Why this young forward is the key to Seattle’s future

When the Seattle Kraken pulled the trigger on that big trade last night, it made one thing crystal clear: This team is focused on the future. While it’s tough to say goodbye to key contributors, there’s still good news on the horizon, and it comes in the form of Shane Wright. Once touted as a possible first overall pick, Wright landed in the Emerald City at fourth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft—and he’s quietly becoming the offensive catalyst the Kraken desperately need.

Even though he’s often relegated to third-line duties, Wright has been one of Seattle’s most potent scorers this season. And that’s what makes his rise so intriguing: He’s doing it without the top-line minutes players like Juraj Slafkovský and Logan Cooley are getting elsewhere. Sure, the Kraken are retooling, but with Shane Wright leading the youth movement, fans should be excited to see how this team evolves in the coming seasons.

A shocking draft day fall and a season of growth

Heading into the 2022 NHL Draft, a lot of people—and maybe even Shane Wright himself—expected him to go first overall. Then Montreal took Slafkovský. Then New Jersey went with another Slovak standout. Then Arizona passed on Wright in favor of Logan Cooley. By the time the Kraken were on the clock, they practically stumbled into a prized prospect many analysts believed was the best on the board.

Critics argued that Wright’s confidence might have gone overboard, especially when he openly stated he “deserved” to be the top pick. But the Kraken took a chance on his potential, and that first season in the organization showed us plenty. Wright hopped from league to league—OHL, AHL, NHL, and even the World Juniors—and still found ways to score at every stop. Sure, he needed extra development time thanks to the pandemic wiping out an entire year of hockey, but Seattle gave him the runway he needed.

That approach paid off big. Wright racked up 47 points in 59 games with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds in the 2023-24 campaign, adding another 13 in 12 playoff contests. He even got a brief call-up to the Kraken, notching five points in eight NHL games. When Dan Bylsma moved from the Firebirds’ bench to the Kraken’s head coaching job, it felt like a perfect reunion. But Wright’s early struggles saw him scratched for three straight games—enough to spark concern among fans. As it turned out, that tough-love approach kicked his development into high gear. The moment he returned, he put up a goal and an assist, then went on a tear with nine points in his next eight outings.

Holding the keys to the Kraken’s future

Fast-forward a bit, and Wright’s momentum hasn’t let up. Compared to the rest of the 2022 draft class he’s near the top in production, trailing only players who log more minutes with top-line opportunities. Despite playing an average of just over 13 minutes a night on Seattle’s third line, he’s racked up 37 points and leads the team with seven power-play tallies. It’s the kind of production that makes you wonder what he could do with a full-time gig on the top line.

Even though last night’s trade signaled that the Kraken are embracing a rebuild, it also confirms the franchise wants to build around cornerstones like Wright, Matty Beniers, and hopefully Kaapo Kakko. It’s never fun to watch beloved players pack up and move, but if these moves pay off, Seattle’s future could be electric. For fans, keeping tabs on the growth of Wright—and the stockpile of upcoming draft picks—might be the biggest source of excitement as the Kraken retool.

Yes, the current product on the ice might look a little rough, but the long game is often where great teams find their stride. If you’re searching for a silver lining after the trade, look no further than Shane Wright. He’s evolving into the star Seattle hoped for, and if he’s already this good on third-line minutes, just wait until he’s front and center in the Kraken’s top six. The future might be bumpy, but with Wright in the mix, it’s definitely bright.