Larsson signs 4-year, $21 million contract with Kraken

Adam Larsson signed a four-year, $21 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $5.25 million.

The 31-year-old defenseman is entering the final season of a four-year, $16 million contract he signed with the Kraken on July 21, 2021, the day he was claimed by Seattle from the Edmonton Oilers in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.

"It's been three fun years here in Seattle," Larsson said Wednesday. "Just seeing how much this city and the fans and everyone around the city loves the team and that was something I really wanted to see a lot more of, and I will now moving forward after this. Even before we started talking, this was kind of where my mind was at. I'm really glad and excited that we got it done."

He had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 81 games last season and was second in ice time per game (22:57) behind defenseman Vince Dunn (23:05).

"The minutes that he plays on the top pair, he's always going to get the other team's best [players] day in, day out," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "And just watching the battles he has in the corner, in front of the net, he's not a guy that other players like to play against."

Larsson, who has been an alternate captain in each of his three seasons with the Kraken, is their all-time leader in games played (245).

"He's been a heart-and-soul guy for our organization since Day One," Francis said. "He loves being in Seattle, wants to be part of what we're building, and so I was excited to get him on board with an extension."

Selected by the New Jersey Devils with the No. 4 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Larsson has 213 points (45 goals, 168 assists) in 848 regular-season games with the Devils, Oilers and Kraken, and 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 38 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"I feel healthy right now and have a lot of fun playing hockey and I will probably continue to play as long as my body tells me that I can," Larsson said.

Francis said Larsson would be a candidate for the vacant captaincy if Seattle decides to name one. The Kraken have not had a captain since defenseman Mark Giordano was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 20, 2022.

"Certainly he would be in the mix," Francis said. "I mean, I think in fairness to (coach) Dan [Bylsma], he hasn't even had a practice yet. We need to give him a few weeks here just to see what he feels we have in the locker room, on the ice, and if he's comfortable naming somebody captain at the end, then we'll do that before we get into the season."

Seattle previously signed restricted free agent forward Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $49.98 million contract ($7.14 million AAV) on Aug. 20. The Kraken also signed forward Chandler Stephenson ($6.25 million AAV) and defenseman Brandon Montour ($7.14 million AAV) each to a seven-year contract in free agency on July 1.

NHL.com independent correspondent Darren Brown contributed to this report