The Seattle Kraken have made waves ahead of the start of the expansion draft, signing pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to a five-year deal. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the contract carries an average annual value of $4.6M.
Oleksiak had a coming-out party in last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, playing a crucial role on Dallas’ second pairing with Miro Heiskanen on the Stars’ run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Oleksiak’s strong play continued into 2020-21, earning him this big payday.
Averaging more than 20 minutes a night last season, Oleksiak’s defensive results improved with his ice time. Cementing himself as a true top-four body, it’s entirely possible that Oleksiak finds himself on a pairing with another new Kraken addition in Adam Larsson. It could end up being one of the better shutdown pairings in the entire league, albeit an expensive one with a combined $8.6M cap hit between the two. Oleksiak scored 14 points in 56 games last season, so his offensive upside is limited, but he still might provide 25-point potential.
For the Stars, they lose a big minute-munching body. Finding a new partner for Heiskanen will likely come down to securing a new name on the open market. While no one left on the market will have the size and physical appeal of Oleksiak, there are other acceptable options through free agency.
All salary-cap information via CapFriendly.com.
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