Undeterred by Robertson whiff, Kraken are big-game hunting in trade market
One of the more (positively) surprising starts to the NHL season belongs to the Seattle Kraken. At 19 points through 15 games, the Kraken’s above-average start has them sitting in the Pacific Division’s third seed a little more than a month into the season. In arguably the NHL’s weakest division, the next closest team behind the Kraken are the Anaheim Ducks, who are two points behind having played one additional game.
Kraken GM Jason Botterill made a hard push for Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson this summer, reportedly offering the then-RFA an eight-year contract with an AAV in the neighborhood of $15 million. According to Kraken sources, the team is still looking to add, and as one source said, they are “big-game hunting.”
Given the overall weakness of the Pacific Division, striking while the iron is hot would behoove Botterill. The Kraken have been in what one could call the “mushy middle” for the lion’s share of their existence since 2021. They have made the playoffs just once in that span, earning a first-round win versus the then-reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.
The Kraken have since been too good to pick any higher than seventh in the draft, keeping them just outside the playoff picture and without the ability to draft a true, can’t-miss superstar while also not offering enough playing time for their younger players.
In a league desperate for centers, the Kraken are fairly deep down the middle throughout their organization. Matty Beniers, Frederick Gaudreau and Berkly Catton currently operate as the top three pivots, while Chandler Stephenson is a natural center, and 2025-first-round pick Jake O’Brien is still waiting in the wings. The team’s overall depth up the middle resulted in the ultimate trade of 2022-first-round pick Shane Wright to the Nashville Predators last weekend; he was playing on the wing before the trade, as well.
Speaking with team sources, the sense is that the Kraken are (ideally) looking to make a big-time addition at wing or on the back end. Given their pursuit of Robertson last summer, adding a winger to play with their deep crop of centers seems to be the higher of the two priorities.
In his piece earlier this week, DFO’s Matt Larkin listed the Kraken as a potential landing spot for disgruntled Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov, though already 33 years old, would certainly fit the bill as to what the Kraken are looking for and would instantly become the top player on the team. But given his reported desire to play with another superstar, it could prove to be a fly in the ointment in that potential scenario.
Though not quite a “blockbuster” type of acquistion like Kucherov would be, Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett would make sense on paper for Seattle. The Flyers are in need of centers in the worst way; given the Kraken’s depth at the position, the two seem like natural trade partners.
Tippett, 27, has been flirting with the 30-goal plateau for several years, having scored at least 27 goals in three of the last four seasons. With five years remaining on his contract ($6.2-million AAV) beyond this season, Tippett could be further unlocked offensively if he were to play with some of the centers that the Kraken have.
If the Kraken elect to make a move on defense, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson would certainly fit the bill as to what the Kraken are looking for. The 23-year-old Edvinsson is still in the midst of a holdout, and it is still unclear whether Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff has moved off his stance of not wanting to trade the 2021-first-round pick. If there were to be talks of a potential deal, you have to imagine that Detroit would have their sights set on O’Brien, as they could use a jolt down the middle.
Further down the list, Carolina Hurricanes defender Alexander Nikishin could be an option. The 25-year-old Russian ultimately signed a one-year contract ($3-million AAV) after asking out in Carolina; he is an RFA next summer, and a divorce could still ultimately be the end result. Problem is, given that the Hurricanes are dominant Stanley Cup contenders again this season, GM Eric Tulsky doesn’t need to rush to find the right deal.
The Kraken have been stuck in no man’s land for several seasons but have a chance to turn a corner by taking advantage of a weak Pacific Division. Botterill is looking to take a big swing – it is now up to him to execute on his desire and to, most of all, make it count.
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