Photo: Sporting News
2018 and 2023 Stanley Cup Champion center Chandler Stephenson signed a seven-year contract that carries a $6.25 million cap hit with the Seattle Kraken after the unrestricted free agent market opened at 12 noon ET on Monday.
Chandler Stephenson, signed 7x$6.3M by SEA, is a speedy complementary playmaker. Can plug in and produce with the right linemates but really not a driver at all himself and his passing and skating metrics fell off a bit this season. Not physical or very involved defensively. pic.twitter.com/YBpy0ysNDr
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2024
The Washington Capitals selected Stephenson 77th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. In 168 career regular-season games with the Capitals, Stephenson has 14 goals, 33 points, and a +2 rating. He posted two goals, seven points, and a +3 rating during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2018. In 180 career AHL games, all with the Hershey Bears, Stephenson recorded 30 goals, 87 points, and a +4 rating.
With Washington up against the NHL salary cap, Washington sent Stephenson to the Vegas Golden Knights on December 2, 2019 for the 158th overall pick in 2021 (defenseman Ty Murchison), which was flipped to the Philadelphia Flyers for left-wing Michael Raffl on April 12, 2021.
Stephenson hit the 14-goal and 35-point marks in each of his four full seasons in the desert and set career-highs in assists (49), points (65), and games played (81) during the 2022-23 season. Last year, Stephenson scored 16 goals and 51 points in 75 games but was held to only one assist in Vegas’ seven-game loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In 495 career NHL games with Washington and Vegas, Stephenson has tallied 89 goals and 270 points. The 30-year-old also has notched 15 goals and 39 points in 95 career postseason games, including 10 goals and 20 points in 22 outings during the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run in 2023.
Stephenson joins fellow 2018 Stanley Cup Champion goaltender Philipp Grubauer and left-wing Andre Burakovsky in Seattle.
By Harrison Brown
