Free agency season is less than two months away. With each successive playoff round that debuts, there are more clubs with nothing better to do than slowly start preparing for the 2024-25 campaign. The Seattle Kraken are among those clubs who have been idle for a few weeks – save, of course, the firing of head coach Dave Hakstol on April 29. All 32 teams have pending free agents on their rosters, but the hottest commodities are the ones that at least helped their clubs make the postseason.
With that in mind and given the Kraken’s scoring woes, which offensively gifted unrestricted free agents (UFA) from recently eliminated playoff teams could Seattle envision signing?
1. The Big Kahuna: Steven Stamkos
Out of all the franchises that either failed to clinch a postseason berth or were quickly disposed of in the first round, none is facing a more intriguing predicament than the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos. One of the franchise’s great stalwarts – if not its greatest, period – is a UFA on July 1. It sounds incredible, yet this is what Lightning management must reckon with this summer.
A 16-season veteran, winner of two Stanley Cups, a captain, over 1,000 regular season points to his name and now 101 playoff points. Does it sound like a bright idea to hunt for a 34-year-old veteran? Not always. That said, given that Stamkos continues to produce at a high level (40 goals during the regular season and another five in the first round of the playoffs), 31 teams will want to at least take a look at him. Age is just a number, as the saying goes.
Related: Seattle Kraken’s 2024 Offseason Contract Challenges
He won’t come cheap. As per The Athletic’s analysis, he is valued at $8.9 million (from ‘Steven Stamkos Contract Projection: How much would it take to land the Lightning star UFA?’, The Athletic, May 6, 2024). Seattle’s cap space is barely $1.3 million. That would require dumping quite a bit of players. Would the Kraken part from Justin Schultz ($3 million), for instance? Maybe yes, maybe no. This is where the general manager (GM) and his staff get their abaci out. It would require quite a bit of roster and budgetary gymnastics, but odds are that Ron Francis and company are performing them now just in case.
One thing is certain, the Kraken do not have anyone on their roster at Stamkos’ level of attacking prowess. On the flip side, even after all the numbers have been crunched, convincing him that the Kraken are a team with championship credentials could prove challenging.
2. Anthony Duclair, Tampa Bay
Another Lightning player that could be an interesting addition to the Kraken is 28-year-old, Pointe-Claire native Anthony Duclair. It’s important to be clear about something: there is no purpose in comparing Duclair with Stamkos. They are not in the slightest the same kind of player, nor do they produce the same level of offense.
However, there is evidence to support the argument that Duclair can work as a unique spark plug in a largely moribund Seattle attack. His 2021-22 season with the Florida Panthers was excellent (31 goals and 27 assists), alongside his big contributions during the 2022-23 run to the Stanley Cup Final (four goals and seven helpers). He was also a rare bright spot with the San Jose Sharks earlier this season (16 goals and 11 assists) and was like a whirling dervish after being traded to Tampa Bay (eight goals and seven assists in 17 games).
Watching Jordan Eberle, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Matty Beniers and the like play, they look as if they could use some friendly fire underneath their backsides. It’s all a bit predictable, easy to defend, and lacks creativity. Duclair could be the jolt the Kraken need. If he can notch 20-25 goals and get other players to increase their tally by five or 10 goals, Seattle becomes a far more dangerous opponent. He earned $3 million this season and it’s hard to argue that he wasn’t worth every penny.
3. Tyler Toffoli, Winnipeg Jets
The Lightning suffered the sort of playoff exit some predicted, but not the Winnipeg Jets. Even if the predictions were that the club would struggle versus the Colorado Avalanche, a 4-1 slapping – with lopsided final scores – was a surprise. Be that as it may, it means that 32-year-old Tyler Toffoli is looking ahead at free agency come July 1. He would be a vastly more affordable option than Stamkos. His salary in 2023-24 was $2.125 million.
Historically, the numbers look good. He’s hit over or just about 25 goals six different times. That doesn’t sound as amazing as 40 goals coming from a 34-year-old, but this is the reality the Kraken must face if they wish to improve. On the plus side, he knows how to contribute to teams that are struggling. The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs in 2022-23 but he netted 34 goals. The New Jersey Devils were a mess during the first half of 2023-24, yet Toffoli left a mark with 26 goals before being dealt to Winnipeg. Granted, it’s perhaps a little concerning that he’s producing on teams that aren’t going anywhere, but Seattle is one of the most sound defensive teams in the NHL. The blueliners and netminders are fine.
Of note, the Kraken wouldn’t be the only club interested in his services. According to The Hockey News, the Buffalo Sabres may be tempted to make an offer.
4. Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
While most eyes will be glued to the Stamkos saga this July, another looming UFA of significance is Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights. He’ll be 34 this September, which will certainly be cause for concern in the minds of some, but his quality is indisputable.
To that point, Marchessault appears to be getting better with age. He had his most productive season in 2023-24, scoring 42 goals (although his best points tally was in 2017-18). He’s also almost never underperformed in the postseason. If anything, the longer the runs Vegas has had, the more productive he became. In 2017-18, he netted 21 points in 20 playoff games en route to an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. During last season’s championship march, he compiled 25 points in 22 contests.
If there is anyone who not only could help the Kraken be more efficient on offense but embodies the notion of stepping up when it matters, it’s Marchessault. That proven capability comes with a price tag, understandably. He made $5 million this season. That’s not nearly as expensive as Stamkos would be, but it still wouldn’t be an easy signing per se given Seattle’s cap space and that many of their pending UFAs aren’t eating up much salary. Doable, but some light gymnastics would be involved. Surely the Golden Knights will at least try to keep him around.
Those are four examples of UFAs on recently eliminated clubs that could potentially help Seattle ameliorate its offense next season. Not all of them would be easy signings, starting with Stamkos as the trickiest. For all we know, none of these ideas will come to pass. Therein lies the joy, so to speak, of looking at the numbers at this time of the year – statistics, salaries, and cap space. Whatever happens, the Kraken must sign a player who can make an instant impact. The “slow and steady” tactic has produced middling results through three seasons.
