The Seattle Kraken have re-signed defenceman, Vince Dunn to a four-year contract extension. Moreover, the one-way contract carries an average annual value of $7.35M until his UFA year after the 2027-28 campaign wraps up.
DUNN DEAL!
Vince Dunn has reportedly signed a four-year contract with the @SeattleKraken!#SeaKraken | #NHLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/HXcxXARiLJ
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 21, 2023
Vince Dunn Re-signs with Seattle Kraken
Dunn took massive strides in his development last season. The 26-year-old potted 14 goals and 50 assists for 64 points in 81 games. In 2023, Dunn established himself as a true number one defenceman, especially somebody who can lead the Kraken blue line for years to come.
During his career with the St. Louis Blues and Seattle, Dunn has scored 53 goals and 201 points in 421 games. In 43 career playoff games, Dunn has three goals and 18 points. Additionally, he captured the Stanley Cup in 2019 with the Blues.
Dunn Shocked The Hockey World
Prior to being selected in the expansion draft, a good portion of the hockey community had high expectations for Dunn. His name circled in trade rumors for a few years, and he struggled to discover his untapped potential.
His first year with the Kraken was solid but didn’t sniff the level he raised his game to in 2023. Dunn doubled his 2022 production, opening the eyes of not just Seattle fans. The entire league had their eyes on him this season.
Tools of Dunn’s Game
Corey Sznajder started a micro-stats tracking project called “All Three Zones” in 2016. He covers passing stats, zone entries, zone exits, transition stats, and much more. Moreover, this gives hockey fans analytical context on a player’s style and the strengths and weaknesses of their game.
Dunn proved himself to be a solid puck-moving defenceman this season. He’s a little high-risk, high-reward in terms of decision-making on the breakouts, however, he’s mostly very successful. Dunn was in the 57th percentile of “Retrievals Leading to Exits per 60.” He was often going back to retrieve pucks for Seattle, resulting in the team exiting the zone with possession.
Furthermore, Dunn is a good rush defender. Dunn was in the 65th percentile of “Denials Per 60.” The puck was frequently being carried in against him and he was efficient at denying his opponents entry.
Seattle’s Future Outlook On The Back-End
The Vince Dunn contract points to a bright future. With all of the Kraken defencemen reaching age 28 and older, Dunn and William Borgen are the only two young guys remaining at 26 years old. Ryker Evans and Ty Nelson look to be future regulars for Seattle in the future. For the time being, however, Dunn will continue to lead this experienced core.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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