SEATTLE (Feb. 24, 2026) — Today, Seattle Kraken General Manager Jason Botterill announced that the club has agreed to terms with forwards Ben Meyers ($1M AAV) and Ryan Winterton ($1.125M AAV) on two-year contracts.
"Ben is an integral part of our team," said Botterill. "He's a versatile player who plays with passion. We're happy to have him signed for another two years."
Meyers, 27, has split the 2025-26 season between the Kraken and the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, registering 11 points (5g/6a) in 31 games with Seattle and 13 points (9g/4a) in 11 games with Coachella. He’s appeared in 106 career NHL games with Seattle, Colorado and Anaheim, recording 19 points (11g/8a) in that span. He has also appeared in six Stanley Cup Playoff games (2023 with Colorado).
At 5-foot-11, 194-pounds, the forward spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign with the Firebirds, setting personal bests in goals (23), assists (28) and points (51) in a career-high 57 regular-season games. Meyers led Coachella skaters in points, ranked second in goals and shared third in assists. He also ranked second on the club in power-play goals (6) and third in shots on goals (143). Meyers added three points (1g/2a) in six games during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. At the AHL level, Meyers amassed 113 points (49g/64a) in 130 career regular-season contests with the Firebirds and Colorado Eagles and has four points (1g/3a) in eight career Calder Cup Playoff games.
Prior to playing professionally, the Delano, Minnesota native played three seasons of NCAA hockey at the University of Minnesota (2019-22). Meyers earned various accolades in 2021-22 including Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten First All-Star Team, NCAA First Team, NCAA West Second All-American Team and was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist after captaining his team to a Big Ten regular-season championship. On the international stage, Meyers has represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 IIHF Men's World Championship.
"Ryan has taken big strides as a member of the Kraken this season," said Botterill. "He's been able to carve out a role on this team with his speed and strong two-way game. We're excited to have him under contract through the 2027-28 season."
In his first full season with Seattle, Winterton has posted 15 points (3g/12a) in 54 games. He has appeared in 75 career NHL games with the Kraken between 2023-2026.
Winterton, 22, spent most of the past two seasons with the Firebirds, amassing 72 points (40g/32a) in 114 games. In his sophomore season with Coachella, he ranked third on the club in goals (18) and sixth in points (37) over 56 games during the 2024-25 season. Winterton also totaled 14 points (9g/5a) in 22 career Calder Cup Playoff games.
Prior to going pro, the 6-foot-2, 190 pound-forward appeared in 124 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games over three seasons (2019-2023) split between the Hamilton Bulldogs and London Knights, registering 72 points (40g/32a) in that span. In 2021-22, he set career highs with the Bulldogs in goals (20), assists (26), points (46) and game-winning goals (4) despite only playing in 37 regular-season games. He ranked in the top 10 on Hamilton’s roster in goals (t-6th), assists (ninth), points (ninth), power-play goals (t-3rd) and game-winning goals (t-3rd). Winterton added 48 points (20g/28a) in 39 OHL playoff games, winning a championship with the Bulldogs in 2022 and adding the most OHL playoff points (29) in 2023.
A native of Markham, Ontario, Winterton played for Team Canada at the 2021 U18 World Junior Championship, totaling four points (2g/2a) in seven games en route to winning a gold medal. Winterton was selected by the Kraken in the third round (67th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
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About the Seattle Kraken
Launched in 2021, the Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League's 32nd franchise and compete in the league's Pacific Division. The Kraken are playing their quintennial season at Climate Pledge Arena in 2025-26. Visit SeattleKraken.com for the latest news and information including press releases, multimedia and content.
