Seattle Kraken Player Preview: C Mason Appleton

Mason Appleton should prove to be one of the best pickups for the Seattle Kraken for this season.

Mason Appleton

Selected from: Winnipeg Jets

Position: C

Age: 25

Contract: 1 year remaining at $900k AAV

2020-21 Season Stats: 56GP: 12G, 13A, 25P, +11

Surprisingly enough, Mason Appleton was left unprotected by the Winnipeg Jets and was a no-brainer for Seattle to scoop up in the expansion draft. This former draft steal was taken 168th overall in the 2015 draft and has finally earned a full-time role in the NHL.

Mason Appleton looks for a larger role as the team comes into form after being stuck behind a strong top-six in Winnipeg. Evidently, he was part of one of the most productive and dangerous third lines in the NHL last season. Appleton is versatile and can play both the wing and center and will be able to slot in up and down the lineup. On top of that, he is a big player and effective at even strength.

He took a big step forward in his third season and is showing signs of even more potential. After scoring 25 points last season while playing down the lineup, he had maxed out at 10 in the two previous seasons, which is a good sign.

Diamond in the Rough for the Seattle Kraken

This is a big year for Appleton, as he looks to do what players like William Karlsson and Alex Tuch did in Vegas. Seattle hopes that at least a few of the players they selected will pop off on cheap contracts and they will be able to compete. Seattle would be thrilled with this as well as for many of these players, it’s a fresh start.

It would be ideal for Appleton to find line-mates that he meshes with as well as Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry in Winnipeg. If he does, it will set himself and Seattle up nicely to do some damage this coming season in a weak Pacific division.