Report: Kraken, Driedger closing in on 3-year, $10.5M deal

The Seattle Kraken are closing in on a three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually with Florida Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Florida left Driedger - a pending unrestricted free agent - unprotected for the upcoming expansion draft.

Locking up Driedger wouldn't necessarily negate Seattle's reported interest in Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Price, Friedman notes.

The Kraken recently expressed interest in Driedger, who posted a .927 save percentage and a 2.07 goals-against average in 23 games with the Panthers in 2020-21. The 27-year-old also ranked ninth in goals saved above expected (7.03) and seventh in goals saved above average (12.6) at all strengths, according to Evolving-Hockey.