The 26-year-old forward scored 29 points, including an NHL career-high 17 goals, in 56 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers last season, and two points (one goal, one assist) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I feel like I'm growing my game," Wennberg said Thursday. "Last year was way better, and improving my goal-scoring as well. I'm looking forward to the challenge and I feel like Seattle, they believe in me as well, and I want to prove to them that I'm worth the spot.
"Who doesn't want to be part of a new franchise and feel the atmosphere and feel the fans right now in Seattle? For me, it's really exciting times, and I'm really looking forward to it. I've never been to Seattle, so it's going to be fresh to see that, but I've only heard good things. So super excited for what's ahead."
Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round (No. 14) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Wennberg has scored 230 points (57 goals, 173 assists) in 471 regular-season games with the Panthers and Blue Jackets, and 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 28 playoff games.
"Alexander is coming off of his best goal-scoring season to date and gives us an offensive-minded center down the middle," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "He's still young and we think he has room to grow even further as he has taken large strides in each of his last few seasons. We like his combination of size and skill and think he will fit well with our group."
Seattle also signed goalie
Philipp Grubauer
to a
six-year, $35.4 million contract
($5.9 million AAV) and forward Jaden Schwartz to a
five-year, $27.5 million contract
($5.5 million AAV).
Grubauer was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL last season after the 29-year-old was 30-9-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and seven shutouts in 40 games (39 starts) for the Colorado Avalanche.
Schwartz scored 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 40 regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues last season, and did not score a point in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
