A Habs Cup Win Could Mean The Price Is Right For Seattle Kraken
The Roadblock
The biggest obstacles to Carey Price becoming a Seattle Kraken are his no-move clause and a wealthy contract. Just like Calgary’s Milan Lucic recently announced, only a player can waive or amend contract clauses to allow trade scenarios. Carey’s contract is a long one ending in 2026 but worthy of such a talented player. Next year, he will make a base salary of $2M plus an $11M signing bonus.
If Montreal takes care of those bonuses in trade, a number around six or seven million per year is more palatable for the Seattle Kraken to take on. And contract restructuring is also a possibility, with potential Pacific Northwest endorsements or other incentives by the new franchise.
Regardless of these obstacles over the next 26 days, here are three reasons why Seattle and Carey are good for each other:
Roots in the Pacific Northwest
One thing that is constant about this part of North America is the love of native heritage. There may be plenty of ducks to go with the fish and trees around Carey Price’s hometown of Anahim Lake, but it’s nowhere near Southern California. A partial descendant of the Nuxalk and South Carrier First Nations, his British Columbia home is approximately 241 miles north of Vancouver.
During his junior career with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, Price met his future wife, Angela, from nearby Kennewick, Washington. After marriage, his off-season home has become Kelowna in the Okanagan of British Columbia.
After living in every corner of the US, I’ve never seen a geographic area prouder of being home-grown than Seattle. Outside the city, Carey Price’s love of the great outdoors would be a common bond with rural fans across the Pacific Northwest.