Building for the future
So, with so many possibilities, how should the Kraken front office proceed? Honestly, taking a page out of the Kaapo Kakko playbook is a smart move. That trade showed the power of targeting young, talented players who just need the right environment to flourish. The Kraken already boast a budding core in Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and now Kakko, plus one of the top farm systems in the league. Adding more draft picks, prospects, or even young NHLers looking for a reset could pay off big-time down the road.
The key is not to settle for trades that net little more than cap relief or fringe prospects. There’s no point in selling for the sake of selling. If the right deal doesn’t come along for someone like Tanev, then keep him and enjoy his hustle and fan-favorite status for the rest of the year. But if the phone rings with an offer that can replenish or elevate the Kraken’s future, well, it might be time to say goodbye to some familiar faces.
We’re still very early in this franchise’s history, and having a couple of down years isn’t unusual in the grand scheme of building a contender—just look at some of the teams that dominated over the last decade and how they carefully constructed their rosters through smart trades and high draft picks. The 23-28-3 record might be frustrating right now, but in the big picture, it could lead to a top draft selection that, alongside the right trade-deadline deals, positions Seattle to rise in the next few seasons.
Eyes on the next wave
The Kraken’s current standing might have some fans feeling down, but keep your eyes on the silver lining: a likely high draft pick, the emergence of young talent, and a chance to make shrewd moves at the deadline. Whether we say farewell to Tanev, see Bjorkstrand or Schwartz shipped out, or pull off a surprise deal involving Burakovsky or Grubauer, each move made should be done with an eye toward the next wave of success.
The bottom line? The inaugural years for an expansion team are all about laying the right foundation. We’ve already seen some positive glimpses of the long-term plan: Beniers is a future star, Kakko seems reborn in Seattle, and we still have Shane Wright working to establish himself as an NHL regular. Combining that young core with a savvy front office approach at the deadline can ensure the Kraken are not just a fun, scrappy team to watch, but a legitimate contender in the seasons to come.
And when the time is right, we’ll all be ready to release the Kraken—this time, hopefully, right into the playoff picture for years to come.