Although the Matty Beniers contract talks are now officially over, a general manager’s work is never done. Ron Francis must now reckon with the reality that several defensemen are entering a 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 discuss.
A Good Offense Is a Good Defense
Of the few things the Seattle Kraken could be praised for last season, its defense and goaltending was one. They were a top 10 team league-wide in several major statistical categories, like goals against average (2.83, ninth) and shots against (2,391, eighth). Even advanced metrics were mostly in their favor. One example was goals against above expected, for which they finished with minus-5.93, That’s not bad given they were well above zero during the first months of the season. Seattle’s expected goals against was also strong (151.93, fourth).
There is an adage that believes that a good offense starts with a good defense. While those solid numbers did not help the Kraken win more games in 2023-24, it can at least be argued that the blue-liners and goalies kept their side within striking distance on most nights. A total of 19 contests went to overtime despite that Seattle was a woeful attacking side.
One of the big names who made it through the season mostly unscathed was Brian Dumoulin (80 games, plus-3). However, he was sent to the Anaheim Ducks earlier this summer in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round selection. This was done in the aftermath of acquiring Brandon Montour from the Florida Panthers. Montour, by the way, is also earning $7.14 million annually, just like Beniers’ new contract.
Related: Seattle Kraken’s 2024-25 Forward Lines Predictions
A few teams have recently played elite defensive hockey for multiple consecutive seasons. The Boston Bruins, Panthers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes come to mind. Those teams also have amazing netminders, a case for which the jury is still out for the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer can be hit or miss. One wonders if Joey Daccord’s breakout season was a one-hit wonder or if he truly is a long-term solution. As such, the defensive pairings are crucial in ensuring that the Kraken gives themselves a chance in 2024-25.
Playing to Win and for Big Pays
This brings the conversation to the topic of the club’s delicate contract situation with its blue liners. Yes, Montour is locked in for seven seasons. Vince Dunn, who returns from his first injury-prone season, is signed until the conclusion of 2026-27. Jamie Oleksiask has a deal that ends on June 30, 2026. Beyond them, the rest of the defensive core is playing a contract year.
Adam Larsson, 31, was a regular on the top pairing in 2023-24. He’s earning $4 million this season before his status switches to unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer. When Dunn was nursing ailments, Larsson was the guy the team looked to batten down the hatches. That might change this season given the arrival of Montour (who could be Dunn’s partner), but there is no questioning what the 31-year-old Swede brings to the team. He partook 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 for all 82 games and amassing 25 points via a trio of goals and 22 helpers. He often constituted half of the second pair of defenders. Former head coach Dave Hakstol liked him alongside Oleksiak. Assuming Montour indeed forms part of the top defensive duo, it would be intriguing to see Larsson and Borgen potentially play together given their contract situations.
Players with Uncertain Futures
Then come two players earning much less, one of whom has a lot to play for. Ryker Evans, only 22, became a fixture in the lineup last season. Once injuries started piling up, Evans’ name was called regularly from December onwards as he played in 36 matches. Was he great? Not with a minus-8 in March, a month that sunk the entire season, but it was also his first NHL experience. Lest it be forgotten that he was the 35th overall pick in 2021.
Related: More Seattle Kraken Season Preview Articles
Evans doesn’t cost much given that he’s serving the club under an entry-level contract ($897.5K). The fact remains that he will become a restricted free agent (RFA) less than a year from now. Should he perform 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 harsh reality is that he’s had a hard time staying on the ice. The 2022-23 season was the only one to date he survived without sustaining a major injury – he played all 82 games. He missed time in 2023-24 because of a lower-body injury, as well as in 2021-22 (upper body) when he was with the Ducks. When ready to go, he was often a healthy scratch last season. The left-handed shooter didn’t step onto the ice once during Florida’s championship run, although he played a lot during the previous season’s run to the Final. He’ll only cost $775K this season before becoming a UFA.
That’s seven names for six positions. Presumably, Mahura will be the odd man out. Only time will tell.
But that’s not all. Four defensemen in the AHL will become either UFAs or RFAs next July: Gustav Olofsson (UFA), Maxime Lajoie (UFA), Nikolas Brouillard (UFA), and Cale Fleury (RFA). Unsurprisingly, each earns a modest pay – Fleury is the wealthiest with $800K. They aren’t Kraken regulars and may not even play that much if the team stays healthy, but they are part of the system, linked to the big-league squad. There will need to be conversations about this quartet, especially Olofsson and Brouillard, both 29 years old.
Ultimately, this could be a good thing for Seattle. It would be naïve to think that the incentive of more money down the line won’t encourage the likes of Borgen, Larsson, and Evans to put extra pep into their skating strides. Plus, they’re already good players. The question is will that money be paid out by the Kraken in a year? Whatever happens, there is good reason to believe that Seattle will once again be defensively sound.
