Shane Wright’s third goal of the season on Saturday against the Florida Panthers did more than help the Kraken on the scoreboard. It also gave Seattle a little more reason to treat the 22-year-old former 4th-overall NHL Draft pick as a real trade chip.
And if the Kraken are going to swing big, Detroit looks like the cleanest fit.
That’s where the Red Wings have Simon Edvinsson, a 23-year-old Swedish defenseman who is reportedly holding out for a contract and asking for a trade. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound left shot is coming off his entry-level deal and is said to be seeking something in the neighborhood of $9-million to $11-million per season. For a Seattle team with an aging defense group and six blueliners either injured or active who are facing some form of free agency after the season, that kind of target should be hard to ignore.
The appeal is obvious. Edvinsson would bring a long-term anchor to the Kraken back end, and Seattle has the cap room, prospect depth, and enough draft capital to get into the conversation. There is competition for his services, but the Kraken are not short on ammunition.
They still have two first-round picks in 2027, including one that is conditional depending on where the Tampa Bay Lightning finish this season. They also own a pick in every round over the next three seasons.
So yes, this is the kind of package that can get creative fast. Wright, a couple of high picks, and a prospect such as Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, and/or Oscar Fisker Molgaard would at least give Seattle a serious swing at landing a physical, young defenseman built to last.
Detroit, for its part, could use the help too, and a young center like Wright would give the Red Wings another shot at offense.
And if the idea is about building out the blue line for the long run, pairing Edvinsson with 2026 Seattle 7th-overall selection Chase Reid would give the Kraken a lefty-righty look that would be pretty darn appealing on the back end.
In Other News...
Kraken Defense Just Hit A Breaking Point In Florida
The Krakens night in Florida quickly turned into damage control, with an 8-3 loss at Amerant Bank Arena exposing just how thin the blue line looked without two veteran defensemen. Seattle was already leaning on a patched-together lineup, and the task only got steeper once Florida started finding room in transition and around the crease.
Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each scored hat tricks for the Panthers, a brutal reminder of how much pressure Seattle was under from the opening stretch. Brandon Montour and Ryan Lindgren were out, and Josh Mahura, Cale Fleury and Ville Ottavainen dressed together for the first time this season, a new-look grouping that never really had a chance to settle in before the game got away. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Still Waiting To See When Perron Can Actually Help
David Perron is finally on the verge of joining the Dallas Stars after visa issues delayed his arrival, giving the club a chance to see what the veteran forward can add once he gets in the building. Dallas signed Perron to a one-year contract, and head coach Pete DeBoer said he will need some time to get up to speed, which makes this less about an immediate lineup fix and more about when he can realistically start helping.
For the Stars, the timing matters because every day he spends catching up is another day the team is waiting to see how he fits into its mix. Around the division, the injury and roster churn keep rolling too, with Seattles Brandon Montour sidelined by a lower-body injury, St. Louis missing Ross Johnston, and Vegas sending Ville Heinola to its AHL affiliate. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Get A Brandon Montour Scare They Cant Afford Right Now
The Krakens overtime loss to Tampa Bay on their East Coast trip was frustrating enough on the scoreboard, but the bigger concern came when Brandon Montour left early with an upper-body injury. Seattle is already juggling injuries on the blue line, including Ryan Lindgrens absence, so losing one of its key defensemen in the middle of a road swing is the kind of hit this group can ill afford.
With Montour sidelined, the club moved quickly and recalled Ty Nelson from Coachella Valley to give the defense some cover. For a team trying to stay afloat through a difficult stretch, the next few days will be about getting more clarity on Montour and hoping the injury turns out to be something Seattle can manage without losing him for long. [Read more 🡒]