Before their Saturday matchup against San Jose, the Kraken announced that they have recalled forward Mitchell Stephens from AHL Coachella Valley, as per a link on X. Additionally, defenseman Vince Dunn has been activated off Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), according to the NHL’s media outlet.
This will be Stephens’ first season with Seattle after he signed a two-year, two-way contract during free agency in July. The 27-year-old has played 95 NHL games with Tampa Bay, Detroit, and Montreal, and last season he recorded three points in 23 appearances for Montreal while winning more than 55% of his faceoffs in just over nine minutes of ice time per game.
This marks Stephens’ first recall of the season, which comes after a slow start, having managed three goals and an assist in 11 games with the Firebirds. In contrast, he tallied 35 points in 49 games with AHL Laval last season.
Dunn’s return is a significant boost for the Kraken. He has been an impactful defenseman in the league, particularly offensively, accumulating 110 points in 140 games over the last two seasons, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time each game. Before an upper-body injury sidelined him for nearly six weeks, he began the season strong with three points in his first four games.
With Dunn back, Seattle now boasts three strong offensive defensemen, aiding a scoring unit that’s been average in goals lately. Brandon Montour has started well in his first season with the Kraken, while Ryker Evans has stepped up offensively during Dunn’s absence. Both players are tied for third in team scoring with 15 points as of Saturday.
Though there has been no formal announcement, the only way Seattle could activate Dunn and recall Stephens is by placing winger Jordan Eberle on LTIR. Eberle, the captain, is expected to be sidelined for at least three months following recent pelvic surgery.
