The Calgary Flames should inquire about Shane Wright

There’s no doubt that the Calgary Flames’ biggest need right now is a top-line centre. The team seems to be looking to build out their blueline and goaltending first, but talent within their forward core is desperately needed.

With recent reports that Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright is available for trade, many Flames fans have instantly begun to make the connection, and for good reason. Wright was drafted fourth overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, but has never fully found his stride with the Kraken. The team has agreed to try to give Wright a change of scenery via trade, and the Flames make total sense as one team that could be in the mix.

Therefore, with Wright on the trade block, the Flames should express interest in potentially acquiring the 22-year-old-old former top-five pick, as a change of scenery looks to be on the horizon for him.

Wright’s tenure in Seattle is coming to an end

It seems like the Kraken and Wright are inevitably going to part ways. Seattle’s utilization of Wright has been interesting to say the least, as he’s never truly been put in the position to succeed. The writing on the wall for Wright’s future in Seattle was when the team signed Chandler Stephenson to be their second-line centre, pushing Wright to the side.

The Kraken’s direction as a team is outright confusing, and it looks like Wright won’t be a part of their plans. Wright’s best season with the Kraken was in 2024-25, when he scored 19 goals and 44 points in 79 games. This season, his production took a hit, as he only managed 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games.

Why the Flames should express interest in Wright

It’s well known that Flames GM Craig Conroy has been on the hunt for a young centre. After recent reports that the Flames tried to acquire Mason McTavish, Wright fits the mould of the type of young centre the team is looking to acquire.

While Wright hasn’t proven much at the NHL level, he hasn’t been well-managed by the Kraken at all. Giving him a fresh start in Calgary, where he could be given a larger role, could be exactly what the doctor ordered. I believe there’s still untapped potential with Wright. After all, people seem to forget that at one point, Wright was expected to go first overall in his draft class before sliding to fourth. The skill set is there with this player.

Wright also fits the young, right-shot centre profile that Conroy has been looking for. With Wright only being 22-years-old, he fits the timeline of the Flames quite nicely. The only question is whether a change of scenery would completely unlock Wright’s game so he can develop his game to a whole new level.

What would the Flames need to give up?

An important question is what the Kraken would want in return regarding a Wright trade. Given the nature of their moves, it’s unlikely Seattle would accept purely picks and prospects and instead would prefer pieces to help them win now.

Looking at the Flames, they have a plethora of future assets that could be in play, but not many “win-now” pieces. I’ve seen trade proposals circulating around social media surrounding Connor Zary, Morgan Frost and a second going to Seattle in exchange for Wright. I doubt a trade like that would do it, to be honest, unless the Kraken somehow really value these players.

Mind you, I also don’t think the Flames would be afraid to part with “valuable” assets if they truly believe the player they’re acquiring has potential. We saw the team give up two first-round picks for Simon Nemec, albeit those picks will likely be later in the first round. Do they take the same type of risk with Wright? If he fits the needs of the team, then potentially.

Either way, it wouldn’t hurt for the Flames to at least inquire about what Wright’s price could be. Maybe he ends up being a “buy-low” candidate of some sort. Either way, Conroy has proven already that he’s not afraid to make a splash.