Tough Decisions Looming On Potential Grubauer, Burakovsky Buyouts

As the reshuffled Seattle Kraken front office ponders which new free agents to target, they also must decide whether to jettison one or both of the franchise’s original free agent signings. It’s both a roster and economics balancing act.

Like many observers, ProHockeyRumors.com believes goalie Philipp Grubauer has strapped on the pads for Seattle for the last time.

“Grubauer has been a shell of the version with the Colorado Avalanche. At the time of his signing four years ago, Grubauer had a career save percentage over .920 in seven NHL seasons.

“But since then, he hasn’t produced a single season over .899. His -14.6 Goals Saved Above Expected was the third worst in the NHL.

“With two years remaining at $5.9 million per season, buying out the 33-year-old would save Seattle almost $4 million in cap space next year and nearly $3 million in 2026-27. They would then face a charge of $1,683,333 in each of the following seasons after that.”

A similar calculation must be weighed for winger Andre Burakovsky, who inked a five-year, $27.5 million deal in 2022. “The 30-year-old fell below the 40-point margin for the third consecutive season (in 2024-25). He should be a trade or buyout candidate, given his injury history and declining performance.”

A complication is Burakovsky’s modified no-trade clause, which “might force Seattle to relinquish an asset or take back another undesirable contract” to swing a trade.

The latter option would seem to defeat the purpose. “A buyout would be spread over four seasons and save Seattle $5.83 million over the next two seasons total, but leave them with a $1.46 million cap hit the two seasons after (per PuckPedia.com).”

Francis Criticized For Lack Of ‘Aggression’ As GM

Those decisions will be made primarily by new Kraken GM Jason Botterill, in consultation with his predecessor, president of hockey ops Ron Francis – the man who, as general manager, originally signed Grubauer and Burakovsky.

Frank Seravelli of DailyFaceoff.com doesn’t look kindly on Francis’ body of work, as least as judged by four seasons of results. “There is a clear aggression that Francis lacks as a GM that spans multiple franchises. The way that he ran Carolina was the same kind of milquetoast way that he has run Seattle. He had different options to pick in the expansion draft. He could have gotten some better players and decided against that due to age or injury status.”

For my money, that’s too harsh an interpretation of the facts, and discounting of limitations beyond Francis’ control. But I’m only a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association, and Frank is PHWA president. So, Mr. President, continue.

“They have gained very little traction in the NHL in terms of acquiring difference makers. They are squarely in no man’s land. They are too good to be a lottery team and not nearly close enough to the playoffs to be a team that achieves any kind of meaningful success.”

Detroit Captain Felt Wings Were Clipped

It could be worse, y’know.

Yes, worse than missing the playoffs; worse than a coaching change; worse than a Hall of Famer general manager seemingly unable to pull the right levers.

The Seattle Kraken had all those things in 2024-25. So did the Detroit Red Wings, plus one bit of unpleasantness Seattle has avoided: their captain publicly calling out the front office and Steve Yzerman, the GM in Motown since 2019.

“We didn’t gain any momentum from the trade deadline,” Detroit’s Dylan Larkin said in his end-of-season media availabilty. “Guys were kind of down about it,” because the Wings at the time were in the mix for a wild card berth. “It’d be nice to add something,” Larkin said. “Bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and maybe a morale boost, as well.”

‘Running On Razzamatazz’

Six World Cup soccer matches will be played in Seattle in 2026. That prompted Scottish Sun reporter Graeme Croser to make an advance scouting trip to our city. While here, he took in a Kraken game and wrote about the experience, starting with Climate Pledge Arena.

“In 2018 work commenced to burrow deep into the earth and sculpt a purpose-built underground sports complex. The name is a nod to the arena’s sustainable status and its green credentials are proclaimed in exhibits detailing how it utilizes rainwater for its ice rink, sources the bulk of its food locally and diverts 95 per cent of its waste from landfill.

“It’s home to the Seattle Kraken, the city’s NHL team and on this particular Friday night the newly-formed Utah Hockey Club provide the opposition in front of 17,000 spectators.

“American sports run on razzamatazz and a Kraken goal is the cue for the PA system to blare the song Lithium by Nirvana, the most celebrated of the grunge bands to explode out of Washington State in the early 90s. Singer Kurt Cobain might have cringed at the mass chanting of ‘Let’s Go Kraken’ over the track’s refrain but he would certainly have approved of the progressive ethos that fuels the sports team.”

Writer’s note: If you’ve ever been to the amazing Edinburgh Tattoo Festival, which I was lucky enough to attend in 2017 (photos below), you’ll know it’s not just us Yanks who know a thing or two about “razzamatazz.”