Montour, Stephenson join Kraken

Happy NHL free-agent signing day to those who celebrate.

The Seattle Kraken celebrated July 1 with two noteworthy free-agent acquisitions. Joining the Kraken are defenseman Brandon Montour, from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and forward Chandler Stephenson, a front-line center with the Vegas Golden Knights when they won hockey's holy grail in 2023.

At his press conference announcing the signings, Kraken general manager Ron Francis joked that he might need to borrow money from the assembled media after doling out a seven-year $50 million deal to Montour (7.1 a season) while Stephenson will collect 6.25 a year from the Kraken.

"Players want to come to Seattle," said Francis. "They want to play for this organization, and they want to play for our great fans."

With the addition of Montour and Stephenson, the Kraken now have at least one player who competed on the Stanley Cup champion in each of the last nine years. Montour and Stephenson are both 30-years old.

When the Knights hoisted the Cup in 2023, Stephenson had 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 playoff games. That also marked Stephenson's best career season - he had 16 goals and 49 assists for 65 points. The previous campaign he had a career-high 21 goals.

As a playmaker, Stephenson should be a top six forward for the Kraken. And he can kill penalties.

Montour's best season was also 2022-23. In his first full season with the Panthers (he was acquired in a trade with Buffalo midway thru the previous season) he had 16 goals and 57 assists as Florida advanced to the Stanley Cup finals against Stephenson's Knights. 

Montour also had a career-high 107 penalty minutes, though throughout his ?-year career his PIM's are usually in the 40-minute range. He did almost lick Bruins' forward Brad Marchand in a scrum in last year's playoffs, something the historically feisty Marchand is known for.

These are the longest contracts that Francis has doled in his tenure as a general manager - first with the Carolina Hurricanes and now with the Kraken. Both should upgrade the offense which was 28th in the league averaging about 2 1/2 goals per game.

“Talking with Ron (Francis) and players, we had some really good calls," said Montour, who noted the family atmosphere of the team. “And it’s not just the players in the locker room. It’s the staff, the management."

The big question concerning the newest Kraken's is whether they overspent to acquire their two newest players. Seattle now has $8.2 mil. in salary cap for next season. The team plans to extend the contracts of Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen, but another veteran player could be traded. Brandon Tanev and Andre Burakovsky have been rumored to be on the trading block.

In other signings, the Kraken lost their `original goaltender,' Chris Driedger. At the team's first expansion draft, Driedger was in attendance at Gas Works Park, expected to be the team's number-one netminder after a solid season with the Florida Panthers. But the team signed free-agent Philipp Grubauer the following week, Driedger injured his knee playing for Team Canada Cup, missed most of one season and spent all but one game with the Seattle's AHL team in Coachella Valley last season. Things have come full circle, Driedger re-signed with the Panthers yesterday.

Two other players who were instrumental in Coachella Valley's success a year ago, Kole Lind and Cam Hughes, have also left the organization. Lind, another original Kraken expansion pick, and Hughes both signed one-year deals with the Dallas Stars. CV captain Max McCormick has re-signed with the organization.

The Kraken in turn, signed two players who will probably spend the season in the Palm Desert of Coachella but have some NHL experience - Ben Meyers (0-2-2 in 14 games with Anaheim) and Mitchell Stephens (2-1-3 in 23 games with Montreal).

Two free agents who didn't sign with anyone yesterday were defenseman Justin Schultz and forward Daniel Sprong. After two years with the Kraken, Schultz isn't expected to return next season. Sprong scored 21 goals two years ago when Seattle made the post season and played with the Detroit Red Wings this past season on a one-year contract. The rumor mill has Sprong eventually signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs who may release another former Kraken, Calle Jarnkrok.