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The Seattle Kraken enter their fifth season with a new general manager and head coach. Ron Francis is still around, but has turned the GM reins over to Jason Botterill. And Lane Lambert is getting his second shot behind an NHL bench after a strong run as an assistant in Toronto. However, once NHL free agency arrived, the new Kraken administration did not make a significant impact, aside from acquiring Ryan Lindgren. What grades do they get for all of their free agency moves?
The Kraken have made five signings worthy of a grade so far. They have two key restricted free agents without contracts, and plenty of cap space to re-sign them. Expect winger Kaapo Kakko and defenseman Ryker Evans to return to Seattle, but that has not been made official yet. They'll be omitted from the grades, but five other deals are worthy of a grade.
The Kraken bring in Ryan Lindgren
The biggest move the Kraken made was bringing in defenseman Ryan Lindgren for four years at $4.5 million per year. After seven seasons with the New York Rangers, they traded him to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline. Colorado decided against bringing him back, leaving him to the free-agency pool. Seattle scooped up Lindgren, which should lead to a corresponding move soon.
As it currently stands, this deal is a B-. Lindgren, a left-handed defenseman without top-pair upside, does not fill a need on the Kraken's roster and is taking up a solid amount of cap space. But Jamie Oleksiak is entering the last year of his deal, which is worth $4.6 million for the year. If Seattle trades Oleksiak, which they should, the grade on the deal can go up. If they are both on the team, it will be an unnecessary logjam for a team with so many holes.
Betting on upside with Cale Fleury
The Kraken re-signed Cale Fleury to a two-year deal worth $890,000 per season. The 26-year-old has spent the last four years in Seattle, playing just 36 games. That comes after a rookie season with the Montreal Canadiens, where he played 41. But with a lack of right-handed defensemen in the league, Seattle was smart to keep their own on a cheap deal. Fleury has not made an impact in the league yet, but he could help improve the Kraken's blue line.
Botterill gets an A- for this deal, as he did not take a big swing, but singles are hits too. The Kraken need to find good, young talent to help improve their middling core. Considering they've had Fleury for four years and have barely played him, it probably won't be him. But it's worth this low-risk bet.
Ben Meyers comes back on a one-year deal
The Kraken re-signed center Ben Meyers to a one-year deal worth $775.000. After winning Big Ten Player of the Year for the University of Minnesota in 2022, he signed a two-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. In 75 games with three teams, including the Kraken, Meyers has just six goals. He played eight games last year in his first year in Seattle. This is a pass in a pass/fail course.
Adding to a bizarre goalie room
The Kraken have an expensive goaltending room after giving Joey Daccord an extension last summer. But it is not Daccord's fault, as Phillip Grubauer has lost his starting job despite his $5.9 million payday. Bringing in former Stanley Cup Champion Matt Murray is a decent bet at $1 million for one year, but it adds to the confusing goalie situation in Seattle.
If the Kraken can trade Grubauer, this deal is a B+. Even then, Murray is far from the world's best backup and won't help the team if they were to make the playoffs. But with Grubauer on the team, it's a C+. For a team with so many holes to waste any time or money on a goalie when they are spending $11 million for average goalie play is confounding, to say the least.
The Kraken may have found a diamond in the rough
In 140 games with the Kraken, Tye Kartye has 33 points. While that is not a lot, it is worth a two-year bet at $1.25 million per year for a former undrafted free agent. No one took the winger in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, leaving him available for the Kraken many years later, who did not exist during that draft. Kartye has been a solid bottom-six option for them and can continue that this year.
The Kraken do not have many top-line players on their NHL team. Kartye may never become that, but they are making a bet he can evolve into a middle-six winger at a low price. That earns Botterill a respectable B.
