Jaren McCann, Seattle Kraken.
The Seattle Kraken will be entering free agency in a difficult situation. Ron Francis has to address multiple positions, but one will certainly be a top-six center. Considering the Kraken are in the bottom third in goals against, goals for, and faceoff win percentage, this is a major need. Adding a player who can contribute to all three statistics will improve the team drastically.
While adding wingers and defensemen can help score goals or keep them out, neither is as important as the center. Jared McCann and Yanni Gourde are both great players, who have done their best to center Seattle’s top lines, but neither is an ideal first-line centerman under any circumstances.
Of the two, Gourde is a better fit down the middle than McCann. He has better faceoff numbers and is arguably stronger defensively. While Gourde’s career faceoff win rate is below 50 percent, it’s still much higher than McCann’s (42.3), and he has improved to 50.8 this season. Using one of them to fill in down the middle on an “as-needed basis” would be more ideal than having them play the pivot permanently.
Moving one or both to the wing allows them to have more offensive freedom. Additionally, Alexander Wenneberg, despite his three-year, $13.5M contact, isn’t the answer either. He’s never won more than 50 percent of his faceoffs in any season.
There are quite a few options available in the upcoming free agency that can fit into this role for the Kraken, assuming they don’t sign someplace else between now and the start of next season.
Tomas Hertl has been a key player for the San Jose Sharks during their recent down years, and although they’re currently doing better than the Kraken, that likely won’t happen for much longer. San Jose has a lot of money tied up in aging players who are past their prime. Add in a fairly weak farm system, and there isn’t much hope for the franchise in coming years.
They’re certainly in a much better position than they were two years ago. However, most of their better prospects are still multiple years out from being impact players at the NHL level. As a result of the Sharks’ grim outlook, it wouldn’t be impossible to see Hertl head up I-5 to Seattle. He’s been in the Bay Area for almost a decade, and despite some success in the early years, recently, the team has been plagued by their failed playoff pushes.
Hertl is a goalscorer who can win faceoffs and is on pace for the second-best season of his career. Not only would he be beneficial in even-strength play, but he also could contribute to both special teams. A winner in 53 percent of his career draws, Hertl will help keep the puck out of the net in the defensive zone and put it in the net on the other end.
In addition to what he can do individually, Hertl also draws attention away from his linemates. Playing him with someone like Jordan Eberle opens up space for the All-Star RW to operate and allows him to get more scoring chances.
Another aspect that may help the Kraken sell him on signing with Seattle is familiarity. Hertl played with Ryan Donato and Joonas Donskoi in San Jose, meaning he wouldn’t be entering an unfamiliar locker room.
This player would be very different than the previously mentioned options. He’s not a high-end faceoff guy, nor is he hovering around or above scoring at a point-per-game clip. Depending on team needs, he could also be moved over to winger, which wouldn’t be new to him. Max Domi has become a bit of a journeyman around the NHL.
Despite only being 26, Domi is on his third NHL team in seven years. None of these moves have been the player’s choice, however. When he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets, he talked about finding a home fairly regularly. That home may not be Columbus considering he’s rumored to once again be on the trade block.
If Columbus decides to move on from Domi, the Seattle Kraken would be a perfect fit for him in many ways. Although it’s just a rumor, word has circulated that Domi may want to go to a bigger market if he does leave.
Domi would fit in perfectly with Seattle, and the age of the team would give him the ability to make a lasting impact on the organization for years to come. He’s a player who brings energy every time he steps on the ice.
Even if he’s not putting up points on the scoreboard, he’s making a difference every shift. Domi can throw big hits, fight if necessary, and generally generate offense.
He won’t be a superstar more than likely, but Domi can certainly be an impact player if the Kraken bring him in. Not to mention, adding a player with a legendary hockey name never hurts when the team is establishing itself.
The oldest player on this list, Nazem Kadri is very unlikely to sign in the Emerald City but is worth taking a look at. He’s having a career year at 31-years-old and is a very solid two-way forward. This year isn’t a future standard for his offensive ability; however, Kadri is a perennially 40-60 point guy who is no slouch in his own end.
Kadri is also a polarizing player around the league because he has had quite a few dirty moments. He’s been suspended six times throughout his ten-year career, but since joining Colorado in 2019, the Toronto native has only been suspended once.
Kadri is on pace to have 120 points (if he played all 82 games) in 2021-22. While that’s very unlikely to happen, the scoring rate shows how skilled of a player he is when at his best. Closing in on 32-years-old, Kadri is running out of time in the NHL, so it’s unlikely he’ll want to go through a building period.
For financial reasons, he likely won’t return to Colorado. Gabriel Landeskog got a new contract last summer from the Avs, as did Cale Makar. Those two plus Mikko Rantanen account for $25.5M against Colorado’s cap, and Nathan McKinnon also needs an extension.
Seattle would be a surprise destination for Kadri. That shouldn’t stop Kraken GM Ron Francis from at least calling about him.
What free agent centers do you think would help the Seattle Kraken next year? Let us know in the comments section below.