2022 trade-deadline primer: Seattle Kraken

The most notable piece that the Kraken have to offer is captain Mark Giordano, who is on an expiring contract and carries a cap hit of $6.75M. Earlier Friday it was reported that Giordano hasn’t even submitted his partial no-trade list, knowing that wherever he goes will be a contending team. He’s going somewhere though, as both the veteran defenseman and general manager have agreed on that already. Giordano could be a pretty substantial addition for anyone, especially if the Kraken are willing to retain half his contract so more teams can fit him in financially. Last season, pending free agent David Savard landed the Columbus Blue Jackets a first- and third-round picks, while they also had to give up a fourth in order for a third party to retain salary. Some would argue that Giordano can still make a bigger impact than Savard, meaning that potentially could be the starting point, depending on how the market works out this season.

Beyond the captain, though, there are many other expiring deals. Calle Jarnkrok, Marcus Johansson, Riley Sheahan and Colin Blackwell could all carry varying levels of value for contenders, with the former two the most intriguing. Jarnkrok and Johansson are both extremely versatile players with histories at center (though both are likely better wingers at this point) and could slide into a team’s bottom six with ease. While they may not be the most impactful acquisitions, they also probably won’t cost much in terms of assets.

Then there are players like Jared McCann, who is a pending restricted free agent and could potentially make a much more thorough impact on a contender this season. Seattle’s leading scorer, McCann has 21 goals and 33 points in 48 games. Obviously, that’s a player who could continue to help the Kraken in the future, but given he is a pending restricted free agent just one year away from unrestricted free agency, they might want to cash in now.

Others, like Joonas Donskoi and Carson Soucy, are signed through 2022-23 but will hit the open market after that. The 29-year-old Donskoi is having a brutal year with just one goal in 54 games but has proven in the past that he can be a nice complementary player if given the right linemates. Soucy too is an effective defenseman who probably shouldn’t be playing in a contender’s top four but could add some pretty nice depth on an inexpensive $2.75M cap hit (before potential retention).

Others to Watch For: G Chris Driedger, F Mason Appleton, D Haydn Fleury

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: It’s simple, the Kraken need to load up and build through the draft. Their expansion experience wasn’t good enough to make them a playoff contender right out of the gate, and the free agent splurges were misplaced entirely. Matty Beniers is going to be the first true face of the franchise when he turns pro, but he’s going to need help. By the time March 21 is over, the Kraken should have another 2022 first-round pick in their hands, or the day might very well be considered a failure.

2) Flippable Contracts: There will be an opportunity though to acquire players this deadline who are having a bad season and potentially flip them down the line when they are closer to expiring. You can see the Arizona Coyotes trying this tactic with names like Shayne Gostisbehere and Nick Ritchie – take them now with a sweetener and send them out later for another asset. They’ll have to dig for the opportunities, but they are out there if you look hard enough.