Adam Larsson will continue to patrol Seattle's blueline for four more seasons after the towering defensemen signed a four-year, $21 million contract extension ($5,250,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 31-year-old is entering his 14th NHL season and fourth with Seattle after putting up four goals, 18 points, a +6 plus/minus and 55 PIMs in 81 games in 2023-24.
Seattle has locked up 2022-23 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $49.98 million contract extension ($7,140,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 21-year-old centre was Seattle's inaugural draft pick when he went 2nd overall in 2021 from the University of Michigan (NCAA). In 77 games in 2023-24, the 6'2" American had 15 goals, 37 points, 133 SOG and a -11 plus/minus.
The final arbitration contract in the NHL was figured out on Tuesday as Ryan Lindgren and the New York Rangers agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension. The 26-year-old dfensemen is entering his seventh NHL seasn with New York and had three goals, 17 points, 36 PIMs and a +22 plus/minus in 76 games played in 2023-24.
Saarinen was a third-round pick (No.88 overall) in this year's NHL Draft. The 6-foot-4 netminder spent most of the 2024 season with HPK in the Finnish U20 league, were he was 14-5-0 with a. 2.41 GAA, .917 SV% and two shutouts. In two games in the top Finnish league (Liiga), he was 1-0-1 with a 2.46 GAA and .909 SV%.
Tolvanen played up and down the Kraken's top-9 last season, finishing with a career-high 41 points (16G / 25A) in 81 games. The Kraken's most used and most consistent line throughout the season was Tolvanen with Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand, a trio that will likely see a lot of time together this upcoming season as well.
Seattle added to its defensive depth on Wednesday by adding six-year veteran Josh Mahura on a one-year, $775,000 contract. The 26-year-old was only able to appear in 30 games for the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers in 2023-24 and had no goals, nine assists, 20 PIMs and a -2 plus/minus.
Seattle added to its offensive depth on Tuesday by signing Mitchell Stephens to a two-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old centre has appeared in 95 career NHL games including 23 games with Montreal in 2023-24, picking up two goals and three points.
Seattle added a bottom-six piece on Tuesday as it signed Ben Meyers to a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 25-year-old spent 2023-24 between Colorado and Anaheim and had a goal, three points and six PIMs while averaging 10:07 TOI/GP.
The final big piece of the free agent market has signed in Seattle as the Kraken signed Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year contract worth $43.75 million ($6.25M AAV). The 30-year-old smooth skating centre had spent the last five years in Vegas and had 16 goals, 51 points and 25 PIMs in 75 games played in 2023-24.
Matt Murray will remain a Toronto Maple Leaf after signing a one-year, $850,000 contract extension on Monday. The 30-year-old last appeared in the NHL in 2022-23 with Toronto but made three appearances with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) in 2023-24, putting up a 4.03 GAA and .846 SV%.
Arguably the biggest defensive free agent is off the market early on Monday as Seattle has signed reigning Stanley Cup Champion Brandon Montour to a seven-year deal worth $49.98 million ($7.14M AAV). The 30-year-old smashed his career highs in 2022-23 after he ended the season fifth in the NHL in defensive scoring with 16 goals and 73 points in 80 games but came back down to earth in 2023-24 with eight goals and 33 points in 66 games played.
Fisker Molgaard is Seattle's 2023 second-round pick (52nd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken on Saturday. The 19-year-old centre spent 2023-24 in Sweden's top league with HV71 (SHL) and had nine goals and 21 points in 50 games played.
Kakko was a healthy scratch for Game 2 but will return to New York's lineup with Jimmy Vesey being out week-to-week and join the Rangers' third line. The 23-year-old winger has struggled throughout the playoffs this year, with a goal, two points and 17 SOG in 11 games played.
Marchment has been out since Game 2 of Round 1 with an undisclosed injury, but he will replace Radek Faksa in the lineup on Thursday. Marchment enjoyed the best season of his career in 2023-24, scoring 22 goals with 31 assists (53 points) in 81 games--he had one goal in the first two games of Round 1.
Marchment appeared in the first two games of the Stars' opening series but will miss his third straight contest on Wednesday due to an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old had a goal and three SOG in his short two-game showing to start the playoffs and is considered day-to-day as he hopes to return for Game 6 in Vegas.
Marchment left Game 2 of the series with an undisclosed injury and has now missed the last two games as a result. Marchment has enjoyed a career year with the Stars, scoring 22 goals and adding 31 assists across 81 regular season games.
