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Trade Deadline Primer: Seattle Kraken

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Seattle Kraken.

The Seattle Kraken season has been far from ideal. They find themselves near the bottom of the division with little time to fix it. With an average age above 28 years old and menial draft capital, Seattle seems perfectly set up for a fire sale of their aging veterans. They offer value from the top to the bottom of the lineup, with a wide variety of roles and price tags attached. A strategic Trade Deadline could help the Kraken lean into their burgeoning top prospects and build a lineup that can be competitive for years to come.

Record

24-29-4, 7th in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$4.65MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 46/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 4th, DAL 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 7th
2026: SEA 1st, SEA 2nd, SEA 3rd, ANA 4th, SEA 4th, SEA 5th, SEA 6th, SEA 7th

Trade Chips

They have an absolute wealth of forward talent rumored to be on their chopping block, headlined by leading scorer Jared McCann. McCann has posted 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games this year, putting him on pace for 20 goals and 60 points through a full 82 games. That’d be a small step down from the 29 goals and 62 points he scored last year, but McCann’s role with the Kraken has only increased. His average ice time is up to 17:28 this season, the highest its been in his four years in Seattle. That includes the mere 16:20 he averaged while posting 40 goals and 70 points, both career-highs, in 79 games of the 2022-23 campaign. McCann has come into his own since Seattle selected him in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. He’s averaged 28 goals and 56 points a season in four years with the Kraken – a 17-goal and 30-point improvement over what he averaged in his first six NHL seasons.

Prying that caliber of player away from a low-scoring Kraken offense will take some convincing, especially given McCann’s incredibly affordable $5MM cap hit and 10-team no-trade clause. He could be a high-upside bet for a team with a role in mind, though McCann’s mere three points in eight games of Seattle’s 2023 playoff run might make a high price too rich for playoff hopefuls.

Should that be the case, the Kraken will have plenty of middling forwards to offer instead. Yanni Gourde has been at the top of trade rumors for much of his time in Seattle. He offers diligent, two-way reliability – backed by 16 points and 36 penalty minutes in just 35 games this season. Gourde also won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 21. He contributed 21 points in 48 games from Tampa Bay’s middle-six over the two postseason runs. Gourde was also an expansion draft pick and he stayed consistent through his first two years in Seattle – netting 48 points both seasons. Those numbers have fallen a bit since – with 33 points last year and a 38-point pace this year – but Gourde has nonetheless stayed a popular depth option.

But for all of his hard-nosed drive, Gourde’s five-foot-nine frame may not be as physical as a playoff team would like. Luckily, Seattle parallels their feisty, undersized center with bulky and gritty winger Brandon Tanev. Tanev is one of just three Kraken forwards with over 100 hits this season – with 114 hits in 55 games. He’s added 17 points, a poised eight penalty minutes, and a minus-11 to his stat-line – holding true to his role of third-line bruiser. Tanev is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, carrying a modest $3.5MM cap hit until then. That could make him a cheap rental option for playoff teams looking for more heft, with little detriment to the Seattle lineup.

Seattle’s ability to match the buyer’s need drags on. Fast-paced left-winger Jaden Schwartz and scoring right-winger Oliver Bjorkstrand are both past their prime, and likely wouldn’t carry a tremendous acquisition cost. Among the defense, Josh Mahura seems the most expendable. He’s the cheapest of the bunch with a league-minimum, $775K cap hit – and has just six assists in 45 games this season. But Mahura has added a plus-six and 58 hits – creating a moldable style for teams in need of more depth. For those looking for a more true lineup piece, the Kraken could also expend 32-year-old Jamie Oleksiak, who plays hard minutes on Seattle’s second pair but has 13 points and a minus-seven on the year. Moving either defender would give Seattle more room to lean on promising youngster Ryker Evans on the left-side, or recall hefty, right-shot prospect Ty Nelson from the minor leagues.

Team Needs

1) Young Defensemen – The Kraken have build a prospect pool worth admiring on offense. They’re led by Shane Wright, Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, and Logan Morrison – who all look capable of contributing to the top flight for years to come. But their defensive depth isn’t nearly as fleshed out. Nelson leads the bunch, and has managed an encouraging 21 points in 50 AHL games. But the trio of Caden Price, Lukas Dragicevic, and Ville Ottovainen haven’t inspired much behind Nelson – leaving questions as to how Seattle can build around Evans. Bringing in another top, young, left-handed defender would be a great start. The Kraken certainly have the assets to shoot for the moon by acquiring top Buffalo Sabres defender Bowen Byram, who’s managed 29 points and a plus-nine in 54 games next to Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin. Byram has had his lulls, but he’s also 23-years-old with five years of partial NHL experience and one Stanley Cup to his name – rare esteem to find on the open market.

Should a proven NHLer be too rich of a price to pay, Seattle could try to convince a fringe playoff team to part with a top defense prospect in exchange for their solidifying lineup piece. The Columbus Blue Jackets are well within grasp of the second Eastern Conference wild card, and could part with the well-rounded Stanislav Svozil without jeporadizing the future of their blue-line. Svozil has 24 points in 43 AHL games this season – his second pro season.

2) Young, Middle-Six Forwards – The Kraken are in a great Deadline position because of their overabundance of forward talent – but many of their options are in or past their prime. With a dismal record on the year, it’s clear Seattle’s positives lie in the future. Top prospects will soon be coming up, and finding the right role players to support them could go far in returning the Kraken to the postseason sooner rather than later. They may be able to sway the New York Rangers to part with an effective youngster like William Cuylle in the name of a playoff upgrade. Or perhaps expendable Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson could find his scoring groove in the same slow, shoot-first style that’s supported Bjorkstrand. Both options likely wouldn’t come at a major price, especially for a Kraken team with the roster spots and draft picks to make an addition.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Stezka Recalled, Ostman Sent To ECHL

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  • The Kraken have changed up their backup goalie. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled Ales Stezka from AHL Coachella Valley and reassigned Victor Ostman to ECHL Kansas City, reversing the move made before the 4 Nations break.  Stezka has been Seattle’s backup as of late after Philipp Grubauer was assigned to the Firebirds but has yet to make his NHL debut.  He has a 2.99 GAA with a .902 SV% in 25 games this season.  Ostman, meanwhile, is in his first full professional season after signing with Seattle as a college free agent last spring.  He has played exclusively with the Mavericks, putting up a 2.44 GAA and a .905 SV% in 29 appearances.

Pacific Notes: Kraken, Bordeleau, Terrance

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Due to a disappointing 24-29-4 record this season, the Seattle Kraken have been an oft-mentioned potential seller leading up to the trade deadline. With this in mind, Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times analyzed some potential trade candidates for the Kraken.

There weren’t many surprises in her article as Shefte noted Brandon Tanev, Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jaden Schwartz, and Andre Burakovsky as trade pieces for Seattle. All five players have been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the season largely due to the Kraken’s disappointing record.

Shefte did note forward Eeli Tolvanen and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who hadn’t previously been mentioned in trade rumors before. In all fairness, it doesn’t seem likely that Seattle will move either player, given Tolvanen quickly re-upped on a two-year contract with the team last offseason and Oleksiak has a 16-team no-trade clause built into his contract.

Other Pacific notes:

  • Semi-regular San Jose Sharks’ forward Thomas Bordeleau is facing supplemental discipline at the AHL level.  The AHL’s Player Safety Committee announced that Bordeleau is suspended for one game for cross-checking Colorado Eagles’ forward Chris Wagner on Wednesday. Due to the suspension, he’ll miss the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda game tonight.
  • In a scary incident in last night’s game between the OHL’s Erie Otters and Owen Sound Attack, Otters captain and Anaheim Ducks’ prospect Carey Terrance was taken to the hospital due to an injury. Approximately 12 hours later, the Otters announced that Terrance had been discharged from the hospital and would continue with the team on their current road trip.

Kraken’s Jared McCann Drawing Trade Interest

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A Sportsnet’s Jacob Stoller report earlier this week indicated that the Seattle Kraken could make forward Jared McCann available at the trade deadline. A few days later, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman contradicted the report on his ’32 Thoughts’ podcast saying that multiple teams had contacted Seattle regarding McCann’s availability — not the other way around.

It makes a lot of sense for contending teams to inquire about McCann. He’s on a cost-effective $5MM salary until July 1st, 2027, and has become a bona fide top-six forward in Seattle. After being selected from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, McCann has scored 110 goals and 224 points in 290 games, the franchise’s leader in both offensive categories.

Still, since Friedman noted that Seattle is receiving calls rather than making them, it would likely take a sizeable offer to pry him away from the Kraken. Friedman didn’t mention any teams specifically, but Ben Kuzma of The Province and Sammi Silber of The Hockey News both wrote articles rationalizing why the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals could be potential fits respectively.

Although anything can happen, and more than two teams are likely calling, the edge would have to go to the Capitals. Out of the 18 trades made in Kraken history, the biggest deals have all been made with Eastern Conference teams involving players like Mark Giordano, Marcus Johansson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Alexander Wennberg, and Kaapo Kakko.

Seattle has never been interested in helping teams within the Pacific Division and they don’t appear likely to trade arguably their top player, who they aren’t keenly interested in moving, to their rivals just over the northern border, even for a massive offer.

Washington would present another list of challenges. Even with approximately $17MM on LTIR, the Capitals only have $3.65MM in cap space which wouldn’t be enough to acquire McCann. They could include a roster player in the hypothetical trade but is Washington positioned to move on from Brandon Duhaime, Lars Eller, Nic Dowd, or Martin Fehervary?

As much as a player like McCann would generate plenty of trade interest, it doesn’t appear one is likely. Things could change leading up to the deadline, especially if more teams get involved, but it would likely require a generous overpay for the Kraken to part with their leading scorer.

Kraken Assign Jordan Eberle To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The Seattle Kraken have assigned team captain Jordan Eberle to the minor leagues on a conditioning stint. Eberle has been out of the lineup for nearly the entire season after suffering a pelvis injury in Seattle’s November 14th win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Eberle suffered the injury in a collision with Hawks defenseman Connor Murphy. His timetable was quickly drawn out in the wake of the injury. Eberle was originally designated as out day-to-day but ultimately needed surgery less than one week later. He was placed on long-term injured reserve and announced as out month-to-month on November 30th.

There have been very few updates on Eberle’s progress in the months since. He resumed off-ice workouts and light skating on January 23rd, but was said to still be a ways out from returning. Now, nearly three weeks later, the veteran winger seems to finally be on the mend. This AHL conditioning loan is likely an effort to keep Eberle on the practice sheet during Seattle’s two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off break, though he could have a chance at playing in one of Coachella Valley’s four games before the Kraken return from break. Of note, since Eberle remains on LTIR, he will be limited to six days and/or three games in the minors – though Seattle can appeal to receive two additional games.

Eberle was off to a red-hot start to the year before he fell to injury. He scored six goals and 11 points in Seattle’s first 17 games, good enough for second on the team in both scoring stats at the time of his injury. The scoring was a promising uptick after Eberle managed just 17 goals and 44 points in 78 games last season – far off the mark of the 63 points he posted in 2022-23. Eberle has emerged as a pillar of the Seattle lineup despite the fluctuating scoring. He’s glued himself to a top-six role and stood as one of Seattle’s best defensive forwards through parts of his first four seasons with the club. Seattle named Eberle as the second captain in franchise history before the start of the 2024-25 season. While he hasn’t had much of a chance to don the ’C’, the title still stands as a great indication of the role Eberle fills, and the priority he’ll be provided when he finally returns to full health.

Kraken’s Mitchell Stephens Clears Waivers, Victor Ostman Recalled

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2/10: Kraken forawrd Mitchell Stephens has cleared waivers, per a team report.

2/9: The Seattle Kraken announced a trio of roster moves on Sunday. Most notably, the team has placed forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to the minor leagues. Stephens has appeared in Seattle’s  last 16 games. He contributed two points, six penalty minutes, and a minus-four while averaging just north of nine minutes in ice time. Seattle also reassigned defenseman Cale Fleury and goaltender Ales Stezka to the AHL, and recalled goaltender Victor Ostman from the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks.

Seattle does not play again until February 22nd, likely indicating that the moves of Stephens, Fleury, and Stezka are headed for AHL playing time during the 4-Nations Face-Off break. Ostman has been recalled to keep the team roster-compliant, and could be in store for an impromptu vacation while the team takes the next two weeks off. Ostman is playing in his rookie professional season this year, after spending the last four seasons vying for the starting role at the University of Maine. He’s performed well in his first pro games, already winning out the Mavericks’ starting role with an impressive 18-7-4 record and .905 save percentage in 29 games played. Ostman is playing in front of seasoned pro Jack LaFontaine, who has a 10-4-1 record and .904 Sv% in 16 games.

While Ostman questions what warm destination he’ll spend the next two weeks in, the Kraken will hold their breath to see if Stephens stays with the club while passing through waivers. He’s been a career depth-forward, alternating between the NHL and AHL lineups over the last six seasons. That stretch started in the 2019-20 season when Stephens made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning, then had his name etched into the Stanley Cup just a few months later. He recorded six points, 10 penalty minutes, and a minus-nine in 38 games as an NHL rookie – with all four stats still standing as career-highs. Stephens has played in 82 NHL games in parts of four seasons since then, but only managed 13 points. He’s been far more productive in the minors, totaling 92 points in 139 AHL games since the start of the 2020-21 season. Stephens will get a chance to return to his AHL productivity, should he pass through waivers unclaimed.

Kraken Reassign Gustav Olofsson, Ryker Evans Skating

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The Seattle Kraken announced that they’ve reassigned defenseman Gustav Olofsson to the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL. The 30-year-old was recalled Saturday under emergency conditions but served as a healthy scratch last night and did not see any NHL action during his brief recall.

Olofsson has not dressed in any NHL games this season and has played just four NHL contents since joining the Kraken organization back in August 2021. The Boras, Sweden native is having one of his better seasons as a professional in the AHL, posting two goals and nine assists in 34 games while continuing to operate effectively in a shutdown role for the Firebirds.

Olofsson was recalled in response to fellow defenseman Ryker Evans falling victim to an upper-body injury that sidelined him day-to-day. Evans skated today in a non-contact jersey and his status remains the same (as per Mike Benton of the Kraken Audio Network).

Given that he is skating in a no-contact jersey it seems likely that Evans will miss Seattle’s game tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings, which would mark three consecutive games out of the lineup for the 23-year-old. The sophomore is having a good offensive season, tallying five goals and 16 assists in 50 games. He’s also put up some good defensive numbers with 80 hits and 77 blocked shots, however, turnovers remain a cause for concern as he’s committed 48 of them this season.

Cale Fleury appears likely to assume Evans’s role in the lineup in the interim but probably won’t log the same kind of minutes, as evidenced by the 8:33 he played in last night’s loss to the Calgary Flames.

Kraken Recall Gustav Olofsson, Ryker Evans Day-To-Day

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The Seattle Kraken have recalled defenseman Gustav Olofsson under emergency conditions. The move comes in response to sophomore Ryker Evans’ suffering an upper-body injury that has him out day-to-day, per Mike Benton of the Kraken Audio Network. Evans missed Seattle’s Thursday win over the San Jose Sharks, making the team eligible for this recall. Olofssson is likely to serve as a depth option for the duration of his call-up, with the Kraken carrying six healthy defenders even with Evans out.

Olofsson is playing through his 12th season of pro hockey this year. Every year has been largely the same, with Olofsson earning a spot at the top of his club’s call-up list with stout, shutdown defense in the minors. He’s played NHL games in seven of the last nine years, only being held back by a season-long injury in 2018-19 and a shortened season in 2021. He has totaled 11 assists and 18 penalty minutes in 66 career NHL games over that span but is still searching for his first NHL goal. He hasn’t been much more productive in the minor leagues. Olofsson has totaled 109 points in 349 games in the AHL, with 24 points in the 2016-17 season standing as his career-high. His career has spanned tenures with the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, and Seattle Kraken – as well as stints with four different minor league clubs.

Seattle will be able to play Olofsson in upwards of 10 games, or roster him for up to a month, on emergency basis. That should be plenty of time to allow Evans to work back to full health.

Kraken’s Yanni Gourde Out Five To Seven Weeks Following Sports Hernia Surgery

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One of the more popular rental candidates for the trade deadline will be on the shelf for some time. The Seattle Kraken announced Yanni Gourde will miss the next five to seven weeks after undergoing successful sports hernia surgery.

It’s a difficult situation for both the player and the team. He’ll return on the day of the trade deadline, March 7th, should he miss the minimum amount of time.

Gourde has once again faced challenges this year offensively. He has scored six goals and recorded 16 points in 35 games, significantly lower than his performance two years ago when he achieved 14 goals and 48 points. His average ice time has decreased by nearly two minutes, but he has maintained a solid success rate in the faceoff circle.

If he’s traded before the deadline, he’ll likely command far less than he otherwise would. It’s reminiscent of the situation the Columbus Blue Jackets found themselves in when they traded the injured Gustav Nyquist to the Minnesota Wild for a 2023 fifth-round pick.

Given his ability to play effective minutes in the bottom six, being a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and the fact that he’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, Gourde should still command some interest toward the deadline. If the Kraken eats half of his salary for the remainder of his season, Gourde should potentially fetch a later-round pick.

Kraken Reassign Philipp Grubauer

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Jan. 30: Grubauer cleared waivers and will be assigned to the AHL, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. The Kraken recalled Ales Stezka from Coachella Valley earlier today to serve as their new backup.

Jan. 29: The Kraken announced Wednesday that they’ve placed goaltender Philipp Grubauer on waivers. He will be reassigned to AHL Coachella Valley if he clears.

Grubauer is the second high-profile veteran in as many days to hit the waiver wire, joining the Blues’ Brandon Saad (who cleared them today). He’s also the second big-money netminder to land on waivers recently after the Penguins’ Tristan Jarry cleared them earlier this month.

Grubauer’s contract is strikingly similar to his counterpart in Pittsburgh’s, except he’s further along. Seattle signed the German to a six-year, $35.4MM commitment in free agency before their inaugural season, tabbing him to serve as their first starter coming off a Vezina Trophy nomination with the Avalanche. He’s now in the fourth year of that deal, which carries a $5.9MM cap hit, and has yet to even sniff an average campaign.

Not once in Grubauer’s nine NHL seasons before arriving in Seattle had he posted a save percentage under .900. But since arriving in the Pacific Northwest, he hasn’t touched .900 in a single season and has averaged a .890 mark with a 3.10 GAA in a Kraken jersey. He hasn’t started north of 40 games since his first season in Seattle and has a cumulative 54-76-12 record with four shutouts.

While Grubauer isn’t playing behind the elite Capitals and Avalanche teams he had support from earlier in his career, he’s actively been a drag on the Kraken’s record over the life of the deal. He’s allowed 57.7 goals above expected since 2021, per MoneyPuck. 17.5 of those conceded goals have come this season, on track to put him last in the league in the stat after doing so already in 2021-22.

His recent run of play makes it easy to see why now is the moment Seattle’s patience has run out. He’s 0-5-1 in his last six appearances and has allowed 22 goals on 127 shots during that timeframe, working out to a .827 SV%. When compared to now-undisputed starter Joey Daccord’s numbers this season (17-12-2, .916 SV%, 2.45 GAA), there’s no questioning whether Grubauer’s struggles are individual or systemic.

There won’t be any takers on waivers as a result, and the likelihood of a trade is minimal – especially with his 10-team no-trade clause. All signs point to a buyout this summer, which would cost the Kraken $1.68MM against the cap for the next four seasons, per PuckPedia. For the rest of the season, Seattle can shave $1.15MM off Grubauer’s cap hit, so he’ll cost $4.75MM against the cap after being reassigned tomorrow.

Where Seattle goes for a new backup for Daccord in the interim remains to be seen. Next up on the depth chart is 28-year-old Ales Stezka, who’s been recalled a handful of times under emergency conditions since signing with the Kraken as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but has yet to make his NHL debut. The Czech goalie has a .902 SV% and 3.00 GAA with an 8-12-4 record in 24 appearances for Coachella Valley this season – not particularly inspiring numbers.

Instead, expect them to trade for a depth netminder from a team with more depth at the position to finish out the season. Third-stringers like the Islanders’ Marcus Högberg and Utah’s Jaxson Stauber have done well in limited action this season, although the former is still needed in New York with Semyon Varlamov on the shelf.

Long-term, Seattle’s set between the pipes with Daccord as the starter. The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $25MM extension in October to keep him off this summer’s free agent market.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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