The Seattle Kraken proceed to be one of many greatest spenders of the 2024 offseason even in its late levels. They gave 31-year-old defenseman Adam Larsson a four-year extension with a $5.25 million common annual worth (AAV), taking him by the 2028-29 season.
Listening to Adam Larsson extension with Seattle might be 4x$5.25M when accomplished.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 10, 2024
Larsson isn’t a game-changer, however he can eat up minutes and supply a stable on-ice product. Within the historical past of the Kraken, spanning again to 2021-22, no defenseman has extra ice time performed at even energy or on the penalty kill. He has recorded over 140 hits and blocks in each season as a member of the workforce, placing up 76 factors and a plus-10 ranking, too.
Although not analytically very good, there can be a noticeable loss with out Larsson within the lineup. He has confirmed to be an awesome defensive accomplice for Vince Dunn, who holds a 51.7 anticipated objectives share (xGF%) subsequent to the 31-year-old Swedish defender together with a plus-34 ranking at even energy since 2021-22. In Dunn’s non-Larsson minutes, he holds a 46.7 xGF% and a minus-4 ranking as a member of the Kraken.
Whereas Seattle missed the playoffs final season, they have been one win away from the 2023 Western Convention Last. They’ve all the time been probably the greatest defensive groups within the league, boasting the NHL’s fifth-best anticipated objectives in opposition to complete since 2021-22—preserving that id intact looks like a should, particularly for a workforce that would fairly return to the postseason in 2024-25.
Might Seattle’s Spending Harm Them within the Lengthy Time period?
The contractual worth right here is honest if not a reduction. However Seattle’s spending habits might change into a difficulty sooner or later in the event that they aren’t cautious. This group has quite a lot of younger expertise however fairly a number of long-term offers for getting old gamers.
On this offseason alone, the Kraken gave out this Larsson contract, but additionally seven-year offers to 30-year-olds Brandon Montour ($7.14 million AAV) and Chandler Stephenson ($6.25 million AAV). Seattle isn’t incorrect to splurge following a disappointing 81-point marketing campaign in 2023-24, however they might be left with waning cap house when their finest younger gamers demand large cash.
When it comes to youth, it looks like the Kraken are in a extremely great place. At heart, Shane Wright and Matty Beniers might be the workforce’s long-term duo down the center—they’re solely 20 and 21 years previous respectively, and have a ton of upside. They aren’t of their prime simply but, however these two encourage hope for the longer term.
And it’s not simply them. Just lately-drafted Berkly Catton has high-end first-line upside, 20-year-old winger Jani Nyman was sensational in Liiga (Finland’s prime league) with 43 factors in 48 contests, and 19-year-old winger Carson Rehkopf was one of many extra outstanding producers within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with 95 factors in 60 video games. There’s extra, too—the longer term is fairly brilliant right here.
However the Kraken are in a fairly distinctive state of affairs in that they’re paying getting old gamers for a very long time but even have this inspiring prospect pool. In the event that they aren’t cautious, this may result in issues—common supervisor Ron Francis should be conscious of that shifting ahead.
Seattle finds themselves in a aggressive Western Convention with considerably current success, a possible playoff roster, and a gaggle of high-upside children both on the roster presently or within the system. The signing of Larsson locks up a key roster participant so these younger up-and-comers have one thing to work with. Fairly presumably, they’ll spend their finest years with good assist as a substitute of a roster with no probability to compete.
Stats courtesy of Pure Stat Trick
