Kraken name Eberle captain

The Seattle Kraken named Jordan Eberle captain on Tuesday before their season-opener against the St. Louis Blues.

All 32 NHL franchises now have a captain in place heading into the season.

Eberle, 34, has been with the Kraken since their inaugural campaign in 2021-22. He ranks second in games played, goals, assists, and points in the franchise's short history.

"Jordan's been a leader for our franchise since day one," general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. "He has the full respect of his teammates and is a tremendous role model for our younger players. Jordan's everything you'd want in a captain."

The Kraken unveiled Eberle as captain during player intros:

In March, the Saskatchewan native signed a two-year contract extension that carries a $4.75-million cap hit. Eberle tallied 17 goals and 44 points in 78 games last season.

"It's an honor to be named captain of the Seattle Kraken," Eberle said. "I've been able to learn from some great leaders throughout the course of my NHL career. I take pride in being a good teammate and mentor for teammates, and I'm humbled to wear the 'C' for this franchise."

Mark Giordano was named Seattle's first captain in its inaugural season. He played 55 games in 2021-22 before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Eberle has 299 goals and 702 points in 1,018 career games split between the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, and Kraken.