It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. The Stanley Cup Final is underway, but there is plenty of hot stove action around the rest of the league. Teams are getting ready for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and the start of free agency on July 1st. The period means that current free agent agents can be signed. Teams are trying to keep their restricted free agent (RFA) players as well as possibly get new ones. Today’s NHL rumours look at the Seattle Kraken trying to ink one of their young centres.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Seattle Kraken Trying to Secure Future of Forward
Rumour: David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Kraken and RFA forward Matthew Beniers are in contract talks. These talks got underway after the recently completed scouting combine in Buffalo.
Contract talks between #SeaKraken and Matty Beniers camp are underway, albeit in the very early stages. Negotiations are expected to pick up next week, after the combine, I'm told. He's coming off his ELC, all options (long- vs. short-term) are on the table.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 5, 2024
Analysis: Seattle took a step back last season after a surprise Stanley Cup Playoff run in 2022-23. The Kraken have made some changes with Dan Bylsma as the team’s new head coach after a successful stint running the AHL affiliate on Coachella Valley.
Beniers did have a slower season with 15 goals compared to his 2022-23 campaign. However, there’s no denying that the 21-year-old forward is going to play a large hand with the franchise in the future. The former University of Michigan Wolverine standout had 24 goals in his rookie year and won the Calder Trophy.
Options Abound
Pagnotta said that the talks are going to present Kraken General Manager Ron Francis and Beniers with multiple options. The reporter said that both bridge deals and long-term contracts are on the table at this point.
For those that don’t know, a bridge deal is around two to four seasons and covers enough of the RFA seasons with the club. The explanation comes from Seattle Times hockey writer Geoff Baker. This will still leave him primed for a big raise in the fourth year before hitting the open market if he wants to. Teams usually have leverage for the first seven seasons of a contract.
However, the Kraken could decide to go long-term and give some of the advantage to Beniers. It may be cheaper on the back-end to sign him for some unrestricted free agents seasons if they think Beniers will be a star player.
The Hingham, Massachusetts native had a cap hit of just under $900,000 and is probably looking for a raise. Francis does have some good news in the cap is going up to $88 million, which is higher than previous estimates. However, it’s still a dance to get all the pieces to fit. Seattle will have over $23 million in cap space, but the team does want to be flexible when addressing its needs. The Kraken aren’t a cap team at this point and want to be able to deal with any situation they encounter.
Hope for the Future
Bylsma’s stint with the Buffalo Sabres ended on a sour note. Conversely, he seems to be tuned into the young players on the roster. Beniers could benefit from this due to Bylsma’s rapport with younger players. Bylsma also won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, so he does have some pedigree of success.
There’s hope Beniers will bounce back from his injury and become a top-two centre for the Kraken. However, contract talks are always a roll of a dice. Does Seattle want Beniers to prove that his Calder Trophy winning season wasn’t a fluke? The Kraken seem to have the hammer in these contract talks. Moreover, is Francis willing to give up some control to the young centre if the team feels he’s a future franchise pillar?
Main photo by: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
