Just when you thought the Seattle Kraken were standing pat at the NHL Trade Deadline, they swung an 11th-hour deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Bobby McMann, sending a fourth-round pick in 2026 and a second-round pick in 2027 the other way.
“We wanted to look and try to add a piece to our group, someone who can play in our top nine,” general manager Jason Botterill said. “We look at Bobby as a player that brings speed to our lineup, gets pucks to the net, gets to the net, and I think can complement the rest of our group very well.”
McMann, 29, is a speedy 6-foot-2, 217-pound forward who can play wing or center, though the Kraken will almost certainly use him primarily on the wing. Following a four-year college career at Colgate University, the Wainwright, Alb., native worked his way up through the Leafs organization after initially signing a free-agent AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies in 2020.
While he has been (mostly) a full-time NHLer since the 2023-24 season, he did play six AHL games that year with the Marlies and appeared in only 56 NHL games.
He solidified himself as a full-time NHL player last season, scoring 20 goals and 14 assists in 74 games. This season, McMann has posted an impressive 19 goals and 13 assists in 60 games while averaging north of 15 minutes per night for Toronto, often in a top-six role.
“You look at Bobby’s history, he’s worked at every level to get his opportunity to be a successful story in the National Hockey League. His ability to play up and down the lineup, we just felt it was something that would fit very well with our group from a skill set standpoint.”
McMann also brings a history of working with Kraken head coach Lane Lambert, who was an associate coach with the Leafs before being hired by Seattle. Botterill said Lambert loved McMann’s work ethic and noted that when he’s not scoring goals—he has shown to be a streaky scorer—he still brings a strong “backup B game.
McMann’s contract situation
One perplexing angle of the trade is that McMann is on an expiring deal that carries a remarkably reasonable $1.35 million average annual value. That’s perplexing because we at Sound Of Hockey did not envision a move for a so-called rental player this season—someone who could theoretically finish the year here and then walk as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
There’s no doubt McMann improves the current Kraken roster, at least on paper. But we were anticipating a swing at a top-six player with term who could help the team both now and for years to come. While McMann could play on one of Seattle’s top two lines, he’s not a bona fide top-sixer, and there’s no guarantee he sticks around after this season.
“We’ll get him to Seattle, get him part of our mix, and just sort of see how he fits in,” Botterill said. “I think it’s a situation of seeing how he fits in with our group and making sure that he likes Seattle, he likes his role here, and then we’ll see where it goes in the offseason.”
Where McMann fits with the Kraken
Adding McMann without moving out a current player only makes the roster logjam more complicated.
Here were the Kraken forward lines in their last game against St. Louis, which also aligned with how they practiced on Thursday:
Jared McCann — Matty Beniers — Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz — Chandler Stephenson — Eeli Tolvanen
Berkly Catton — Shane Wright — Kaapo Kakko
Ben Meyers — Frederick Gaudreau — Jacob Melanson
Assuming Lambert moves a top-nine forward down to the fourth line to make room for McMann, who moves down? And which fourth-line player gets scratched when Ryan Winterton is already out of the lineup?
Botterill repeatedly stated that the Kraken do not want to block their young players from opportunities in the lineup, but getting everyone into games will be difficult if the roster remains healthy. McMann’s addition could also lead to some miscasting of a player like Catton or Wright onto the fourth line.
Due to immigration issues, McMann will not be in the lineup Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, so we won’t get a clear answer on how Lambert plans to deploy him for at least a few days.
Do we like it?
How McMann affects things going forward is difficult to predict. He brings a nice combination of size, speed, and skill, and he shoots the puck—something Seattle has often struggled to do. From that standpoint, he improves the current roster.
But his addition also raises new questions while only marginally addressing the team’s need for more scoring.
Had this been the lesser of two trades made by Seattle—with a bigger, splashier move for a star scorer serving as the primary transaction of the day—we would have loved the addition. But because it’s the only move the Kraken made, it likely isn’t enough to push this roster into a guaranteed playoff spot, and it certainly doesn’t vault them into contender status.
In short, it helps, but I would have liked to see a bigger swing than a (likely) third-line winger who could walk after the season.
Eberle re-ups for two more years
One of Seattle’s four pending unrestricted free agents, Jordan Eberle, signed a two-year extension on Friday just before the trade deadline.
The 35-year-old captain, who leads Seattle in goals this season with 22, received a pay raise from $4.75 million to $5.5 million and a full no-trade clause.
“We’re very excited, obviously, when you have an opportunity to sign your captain for another two years, your leading scorer, a player that exemplifies so much that the Seattle Kraken are about, we are just ecstatic to have Jordan part of our organization for two more years.”
With Eberle back in the fold and McMann added, the Kraken now still have four pending UFAs: McMann, Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jaden Schwartz.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Thanks Darren. It is disappointing that we didn’t get a marquis player. I hope it wasn’t due to funding.
If they take Melanson out, I’m going let em know how I feel about it
Why would you think it’s funding? We’ve been a cap spend team almost every year. It’s because no one of note moved a AT ALL. No reason to invent a reason when the evidence sits right in front of you.
They offered a HUGE contract to Panarin, and the reason he’s not here is he would only waive his clause for LA. That should be enough to prove that funding isn’t an issue. The Kraken aren’t the Mariners.
I’m not exactly sure how it helps, I feel like we just gave away a second for no reason. We were already overfilled in the middle depth department as you mentioned.
So honestly do we want him in the lineup more than Kakko? Catton? Schwartz (then why didn’t we trade him…)? McCann? Eeli? We’re a full F’in team throughout the middle where he fits in.
I don’t think there is an upgrade in any of those positions by adding Him to our roster. Maybe he could replace Mayers but is that worth a second round pick on a rental for?
This move is so RF and so safe but frustrating at the same time. We only need so many of these guys, if you really wanted him then at least move someone out and get that pick back.
Head shakin bad roster planning, same old same old. RF has yet to show us he knows how to build a winning roster.
RF wasnt involved in this..
I still believe this is his team and he pulls the strings.
Agree. It all goes through RF. Botterill is his front man.
And how would you know this? He’s the team Prez, by definition he’s in on everything…
I feel like this is incredibly myopic. Let’s frame this for you. We trades a 3rd and a 5th for Marchment, traded him for a 2nd and a fourth, and then traded a 2nd (in a year we have 3) and a fourth for McMann. That alone is a win.
Now for the player himself. He’s an instant goal scoring upgrade on anyone but Eberle. He’d be the #2 goal scorer on this team and he’s coming from a bad team in the Leafs. He puts more shots on new than almost anyone on this team and he gets to the net. Offensively he’s a straight upgrade on almost every winger.
If you honestly don’t think he’s an upgrade, you really need to educate yourself about the player.
I think what you don’t understand is the LL effect, take any player in our top 9 put them on another team for 3/4 of the season and then bring them back…. Is that a scoring increase? So many people totally miss why our offense production is down with almost every player. You honestly think that they are all having just bad seasons?
And there you go arguing in bad faith. Don’t put words in others mouths. Even adjusted for the alleged LL affect he’s still in the top 5 on our team on goals and takes more shots on net.
You’re just wrong here bud.
How can you possibly know the adjustment for sitting on your ass dumping puck half the game. You don’t know the math don’t even pretend.
I think everyone would like to see them take a bigger swing but judging by the players that didn’t move, it doesn’t seem like that was really an option.
I’d rather see them with competition for spots rather than shorthanded when the injury bug bites and this doesn’t tie their hands this offseason when those players that didn’t move today are still available.
Go Kraken!!!
Yeah literally no one (forward wise) that I’d be interested in moved. Lots of depth and role players or old rental vets.
i like this move, the RW has been lacking scoring (besides eberle). he should have an easy time joining the roaster since he played for lane last year. I think bots will resign the better between tolvanen and mcmann.
All we’ve seen from competition in the lineup so far under LL is that the more defensive players get more ice time. We’re missing scoring because of LL and adding more competition to score less goals is all we are doing.
True offensive players don’t mesh well with LL so if anyone is thinking this move adds scoring shake your head.
idk, when he worked for Toronto scoring didn’t seem to be an issue. 5v5 beniers eberle and schwartz/mccann have the most ice-time the next two lines share the same amount of time.
He wasn’t the head coach in Toronto and was only working with the defense, he’s best suited for that. Toronto had a much more offensive system and two other coaches who wanted that system played, one of whom was his Boss.
Not sure why you’re confused about the Top 6 thing. Those guys just weren’t available. I didn’t want anyone that was actually moved and McMann comes in and will instantly be our #2 goal scorer. This is a solid upgrade on a guy who they could pretty easily resign and could replace Tolvanen if they let him walk (which we’ve expected they will).
I guess ultimately I’m disappointed that in the short time the Kraken have been around they haven’t been able to secure a top player. I understand there are years when deadline passes and no one moves. But they’re not making good off season deals either.
I like this move more if he re-signs in the off-season while we let a couple of the UFA’s walk. It’s usually easier and cheaper to re-sign a guy than bring him in from the outside during FA. Should be a better fit and step up from what we got out of Marchment considering it’s essentially a simple swap for the two with what we paid.
I wonder what the final asking price on Robert Thomas was considering no one landed him.
I remember this story from January…an awesome gesture from the newest Kraken:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-maple-leafs-loblaws-grocery-store-worker-kevin-wilson-9.7042998
Kraken will be marginal until Francis is gone. GM and coach are looking over their shoulder for his approval. The signing of Eberle, and today’s trade confirm it. We’ve heard look at the future picks, their in AZ, and blocked by old slow farts with high contracts. Wright was never given the ice time, nor paired with the best line to develop. Nyman can score, but doesn’t fit RF’s game. I like Lambert, except he doesn’t like youngsters, only Catton. We’re soft because McCann, Eberle, Schwartz, and Stevenson, never throw to many hits. I want to see Francis, his 2 kids that work for the team, and the soft overpaid old farts gone.
This!
More of the same old conservative nothing burgers from the Francis regime. How many more years of mediocrity will the owner accept?
It is difficult to know who is worse, RF/JB or Rutherford/Allvin? Those two pairings have both destroyed what could be top franchises with bad choices time after time over many seasons.
The real question is, are these owners making so much money from hockey ops, merchandising, and tax breaks that they have no incentive to intervene and fire everyone in a management role? If it is so obvious from a sofa, why is not obvious from the owner’s suite? What are we missing?
“If it is so obvious from a sofa…”
Priceless.
I’m flattered I have a copycat, less so when the copycat writes such baseless drivel.
Attacking another poster is always a signal of fear. Perhaps your opinions don’t stand up to close scrutiny and that scares you. Post in a way that respects other posters.
There’s no attack. Criticism of baseless drivel is exactly that. “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool”. The couch GM always thinks they’re smarter than the GM. You replied to baseless drivel about Francis still running the team with more baseless drivel. I apologize that this hit home for you.
I don’t know if I’m smarter than RF or if Koist or anyone else rambling on, what’s important to define is that he’s not being compared to us and he shouldn’t be compared to us. Just like if a poster says that Chandler Stevenson sucks that in no sense means that they think they are better than him. It’s based on Chandler Stevensons peers in regards to his ability.
Now let’s jump back to RF, I’m comparing him to his peers who run other franchises and I don’t think he’s good in comparison. In fact I think he’s really bad.
Saying that someone is just being a couch GM and knows nothing is rather stupid FYI.
i will say, it is a fascinating viewpoint to take and complaint to lodge that the lineups are being log-jammed with slow, old farts when the kraken just traded for the 4th fastest player in the league, and if they sign him will have him for his prime.
Just so meh. I wanted us to sell everything and get better draft position. They will just simply not get a top tier guy through a trade, or free agency. The only way is to be lucky enough to draft those guys, and the sooner our front office and ownership accepts that, the better our future will be. And no, a 34 year old Panarin is not the kind of superstar we need. We need our own Celebrini or McDavid and those guys go 1.1 in the draft.
Your logic breaks down when you realize we’ve had 3 picks in the top 8 and still don’t have a superstar and even getting the #1 pick doesn’t guarantee you a superstar. Celebrini and McDavid are generational talent. They are the exceptions for #1 picks, not the norm. Never mind that the lottery makes it impossible to game the system (see Bedard year)
You also claim stars aren’t available when we see them move around the league on a regular basis.
Every time I see someone raging it’s either because they’re copying opinions from another source (podcast, videos) or fundamentally don’t have a clue how the league works (which is also true of some of the podcast and video hosts)
As a lifelong fan of a perennially mediocre team in another pro sport (Orioles), where getting really good players to come is always difficult, the fact is you simply must overpay to get them. While it is true that many good players did not move at the deadline this year, it doesn’t mean they could not be acquired (and thus is not a good excuse). An overpay would have done the job. While not ideal, it’s the only way the Kraken will ever form a true 1st line. Their drafting acumen is not great, so they need to be open to trading high picks for proven players. For this team, a guy like Robert Thomas or Jason Robertson, when available for a price, is worth giving up a 1st, a couple of 2nds, and a roster player. Taking a second swing at the Mason Marchment trade isn’t gonna cut it.
As the Sabers found out with Parayko and the Kraken with Lafreniere, sometimes it doesn’t matter what you offer. Given the position the Stars are in right now, I can’t imagine there’s a realistic package the Kraken could put together that would pry him out of Dallas. It would take a huge overpay for a guy who is expiring and just one year from UFA. Should the Kraken really strip the cupboards for a guy who’s going to force his way out the door after one full season? If Robertson doesn’t want to sign here, trading for him is a bad idea.
Furthermore, from the reports I’ve read, Shane Wright, a first and a couple seconds wasn’t getting you Thomas even if he did waive. Supposedly, Armstrong’s ask was the equivalent of four four first. I doubt a weak version of three would have done it… but whatever.
Of course, you can’t get a deal done 100% of the time. The point is you have to make the offer so good they sort of have no choice… we only need to land 2 stars and everything changes. I think the most glaring thing Seattle has not learned from Vegas is not to overvalued your picks/prospects. IIRC there is a not a single Vegas 1st rounder on their roster. They deal them away in a heartbeat for proven talent.
I think 3 x $14.25m is an offer so good they have no choice… and Panarin still chose LA. I think that also goes hand in hand with the Vegas angle. The Golden Knights had the good fortune of making the SCF their very first year and immediately became a “destination” for players like Mark Stone. Seattle is not a destination. Tanking or trading seem to me to be the two options. If they’re going the trade route – which it seems they are – getting into the playoffs regularly seems like the step they need to take first. Crazy overpays and pushing for “big moves” too soon seems, to me, a recipe for failure. I agree they need to be willing to take a big swing that will cost, and I think the Panarin story makes it clear they’re willing to do that, just not at any price.
A decent playoff showing and maybe Robertson will sign a 7 x $15m offer sheet this summer.
It seems like the players who are here like playing in Seattle. We know the organization treats the players well. We’re a no income tax state although not quite as friendly as Nevada.
It’s more they don’t want to join this roster/coach/management group and who would blame them with the results after 5 years? So I tend to agree that we just need to keep trying to overpay for first line talent, especially if we’re not going to tank and play the draft waiting game.
Normally I agree with your opinions but I’m going to counter your point that we aren’t a destination. Both Stephenson and Montour were top guys on the FA board and we landed both. Fundamentally Panarin just wanted to go to LA. This is mentioned several times on 32 Thoughts. We aren’t a sunbelt state. That’s really the only issue we have beyond being good.
Stephenson we overpaid and he was obviously taking the highest bid. We can probably sign more players like him if that’s what you want? Even RF admitted after the signing that you have to pay the price to get players signed, pretty much admitting that it was overpayment. You can’t build a winner by overpaying.
Monty was a little more interesting, maybe we were the highest bidder I’m not sure. This was a few years ago before another coaching change and bringing in LL, maybe he thought we had potential?
I’m glad we picked him up.
I think the kraken need a reset, the roster isn’t great and it’s not attracting high level talent. Why would any high level offense player ever wave a no trade clause to come to settle and play for LL the most defensive coach in the entire NHL. It would be suicidal, they get paid for goals and if the goals don’t go in they get less money for their next contract.
Let’s be very honest, as most high end scorers have some sort of no movement clause it’s very unlikely that we land one through a trade until we change coaches at the very least.
You seriously want to overpay for a high end player in FA? First off it would most likely be a player that is signing his last contract and one that doesn’t care about a decrease in points. Sounds to me like an old unmotivated player just looking to cash out and golf more, that isn’t going to help us build a winning franchise. It might help us squeeze into the playoffs an continue us towards a path of mediocrity.
The front office needs to be moved out and this team needs a reset urgently, how many more years do we give RF when the results are painstakingly obvious. The roster has never been good and he’s built a franchise that nobody wants to play for unless we overpay even though we have a huge advantage being a no tax state.
I know there are still posters that defend him but the evidence is looking pretty bad throughout his entire career in the front office.
Your takes just keep getting worse which is quite the achievement given what you’re written here in the last. I guess in that regard.. well done! Nothing you said has any basis in reality.
I find it hard to believe that you can’t see that we are not a destination that attracts players and fail to connect the dots.
Just totally unlucky that we can’t attract talent?
We’re not a brand new expansion team anymore that excuse is done and gone.
But yeah I’m just wrong because you said so…. Makes so much sense.
I find it hard to believe you can think you’re right so often in the face of contrary evidence being out there, but here we are. You’re wrong because you’re wrong. You’ve even been given evidence elsewhere here by Koist…. Stephenson and Montour were both top FAs the year they were signed. We overpaid Stephenson $500k of what estimates were of his contract. Fundamentally there’s just been very few players that fit the profile we want that have been available (Players that fit our window ideally under 28 and can score 25+ goals a season). Then we went and got the best available player on the marker (a 20+ goal scorer) and you’re doing mental gymnastics to try and convince yourself that this is a bad trade.
You also falsely assumed old players just give up on their last contract which is also countered by pretty much every player in the leagues actual performance over time.
You then falsely claim RF is running the hockey ops. He isn’t and that’s been both publicly stated and shown by the team’s actions where he hasn’t actually been seen much at all since the role change.
At a certain point, all the evidence is going to pile up and you’re going to have to face that fear that you might actually be wrong…. or you could keep spinning new conspiracy theories to further entrench your bad takes.
My guess is these opinions aren’t yours. You copied them from elsewhere on the internet and didn’t fact check yourself. You can fix that with some casual reading.
I’m really not sure anymore what you’re even talking about, you think my opinions are wrong because they don’t align with yours? Seriously this is ridiculous go get a life and stop attacking people just because they don’t agree with you. Classic internet troll…. I’m entitled to my opinion and history has shown that I’ve been right more than wrong when things come out in the wash.
Do I care what you think, not in the least just get lost troll.
Imagine having all that evidence thrown at you and sticking your head further in the sand and then resorting to calling someone a troll because you still can’t accept facts and reality. I tried to educate but it sounds like you’d rather be mad than learn.
Because you’re a troll and haven’t said anything of substance just trying to trash… yeah you are a troll.
Nino, you seem to be the most perceptive poster on this forum. There are homeboys here (no doubt posting under several ids to vent different emotions) who don’t want to acknowledge what has been obvious since 2021, that the problem is Francis and the low standard he set from day one.
Changing leadership can positively affect a franchise, as has been shown many many times before. It is no different than the old boss in the office being replaced by the better new one. I hope everyone here has lived through that experience and should know intimately how vital it is that leadership sets high standards. If they have not, perhaps they should not be posting about management issues they know nothing about.
Even poor rosters can be turned around with the right leadership (e.g. Buffalo, Montreal, Detroit, Anaheim, San Jose, Minnesota, Utah). As the Cowardly Lion said, “what have they got that I ain’t got?”. The answer, then and now, is “Courage.”
Spot on.
Any decision by players – FAs or trade candidates – to join the team (on a long-term contract) is first and foremost a referendum on team’s front office. Basically, a vote of confidence/no confidence in the Kraken’s management team. Does the Kraken front office have the “courage” to make the occasional bold, aggressive (and yes, risky) move to improve the team, or will I (the player) be stranded in a deteriorating situation for the next ~ 5 years? The franchises you mentioned above have made those types of moves at some point; the Kraken never has. No need to hypothesize though; upcoming FAs/trade candidates this offseason will cast their yes or no votes on the Seattle Kraken franchise this summer.
I think what most people against being a buys and who wanted a hard sell at the deadline fail to realize is that we couldn’t possibly tank hard enough to get a top 3 pick this year. We would need serious luck in the lottery to move up that much. We are just too far ahead of the basement and the style we play even removing a bunch of pieces would keep getting us some points – look at how we did with McCann, Monty, and Schwartz out. Yes it might be good for developing Firkus and Nyman go get ice time with the big boys, but they play top line roles in CV with way more minutes.
Also remember a 2nd round pick has like a 20% chance of ever playing 200 games in the NHL and we only gave up one of the three 2nds we had in 2027. I know we haven’t drafted a super star yet – still hopeful Matty continues to become a Bergeron esque player – but our hit rate on picks becoming productive contributors at the NHL level is strong and our prospect pipeline is highly regarded just missing generational talent.
Also remember the best players aren’t making it to free agency anymore. Especially with the cap going up quickly. Even if they do go to free agency for the Kraken to land them we also have to be a team people want to play for…and that means winning. So making the playoffs actually is important to change the perception of the team. Having been to games in over a dozen different cities over the years I do think the Kraken fans are among the most supportive and loudest at games (when we have a reason to cheer). Our playoff run was electric and rivals the atmosphere of any of the hockey hot beds…plus without the microscope of any of the Canadian cities or Boston/Philly/Detroit. Even with our struggles we haven’t turned on our team or players much at all…and way less than many cities would. Seattle is also a has to be a more desirable place to be for most than some of the other markets like Buffalo, Columbus, St Louis.
McCann is far faster than any player on our roster – he is one the 5 fastest players in the league in terms of top speed and number of high speed bursts. He also is big and willing to get physical. I know when leafs fans/media were up in arms about their goalies being run – especially by the Kraken early in the season – he was called out as the only guy jumping in and standing up for them. I know he wants money and term but he effectively could replace Schwartz next year as he is 4 years younger and will less injury history. He is a late bloomer so you hope it’s not an overpay but if he produces and we make the playoffs we probably make a serious run at resigning him. I am optimistic he fits much more than Marchement.
We shall see how the McMann trade works out, I mostly don’t like it because he’s just a middle guy and likely to just push our prospects further down the way LL coaches.
I feel like we missed the boat to tank we should have possibly focused more on developing and less on trying to make the playoffs every year. Should we tank now, I don’t think so. Should we be getting our prospects that have the best chance long term more ice time and make the playoffs a secondary goal until we have built up a decent core, absolutely. Are we putting too much pressure on our coaches to make the playoffs and force them to give our prospects limited opportunities, possibly.
I want to go to games and enjoy the experience, I want to watch the games on TV and enjoy the game. I don’t want to be sitting there watching us constantly dumping pucks and sitting the guys with skill because maybe it gets us into a wild card spot. Let’s have some patience.
No one on here, myself included, has any actual insights into the opportunities, analysis or decisions that NHL front offices engage in. That doesn’t need to stop anyone from speculating. I do, however, question how some folks with neither the professional experience or the essential first hand observations and analysis can proclaim with such confidence that they know more about player development than an NHL front office. Watching games and reading articles obviously isn’t enough to be anything sort of authority.
I don’t think anyone is actually doing that, they see other franchises just as I do. It’s all a comparison, we haven’t had great success here that not debatable.
I don’t want to watch a team “tank”
I don’t want a coach or management not trying to get to the playoffs every season.
I don’t want to watch an “NHL team” made up mostly of pimply college aged kids.
I don’t think an NHL team’s goal should be to be a bunch of losers with one or two prospective “elite” kids who are expected to someday somehow “bring home The Cup,” just because a bunch of pseudo hockey fans get bored if they can’t put on their stats hats and talk about “the star players.”
Not at all what I said, but great. 👍
I love getting Bobby McMann. I was just texting my brother yesterday at 11:00am. “I wouldn’t mind us getting Bobby McMann.” Then the shoe dropped. LOL
Being a former suffering Leaf’s Nation member, I’ve watched him play a lot of games, and have always been impressed. He is a true “power forward”, but can skate like the wind and plays a responsible 2-way game. Plus he has some sandpaper. Unfortunately, if you played for the Leafs and your name wasn’t Matthews, Nylander, Marner or Tavares, you were considered low cost fodder to haphazardly make up a full hockey “team” and you were treated accordingly. In Seattle, he has a chance to be an important and valued contributor. If things work out, he will be signed, as Botterill says. In any case, what top-6 who were you going to get with your precious term? And are they better than Bobby McMann, who is a proven 20G scorer, could easily have 5-6 years left in his tank and we’re starting at $1.35m in salary??
It doesn’t matter where he plays. He will help this team, and being a good guy from Wainwright AB, he will fit the culture perfectly. Issues of young guys playing and “logjams” are overthinking things. Players WILL be getting hurt, sick, have babies, dog died, just need a break, life happens, etc etc etc.
My guess is something like…
Schwartz-Stephenson-McMann, or…
McMann-Wright-Kakko. Then…
Melanson-Gaudreau-Tolvanen.
Tolvanen is not consistent. He hasn’t fully earned the right to be a fixture in the “top 9”. Neither has Wright, but he needs to develop and needs TOI.
Catton can easily play with Stephenson and looked great there. They even live together and can strategize over breakfast.
Go Kraken!
The Toronto Maple Leafs – the NHL’s version of the Dallas Cowboys!
McCann’s a solid pickup and will strengthen their forward group. While I get the argument that they may lose two draft picks for a two-month rental, from an optics standpoint they had to do something. This could also end up being a small litmus test for the franchise. Assuming BM plays well he’ll attract interest as a free agent. Will he be interested in re-signing with the Kraken, or would his preference be to move on?
Regarding the trade deadline – no doubt the transactions were anticlimactic. Unfortunately, the two clear winners were Colorado (Kadri) and Anaheim (John Carlson)
My take on the trade deadline probably won’t be popular. I don’t believe this team is ready to contend. When that is the case and you have a bunch of FA ‘s, you try to sell some of them.
I don’t mind the team buying guys with several years on their contract. I would have liked to see them make the trade they did and move a few pieces like Oleksiak and Schwartz that could have brought more high picks back
Oleksiak I get. He needs to go. The game he played against Carolina was an insult to all Kraken fans and the organization, because it showed he does have the ability to play well, but chooses not to 95% of the time. I don’t even care what we could get for him. Not having to pay him $4.6m salary would be a good start.
However, I don’t understand why anyone would want to get rid of Schwartz. He’s only 33, still plays great, he’s very consistent (you know what you are getting), has won a Cup and is obviously a huge leader on the team. His value to the team is way higher than any draft picks you’re getting. We already have 5x 1st’s in the next three drafts.
I don’t think the team is close to championship caliber. That’s why I support trading away assets that are valuable for a few more years, like Schwartz. It’s his value that brings a bigger return.
I feel like draft picks are like lottery tickets. Until we land a few real stars, we need to stockpile them like firewood before an Alaskan winter.
I don’t know enough about the team to know who to trade, but 8 definitely support giving up wins today for better chances for future wins.