Who have the Seattle Kraken added in free agency?
NHL free agency opened at 9 a.m. PT on Wednesday. After getting through the expansion draft and the entry draft, the Seattle Kraken will now look to add more talent to their inaugural roster.
We’re tracking the moves here:
Alexander Wennberg, center
The Kraken agreed to terms with Wennberg (6-2, 192) for a three-year contract ($4.5 million AAV).
Wennberg, 26, recorded 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) in 56 regular-season games with the Florida Panthers last season. He ranked seventh on the team in scoring. Despite a shortened season, the 17 goals were a career-high. He also had one goal and one assist in five postseason games.
“Alexander is coming off of his best goal-scoring season to date and gives us an offensive-minded center down the middle,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said in a release. “He’s still young and we think he has room to grow even further as he has taken large strides in each of his last few seasons. We like his combination of size and skill and think he will fit well with our group.”
Wennberg has played in 471 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets (2016-19) and Panthers (2020-21), totaling 230 points (57 goals, 173 assists). The 173 assists rank ninth among skaters from the 2013 draft class. He has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 28 career playoff games.
Wennberg was originally drafted by Columbus in the first round (14th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Jaden Schwartz, forward
The Kraken agreed to terms with Schwartz (5-10, 190) on a 5-year contract ($5.5 million AAV).
Schwartz, 29, had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) and 71 shots on goal in 40 games with the St. Louis Blues in 2020-21. He ranked sixth among forwards in points.
“Jaden plays a responsible two-way game and knows how to put the puck in the net,” Francis said in a release. “He brings veteran leadership to our group and his knowledge of the game and what it takes to win hockey’s ultimate prize will be valuable as we continue to shape our inaugural roster. We’re looking forward to adding his guidance and skill to our team.”
During the Blues’ Stanley Cup run in 2018-19, Schwartz led St. Louis with 12 goals in 26 games. He has recorded 50 or more points in five of his last eight seasons and 20 or more goals in two of his last four. Schwartz played 560 games with St. Louis, totaling 385 points (154 goals, 231 assists). He ranks in the top-20 among all-time Blues players in goals (16th), assists (13th), points (14th) and plus/minus (+6). Schwartz has scored 54 points (26 goals, 28 assists) in 88 career playoff games.
Schwartz was originally drafted by St. Louis in the first round (14th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Philipp Grubauer, G
The Kraken agreed to terms with Grubauer (6-1, 188) on a six-year contract ($5.9 million AAV).
Grubauer, 29, finished last season with a 30-9-1 record, a 1.95 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and seven shutouts in 40 games for the Colorado Avalanche. He was second in the NHL in GAA, eighth in save percentage and tied for first in shutouts. His win total, GAA and shutouts also marked career highs. Grubauer never lost back-to-back games during the regular season.
“We’re excited to add a goaltender of Philipp’s caliber, especially coming off of a season where he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy,” Francis said in a release. “He was a part of a Stanley Cup-winning team and has been one of the top goaltenders in the League over the past few seasons and we’re happy that he chose to join our team.”
Grubauer has played 214 career games with Colorado and the Washington Capitals, amassing a 109-61-21 record with a 2.34 GAA, a .920 save percentage and 18 shutouts. He has a career playoff record of 19-10-1 with a 2.50 GAA and a .913 save percentage.
Grubauer was originally drafted by Washington in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
This story was originally published July 28, 2021 at 11:38 AM.
