Seattle Kraken
Seattle Kraken Searching for Offensive Boost as Trade Market Heats Up
Scoring woes have pushed the Seattle Kraken into the market for a top-six forward. With meetings underway, Seattle is prepared to make a move.
The Seattle Kraken continue to explore the trade market for an offensive addition, and general manager Jason Botterill has remained active in trying to upgrade the club’s top six. With scoring issues dragging down their season, the push to add a legitimate goal-scoring threat has become one of Seattle’s top priorities.
Through the first stretch of the year, the Kraken sit 31st in the NHL in goals per game, averaging just 2.52, ahead of only the Calgary Flames. Finding consistent offensive production has been a season-long challenge, and despite attempts to add help in previous months—including an offseason pursuit of St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou—Seattle has yet to land the scoring piece they’ve been seeking.
Management Meetings Signal Renewed Urgency
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the organization’s desire to add up front hasn’t changed. Pagnotta reiterated on the DFO Rundown Insider Edition that Kraken management has been meeting this week in Los Angeles, actively discussing the club’s direction and evaluating potential fits.
“They’re going through their meetings right now and trying to figure out the path and the direction of this club moving forward,” Pagnotta said. “We talked about this earlier in the season. They’re one of the teams that want to add a legitimate top-six threat that can add to their scoring and that’s controllable.”
Pagnotta added that Seattle isn’t just looking for a rental, but a long-term piece: “They are a team that wants to add a piece that’s going to be part of their club for a long run.”
Potential Targets: Kyrou, Sherwood, and Other Forwards
Kyrou’s still a name we remember, but the Kraken are looking at other players too. Word is, they’ve checked out Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks, along with some other guys who might fit the bill.
Sherwood plays a tough, straight-ahead game and can score a bit, which could really help the Kraken forwards, who often have a hard time keeping the pressure on in the offensive zone.
Internal Contract Decisions Complicate the Picture
Seattle’s not just looking outside for goals; they’ve got stuff to sort out inside, too. Pagnotta mentioned the Kraken need to take care of some internal housekeeping with their soon-to-be free agent players. These guys are Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Mason Marchment, and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak.
What happens with these players will change how hard Seattle goes after trades. If the team decides some of these older players aren’t in their future plans, they might start making bigger moves with draft picks or young players.
PuckPedia says the Kraken have about $3.3 million in cap space. That’s enough to add a decent player, but not a big-name, expensive star, unless another team eats some of the salary or Seattle frees up more money somehow. Botterill will need to be smart about how he uses that space when evaluating available players.
Still in the Playoff Mix Despite Scoring Struggles
Even with some scoring problems, the Kraken are still in the mix out West. They’re 12th in the conference with an 11-8-6 record, only a point out of a wild-card spot. This means the team is looking to buy to get better, not sell off players.
Seattle’s defense and goalie play have been solid, but in the NHL now, any team that wants to make the playoffs needs a couple of forwards who can score on a regular basis.
The Kraken want to improve their scoring, and they want to do it fast. They might go back to players they looked at before, like Kyrou, try to get someone more physical, like Sherwood, or find someone completely new. Either way, they’re definitely looking.
Seattle is almost good enough to make the playoffs, but if they can’t score more goals, it’s going to be hard to move up.
Next: 3 Teams That Could Target Jordan Kyrou in a Trade
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