Report: Kraken Nearing Extension With Top Goalie
The Seattle Kraken were aggressive this summer in pursuit of improving their lineup. The team brought in two Stanley Cup-winning veterans to bolster their lineup, signing Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour to hefty contracts in free agency. The goal is to return to the playoffs after a disappointing finish during the 2023-2024 season.
In order to return to the postseason, the Kraken are depending on their goaltending tandem to be one of the best in the NHL. Philipp Grubauer is a solid veteran, but the franchise is depending on Joey Daccord to continue the progress he showed last year in net. The Kraken are committed to having him around to figure it out, as they are reportedly signing him to a new contract.
NHL insiders Kevin Weekes and Elliotte Friedman both reported on social media that a contract extension was finalizing for the Kraken and Daccord. According to Friedman, the deal will pay him $5 million annually for the next five seasons.
Daccord was originally a seventh round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut during the 2018-2019 season with the Sens, but would only play nine total games with the team that drafted him.
He joined Seattle as a part of the organization's expansion draft in 2021. After spending his first two seasons with the team mostly in the AHL, he broke through in an unpredictable fashion last year.
Daccord appeared in 50 games last season for the Kraken, starting 46 of them. He looked every bit like a starting goalie in the NHL over those 50 games, compiling a record of 19-18-11 with a goals against average of 2.46 and a save percentage of .916%.
Now, it appears he is taking the reigns in Seattle. With an extension in place, Daccord will be the main goalie occupying the Kraken crease for the next five years.