Kraken, Dunn avoid arbitration with 4-year, $29.4M pact

The Seattle Kraken signed defenseman Vince Dunn to a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $7.35 million, the club announced Friday.

Dunn, who was a restricted free agent, had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday. His previous cap hit was $4 million.

The 26-year-old had a breakout campaign in 2022-23, tallying 14 goals and 64 points in 81 games to rank 10th league-wide among defensemen in both offensive categories. Dunn's previous career high in points was 35, accomplished in 2018-19 with the St. Louis Blues and 2021-22 as a member of the Kraken.

The Mississauga, Ontario-born rearguard led Seattle in assists (50), plus-minus (plus-28), and average ice time (23:40) last season.

Dunn scored one goal and seven points in the postseason and placed second among Kraken skaters in ice time behind his partner Adam Larsson.

Seattle passed on Vladimir Tarasenko to claim Dunn from the Blues in the 2021 expansion draft. He played four seasons for St. Louis after the club drafted him 56th overall in 2015, winning the Stanley Cup as a depth blue-liner in 2019.

Dunn has accrued 53 goals and 201 points in 421 career games.

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