The Kraken announced they’ve recalled defenseman Cale Fleury from AHL Coachella Valley on an emergency basis. As such, one of the Kraken’s six healthy defenders may be unavailable for tonight’s contest against the Golden Knights. That could be Jamie Oleksiak, who Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times said participated in morning skate but missed some of Seattle’s game earlier this week against the Sabres. Fleury’s emergency recall does not count toward the Kraken’s four post-trade deadline standard recalls.
Fleury has been recalled once this season in a peculiar paper transaction on deadline day but has otherwise spent the entirety of 2023-24 with Coachella Valley. He doesn’t have any NHL games logged this year after playing in multiple games in each of the last two seasons with the Kraken. The 25-year-old was the Kraken’s expansion draft selection from the Canadiens in 2021.
This is Fleury’s first season suiting up for the Firebirds, as the franchise didn’t exist during Seattle’s inaugural season, and he didn’t see any AHL time last year. The former captain of the WHL’s Kootenay Ice has done well, recording five goals and 29 points in 57 games with a +20 rating. Coachella Valley sits first in the Pacific Division and second in the entire league with a 37-13-5-3 record.
In 62 NHL games dating back to his debut with the Habs in 2019, however, Fleury has been a nonfactor. He’s been held to just one goal and one assist throughout that time, averaging decidedly bottom-pairing minutes at 14:11 per game. His possession metrics have been decent for his role, rocking a 50.5 CF% at even strength, but owns a career -2.1 expected rating in relatively advantageous two-way usage. There isn’t much there to suggest he should be moved higher up in the lineup.
The 2017 third-round pick has one year remaining on a two-year deal he signed last July. He carries a $800K cap hit and will be an RFA with arbitration rights in 2025.
