Post by krakengm on Mar 5, 2024 1:53:07 GMT -5
Seattle, WA - Since January 19th the Seattle Kraken have been busy. They have made 9 trades, 2 waiver claims, and signed four pending unrestricted free agents to new deals. The direction of the Seattle club has been unclear since the trade of Nazem Kadri, but some trends are starting to emerge. It looks like the team prioritized some UFAs as trade bait, some as players they want long term, and they have favoured very specific players over draft picks. The team has struggled mightily this season, and making room for some younger players this year and next have been the focus of the front office. The team expects the turn around to begin next year, but they are tempering expectations.
"We expect to be a very young team next season. We've added some exciting players via trade and from the past drafts that we believe will lead us out of the basement into the playoffs in the next couple of years," said GM Jade Graber. When asked if they feel they have been a failure in comparison to other more successful expansion teams in recent memory, the GM was forthright. "We thought we had a competitive team. We didn't like what was going on on the ice last season, and made some changes. This year, we tried again with some of those key players, and felt that if we were going to struggle, we may as well develop some players in the process. To do that we had to get younger. We're on the right path, but we are asking our fans to be patient. They will be able to cheer for young guys like Leo Carlsson and Zach Benson next year, along with some of the youngsters we already have like Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirill Marchenko."
A summary of their recent moves:
Tyler Johnson (3 years), Logan O'Connor (5 years), Adin Hill (3 years), and Ryan Donato (3 years) received extension. The first three are expected to be a big part of their leadership group going forward with the Kraken, and Donato will either be a bottom six performer, or a key leader with the Aviators.
Craig Smith, Austin Watson, and Connor Brown claimed on waivers. Both players figure into the team's future. Smith has a no trade clause and is signed for one more year. He is a veteran presence on the bottom six, as is Brown, though he lacks trade protection. Watson has a place with the Kraken this year, and is expected to fight for a role next year, or will be a key leader on the farm.
James Van Riemsdyk was acquired for a 4th round pick, and Casey Cizikas was acquired for Gustav Nyquist. While these moves happened a month apart, they fulfilled similar goals. JVR was brought in to replace the many veterans that were dealt away. Nyquist was a UFA that did not figure into the club's plans, while Cizikas is signed for two more years on an inflated contract. However, Cizikas is strong in the faceoff ciricle, and with several young wingers coming up, the club wanted a reliable veteran who could win some faceoffs and let them start with possession.
Jan Rutta was dealt away for a 4th round pick and Patrick Nemeth, then reacquired for a 7th round pick and Luke Henman. Nemeth is expected to be a part of the bottom six next season, while Rutta is a pending UFA who does not figure into the Kraken's long term plans. He provides grit and leadership in the short term. Worst case scenario is the club is compensated when he walks away. If a team comes calling for him at the deadline, he will continue to stock the futures cupboard while inching toward Arpad Mihaly territory.
Ryan Carpenter, Luke Henman, and JR Avon departed along with two 7th round picks and some cash for 2 different 7th round picks and three 5th rounders. Two were veterans that did not figure into the club's plans, and Avon is a speedy player who could have potentially got lost in a system deep with similar players. Moving him to a better situation for a pick just made sense.
Anthony Mantha was dealt to Columbus for a second rounder and goalie Niklas Kokko. On first glance this seems like an underwhelming return for one of the more marketable UFAs available this year. The club prioritized adding a goalie that they feel can have a big impact on the club in the future. After two entry drafts in which the club failed to add one of their highest rated goalies, there was a lot of internal pressure to prioritize adding a goalie this year. By adding one of the top 15 goalie prosects out there the club feels they can stick to the plan of targeting the best player available in early rounds. If they get another goalie, great. If not, there is no pressure to change strategies.
The biggest deal was also one that may not make much of a difference for a couple years. The club added Jirj Kulich, Jakub Brabenec, Dmitri Samorukov, Vojtek Port, and Leevi Merilainen for Ethan Gauthier, Keegan Kolesar, Matt Kiersted, Kaden Hammell, Cameron Whitehead, and a 2025 second rounder. The key to this deal was adding Jiri Kulich. He will be ready to play in the NsHL at least two seasons sooner than Gauthier, and the club is confident that he will be the better prospect. However, the club gave up energy winger Keegan Kolesar and the second rounder because of that belief. Moving Whitehead, who the club really like as a goalie prospect, for Merilainen was about pushing timelines forward - Merilainen is likely to play in the AsHL next season. Brabenec will also likely skate for the Aviators next year. Swapping Kaden Hammell for Vojtek Port was a bit of a wash because both are longer term prospects who have similar profiles.
Seattle is definitely not done trying to make moves, but will be taking a bit of a wait and see approach until closer to the deadline. Players that are expected to move are Alexander Barabanov and one of their veteran defensemen - most likely one of the Justins (Holl or Schultz). The club would also be willing to move players like Rutta or Van Riemsdyk, along with goalie Kevin Lankinen. At least one or two moves are coming, but the biggest deals have probably already been done.
--- Johnny Pike of the Seattle Times
"We expect to be a very young team next season. We've added some exciting players via trade and from the past drafts that we believe will lead us out of the basement into the playoffs in the next couple of years," said GM Jade Graber. When asked if they feel they have been a failure in comparison to other more successful expansion teams in recent memory, the GM was forthright. "We thought we had a competitive team. We didn't like what was going on on the ice last season, and made some changes. This year, we tried again with some of those key players, and felt that if we were going to struggle, we may as well develop some players in the process. To do that we had to get younger. We're on the right path, but we are asking our fans to be patient. They will be able to cheer for young guys like Leo Carlsson and Zach Benson next year, along with some of the youngsters we already have like Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirill Marchenko."
A summary of their recent moves:
Tyler Johnson (3 years), Logan O'Connor (5 years), Adin Hill (3 years), and Ryan Donato (3 years) received extension. The first three are expected to be a big part of their leadership group going forward with the Kraken, and Donato will either be a bottom six performer, or a key leader with the Aviators.
Craig Smith, Austin Watson, and Connor Brown claimed on waivers. Both players figure into the team's future. Smith has a no trade clause and is signed for one more year. He is a veteran presence on the bottom six, as is Brown, though he lacks trade protection. Watson has a place with the Kraken this year, and is expected to fight for a role next year, or will be a key leader on the farm.
James Van Riemsdyk was acquired for a 4th round pick, and Casey Cizikas was acquired for Gustav Nyquist. While these moves happened a month apart, they fulfilled similar goals. JVR was brought in to replace the many veterans that were dealt away. Nyquist was a UFA that did not figure into the club's plans, while Cizikas is signed for two more years on an inflated contract. However, Cizikas is strong in the faceoff ciricle, and with several young wingers coming up, the club wanted a reliable veteran who could win some faceoffs and let them start with possession.
Jan Rutta was dealt away for a 4th round pick and Patrick Nemeth, then reacquired for a 7th round pick and Luke Henman. Nemeth is expected to be a part of the bottom six next season, while Rutta is a pending UFA who does not figure into the Kraken's long term plans. He provides grit and leadership in the short term. Worst case scenario is the club is compensated when he walks away. If a team comes calling for him at the deadline, he will continue to stock the futures cupboard while inching toward Arpad Mihaly territory.
Ryan Carpenter, Luke Henman, and JR Avon departed along with two 7th round picks and some cash for 2 different 7th round picks and three 5th rounders. Two were veterans that did not figure into the club's plans, and Avon is a speedy player who could have potentially got lost in a system deep with similar players. Moving him to a better situation for a pick just made sense.
Anthony Mantha was dealt to Columbus for a second rounder and goalie Niklas Kokko. On first glance this seems like an underwhelming return for one of the more marketable UFAs available this year. The club prioritized adding a goalie that they feel can have a big impact on the club in the future. After two entry drafts in which the club failed to add one of their highest rated goalies, there was a lot of internal pressure to prioritize adding a goalie this year. By adding one of the top 15 goalie prosects out there the club feels they can stick to the plan of targeting the best player available in early rounds. If they get another goalie, great. If not, there is no pressure to change strategies.
The biggest deal was also one that may not make much of a difference for a couple years. The club added Jirj Kulich, Jakub Brabenec, Dmitri Samorukov, Vojtek Port, and Leevi Merilainen for Ethan Gauthier, Keegan Kolesar, Matt Kiersted, Kaden Hammell, Cameron Whitehead, and a 2025 second rounder. The key to this deal was adding Jiri Kulich. He will be ready to play in the NsHL at least two seasons sooner than Gauthier, and the club is confident that he will be the better prospect. However, the club gave up energy winger Keegan Kolesar and the second rounder because of that belief. Moving Whitehead, who the club really like as a goalie prospect, for Merilainen was about pushing timelines forward - Merilainen is likely to play in the AsHL next season. Brabenec will also likely skate for the Aviators next year. Swapping Kaden Hammell for Vojtek Port was a bit of a wash because both are longer term prospects who have similar profiles.
Seattle is definitely not done trying to make moves, but will be taking a bit of a wait and see approach until closer to the deadline. Players that are expected to move are Alexander Barabanov and one of their veteran defensemen - most likely one of the Justins (Holl or Schultz). The club would also be willing to move players like Rutta or Van Riemsdyk, along with goalie Kevin Lankinen. At least one or two moves are coming, but the biggest deals have probably already been done.
--- Johnny Pike of the Seattle Times