The Seattle Kraken’s draft record has earned plenty of praise over the years, but not every first-round swing has aged the same way. In a recent The Athletic piece titled “Prospects I Was Wrong About,” Scott Wheeler revisited a handful of players he had rated incorrectly - and two of the names he says he overvalued belong to Seattle.
One of them is Shane Wright, the fourth overall pick in 2022. Wheeler called that draft “tough to handicap,” then took a direct shot at Wright’s profile.
“A vanilla game that lacked a dynamic trait and the feistiness scouts wanted to see from him at times, allowed for three players - Juraj Slafkovský, Šimon Nemec and Logan Cooley - to pass him down the stretch. He has become a good player, but may not reach the 30-goal, 70-point ceiling I set for him that year.”
Wheeler also pointed to something less tangible when assessing Wright’s stock.
“There was a missing je ne sais quoi in Wright - the aura - with truly world-class athletes.”
That phrase, of course, means an appealing quality that defies description. But another Athletic writer, Josh Yohe, offered a more concrete explanation for why Wright keeps surfacing in trade chatter.
“Two different sources in the Penguins’ organization, who spoke anonymously because they do not have permission to discuss the subject publicly, told me that general manager Kyle Dubas and the front office are intrigued by Wright. And really, why wouldn’t they be? He checks every box.
“He’s got talent. He’s apparently not that happy in Seattle.
Even better, he’s a center. And other than Ben Kindel, the Penguins don’t have any sure things in the pipeline down the middle.”
There’s also a familiar face in Pittsburgh’s front office now: Ron Francis, the former Kraken general manager who drafted Wright in 2022, has just been hired there as a senior advisor.
Wheeler’s other Seattle target was Eduard Sale, the 20th overall pick in 2023. His evaluation was even harsher.
“Low-compete, low-pace perimeter winger. Czechia’s junior league doesn’t produce many first-rounders, even if his shot, puck skill and touch were all eye-catching at times in his draft year.”
Wheeler suggested the language barrier may have slowed Sale’s development. And there’s one more wrinkle in Seattle’s favor: the Kraken were coming off the best season in franchise history, finishing 2022-23 with 46 wins and 100 points, which made Sale their only first-round pick outside the top 10.
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Blue Jackets Suddenly Face A Risky Jet Greaves Contract Standoff
The Kraken have another reason to keep an eye on the market, even with the offseason still offering more questions than answers. Shane Wright has drawn interest from Pittsburgh, adding another layer to a Seattle forward group that has already spent plenty of time under the microscope as the organization weighs how to shape its next step.
Seattle is believed to be setting a high price on Wright, which is no small wrinkle for a player still viewed as part of the clubs long-term picture. The Penguins interest is made more notable by Ron Francis being back in their organization and already familiar with Wrights development, but any conversation would still have to clear a steep asking price before it gets anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken May Have Found A Seventh Rounder Worth Watching Closely
Will Tomko is the kind of late-round swing that can quietly become interesting if the early signs keep stacking up. Seattle took the forward in the 2026 seventh round after a productive season with the Sioux City Musketeers, where he put up 24 goals and 60 points in 59 games, and he carried that momentum into Kraken development camp with a showing that fit the profile the organization seems to like: physical, fast and reliable away from the puck.
The next step now shifts to Ohio State, where Tomko is set to continue his development after not reaching an agreement with Penn State. For a player whose appeal already includes energy, defensive responsibility and the ability to chip in offense, the college route gives Seattle a longer runway to see whether the raw tools translate into something more than a depth pick, and that is exactly why he is worth keeping on the radar. [Read more 🡒]