The Seattle Kraken are working on two different defenseman storylines at once, and both have real weight.
On one hand, there’s Vince Dunn, the pending UFA Seattle wants to keep around. On the other, there’s Simon Edvinsson, the Detroit Red Wings RFA who continues to skate privately while the Kraken remain in the mix.
Speaking on 93.3 KJR, David Pagnotta said the Dunn talks have been moving along for a while.
“Yeah, well, I mean, I think the feeling is certainly mutual from the Kraken side. I think they want to get this done, and the negotiations started, I think, around or just after the start of the regular season, at least in early October. Where the two sides have been going back and forth and discussing what an extension, and what the parameters of an extension would look like.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s a rush, and it doesn’t seem like there’s also a panic on, on either side. It looks like both sides understand they’d like to get something done. And looking at where things are in the marketplace, like there’s a potential for him to be the, or the number one or number two available defenseman in the free agent class next July, depending what happens in Minnesota with Quinn Hughes.
“So taking that into account and looking at where his money is now, you’re probably looking in the eight figures AAV to get him locked in and staying in, in Seattle. How high that goes will depend on term, and also depend on the overall structure of of that deal as well.
“So I think there’s a decent understanding of the ballpark. It’s just a matter of obviously, you know, crossing the T’s, dotting the i’s, and fine-tuning everything in order to get something done.
I’m not saying anything is imminent because I haven’t gotten that impression yet. There’s still work to be done, but both sides are trying to get to that common goal.
“But even with you know Dunn potentially locked up to an extension, at least that’s again the goal, they’re still looking. You mentioned Simon Edvinsson; they’ve been on him since, presumably, but from all accounts, you know, right when he became available in the trade market, and when it became known that he wanted a trade out of Detroit.
“You get an opportunity to go after a first-pair, 23-year-old defenseman who’s still very much coming into his own. A lot of teams have pounced, and Seattle certainly one of them. And it, and it does sound guys like it’s a very high price, and I think it fluctuates based on which teams are talking to Sean Horcoff, the interim GM there in Detroit?”
That leaves Seattle trying to manage both the present and the future on the blue line. Dunn remains the extension priority, but the Kraken are clearly still chasing Edvinsson too, even with the cost sounding steep and the competition around the league already heavy.
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