As we speak, with the NHL closing up its trade deadline shop, the Kraken have two unrestricted free agents set to walk this summer if they don’t re-sign. That would be winger Tomas Tatar and D-man Justin Schultz. Occasionally, trades do trickle in after the deadline as the paperwork gets completed and filed with the league, but for the most part we’ve reached the end of the line.
The big news of the day for the Kraken came with the re-signing of veteran winger Jordan Eberle. The 33-year-old has said more than once how much his family enjoys Seattle, a fact and a consideration that outweighed any desire to win a Stanley Cup in the next two years.
No offense, but even if they continue to improve dramatically, Seattle won’t be entering either of the next two seasons as a legitimate, well rounded Cup contender.
In the meantime, Eberle will make $4.75-million per season with the Kraken through 2025-’26. That’s $750,000 less than he made his last five NHL seasons, including the three here in Seattle.
Call it the “home town” discount, or more accurately in this case, the incumbent deal. Or, Eberle simply gave a little back to get a full no-trade-clause for the duration of the deal.
Eberle also becomes another candidate to be the club’s next captain starting next season, along with Yanni Gourde, Jared McCann, and others.
Between Eberle never really expressing an overwhelming desire to hunt down a Stanley Cup somewhere else — let’s face it, of the half dozen contenders it’s hard to pick the one winner anyway — and Kraken General Manager Ron Francis’s propensity not to make deadline deals, the contract signing comes as no surprise.
Unless he gets bumped down by another acquisition, the Kraken have their popular top-line right wing for another two years.
