The Trade Deadline is here, and in a few short hours the Kraken will have to lock down their roster until the end of the NHL season.
So how are the Kraken coming into this?
I mean…they’re alright? They’re also in a division that can mask a lot of your problems.
The two losses to St. Louis have been extremely unpleasant, but ultimately the Kraken are keeping their uneasy appearance in the Western Conference’s final wildcard spot; in part thanks to timely wins against good teams, and in part to the rest of the conference’s active shooting-self-in-the-foot.
The Kraken are a team that desperately needs low event hockey; not just to allow themselves a chance to win but also as a matter of principal from coach Lane Lambert and from the team’s executives being smitten with the idea of it being a defensive style. It’s definitely one you can point to and see the defensive structure working as intended, but the lack of high-end scoring talent means the transition game is still highly dependent on two to three players; two of whom are over the age of 30 and are UFAs coming into next season.
The Kraken need upgrades in their top six as well as on their defense, and this is probably the best chance they’ll have before the offseason to get that done.
Safety Tips!
- News of deals often trickles in a little after 3 PM Eastern/Noon Pacific, so don’t be surprised if some things are announced after the deadline.
- This isn’t nearly as big of a problem as it used to be, but double-check that you’re looking at a genuine profile (and not a parody account) if you’re sharing a link from Twitter/Bluesky/Threads/etc. etc.
- Jason Botterill will likely speak to the media post-deadline.
Lingering Storylines
The Shane Wright Saga’s final chapters?
The Shane Wright saga has been a long and arduous path for both player, organization, and fanbase. There has been a lot of discussion about this player being potentially traded since the beginning of the new year, and there seems to be a goal for the team to improve by any means necessary. If he manages to get the Wright’s rumors can be read here.
Do they keep the UFAs?
The Kraken have four major UFAs coming into next season: Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jamie Oleksiak. Three of those players are well over 30, but are also integral to the Kraken’s success as not just major experience vectors but also as goalscorers…but they could also be the ultimate veteran presence for teams looking to go deep into the NHL playoffs if the right offer was floated their way, and the Kraken could benefit greatly from that windfall.
Now that Panarin’s out, who are they targeting?
According to NHL insiders, there was a concerted push by the Kraken to get Artemi Panarin before he ended up going to Los Angeles.
Yes. That Artemi Panarin. The package that ended up getting the Kings their man was pretty attainable, too.
So the question is; if they couldn’t get Panarin…who are they looking at?
With about 22 million in Cap Space; the Kraken need only part with prospects and picks to fit whoever they feel they can get. The obvious target seems to be Rob Thomas of the Blues due to his apparent, baffling inclusion in trade rumors, but with their space and the right application of assets, it feels like the Kraken could genuinely have whoever they wanted to.
So if not Breadman, then who?
Kraken Moves so far
- Trades
- None yet so far
- Signings/Re-signings
- Ben Meyers, 2 year deal, $1m per year
- Ryan Winterton, 2 year deal, $1.125m per year
- Ryden Evers, ELC, $1.015m per year
- Jordan Eberle, 2 year deal, $5.5m per year
- Waivers
- Tye Kartye was placed on waivers, picked up by New York Rangers
Let’s get after it!