The Calgary Flames aren’t sounding eager to push Zach Whitecloud out the door, and the reason is pretty straightforward: veteran defensemen matter, especially on a young blue line.
Anthony Di Marco reported on Daily Faceoff that, after speaking with Flames sources, there’s no sense the team is in a hurry to move Whitecloud to open the season. In fact, his presence could make the price to acquire him climb even higher.
The other big name in the chatter is Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright, and the conversation around him is less about a move that’s happening now and more about what he could become. David Pagnotta discussed Wright on Daily Faceoff and raised the possibility that he could grow into a real weapon for Seattle - or become part of a trade package in a bigger deal.
Pagnotta pointed to Simon Edvinsson as the kind of player that could draw interest, though he also noted that the Detroit Red Wings have made it clear they want to re-sign Edvinsson and keep him, not trade him. Still, the idea is out there if Seattle ever decides to use Wright as an asset.
“He wants more responsibility. He’s got to earn that, but he wants to be given the opportunity to earn it.
And if he maintains his pace of play this season, maybe the whole, you know, cloud that’s been over him shifts. And by that I mean again wanting to play more, wanting to play top six, being able to be, you know, one of their main drivers for that team.
“It’s a catch-22, but you know, maybe you want to give him a bit of a longer leash. And if things work out in Seattle, awesome.
“Alternatively, this is a team that I believe has interest in a guy like Edvinsson. Do you utilize a guy like Wright in a package for him.
Well, I know there’s interest, but I’m also connecting, trying to connect some dots here. At the same time, I just want to reiterate as well that Shawn Horcoff ‘s been very adamant to all the teams that he’s not trading Edvinsson, at least not now.
“But I am curious if the idea or the desire or want- it’s not a burning desire, but you know- if he wants more of an opportunity somewhere else, if they utilize that asset to appease another part of the, of the roster. But if he continues to play well, he continues to eat minutes, and you know, the confidence is now a) in him, and b) within the team in him, then you know, hey, all right, we wash our hands of this.
It’s a thing of the past, and he becomes one of their main weapons for, for the Kraken. But that’s kind of a wait-and-see mode, right?”
For now, that’s where both situations sit: Whitecloud as a player the Flames may be willing to hold onto, and Wright as a player whose role in Seattle could either grow into something bigger or become part of a future trade conversation.
In Other News...
Kraken Blue Line Suddenly Faces A Ryan Lindgren Concern
Seattles blue line took an early hit against the Vegas Golden Knights when Ryan Lindgren was injured on a boarding penalty incident in the opening period. The defenseman was forced out after the first and did not return, leaving the Kraken to finish the night shorthanded on the back end.
The immediate concern now is how long Seattle may be without Lindgren as the team heads into an upcoming road trip. With no update yet on the severity or recovery timeline, the Kraken could be looking to their depth for help, and healthy scratches Josh Mahura or Ville Ottavainen are among the options to step into the mix if another defenseman is needed. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken May Have Found A New Edge That Actually Matters
A recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights offered the Kraken something they have not had much of in franchise history: a real edge on the draw. Seattle won 51.5% of the face-offs in that matchup, a notable swing for a team whose season-long success in that area has historically never climbed above 48.6%. It is the kind of detail that can get lost in the larger flow of a game, but research has long suggested face-offs can matter depending on personnel and strategy.
Lane Lambert has also made clear this is not something he views as a one-player job. The Kraken coach framed face-offs as a group responsibility, with all five skaters tied into what happens after the puck is dropped. For a team looking for small ways to tilt the ice, that kind of buy-in could be as important as the win itself, especially if Seattle can make a one-game spike into something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]