Last week, we made the case that the Seattle Kraken have seven offseason priorities on the player personnel side that the team will look to address in free agency or through trades (or perhaps offer sheets?). In the days since that post, the Kraken stayed active, filling one of those needs by re-signing defenseman Josh Mahura to a two-year, $907,500 average annual value contract. The team also bolstered its depth by inking restricted free agent forward Ben Meyers to a one-year, $775,000 minimum contract.
What other opportunities in free agency and on the trade market will Seattle be considering? In today’s second part of our offseason feature, we’ll look at some candidates using Evolving Hockey‘s contract prediction model as a stand-in for market value.
Priority No. 1: The splash move
Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill has noted that there is not much depth at the top of the 2025 unrestricted free agent market and implied that the Kraken would be hard at work on the trade front. That said, he conceded it is hard to know early in the offseason what trade conversations will actually materialize. Of course, it’s even more difficult for us to predict on the outside of those front-office conversations. Even so, here’s a list of unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, and potential trade targets—deduced by logic or reports, usually both—that intrigue us.
We divided the list into four parts: “stars,” “first liners,” “rising young players,” and “veteran producers.”
Darren Brown shared in-depth thoughts on Mitch Marner last week. In short, while he’s not overly physical and more of a playmaker than a scorer, he is an elite talent, the likes of which rarely get to the open market. Seattle should be willing to go to an uncomfortable place contractually to acquire him. Unfortunately, I suspect Seattle may not be appealing to the player. (I devoted more of my thinking to the ways in which Seattle might be able to take advantage of Marner landing elsewhere.) The Jason Robertson case deserves separate treatment, and I’ll return to it at the end of this article.
There have been some rumors circulating that Martin Necas may prefer to land on a new team. I’m not sure I buy it. The system fits for Necas in Colorado, he has a good chance to win, and Colorado has incentive to pay him to “salvage” the Mikko Rantanen deal. That said, Wednesday’s Brock Nelson re-signing arched my eyebrow a bit. Necas is a talented offensive play driver with ties to members of the Seattle front office from mutual time in Carolina.
I went back and forth on including unrestricted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers as a target. I’m a believer in the talent, but he will command a seven-year deal, which means a team will be paying for an age 36 season—and on a price tag that could easily clear $10 million AAV given the scarcity of other top-end options. I’d be wary, but I can’t completely rule it out if his market comes in a bit lower than that. Similar to Marner, he doesn’t solve Seattle’s “issues,” but he carries enough talent to look past that.
The tier of players just below Ehlers, including players like Brock Boeser, John Tavares, or Sam Bennett, is the real danger zone in this market where the cost could get too high to offset the question marks. (Brock Nelson is in this tier and recently signed for $7.5 million AAV.) Absent an unexpected value, I’d steer clear of this area of free agency. Boeser, in particular, feels like a potential “fit,” but one I have real concerns about. Could it work out in the end if Seattle went that direction? Absolutely. But it’s not on my preferred list of options.
Marco Rossi is rumored to be on the market, as he and Minnesota are not seeing eye to eye on his next contract. Supposedly, Rossi wants a contract in the neighborhood of seven years, $7 million annually—which will be a middle-six deal in short order—but Minnesota isn’t convinced he has earned that yet. Rossi is a small-but-sturdy playmaker from the center position, unafraid to go to the middle of the ice, and with good play-driving impacts. I’ve considered if he could be a good line pairing with Chandler Stephenson—each compensating for the other in some ways.
For his part, J.J. Peterka is rumored to be unhappy in Buffalo (along with much of the remainder of the Sabres roster). He brings more of a dynamic speed, playmaking, and finishing package, with some shortcomings physically and on defense. There’s talk he could be an offer sheet target if the Sabres don’t work out a deal soon. His probable contract on an offer sheet sets the framework for the requested compensation parameters in a trade (first- and third-round picks). Even if the price is bid up slightly from there, Seattle has the assets to close that deal and should be involved.
One might have included Gabe Vilardi or Matthew Knies as targets in this category as well, but I didn’t consider them realistically attainable for the purposes of this exercise.
These moves may not qualify as a “splash,” though any of them could be considered a top-line player in Seattle. In particular, I like the idea of prying away Alex Tuch—another reportedly unhappy Sabre. He drives play with his physicality and his ability to get to the middle of the ice. He fits the mold of what Botterill says he is seeking. The downside is Tuch is signed for only one more season before unrestricted free agency, and the team would be looking at an extension starting in the player’s age 30 year.
If Vegas makes a splash in free agency (say, Marner?), it will likely need to subtract a useful piece or two. William Karlsson would be a good player for Seattle to catch on the cheap in that scenario, even though he is entering his post-prime years. Jonathan Marchessault is also a consideration on favorable terms only given his contract and age.
Priority No. 2: Restricted free agents
As we discussed in Part 1, these contracts are in the right neighborhood for Seattle to sign today, though we’d be open to a longer deal for Kakko. The Kraken started in on this to-do list item by signing Meyers earlier this week.
Priority No. 3: Backup goalie
Assuming the team separates from Philipp Grubauer this offseason, one way or another, the team needs to add a capable NHL veteran who can pick up approximately 20 to 30 starts. Nikke Kokko had a good season in the AHL, but I don’t like the idea of rushing him into any NHL role at his age and experience level. One more season (or more) in Coachella Valley makes sense.
The best options in Seattle’s projected price range are Jake Allen, 34, and Alex Lyon, 32, and both are predicted to land multi-year deals according to Evolving Hockey. Both check in with approximately .900 save percentages over the last three seasons, though above-average numbers for goals saved above expected. Allen’s predicted two-year term is preferable. David Rittich, 32, is a top option predicted to land a one-year contract.
Priority No. 4: Top-nine winger
Trent Frederic rose on my free agent targets list the more Seattle spoke about prioritizing net-front play. He is the rare winger whose two-way playdriving value mostly comes from his willingness to work inside. Anthony Mantha is a big-framed winger with great playdriving analytics, but he is coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL in November, 2024, and it is unclear if he will be healthy to begin the season. There’s risk there but also the potential for huge value at Evolving Hockey‘s projection.
Andrew Mangiapane is smaller, but works well to the inside and gets many of his shots there. If his market is a bit weaker than anticipated, he could be a good pickup. (Fans may not like the option, though, given his history with the Kraken.) Victor Olofsson doesn’t bring the physical element but could be a value add, depending on Seattle’s other moves, for an underrated potential 20-goal scorer.
Priority No. 5: Third-pair defenseman
After our first post was published, the team addressed this need by signing our top target Josh Mahura. Mahura sat first on our board because his fit in Seattle and with the other players in the dressing room was established this past season. The deal represents strong value for the two-year term, with Evolving Hockey projecting $1.3 million AAV for a deal of that length. That said, even if the team also retains restricted free agent Cale Fleury, there could be room to add yet another depth defenseman with NHL experience.
The blue line in Coachella Valley lacks a veteran presence at the moment, with both Gustav Olofsson and Maxim Lajoie heading toward unrestricted free agency. Without another experienced player at the top of the depth chart, the group skews very young:
Even with Fleury, Coachella Valley projects to have only four of a possible six “veteran” status players. A No. 1 AHL defenseman who provides NHL depth would be a good add. Caleb Jones, a 27-year-old, left-shot blueliner with 248 games of NHL experience, could be an ideal fit on a one-year deal at or just above the league minimum.
Priority No. 6: Fourth-line center
This is the point in the list where needs downshift, and the team can be more patient and prioritize value. John Hayden, Ben Meyers, and Mitchell Stephens represent enviable center depth. In an ideal world, though, the team has a more established fourth-line center. Czech-born Radek Faksa has strong defensive impacts and is elite on the face-off dot. Nico Sturm’s profile skews a bit more toward offense, but he is also good on the dot. The goal is a one-year contract.
Priority No.7: Fourth-line winger
I’d be in favor of retaining Mikey Eyssimont, but this is a position where there is (understandably) significant depth in the free agent class. Seattle is best served waiting out the market and avoiding a bidding war. Ideally, this would be another one-year contract, near league minimum.
Bonus: An opportunistic move?
If the team wanted to layer in a defenseman above Josh Mahura who still has upside, right-shot Nick Perbix is a good target. He has size (6-foot-4), is a younger free agent (27 years old), and is a solid-average skater per NHL Edge. Perbix has learned in a good organization in Tampa Bay, and, most importantly, his on-ice impacts (in an admittedly sheltered role) are quite strong, per HockeyViz and Evolving Hockey. Jalen Chatfield was my preferred “defenseman nobody is talking about” heading into free agency last year, but he ended up re-upping with a smart organization in Carolina before he made it to free agency. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing happens with Perbix. If he gets to free agency and other moves don’t work out, he’s a name I have circled as an “opportunistic” add at Evolving Hockey‘s projected price tag.
Isaac Howard is another interesting player currently associated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The unsigned former first-round pick excelled as a goal scorer at Michigan State last season but seems unlikely to sign with the Lightning after some burned bridges there. Ideally, he may not be ready to step into a full-time NHL role right away, but there’s a strong chance he’s a middle-six scorer within a year. I’m unsure there’s a fit in Seattle, though, because he’d likely want a guaranteed NHL role before signing, if a trade from Tampa Bay materializes.
Similarly, Nicholas Robertson is a player we’ve discussed on Sound Of Hockey before as a player with some talent who might be able to do more with a bigger role outside of Toronto. Again, I’m not sure of the fit with the Kraken unless the acquisition is in conjunction with other moves.
I was a big advocate for signing center Pius Suter two years ago as a hedge against losing Yanni Gourde and/or Alex Wennberg. He ended up sitting on the market for a long time before Vancouver picked him up on a bargain-basement two-year, $1.6 million AAV deal. We know how the center position has worked out for Seattle since then. For his part, Suter is entering free agency again, and, according to reports out of Vancouver, is looking for a deal north of $4 million AAV. This doesn’t make sense for Seattle unless they move one of their top three on the depth chart, but he’s still a good player at that price if other dominoes fall.
Speaking of Chandler Stephenson—who says no if Seattle and Vancouver discussed a one-for-one swap of Stephenson (and his six years, $6.25 million AAV) for Elias Pettersson (7 years, $11.6 million AAV)? I suspect both teams say no, but I admit I’ve thought about it more than once. Pettersson could be the cheapest “star” on the trade market if he regains his form, but his last year on and off the ice, along with Vancouver’s willingness to consider parting with him, are red flags that are tough to shake, particularly given his contract.
The Jason Robertson scenario
Finally, a word on Jason Robertson. His name entered the rumor mill on Monday with Jeff Marek speculating about his availability. Dallas is tight against the 2025-26 salary cap with only eight forwards signed, so it is not beyond belief that the team would consider moving one of its bigger pricetag players like Robertson, as even local coverage has speculated. (Marek has also suggested Dallas would like to sign free-agent, right-shot defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who will come with a significant salary.) On the other hand, 25-year-old point-per-game players rarely shake free, which makes this one a longshot.
That said, if Dallas answers the phone on Robertson, this is the type of conversation Seattle should be prioritizing above any other.
Of course, a trade for Robertson would mean Seattle won a bidding war. The winger has only one year remaining at $7.75 million AAV, but he would still be a restricted free agent after that. Robertson is a regular-season star by any metric you could pick. He has, at times, drawn criticism for underwhelming in the playoffs, but his playoff scoring numbers are actually fine. Robertson is worthy of an uncomfortable “overpay,” and any player or asset should be on the table. (Shane Wright is the only close call on whether or not I would include him in a trade.)
Dallas could use some combination of (1) multiple entry-level-contract forwards with realistic near-term, top-nine potential, (2) a young, right-shot defenseman, and (3) high-end draft capital, since the team has only one first-round pick in the next four drafts. Dallas could also use the cap space that would be afforded by moving out an underperforming blueliner, like Matt Dumba or Ilya Lyubushkin.
Seattle has the draft capital to offer Dallas, with six first-rounders in the the next four drafts. It also has the cap space to absorb an additional bad contract.
On the other hand, the Kraken may not have the defenseman to offer unless a third team were involved (what would it take to get the Devils to part with Simon Nemec?). Ryker Evans, a left-shot, could work as a key piece, though he may be relatively more valuable to Seattle’s depth chart than he would be in Dallas.
In terms of forwards on ELC’s who are ready to contribute, Jani Nyman fits the bill. Parting with Nyman would be painful but may be necessary in a deal like this, particularly if Evans is not in it. Wright fits the description too, of course, but the package gets too costly, in my opinion, if Seattle is including him with other significant pieces. (Could Seattle get Isaac Howard out of his contract dispute in Tampa Bay for Seattle’s 2025 second-round pick and flip him to Dallas as part of a deal?) Eeli Tolvanen could be an additional piece of interest to Dallas, given his value contract for a 20-goal scorer.
* * *
If you’re the Kraken, do you bite the bullet and do a deal that sends one or more first-round draft picks and either Evans and a cheap top-nine forward or multiple cheap top-nine forwards for Jason Robertson? Or do you prefer a measured move for a top-six forward like the options set forth above? If not Robertson or the others, who would you like to the Kraken to go after?
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
Sabres have 23 million in cap space and will match any offer that’s not insane ( aka four firsts range) for peterka. So unless the Kraken have a win now piece that the Sabres want it’s not going to likely be a good option – Same with Tuch. He’s worth much more than Peterka and is a much better player than him. Unless you’re looking at a primo player plus a1+ a top prospect. That guy is not getting moved out of Buffalo… He makes $4 million and rightly Should be on your list of first line players. Given that no one is running for him without an extension, which makes him cost even more if you’re going to give negotiating rights.
I’d love either of them on the Kraken and out of Buffalo but just want to make sure people have realistic perspectives of what these players will cost to get.
The reality is either of those players are going to cost McCann plus a defenseman or high pick/prospect to present them from Buffalo unless they have another trade lined up from the future as they can get from Seattle
I agree on Buffalo’s ability to match on Peterka. The only problem is, until he signs an offer sheet, they’re in limbo on exactly what they can do during the off-season. Realistically, a team like Carolina could go the same route they did with KK and offer $11m x 1. Honestly, Seattle could do the same. Is Buffalo going to spend half their available cap to be right back where they are now next year? I believe they’d think hard about two firsts, a second, and a third.
Unfortunately, Beniers, Wright and Tolvanen are probably the only NHL players that can’t block a trade to Buffalo. I think it’s would take someone of McCann’s caliber to make it happen. I’d be fine with that move, but that means nothing. A player, a prospect and a pick seems like the ask. The pick and the prospect… sure, but whose the player?
All in all, I think if Peterka wants out, Walsh will be able to make it happen. The question is, can Seattle be in on him?
When Brock Nelson’s starts next season he’ll be 34 years old and pulling down $7.5m… 7.85% of the cap.
Wow! I guess it costs money to sign centers. But at least they only have him through his age 36 season.
I’d be willing to pay 14×7 for Robertson or Marner. Would even pay for signing rights for Marner if he agreed. Seattle needs a star and I don’t see one rising from the pool.
Jason Robertson is the only option that would move the needle while still fitting within this organization’s timeline if he’d sign an extension. He might be their best chance to get a 1st line player outside of the draft at this point. Unfortunately he’s probably going to want an overpay in the range of $14+ million a year or more to extended in Seattle which makes it a risky proposition that he’d walk after ’26-27.
Getting Robertson at a discount next season ($7.75m) would take a little sting out of 8 x $14m.
True but it’s also the trade return too.
I’d preach patience and continue to accumulate prospects to build out the roster for 2-3 years from now because I think it’s their best bet to turn into a winning team, but since the org seems dead set on being aggressive (reckless?) again, I;d perfer it be for Robertson than a guy like Sam Bennett or even Marner.
Agreed on the trade return. I’m not for them sending Wright, Beniers or Catton… but anyone else? Sure. I also have time for the argument that those players/picks are sunk costs.
I still think folks are getting last offseason wrong. I assume you think of last off season as “reckless”?
Since everyone seems fine with Montour, I think the obvious place to focus is Stephenson… yes, another one of these. Was signing Stephenson reckless?
As John and Darren asked at the time, what was the alternative? I think the answer they got was basically do nothing… but what does that look like?
Yanni Gourde (24 points) – who was barely a fourth line center – is on your third line and some non-NHLer like PEB or a 20 point player like Blake Lizzote are on your fourth line… and Beniers and Wright (21 and 20 years old to start the season) are your top two centers… and getting crushed every night. And all for what? So you can pick 5th instead of 8th? So you could spend $6.25m where? on who? So you won’t be “cap strapped” this season? or next? For what?
Brock Nelson is three years older than Stephenson and scored just six more points than him last season… and Colorado is giving him $7.5m for the next three years. CENTERS COST A LOT! I’ll say it again, folks that hate the Stephenson signing don’t understand why they brought him in and they don’t understand the cap.
The Kraken should have been better this past season. The should have been better in net (Grubauer) and they should have been better behind the bench (Bylsma), but the idea that their offseason moves were somehow reckless… I just don’t think that’s the case at all. Reckless would have been doing nothing.
I’d consider being aggressive in free agency again after doing it last year only to see a decline, would be reckless. They lit cap space on fire long term with Stephenson for no reason. Doing nothing or a stop-gap 1-2 year veteran would have been better. I don’t understand why people still talk themselves in circles trying to defend the Stephenson move. It was always and will always be a mistake..
This team is not good and adding more declining veterans in free agency like last year isn’t going to solve it, while also hurting the future. Trading for and extending Robertson could be a good step to solving it however.
If they set the cap on fire with the Stephenson signing how could they possibly in on a player like Robertson… or Marner? They can certainly afford to be in on either of those two. They have plenty of cap given their needs and opportunities this offseason and even if they cap out… they’ll have plenty of room next offseason too.
The Florida contract with Keith Yandle is almost a dollar-for-dollar snapshot of a Stephenson “worst case scenario” – under a smaller cap – and it certainly didn’t handcuff Bill Zito.
Brock Nelson put up 56 points in contrast to Stephenson’s 51 this past season… and at age 34 he just signed for $7.25m to be a No.2 center. It’s my opinion the concerns on the Stephenson contract are mostly grounded in a static view of the cap and those ideas have been cemented by a vocal and interested opinion that is determined to be “correct”. I like to be right also, but the evolution of the criticism being, “he doesn’t get to the front of the net enough”… true enough, but is that’s what’s really going on?
Sure there are rare teams that overcome bad contracts and it doesn’t necessarily stop them from a move right now, however those deals can (will?) hurt when you need to extend your own players or add to the roster a few years from now. Heck it’s why we’re even talking about Dallas moving Robertson in the first place lol.
To me its always a mistake to add mid-level players like Stephenson that aren’t going to help you win right now or in the future to a roster that is bottom 3rd in the league like the Kraken. Its a pointless signing that only has downside because it hurts your ability to get a top draft pick pick while not going to elevate your current team. Players like Stephenson are always available when you actually need one, so no need to lock yourself into one for 7 years when your team is bad in hopes of scraping out a wild card berth.
I’m hoping they learned this lesson form the last 2 seasons and go after top-level players like Robertson and if they miss out, then don’t overspend again on players like Bennett. Swing for the fences or shoot for the #1 pick, but don’t build a mid team thru free agency that can’t even compete for a wildcard.
Ryans… first off I want to say I appreciate you engaging in an honest and thoughtful conversation here. I have my opinion and you have yours… and the “reality” is probably something akin to neither, but I applaud this discourse.
The biggest objection I have to the Stephenson argument – and the one that everyone seems to readily dismiss – is why they signed him. Your argument seems to be he was a “mid-level” player that wasn’t going to move the needle… but I ask, WHY did they actually sign him. Was it to “make the playoffs” as the SOH guys posited as a measure of success? Or was it to protect the development of Beniers and Wright as Elliott Friedman reported? I tend to think it was the latter, and when I think about what this last season would have meant for those two young centers without someone who could eat twenty minutes a night down the middle… I feel like that’s the sort of path that makes Buffalo Buffalo. I don’t think of Stephenson as the “big move” that seems to be the media take. I think of him as a recognition by the front office that they needed a legit center to help develop this team and, as Ron Francis said at the time, ‘unfortunately, if you want those guys, that’s the price’.
And let’s also be clear here… as far as “hurting your ability to get a top draft pick”. You’re talking about the difference between picking 8th and picking 5th in this draft. So do you think dumping Shane Wright into 20 minutes a night is worth three spots in THIS draft? And before you say the difference is bigger than 8th to 5th… how good do you think Stephenson is? Good enough for four-and-a-half wins? That’s what it would have taken to catch Nashville at No.4. If he’s worth four-and-a-half wins… he’s a huge bargin! Or do you think they should have just cleaned house and shipped everyone… so they could be an absolute abomination? Of course with next year being the “big draft”, maybe they sign up for two years of that?
Honestly, I appreciate your reservations. I think it’s as likely that all of your concerns are warranted and the worst may yet come to pass… I just see it differently.
IDK. I like how Sam Bennett plays. He’s a physical forward though not a top notch scorer. If the Kraken can get a assistant coach who knows how to use they’re power play players properly we could have had 2 40 goal scorers on the team in Jared McCann and Eeli Tolvanen but the “Joke” Jessica Campbell NEVER EVEN HAD TOLVANEN ON ANY OF THE 2 POWERPLAY Lines. A top shooter and scorer on the team and he STILL for 23 goals to spite her holding him off.
Back to my Bennett point. He’s a physical forward we need that. To much this team gets bullied and pushed around. We don’t have Gourde and Turbo anymore. We need a Big bully presence on the team now.
I would love to see the team get Mitch Marner not gonna lie. That would be HUGE. That also can backfire. He’s injury prone big time. And again if we don’t have coaches (CAMPBELL) who knows how to use their players properly this team isn’t going anywhere. The best talent in the world doesn’t mean squat if they are not used in the right way.
I would trade for Pettersson for Stephenson in a hot minute, straight up or add Prius Suter as a compensation for the salary difference. I also love Robertson.
Yes to Jason Robertson. We’ve got draft picks and prospects to trade so let’s do it. Otherwise, none of these possible FAs move the needle much for me. Let’s embrace the “suck” and get the youths up here. There’s no reason to wait.
Anyone know how GM JB feels about arbitration and RFA’s? I know RF hated the process.
I’m all for offer sheets as long as it doesn’t involve the 2026 1st round picks. I can’t see Seattle making enough moves or getting fortunate enough to make the playoffs. I’d much rather be in the McKenna sweepstakes than out of it.
J.Robertson would be nice but I’d rather move Catton than Wright.
Considering the floor for an offer sheet that includes Seattle’s 2026 first is $4.7m… I’d say that would be in play. Personally, I think folks are getting a bit overexcited about offer sheets. I don’t think there are that many actual opportunities out there.
Yes on Robertson. That’s been our Achilles heel (among others) from Day 1. No star power. Whatever it costs. (Maybe not Catton) Wright or Beniers would hurt, but they’re not Robertson.
Wow, Robertson is good, but not THAT good… 14 a year would make him the highest paid player in the league.
McDavid is up at the same time. I don’t think Robertson would actually end up being the highest paid player in the league.
My thoughts as well, huge overpayment if it’s anywhere close to 14M. We’re talking record breaking payment for what a top 20 or 30 player? We have players that could reach that Robertson level, we need to just be patient for a few more years and if something develops that makes sense sure upgrade but don’t mortgage your future for short term success. Start paying 14 a year and you won’t be able to sign everyone you want….
Both teams in the final are considered to be very deep and yet they each have multiple eight figure contracts… and Florida was still paying Yandle this season. Giving someone like Robertson $14m season after next is not going to mortgage this team. Robertson is 25… what are you taking about with “short term success”?
This isn’t Boston… and even there, those days are over. Thinking every deal needs to be a “hometown discount” or based on last season’s cap is incredibly simplistic. Teams like Seattle will have to overpay, but when you look at their overall cap – even with that giant Stephenson anchor (what a joke that take is) – they can absolutely afford someone like Robertson around $14m and not be “handicapped”.
It’s not about his age it’s about the $$$$, it’s just too much money for a player of his caliber.
Basically a point per game isn’t 14M it’s more like 10M at best.Dallas has 4 players that are putting up numbers like that and guess what… they didn’t win the cup. Do you think they can afford to pay all 4 of them 14M? Absolutely not.
Darrell the problem is you have a completely different view on what success is, you’d be happy scrapping into the playoffs for eternity then playing a few rounds of golf. The Kraken are a long way off from contending and passing out overpayments like Chandler and potentially Robertson will do nothing but ensure you don’t have the cap room when you need it most.
You simply cannot build a team through FA, the overpayment needed to get those players handcuff you moving forward. If your one player away from a serious run then maybe but definitely not in the Krakens situation. I’m obviously referring to the top end FA, there are always third and forth line players that can be signed at reasonable deals.
Desperate teams do desperate things, patience is what the Kraken need now. Let our youth develop and get ice time.
Season after next – when his new contract would start – the cap will be $8.5m more than it is now. I feel like you’re pricing his $10m value in last season’s terms rather than years one of his next contract. A guy who is just 25 years old and is top 15 in the league in both goals and points over the last four seasons… I think with a $104m cap, at age 27, that guys getting $14m.
You don’t have the first idea of what I think success is. I appreciate folks have different ideas about how you build a team and how the Kraken should move forward… but this idea that I’d be happy with them “scrapping into the playoffs for eternity”!?!?!
Where do you get off?
I disagree with folks about a lot of things… but on this, on your arrogant attitude about “what I think”… give me a break… but this kind of take is pretty much par for the course – speaking of golf.
I seriously doubt they’ll be in on Robertson – but if they were – five years from now – when all the guys you’re pinching your pennies for so they can develop – they’ll all be hitting their sweet spots, and Robertson will still be just 30 years old. And lo-and-behold, with the cap at $125m±… just maybe they can find a few coins in the couch to then add that one or two other big pieces they’ll still need.
What I actually think success looks like is a team that can consistently make the playoffs without gutting their future AND is in a position to add when they get there so they can become a legitimate contender. I don’t think either Stephenson or a $14m Robertson would stand in the way of that.
Darrell, Robinson isn’t that good that we should basically be spending half of the cap increase on just his overpayment, I’m not even talking about his total cap hit if it was 14M. Like I said before, Dallas has 4 players in his wheelhouse including Robertson and it didn’t work for them.
We just aren’t at the point you want us to be, it’s going to take at least three years for our kids to mature (oh wait we need cap room if the do get there and if they don’t it won’t matter anyway) Every bright shinny object isn’t going to instantly get us a cup and if you overpay it just pushes it farther down the road.
It’s Daryl, not Darrell.
It’s Robertson, not Robinson.
I simply don’t agree with your math and it’s obvious you don’t know what I’m talking about. Robertson is not a “must have”, but he’s not some “bright shiny (one n) object” that somehow catapults the team to Cup contention. He is in the age range that fits with the young players on this team as they develop – your three to five years – and he will still be in his prime for some time. He’s a proven commodity. Not only is he the sort of talent that rarely becomes available – and I’m skeptical he’s going to actually be available – he’s also still young enough to have lots of mileage ahead.
I get it if it’s not for you, I think you have different assumptions than I do.
“We just aren’t at the point you want us to be at”. Nino, this is condescending. It’s also ill-informed. I actually think you and I see the team at about the same point, the difference to me seems I have a different understanding of the cap and the opportunities than you do.
Robertson has practically been a point per game player and high level goal scorer as soon as he reached the NHL full time. Beniers and Wright are good but they haven’t come close to this level of play. Catton is the only player in the organization with that type of potential, but comes with a lot of risk due to his size which is why he went #8 and not #2 in the draft.
I’d be patient as well however the organization is not going to be patient and have another offseason of overpays, then I’d rather it be for a player like Robertson than Sam Bennett for example.
Hey I’m cool with paying to get Robertson, I’m cool with overpaying to get Robertson, but 14 just seems out of line with his actual value even with a rising cap. You start throwing money at players that don’t necessarily deserve to be paid that much and it starts screwing all your future contract negotiations. The next players agent will point to that player as representative of a teams valuation. I mean, I would like players to earn everything they are worth, but a too big overpay can screw your cap down the road in more ways than just the one players salary.
BUT… I’m not really familiar enough about how contracts are valued against the cap… Like if the cap was 100 million, 14 would be 14% of that tied to 1/3 of presumably your top line. Is that a normal amount? 14? I just don’t know.
Nice lay out of information Curtis!
Front office hopefully will get it right with some difficult decisions coming up.
In word about any plans of some type of a press conference with Lane Lambert?
It would be nice to actually hear him speak.
Thanks! Lambert intro press conference is Monday, June 9, at 11 am PT.
Oh Thanks!
First I’ve heard about a time and date.
Pete DeBoer has been fired by the Stars! All the coaching vacancies has been filled. I’m sure the Kraken aren’t the only team that would have sought his services if they were patient enough to wait a little longer …
Glad to see he won’t be available to the Kraken.
After listening to the pod I wanted to add a bit more on the Robertson talk. While I think it’s unlikely he’s actually going to be available, I’m still intrigued by the idea.
The “realistic” idea on the show of what it would take to get him was basically the traditional ‘a player, a pick, and a prospect’. The “pick” being two firsts and the prospect being Nyman. I think those sound about right.
If you take this year’s first out of play, Seattle has four in the next two drafts and some combination of a couple of those with protection seems a reasonable give.
I hate to lose Nyman, but I think he makes it hard for Dallas to say no. I think next to Catton, he’s the top prospect in the organization and at this point he may be more “player” than “prospect”. He is THE part of the deal I think Seattle could regret someday, but I also think a player like Robertson is worth the risk.
For the final piece, the guys settled on Evans. The rest of the deal seems about right to me, but I don’t think “the player” gets it done. I think Ryker is a good player with upside, but I think Dallas is a “win now” team. They’ve been in the Conference Final three years in a row and are considered a legit contender. The “pick and the prospect” are for the future, but the player – I think – is going to need to be for right now.
Replacing Robertson – a top line left-shot winger – isn’t necessarily the ask, but it wouldn’t hurt as an offer. That player to me is McCann. I know he’s the Kraken’s leading scorer and a huge part of the team… but he just turned 29 and will be 31 when his next contract kicks in. Robertson will be 26 next month and his next contract could land one of the league’s premier players through the whole of his remaining prime as Seattle’s young core comes into it’s own.
Like I said at the beginning, I think it’s unlikely he actually becomes available… but if they are willing to move him, I think Seattle could make a strong offer. The net on the cap increase next season would be just $2.75m and the following off-season the Kraken are in for another batch of available dollars. McCann’s no trade is only a ten-team, but with Dallas that may not even matter. Robertson’s agent is Pat Brisson – Beniers and Catton’s agent. And finally, as the guys mentioned, his brother Nick may be available and could fill a need in Seattle.
Botterill did say he wanted to be “aggressive”.
Go Kraken!!!
I would add… if Seattle did want to be in on Robertson they’d be up against the likes of Buffalo who has Peterka, Tuch, and Byrum all rumored to be available. Honestly, McCann, Nyman and two firsts may not get it done.
Bro, you did not just mention Andrew Mangiapane as a potential acquisition. Hell no to that punk. If guys are going to throw cheap shots behind the refs’ backs, okay, that ‘s a part of the game, but cross-checking a guy in the back of the neck while he is down on the ice is the kind of thing nobody with a shred of sportsmanship or decency would think to do. It’s like Brendan Lemeiux biting people. Some guys may be a good fit for the team, but I still would not cheer for them.
Grubauer will be back this upcoming season!
Why ruin my day like that, it was starting out so well.
“Calling around the league and finding centres is almost impossible,” Brière said Tuesday. “And you’re not going to find a first-line or second-line centre. A lot of teams will be willing to entertain moving a fourth-line guy, but they will want a second-line winger in return. They’re hard to find.”