The Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken are working on a swap that would send Shane Wright to Nashville and Matthew Wood to Seattle, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. The trade terms have not been revealed yet, but the framework points to a move involving the former fourth-overall pick and the Predators winger.
Friedman said on November 1, 2026: “Hearing Seattle and Nashville working on something that will involve Shane Wright and Matthew Wood.”
For Nashville, the potential return is the more eye-catching name. Wright was selected fourth overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft after entering that draft year as a consensus No. 1 pick, and Seattle has reportedly been trying to move him. The early read on his NHL offense has been underwhelming, but the Kraken still see a 22-year-old whose two-way game stands out and whose scoring touch could still develop.
That’s the bet Nashville would be making. Wright has three goals and one assist this season for a Kraken team that is outperforming expectations, and he profiles as a possible middle-six center with room for more if the offense ever catches up to the rest of his game.
Wood, meanwhile, has not produced much more in Seattle’s eyes. He has three points in 14 games, which makes this less about a clean offensive upgrade and more about both teams trying to shake loose something better from young players who may need a change of scenery.
The move also fits a bigger picture in Nashville. The Predators moved away from Luke Evangelista this past offseason, and this could be another step in that direction with Wood.
It may also be the first of several deals as the Predators look to get younger and reshape an organizational depth chart that already includes a strong group of prospects. Wright could also end up filling the spot Ryan O’Reilly might vacate if the rumors about him being shopped turn out to be true.
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For Nashville, the appeal is obvious: Wright arrives with a different kind of resume than Matthew Wood, the 2023 first-rounder who went the other way after his rookie season with the Predators. It is the sort of swap that can alter the long-term picture for both clubs, and for the Predators it leaves one obvious question hanging over the move: what exactly can Wright become in a new setting? [Read more 🡒]
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Steven Stamkos also had a hand in shaping the night, and in a way that made the outcome feel even more pointed against his former team. Adam Edstrom added to the offense as Nashville kept finding answers, but the game still swung into extra drama before the final resolution arrived in the skills competition, leaving the Predators with a win that mattered for both the standings and the tone it set. [Read more 🡒]