One of the original Seattle Kraken from their expansion draft, the team has announced they have signed forward Kole Lind to a one-year, two-way contract. Aside from Vince Dunn and Cale Fleury, Lind was one of the only restricted free agents left on the team without a contract.
In the team’s inaugural season, Lind did see some playing time at the NHL level, suiting up in 23 games for the team, scoring eight points. Lind was primarily used as a fourth-line player, as he averaged just under 12 minutes a night.
Being one of the higher second-round picks of the 2017 NHL Draft, Lind showed quite a bit of offensive potential in juniors. In his draft year, Lind scored 30 goals and 57 assists for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. After the conclusion of his season, Lind was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks at 33rd overall.
Still only 24 years old, Lind’s offensive prowess he displayed in juniors has translated to his professional career, but thus far only at the AHL level. He became an outstanding forward for the Utica Comets during the 2019-20 season and showed more of the same since coming to the Kraken organization.
In 188 games played at the AHL level for both the Charlotte Checkers and Coachella Valley Firebirds, Lind has scored 47 goals and 50 assists, also scoring an impressive 31 points in 26 games during the Firebirds’ run to the 2023 Calder Cup Finals. Next season, expect much of the same for Lind, unless the Kraken run into injury trouble with their forward core.
Beautiful
Kole had a great season with Coachella Valley, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. How he does well at the Kraken training camp as he could earn a spot on the fourth line–