Price inks first NHL deal with Seattle, Szturc joins Tampa’s AHL team for playoffs

Kelowna Rockets news regarding the team’s veteran players continues to trickle in.

After Andrew Cristall was assigned to the AHL and Tij Iginla was picked up by the Canadian U18 team, we now have developments regarding Caden Price and Gabriel Szturc.

Caden Price has signed his first NHL contract with the Seattle Kraken, a three-year entry-level contract that will officially begin in the fall.

The Price Is Right for the @SeattleKraken!

The Kraken have signed Rockets defenceman Caden Prince to a three-year entry-level contract. He will join their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, on an amateur tryout contract for their playoff run.

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) April 24, 2024

Price is expected to report to Seattle’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, on an amateur tryout for the Calder Cup playoffs.

While Cristall joined the defending champion and league-leading Hershey Bears, Price is heading to the team that lost to Hershey in game seven of last year’s final and finished runner up to the Bears in this year’s standings.

Price was drafted by the Kraken in the third round of the 2023 NHL entry draft.

“We are excited for Caden to officially join our organization after a career year in the WHL,” said Kraken GM Ron Francis. “We’ve been impressed with his progress so far and are looking forward to seeing him continue to develop going forward.”

It’s also worth noting, for concerned Rockets fans, that both Cristall and Price are ineligible to play in the AHL full-time next season, which means they will be returned to Kelowna if they don’t crack the Kraken or Capitals NHL rosters.

Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc has joined the @SyracuseCrunch for their playoff run.

Former Rockets Tyson Feist and Devante Stephens are members of the Crunch as well. https://t.co/TI3dkiK2cT pic.twitter.com/PuqH5UvOgX

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) April 24, 2024

While both players are likely to return to the WHL next season, Gabriel Szturc will not, as the Rockets captain has officially aged out of junior.

Szturc is already looking ahead, however, as he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in March.

While that contract doesn’t kick in until the fall, Szturc will join the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, for their playoff run.

_{Thumbnail photo courtesy of Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets.}