It’s not a secret that the Seattle Kraken have goaltender Chris Dreidger on their radar. That said, it appears they aren’t wasting any time getting a deal done with the Florida Panthers netminder. Elliotte Friedman reports the two sides are closing in on a contract extension.
Friedman writes: “As we await what SEA decides with Carey Price, word is that the Kraken are closing in on FLA’s Chris Driedger at 3x$3.5M. I dont believe that precludes them from selecting Price, but one goalie appears locked-in.” The pending UFA has been a target for the Kraken since day one, which explains why they’re not waiting for free agency to open before trying to get the deal done. If Seattle signs Driedger before the 28th, he becomes the Kraken selection from Florida.
This is a big opportunity for Driedger to really cement himself as a starting top-tier goaltender in the NHL. The three-year deal gives him a little security, but also makes it possible for him to cash in big later if he goes on a strong run. With a 21-8-4 record and .931 save percentage across 34 Florida starts, he essentially won the job over the $10 million goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. But, because Bobrovsky has a no-move clause and the Panthers signed up-and-coming prospect Spencer Knight, it wasn’t expected that Driedger would return to the Panthers.
It is a small sample size the Kraken are working with when it comes to Driedger so it’s possible this doesn’t pan out as expected. It is likely the Kraken select another prominent goaltender to play as a 1B. This could by why media insiders are still closely watching the Carey Price situation.
If it winds up that Price and Driedger are the tandem in Seattle moving forward, the Kraken will have given themselves arguably the best goaltending duo in the NHL. If Price isn’t selected, the Kraken might choose to grab another veteran like Branden Holtby to back up the inexperienced Driedger.
More must-reads: