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Kraken Rumors: SEA 'Taking a Deep Dive' on Selecting Carey Price in Expansion Draft
July 18, 2021
The Seattle Kraken are reportedly "taking a deep dive internally" to determine whether to select veteran goalie Carey Price in the upcoming expansion draft, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
However, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported Price's "health has clouded the selection process." Per Seravalli, Price "may miss significant time with a hip injury."
LeBrun later reported Price is scheduled to see a doctor in New York this week to evaluate a knee issue:
The Kraken will have the opportunity to select one player from 30 other teams (the Vegas Golden Knights are not included) with each squad protecting up to 11 players on their current rosters. Price was one of the players left available by the Montreal Canadiens despite leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final this past year.
Another question mark for the Kraken is whether to take on Price's contract with five years remaining on his initial eight-year, $84 million deal, per Spotrac.
The contract could be a concern, but the Golden Knights showed a quality blueprint for an expansion team by building around goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Vegas reached the Stanley Cup Final in its first year and has been a perennial contender all four years of its existence, while Fleury won the Vezina Trophy in 2020-21.
If healthy, Price could make a similar impact with a resume that includes a Vezina Trophy and a Hart Trophy in 2014-15. The 33-year-old has continued his high level of play and shined this postseason with a 2.28 goals-against average in 22 starts.
The Kraken do have other big names available in net, however, with Braden Holtby, Jonathan Quick and Matt Murray also left unprotected.
Seattle could find impact players at other positions as well, including defenseman Shea Weber and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko. The team will also have the opportunity to target one or more unrestricted free agents, including Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.
The team has until Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET to determine its picks, which will be revealed publicly Wednesday night.