Seattle doesn’t appear to have a real contract standoff on its hands with Jacob Melanson, even if the paperwork hasn’t been finished yet.
The Kraken forward is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights, and the team already did its part by extending a qualifying offer this summer at $850,000. Melanson and his agent, Bryan Dube, still haven’t landed on a new agreement, but the expectation is that the number will move up a little.
That makes sense based on what Melanson brought last season. He appeared in 36 games and led the NHL club with 188 hits, giving Seattle a jolt of physicality and energy in a limited fourth-line role.
At times late in the season, his line looked like the group carrying that edge for the team. Ryan Winterton and Berkly Catton also showed similar resolve.
For now, the message is simple: don’t panic. Melanson isn’t going anywhere, and while he can wait for a better deal, that’s usually not a smart play for a bottom-six player trying to secure his place.
The worst realistic outcome would be a move to Europe for the season, though that would still leave him as Kraken property when he returned. The more severe route would be sitting out until December 1st and then being forced to miss the entire season, but that’s not expected to happen.
What Seattle likely gets is a modest raise and a player who can help either full time or part time. The club could use his style, and he brings a heavier, thicker version of Yanni Gourde’s ability to stir things up.
The bigger question now is how much offense Melanson can add, and how Seattle’s management chooses to handle that decision. If he’s sent to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he played 28 AHL games last season, he would need to clear waivers.
So the wait continues. Unless the Kraken have something bigger brewing that somehow involves him, this one still looks headed toward a deal.
In Other News...
Kraken Suddenly Sit Near The Center Of The NHLs Next Moves
The Kraken keep popping up in places you would not normally expect a Seattle hockey team to show up, from the leagues broader marketing push to other clubs leaning into theme nights of their own. One example is the Kings upcoming Hello Kitty night on Jan. 19, another sign of how the NHL keeps trying to widen its reach and sell its teams as part of a larger entertainment package, not just a winter schedule item.
Seattle also finds itself brushing up against some of the leagues bigger off-ice storylines. There are reports the NHL may be ready to add a 33rd franchise before long, and another familiar name in the Krakens orbit recently moved into a major ownership role elsewhere in pro sports. For a franchise still building its own identity, it is a reminder that the business side of the league is moving quickly around it, even when the on-ice picture is what usually grabs the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Fans Have A Real Reason To Study This Pacific Forecast
The Pacific Divisions early forecast has a little extra bite for Seattle fans this year, because the path through the standings looks as crowded as ever. Coaching changes, roster shuffling and cap pressure have already reshaped the landscape for Edmonton, San Jose, Vegas, Anaheim and Los Angeles, and the division feels like one of those races where every small move can matter by spring.
For the Kraken, the most interesting part is not just who got better, but who may be forced to make hard choices before the season really settles in. A few of the familiar contenders are carrying real roster uncertainty, and while that opens the door for Seattle to climb, it also means the division picture could change fast once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]