Kraken Missed On Artemi Panarin, But Expect Them To Take Second Swing

The Seattle Kraken arose as a surprising bidder in the Artemi Panarin sweepstakes before he accepted a trade to the Los Angeles Kings. Everyone would soon find out that Panarin’s only option was the Kings, but if the Russian forward were willing to go to the highest bidder, he’d now be a Kraken.

Seattle was willing to offer Panarin $56 to $60 million over four years, a substantial raise from the two-year, $22 million extension he eventually signed with the Kings. Panarin could be looking at cashing in again in two years, but the Kraken would’ve offered him much more security over the rest of his career.

Nevertheless, the sunny skies of Los Angeles looked more promising for Panarin than the fog and rain in the Pacific Northwest. As far as he is concerned, the only place he was ever going to go was Los Angeles, and if not, he might’ve returned to Russia.

While Panarin didn’t work out for the Kraken, their management team drew a clear line in the sand by showing how much they were willing to pay the star. If that money was available to the New York Rangers’ former forward, then it’s there for another player if they want it. That message isn’t lost on the rest of the league, according to Elliotte Friedman via the 32 Thoughts podcast.

“Seattle’s massive offer to Panarin turned eyeballs northwest. They’re not going to do this for anyone, but now it is known they will do it for the right on-ice someone.”

It’s known that the Kraken need more scoring in their top-six. If Panarin was a target, then it’s easy to determine some other potential candidates to join the organization.

Kraken’s Potential Targets

If the Kraken shift their focus to the 2026 UFA class, there are only a couple of scorers remaining. The top one is Alex Tuch, who has put the Buffalo Sabres in a tough predicament. The Sabres are on a roll and trending toward breaking their playoff drought, but they are also far apart in contract talks with Tuch.

They could trade him at the deadline to recoup some assets, but selling their top winger in the middle of a playoff race would send a poor message to the fanbase. It’s increasingly likely that the season will end with Tuch still a Sabre and unsigned for the 2026-27 season.

The Kraken could also look at another Russian in Evgeni Malkin, depending on his plans with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s nearly impossible to see him leave the only organization he has ever known, but he could chase the money in Seattle on a one or two-year deal.

Malkin is in the twilight of his career, but he is on pace for 72 points this year, which would still be the clear leader in Seattle. With their outlandish contract proposal to Panarin, one thing is clear: the Kraken are desperate for scoring, no matter what it takes.

Next: Big Trade Brewing Between Jets and Kraken Involving Shane Wright?