Lindsay, Ont., native Vince Dunn is heading west after the Seattle Kraken selected the St. Louis Blues defenceman during Wednesday’s NHL expansion draft.
The Kraken, who begin their inaugural NHL season this fall, were permitted to select one player from each NHL club except the Vegas Golden Knights.
Dunn, a four-year defenceman for the St. Louis Blues, was a key part of the team’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2019 when he scored two goals and six assists in 20 playoff games, averaging 15 minutes a game in the team’s post-season run.
Dunn has yet to publicly comment on being selected by the Kraken, who become the NHL’s 32nd franchise.
Kraken general manager Ron Francis said during the draft broadcast on ESPN2 that he has high hopes for the young defenceman who made $1.875 million last season and is eligible for arbitration.
“He’s a young defenceman,” he said. “We think he’s got some good offensive upside. So we’re looking forward to getting a chance to work with Vince and help develop his game. And hopefully he can be a big part of our future.”
Last season the 24-year-old Dunn had six goals and 14 assists in 43 games for the Blues, who missed the post-season.
“With any expansion draft, you know you’re going to lose a good player,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told stlouisblues.com. “That’s the cost for each team of having an additional club join the League. We would like to wish Vince the best of luck with the Seattle Kraken.”
Dunn was drafted by the Blues in the second round (No. 56 overall) in the 2015 NHL draft. In 267 NHL games, he has tallied 32 goals and 70 assists for 102 points and amassed 110 penalty minutes and has a plus-22 rating. In 29 career playoff games, he has two goals and nine assists and 16 penalty minutes.
Just over two years ago, Dunn brought the Stanley Cup home to Lindsay where he celebrated with family, friends and fans and paraded the prized trophy through the town and at the Lindsay Recreation Complex.
Fans of Dunn can catch him in action when the Kraken play their first NHL game on the road in Las Vegas on Oct. 12, but they’ll return to Seattle on Oct. 23 for their home opener at Climate Pledge Arena against the Vancouver Canucks.
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