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By Jared Clinton
A keen sense of timing is often among the best weapons in the arsenal of the NHL’s top offensive defensemen. And given his standing among the leading blueline point producers the past two seasons, it can safely be said that alongside his penchant for delivering a crisp stretch pass and slipping into shooting lanes, Vince Dunn has discovered the fine art of arriving in the right place at the right time.
Now, if only that skill could’ve translated to his summer holiday travels. Alas, a trip Dunn had hoped would align with experiencing rabid football fandom during UEFA’s Euro 2024 didn’t quite pan out.
“Funny enough, the travel schedule that I had made coincidentally lined up with the Euro teams playing, Italy and Portugal, while I was there,” Dunn said. “And then, while I was there, flights ended up getting changed and cancelled. When I was in Italy, Portugal was playing, and while I was in Portugal, Italy was playing. So I didn’t really get to see the European hype.”
It was a tough break for Dunn, but there’s only so much heartbreak that can be conjured up for the 27-year-old Seattle Kraken defenseman, who has, over the past three seasons, experienced an almost unfettered personal rise and individual on-ice success.
To some, Dunn’s ascension has been somewhat surprising. To others, it’s been wholly unexpected. Drafted in the second round, 56th overall, in 2015, Dunn was rarely in the limelight. The native of Mississauga, Ont., didn’t get the attention that comes with representing Canada at the under-18s or the world juniors. And at no point in his development was he considered the cream of the Blues’ talent crop. Case in point: panels of scouts polled in The Hockey News’ Future Watch issues in 2016 and 2017 didn’t rank him among St. Louis’ top three up-and-comers.
But Dunn continued to make the most of every opportunity, first in big-league training camps, later by earning a selection to the AHL All-Star Game and then by making the most of meager minutes in St. Louis. Four years into his NHL career, though, Dunn found himself shut out from the top of the Blues’ depth chart, blocked by Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Colton Parayko. And while he speaks highly about his time with the organization, he looks back and remembers yearning for a greater challenge.
“As my years went on in St. Louis, I think I plateaued and, obviously, wasn’t ever given another level of opportunity to really showcase what I knew I always had,” he said. “Maybe not to this capability, but I always knew I had more to show.”
Indeed, since he was scooped up from the Blues by the Kraken in the expansion draft, Dunn has seen his career on a steady upward trajectory. First, he stepped into a regular top-four role. By his second year in the Emerald City, he became the blueline’s de facto leader. Now, heading into his fourth season in Seattle, Dunn can be counted among the league’s best offensive defensemen. In fact, there are only 11 defenders who had more points and scored at a higher per-game rate than Dunn over the past two seasons.
In part, Dunn’s success is predicated on many of the same attributes he’s long possessed. He’s been blessed with exceptional on-ice vision and skating ability. He also has a great mind for the game. But a big part of his transformation has been mental and physical maturation and accepting that, at times, he’ll have to get his nose dirty. “
That brings out the best in my game, being aggressive and being assertive,” he said. “Not being a dirty player or a reckless player, but holding my ground and making sure I’m able to handle myself out there. I just want to always be a presence out there, not just offensively but defensively and physically. If you can have all three of those things in one way, shape or form, that just brings the best out of your natural skill and talent.”
Also a boon? The partnership he’s formed with fellow blueliner Adam Larsson. Over the past two seasons, the two have been almost inseparable. Of Dunn’s more than 2,600 minutes at five-a-side since the start of 2022-23, only 346 have been played without Larsson as his partner.
What has made the two such a great fit is the “yin and yang balance,” said Dunn. Whereas Larsson can be considered an archetypal big-bodied, stay-at-home defenseman, Dunn is of a modern, free-wheeling breed. And there’s also the matter of mindset. Larsson, who is nearly four years to the day Dunn’s senior, is referred to by the younger of the pairing as having an “old-school mentality,” and Dunn said his more veteran partner has helped shape his on- and off-ice outlook. Together, they help each other remain on an even keel.
“We know we pull a lot of weight back there, so we never want to let each other down,” Dunn said. “And we know that if we’re not playing our best, we’re definitely letting the team down. There’s a lot of accountability there, which really helps us push each other.”
Dunn’s importance, in particular, has perhaps never been more apparent than last season. When he was in the lineup, the Kraken managed a .568 points percentage, which would have kept them in the playoff hunt. But in the 23 games Dunn missed – including all but two of Seattle’s final 21 games after he sustained an upper-body injury in March – the Kraken cratered to an ugly .304 points percentage.
But after a summer of rest and recovery, Dunn feels positive about where he’s at. He also feels good about Seattle’s direction, which included bringing in coach Dan Bylsma and adding center Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour via free agency. With the addition of Montour, as well as Josh Mahura, Dunn will have extra competition on the blueline. But just as he has throughout his career, he’ll meet the challenge head-on and treat it as an opportunity to add new elements to his game.
“I’ll probably be seeing more of the defensive side of draws and defensive situations,” he said, “and hopefully even getting a bit of penalty-killing time. That’d be great for my game.”
Speaking more broadly, he sees it as a step toward the Kraken’s primary goal: returning to the post-season and challenging for the Stanley Cup.
“When teams make changes, they’re motivated to win,” Dunn said. “That’s what I’m ready to do.”