In this series, Heavy Sports is looking at what every NHL team has done over the offseason. Next up is the Seattle Kraken. Seattle is coming off of another middling season, in which they posted a 34-37-11 record. This gave them 79 points in the NHL standings after what was an average campaign in a weak pacific division. This is a team that is still looking to break back into the playoff conversation; they have not made the postseason since the 2023 season.
Who are Seattle’s Additions?
Key additions: Curtis Douglas, Mackie Samoskevich,
The big addition of the summer for this Kraken team is Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers. The 23 year old forward recorded 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points in 77 games with Florida last season. Recent acquisition Bobby McMann received a six year $34.5 million extension with the club. He amassed 10 goals and four assists in his initial 18 game stint with Seattle last year. The team still has over $18 million in salary cap space to work with. They tried to snag Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars to no avail.
Who are Seattle’s Subtractions?
Key subtractions: Matt Murray, Jamie Oleksiak, Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen
Seattle has lost a couple significant depth pieces this offseason, but otherwise the group has gone mostly unchanged. Jaden Schwartz moves on to the Colorado Avalanche, he had been with this Kraken team since its inception in the 2021 expansion draft. Jamie Oleksiak departed to the Vancouver Canucks. Eeli Tolvanen is one of the few notable free agents remaining that has been unsigned to this point. Shane Wright has been involved in trade rumors all summer, but nothing has materialized on that front yet.
Overall, it has been a pretty uneventful offseason in Seattle. The most positive development of the summer came through the draft, in which defenseman Chase Reid dropped to their laps at seventh overall. He could become this team’s number one d-man down the line. With that said, the free agency/trade front has been more quiet. For a team that wants to make that next step into reaching contention status, it does not appear enough has been done by general manager Jason Botterill to put this team into that postseason discussion. The saving grace is the fact the pacific division is wide open, so there could be a wildcard spot up for grabs. Nevertheless, this is a team that would seem to lack the star power needed to make that playoff push. There is decent depth on this club, but not enough x-factors that can put them over the edge. The Kraken’s hopes for next season depend on some of their promising young pieces stepping up. They need more from their 2023 Calder winner, Matty Beniers. Can Kaapo Kakko find that form he never found with New York? What can Berkley Catton do in his sophomore campaign after a tough rookie year? The youth will need to take strides forward if this team wants a chance; their are not enough veteran difference makers that can accomplish that alone.
All transactions are available via Puck Pedia.
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