SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Kraken re-signed top defenseman Vince Dunn to a four-year, $29.4 million contract Friday, locking up one of their core pieces coming off the best season of his career.
Dunn, 26, had a career-high 14 goals and 64 points in the regular season playing in the top defensive pairing for the Kraken. Teamed with veteran Adam Larsson, Dunn enjoyed the breakout season many expected when he was taken by Seattle during the expansion draft before its inaugural season.
Dunn was a restricted free agent and the long-term contract avoided an arbitration hearing. The contract will run through the 2026-27 season and his $7.35 million annual average is the largest financial commitment made to date by the Kraken on a new contract. Goalie Philipp Grubauer signed a six-year, $35.4 million deal that averages $5.9 million per season before Seattle’s inaugural season in 2021-22.
Dunn appeared in 81 games in the regular season, sitting out only once to rest before the playoffs. In the postseason, Dunn’s production dipped as he managed only one goal and six assist in Seattle’s 14 playoff games. But he played more than 23 minutes per game in the postseason and was often called upon to try and slow down the top forward lines of Colorado and Dallas.
