The Seattle Kraken have announced that defenseman Gustav Olofsson has been re-signed to a two-year, two-way contract carrying a league-minimum $775k AAV. Per CapFriendly, the deal carries a $350k AHL salary.
Olofsson, 28, has spent the last two years in the Kraken organization since signing with them in August 2021. He’s largely been a reliable AHL blueliner, and this past year he earned his first NHL games with the Kraken, earning his first NHL games since 2019-20. An AHL All-Star in 2015-16, Olofsson was counted on by head coach Dan Bylsma during the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ run to Game Seven of the Calder Cup Finals.
He isn’t much of an offensive player (Olofsson’s career-high in points as a professional is 24) but he offers decent size standing six-foot-two 200 pounds and has 62 games of NHL experience as well as some value as a locker-room leader. Olofsson’s been an alternate captain for both the Kraken’s affiliates and his former team, the Montreal Canadiens.
In locking him up for the next two seasons at an eminently affordable cost, the Kraken have ensured some continuity on their AHL blueline. They’ve also guaranteed that a familiar face will be waiting for them as a potential call-up should they run into injury issues on defense over the course of the next two seasons.
While GM Ron Francis has maybe more significant business to get done this summer, such as re-signing breakout blueliner Vince Dunn, this is extension will certainly help the Firebirds as they look to go on another long playoff run next year.
Good. I like #23. I think he’s a great player.