Kraken Overlooked in Trade Talks for Superstar Forward

One of the more shocking developments of the offseason is a potential trade involving Dallas Stars’ superstar Jason Robertson. Entering the final season of his current contract, the 25-year-old forward would be a welcomed addition to any NHL team.

Lost in the thick of speculation for the Stars scorer is a dark horse in the race: the Seattle Kraken. Teams like the Carolina Hurricanes are already connected to Robertson. He will also be linked to big markets like the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, but the Kraken should be on everyone’s radar regarding a potential move.

The Western Conference is a jumbled mess, to be frank. Despite the Florida Panthers taking the Edmonton Oilers down two years in a row, the Oilers still remain the best team in the West. There are challengers, like the Stars, Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets, but the conference is up for grabs entering the 2025-2026 season.

That should give the Kraken’s management team the confidence to take this swing. Loaded with salary cap space, draft picks to spare, and prospects to part with, Seattle could easily put together a package to acquire Robertson.

The potential addition would give the team an elite scorer not currently on the roster. Last year, the Kraken were led in scoring by veterans Jared McCann, Chandler Stephenson, and Jaden Schwartz. That’s not enough firepower to make a difference in the West, but Robertson on the first line and an improvement from their young forwards could be.

According to PuckPedia, the Kraken currently have $18.5 million in salary cap space. They still have a few key restricted free agents to re-sign in Ryker Evans, Tye Kartye, and Kaapo Kakko. That will still leave plenty of space to absorb Robertson’s 2025 cap hit of $7.75 million and give them a year to negotiate an extension. If that fails, he will be a restricted free agent himself in the summer of 2026, giving the team even more time and leverage to get a deal done.

The last piece of the puzzle is the return for Dallas. The Stars will not part easily with Robertson, and it’s hard to recall a trade they’ve lost in recent memory. Every team dealing with Jim Nill, the brain behind the Stars, must proceed with caution.

The Kraken can give the Stars exactly what they’re looking for. Multiple forwards with cheaper salaries and plenty of upside are available, something Dallas can maximize. The Kraken also have two first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027 and two second-round picks in 2027. The pieces are there for Seattle; they just have to strike.

The biggest obstacle is not whether or not Seattle will part with a young player like Shane Wright, Ryker Evans, or one of their high draft picks. Instead, the biggest hurdle to get over will be the Stars themselves. If they aren’t ready to give up hope on Robertson and inking him to an extension, there’s no hope of finalizing this hypothetical blockbuster.

If a trade becomes more likely, the Kraken must not be overlooked. They may not be listed as a top landing spot or destination, but they are in a perfect position to add an elite player like Jason Robertson in the prime of his career.