Seattle Kraken veteran forward Chandler Stephenson will be skating in his 500th career NHL game tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 30-year-old is playing his 11th NHL season, recording 89 goals, 183 assists and 272 points. The Kraken are the third team Stephenson has played for in his NHL career, the first two being the Washington Capitals, who drafted him in the third round of the 2012 NHL draft and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Stephenson is a two-time Stanley Cup winner. The first came with the Capitals after they defeated the Golden Knights in 2018. His second came with the Golden Knights in 2023 after they took down the Florida Panthers.
His career with the Capitals had gone off to a slow start. He showed flashes of the speedy playmaker he was made out to be but consistency was his biggest flaw. The Capitals traded Stephenson a year after winning the Stanley Cup to the Golden Knights for just a fifth-round pick. The change of scenery benefited the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native as he carved out a role and found consistency.
His time with the Golden Knights would lead him to sign a seven-year, $6.25M AAV contract with the Kraken this past offseason.
The first three games of Stephenson’s Kraken career were uneventful but Tuesday’s matchup against the Nashville Predators changed things. He finally looked comfortable and registered two assists.
How about a little 2️⃣-for-Tuesday special from this line! ✨
Schwartzy – 1 goal, 1 assist
Stephenson – 2 assists
Bjorkstrand – 1 goal, 1 assist pic.twitter.com/nqiAjMsN7V— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 16, 2024
Stephenson is going to be an important factor in the Kraken’s success this season. They’ve brought him to Seattle to be a leader with playoff experience and for offence. The Kraken were the fourth-worst offensive team during the 2023-24 season and need Stephenson’s playmaking to help them score more goals.
As Stephenson continues to adapt to his new surroundings, the Kraken will look to get on a roll and string multiple wins in a row for the first time this season.
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Related: Kraken Host Matvei Michkov and The Flyers In Their Return From A Three-Game Road Trip
Related: Kraken Put Together A Picturesque Game Against The Predators
