Chandler Stephenson Fast Facts
Number: 9 Position: Center
DOB: 4/22/94 Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask. Height: 6-0 Weight: 201
How Acquired By Kraken: 2024 Free Agent
NHL Seasons as of 2025: 10
Previous NHL Teams: Washington (2015-20), Vegas (2020-24)
Career Bests: Goals-21 (2021-22), Assists-49 (2022-23), Points-65 (2022-23)
Notable: Stephenson played on Cup winners in Washington (2018) & Vegas (2023).
How can a guy who has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup – twice – be so polarizing?
Press box buddies who understand advanced metrics better than I do cringe whenever Chandler Stephenson jumps on the ice for the Seattle Kraken. One of their arguments is that the free agency contract he signed in 2024, seven years, $43.75 million, was way too generous in both term and dollars.
For the record, Stephenson chipped in 13 goals and 38 assists in 2024-25. His 51 points were exceeded on the Kraken only by Jared McCann’s 61. Still, Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic felt compelled to name Stephenson’s contract the 3rd worst currently handed out by an NHL team.
“Of Stephenson’s 51 points, 18 were thanks to playing on the team’s top power play, where 11 were secondary assists. At five-on-five, he scored just 1.57 points-per-60, ninth among forwards and directly behind recent salary dump Andre Burakovsky. On a bad team, someone has to score, but it doesn’t mean they’re actually adding much to the team’s bottom line – they’re just getting a lot of minutes.”
Luszczyszyn buttresses his argument with an analysis of advanced metrics. “It is still mystifying that the Kraken ever gave a 30-year-old declining center $6.25 million per year for the next seven years.”
Travis Yost of TSN chimes in, “When you are signing players to big deals, you want to be reasonably confident they are driving the bus. When I look at a three-year sample of Stephenson, I see anything but: a contract I think is set to disappoint with immediacy.”
No one’s arguing, but Stephenson made one contribution not available on any scoresheet. He provided lineup protection for young core centers Matty Beniers and Shane Wright , and might this season for Berkly Catton as well. In the Golden Knight’s 2023 run to the Stanley Cup, he raised his game with 10 goals and 10 assists in the postseason.
Besides, Chandler’s in just year two of that seven-season deal. Sure, he could be bought out at some point, or traded to a team trying to reach the salary cap floor. Or, his advanced metrics could get better. Until such time as one of those things happen, Kraken fans are advised to take the advice Pumbaa gave Simba in The Lion King about eating grubs. “Learn to love ’em.”