe general manager’s job is not done. Ron Francis now has to consider the fact that several defensemen are entering contract season, including those who will spend time in the American Hockey League (AHL). What does this mean for the club’s overall defense in 2024-25? Let’s talk.

A Good Case is a good defense

Of the few things the Seattle Kraken could be praised for last season, defense and scoring were one. They were a top 10 team wideout in several major statistical categories, such as goals against average (2.83, ninth) and shots against (2,391, 8th). Even the advanced metrics were very favorable. One example was goals against expectations, in which they finished with minus-5.93, That’s not bad considering they were above zero in the first months of the season. Seattle’s expected goals were also strong (151.93, fourth).

There is a saying that believes that a good offense starts with a good defense. While those strong numbers didn’t help the Kraken win more games in 2023-24, it can at least be argued that the blue-chippers and scorers kept their side within striking distance on most nights. A total of 19 contests have gone to overtime despite Seattle being a poor offensive team.

One of the big names who made it through the season mostly without injury was Brian Dumoulin (80 games, plus-3). However, he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks earlier this summer for a 2026 fourth-round pick. This was done after acquiring Brandon Montour from the Florida Panthers. Montour, by the way, also earns $7.14 million a year, according to Beniers’ new contract.

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Few teams have played top-notch defensive hockey for so many consecutive seasons. The Boston Bruins, Panthers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes come to mind. Those groups also have amazing network administrators, a case where the jury is still out on Kraken. Philipp Grubauer can be hit or miss. One wonders if Joey Daccord’s breakout season was a fluke or if he is truly a long-term solution. As such, the defensive pairings are critical to ensuring the Krakens give themselves a chance in 2024-25.

Play for Wins and Big Payouts

This brings the discussion to the topic of the critical contract situation of the club and its blue lines. Yes, Montour was locked up for seven seasons. Vince Dunn, returning from his injury-prone first season, is signed through the end of 2026-27. Jamie Oleksiask has a contract that expires on June 30, 2026. Without them, the rest of the defense is playing a contract year.

Adam Larsson, 31, used to pair up in 2023-24. He is making $4 million this season before his status changes to an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer. When Dunn was sick, Larsson was the guy the team was looking to close the hatches. That may change this season given the arrival of Montour (a possible partner for Dunn), but there is no questioning what the 31-year-old Swede brings to the team. He participated in 81 contests last season and had the third-best plus-minus on the roster with a plus-6.

Will Borgen was another model of consistency, suiting up in all 82 games and accumulating 25 points with three goals and 22 assists. He used to play the part of two defenders. Former head coach Dave Hakstol liked him alongside Oleksiak. Assuming Montour is actually part of a top two defensive player, it would be interesting to see Larsson and Burgen potentially play together given their contract situations.

Four players An Uncertain Future

Then there are the two lowest paid players, one of whom has a lot to play for. Ryker Evans, only 22 years old, was a team player on the roster last season. Once the injuries started piling up, Evans’ name was called regularly from December onwards as he played 36 games. Was he big? Not just minus-8 in March, the month he dipped all season, but it was also his first NHL experience. Lest it be forgotten that he was 35^th perfect choice in 2021.

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Evans is not too expensive considering he works for the club under an entry-level contract ($897.5K). The fact remains that he will be a restricted free agent (RFA) less than a year from now. If he lives up to expectations, Francis will have a big decision to make.

Then comes veteran Josh Mahura. The 26-year-old Albertan and former Panther was picked up in free agency this summer. The sad truth is that it has been difficult to stay in the snow. The 2022-23 season is the only one so far that he survived without major injuries – he played all 82 games. He missed time in 2023-24 with a lower-body injury, and 2021-22 (upper body) while with the Ducks. When he was ready to go, he was usually healthy last season. The left-handed shooter didn’t step on the ice once during the Florida tournament, although he played a lot during last season’s run to the finals. He will only be worth $775K this season before becoming a UFA.

That’s seven words in six positions. Apparently, Mahura will be the odd man out. Only time will tell.

But it doesn’t end there. Four defensemen in the AHL will be UFAs or RFAs next July: Gustav Olofsson (UFA), Maxime Lajoie (UFA), Nikolas Brouillard (UFA), and Cale Fleury (RFA). Surprisingly, each earns a small salary – Fleury is the richest at $800K. They are not familiar to the Kraken and may not play as much if the team stays healthy, but they are part of the system, linked to the big league team. There will have to be talks about this quartet, especially Olofsson and Brouillard, both 29 years old.

Ultimately, this could be a good thing for Seattle. It would be foolish to think that encouraging more money down the road wouldn’t encourage the likes of Borgen, Larsson, and Evans to put more pep into their competitive swings. Also, they are already good players. The question is, will that amount be paid by Kraken in a year? Whatever happens, there’s good reason to believe Seattle will once again be sound on defense.