Joey Daccord signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $5 million and begins next season.
The 28-year-old goalie could have been an unrestricted free agent after this season. He's in his second full season in the NHL after going 19-18-11 with a 2.46 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and three shutouts in 50 games (46 starts) for Seattle in 2023-24.
"I'm so grateful the Kraken have given me this opportunity," Daccord told the team website. "From Sam (owner Samantha Holloway), Tod (CEO Tod Leiweke), (general manager) Ron (Francis) and the whole organization, they're incredible people and a first-class organization. I couldn't be any more thrilled. I truly love playing in Seattle and I'm pumped to be here for another five years."
Daccord took over the No. 1 role after Philipp Grubauer sustained a lower-body injury Dec. 9, 2023, and started nine of the Kraken's next 10 games, going 6-1-2 with a 1.43 GAA, .953 save percentage and his first two NHL shutouts. That included 35 saves in a 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, the first shutout in the history of the event.
"Joey stepped up last season and proved his ability to handle an increased workload," Francis said. "We're confident he can take his game to another level. We're excited to have him under contract long term."
Daccord is 22-27-13 with a 2.77 GAA and .907 save percentage in 69 games (61 starts) for the Kraken and Ottawa Senators. He was selected by Ottawa in the seventh round (No. 199) of the 2015 NHL Draft and Seattle in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
"The Kraken took a chance on me in the expansion draft," Daccord said, "giving me an opportunity to play [the heavy workload] in the (American Hockey League) and then last year to prove that I could be NHL goalie."
The Kraken visit the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; KHN, KONG, BSWI, BSN). Grubauer made 22 saves in a 3-2 season-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday.
