The Seattle Kraken added some experience on the blue line during the opening day of free agency, signing defenceman Brian Dumoulin to a two-year deal worth $6.3 million. The deal also includes a modified ten-team no-trade clause in each season. After spending ten seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 31-year-old makes his way to Seattle, where he will be reunited with Justin Schultz, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Tanev and Jared McCann.
Listed at 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, Doumoulin is a left-shot defenceman who was brought in to replace Carson Soucy, who signed with the Vancouver Canucks. The Biddeford, Maine-born defender is a reliable top-four blueliner who set new career highs in points with 25 and blocked shots with 142 during the 2022-23 season. A two-time Stanley Cup Champion, he is expected to play a matchup role for the Kraken as well as be a key part of the penalty kill.
Dumoulin’s 2022-23 Season
The 2022-23 season was another solid campaign for Dumoulin despite the Penguins missing the playoffs. At five-on-five. he limited the opposition to 30.86 shots against per 60 (SA/60) while also recording a 2.65 expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60). He also threw 4.45 hits per 60 (Hits/60) and blocked 4.45 shots per 60 (Shots Blocked/60) while being tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top players. The hope is that his strong play in his own zone will translate well to the Kraken, who pride themselves on their defensive structure.
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Dumoulin also showed that he can be physical without taking penalties. He threw 123 hits last season and finished with just 16 penalty minutes. This allowed him to set a new career high in shorthanded minutes, leading all Penguins players at 242:57. His play on the penalty kill should help boost Seattle’s shorthanded unit that finished the regular season ranked 21st with a kill rate of 76.7%.
Off the ice, Dumoulin brings strong leadership qualities as he wore an “A” on rotation for the fourth straight season. Considering some of the players on Pittsburgh’s roster, this speaks volumes, as he was often turned to in media scrums and post-game availability. Looking ahead to the season, having a big personality, as he does, will help lighten the mood in Seattle’s dressing room while also taking some of the pressure off teammates if the team starts to struggle.
Dumoulin’s Fit With The Kraken
The best place for Dumoulin would be next to Schultz on the second pairing. The two did play together in Pittsburgh, so there should be some chemistry that benefits the duo. This would push Oleksiak down to the third pairing, allowing Seattle to balance out their left side and ensure no one is getting overplayed.
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He should also take over Soucy’s minutes on the penalty kill and most likely be on the first unit next to Adam Larsson. Since he also does not take a ton of penalties, the Kraken can be confident that he will be available for selection on a consistent basis and won’t have to be consistently changing up their defence pairing if there’s a defender in the penalty box.
While Dumoulin did show signs of regression last season, his overall play is still at a level that makes him a valuable addition to the Kraken. He gives them more options on the blue line and has those connections already established with some members of the team. A potential fan favourite based on the way he interacted with fans and media in Pittsburgh, this has the potential to be an excellent signing by general manager Ron Francis.
