Kraken Taking 'Serious Run' At Signing Pending UFA Vince Dunn To Extension

The Seattle Kraken have surprised many around the NHL by getting off to an 8-4-1 start to the 2026-27 campaign. They're still certainly looking for some help to improve their roster, and in fact, have been mentioned as one of the teams who are serious about trying to land Simon Edvinsson. 

But they've already got a No. 1 defenseman of their own that they're trying their darnedest to keep in the fold. Vince Dunn is their power-play quarterback and all-time scoring leader from the blueline. But he is a pending unrestricted free agent after the season as he plays out the fourth and final year of his deal with a $7.35 million AAV. 

Dunn has voiced a desire to stay in Seattle beyond this contract, and, despite a bit of a rough start this season, including a few giveaways in the defensive zone, several sources have indicated that the Kraken are trying hard to get an extension done. 

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tells us that talks between the Kraken and Dunn's camp got going earlier this month, and the two sides remain in ongoing discussions. The 30-year-old is expected to command more than $11 million a season on a new deal. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman went one step further and said that they are "taking a serious run" at keeping Dunn.

This is Dunn's 6th season in Seattle, having recorded 237 points in 369 games over that time. 

But until Dunn's done (so to speak), they are also taking a run at landing Edvinsson, and looking to make other moves to bolster a normally sleepy offense in Seattle. They are surprisingly 5th in the league right now in goals-per-game, but that isn't expected to last for a team that finished 28th last season in that category, with essentially the same cast; the only significant addition being Mackie Samoskevich (5 goals in 12 games).