Trade Proposals: What Can Kraken Fetch in Return for Shane Wright?

According to multiple reports, first kicked off by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet.CA, the Seattle Kraken intend to trade center Shane Wright sometime this offseason.

Friedman quoted Wright’s agent saying, “I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young centre.”

Unfortunately for the Kraken, if a deal does materialize, which isn’t as much of a given as Wright’s agent hinted, their leverage is compromised due to this report. Still, for a player who is not yet 23 years old and a former No. 4 overall pick who still has untapped upside, Seattle should be able to get some value in a trade package. Teams will bank on their own player development skills to get the most of a talent such as Wright. That should be tantalizing enough to garner a modest return at worst.

Let’s take a look at three possible trade scenarios for Seattle to move Wright in coming weeks:

Proposal 1: Kraken Trade Shane Wright and 2027 Third Round Pick to Philadelphia Flyers for RW Owen Tippett and 2027 Second Round Pick

The Flyers and Kraken seem like natural partners in this endeavor. However, there is a big variable hovering around this entire deal. The Leo Carlsson offer sheet is one of the biggest developments of the NHL offseason. Philadelphia offered a five-year, $90 million deal to the Anaheim Ducks’ center. Whoever gains Carlsson will have a surplus of forwards.

However, if Philadelphia plucks Carlsson from Anaheim, it will cost them their next four first-round picks. That significantly reduces their firepower for a possible Shane Wright trade and thus makes them a far less appealing suitor for the Kraken.

A deal can still be made, however. If the Flyers get Carlsson, they may want to deal away from their surplus of forwards, such as veteran Owen Tippett. The seven-year veteran is coming off of a career-high-tying 28 goals and a career high 51 points for Philadelphia. For context, not only would Tippett’s 28 goals have led the Kraken last year, it would have been the third-highest single-season goal total in franchise history.

Tippett is signed through 2031-32 to a modest $6.2 million per year. The Kraken would be getting a proven winger with a scoring pedigree. Plus, getting Philadelphia’s second round pick next year could add to the firepower for another solid draft pick or trade down the line.

To sweeten the deal in getting a proven veteran plus a second rounder from Philadelphia, Seattle offered a 2027 third round pick in this scenario.

Proposal 2: Kraken trade Shane Wright to Anaheim Ducks for top-10 protected 2027 First Round Pick and Tarin Smith

Much like the Philadelphia proposal, this scenario heavily depends on the destination of Anaheim star Leo Carlsson. If Carlsson stays in Anaheim, it’s not likely this deal would be tenable for Anaheim. However, if the Ducks lose Carlsson to Philadelphia, that blows a massive crater in their center depth. The Kraken could be the benefactors of that.

The Ducks could use Wright in the present and future. Wright could use a change of scenery and in this scenario, Anaheim offers a protected 2027 first round pick. That means, if Anaheim falls inside the top 10 of next year’s draft, they retain the pick, but Seattle receives compensation in the form of a second-round pick (which would still be on the higher end of the second round) or possibly the team’s next first round pick, depending on the final details of the deal.

To make that pick protected, Anaheim needs to sprinkle something sweet on the deal. That is defenseman Tarin Smith. Much like Seattle’s top pick Chase Reid, Smith is a highly touted defenseman who is slated to play NCAA hockey this winter. He has big offensive upside from the blue line. If the Kraken were to nab Smith and develop him over a few seasons next to Chase Reid, we are talking about the first great defender duo in Seattle hockey history.

Proposal 3: Kraken trade Shane Wright to Nashville Predators for 2027 Protected First Round pick, 2028 Third Round Pick, and Adam Wilsby

It will be hard for the Kraken to simply pluck a first rounder from a team for Wright’s services. Certainly, one of the unprotected varieties is unlikely. For Nashville, they need centers. They are in a “reloading” phase heading into next season after missing the playoffs. Veteran Ryan O'Reilly is their top center but is only under contract for one more season. A lot of uncertainty awaits Nashville after this year.

If they were to trade for Wright, they at least buy some time to develop him under O’Reilly into a solid NHL center. Like in the Anaheim scenario, Nashville sends a top 10 protected first rounder to Seattle.

Again, to sweeten the deal with their first-round pick being protected, the Predators send a solid player in the package. Defenseman Adam Wilsby comes at very little cost next season ($850K) but basically has two seasons of team control. Plus, he is only 25 years old with 82 games of NHL experience under his belt. Seattle can plug him into the defensive lineup immediately and hope to develop him further.