On Friday night, the Seattle Kraken traveled to play the Detroit Red Wings in what turned out to be an eventful game. A second-period offensive explosion saw the Kraken come away with a 6-2 win. For everything the game had, it did not feature the likes of Red Wings young stud defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who has remained home in Sweden while awaiting a new contract from the team.
Detroit’s interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has indicated the club’s desire to re-sign the restricted free agent and have him return to the team, but The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun noted on X that “the longer this goes on, obviously a trade becomes possible.”
Given the Kraken’s recent tendency to take swings in the trade market, Edvinsson is an enticing option. Reports have suggested the Kraken as one of the potential suitors for Edvinsson. As many as 10 teams have inquired about the Red Wings defenseman, according to LeBrun.
As with any player of Edvinsson’s age and caliber, there would be a high price for teams to acquire him. But it’s nothing the Kraken couldn’t fork over, and for the right combination of players, prospects or draft picks, it could mean the franchise locks down a stalwart on the blue line for years to come.
What kind of player is Simon Edvinsson?
Edvinsson was drafted sixth overall by the Red Wings in the 2021 NHL Draft. His first full season in the league was 2024-25, when he posted seven goals and 24 assists in 78 games.
His point production isn’t as notable as his defensive play and ability to limit opponents’ offensive opportunities. At 6-foot-6, 222 lbs, Edvinsson ranked tied for 14th among defensemen in 2025-26 with 2.1 blocked shots per game. But more than that, he is a physical force who can shut attacks down at the blue line and singlehandedly eliminate threats with his long reach, heavy hits, and good instincts. And he skates and moves the puck well for a player of his size too.
At 23 years old, Edvinsson is still just reaching his prime. His potential is what teams would be paying for, whether through an extension with the Red Wings or a trade. He plays the game in a way that could appeal to the Kraken in both the short and long term.
Benefiting the Kraken
In the short term, Edvinsson would add a new dynamic and help replace the physical presence missed with Ryan Lindgren out at least a month and Jamie Oleksiak having moved on in the offseason. While not a full-on game wrecker, he would help bolster a young core in its push toward the playoffs this season and beyond.
The left-shot defenseman would also fit in a couple different ways. In the immediate, he does seem like a perfect fit next to Brandon Montour on the second pair, which would move Ryker Evans back down to the third pair (if Evans isn’t involved in the potential deal). Edvinsson would also offer a potential succession plan for Vince Dunn on the first pairing. Dunn is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season, and while he has expressed his desire to stay and eventually retire with the Kraken, Edvinsson is a top-pair caliber defenseman.
It’s also worth noting that Edvinsson’s agent is J.P. Barry of CAA Sports. Barry also represents Kraken defenseman and fellow Swede Adam Larsson, who signed an extension with the team last season.
Plus, let’s consider an ultra-hypothetical scenario in which Edvinsson signs a five- or six-year extension. How much fire power would a potential pairing of Chase Reid and Edvinsson bring in a couple years? By the end of that contract, the Kraken’s top defensive prospect in Reid should be making an impact at the NHL level.
Pairing a gap-controlling defenseman like Edvinsson alongside a speedy, skilled, puck-moving defenseman like Reid would theoretically benefit both players.
The costs
Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. The Kraken would still need to complete the trade, and from the sounds of it, the cost is what they should be wary of.
Reports suggest the asking price for Edvinsson is a bit steep. A player like him would likely command a top young player or two, plus draft picks. Plus, it’s entirely possible the Red Wings won’t want to do anything drastic given the current status of the front office.
Off the Kraken’s roster, young players like Ryan Winterton and Evans could be part of a package. And what about moving Shane Wright to swap two players who have openly expressed an interest in a change of scenery?
As for prospect and draft capital, the Kraken have quite a few enticing players in the minors that could be worthy of a new opportunity with Detroit. They also have two 2027 first-round picks at their disposal.
Getting a player like Edvinsson would be a game changer for Seattle. It would not only help dispel the notion that the team can’t acquire talent, but also bolster its future on the blue line.
But what do you think? Should the Kraken go after Simon Edvinsson? If so, what would you be willing to give up to acquire him?
Yes.
Ryker Evans, the Lightning 1st and one of the next three up in Coachella (OFM, Nyman, Firkus) or Winterton to start.
I actually don’t think that quite gets it done but I think it could be close. I’d be okay with Shane being in a deal but I’d pass on shipping O’Brien.
obrian is a nonstarter and shouldnt even be mentioned in trade talks unless there is a crazy name out there and simon edvinsson isnt that.
This one 100% comes down to the cost, for me. We finally seem to have unlocked scoring (knock on wood). I’d hate to disrupt that by changing the chem of the team. That said, we’ve been leaky in front of the net early on this season. Adding a top pair, lock down, stay at home D wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Yes.
Wright (I don’t want to lose him, but he’s clearly never getting the proper chance to be what he could be here), Nyman (also seems to never going to get a true shot here) or Winterton, TB’s ’27 first or Seattle’s ’28 first.
nyman (who obviously listened to criticism this offseason) wasnt getting time up because his off puck play was abysmal and he wasnt winning battles. his shot is lethal and that was it. he has obviously taken a step up this offseason and looks like a much much better player. but last year? yeah, i can see why he wasnt afforded opportunity.
wright has been given ample chances, i dont know if the problem was between the ears or what but he also looks much better this year.
both players have taken great steps forward to the point that wright is starting to look like who we wanted to draft but i need to see more than 6 games to be sure with him, he had a habit of streaky play where he would have a hot couple of games and then disappear for 10 games.
im not arguing with you though, i want them both to excel here for a long time.
Nyman’s issue seems to be pace. Love his size. Love his shot. But he needs to be faster.
Huh? Wrights getting plenty of chance this year and is finally showing some progress. What n odd take
We should at least try. He wants out and we are one of the few teams that can actually take him. It depends a lot on what the Wings will accept. Sadly, the Wings have too much cap space for us to offer sheet him and yoink him away.
If we want a stronger team this year, it makes sense to move at least some draft capital. I would be sad to lose Nyman, but he should be in the NHL but doesn’t seem to fit our current system/strategy. If we aren’t going to play him we need to move him. Losing Wright just as he seems to be clicking as a great winger for Catton would suck, but he does want out. Edvission would be an amazing upgrade to Evans and would unlock Monty’s offense more. Also, tightening our roster to make room for players like OFM and Nelson would be a bonus.
Wints and OFM need to stay here.
Great insights. Not sure Wright still wants out. Frankly it doesn’t matter what he wants.
I have heard OFM compared to (potentially) Lars Eller and, my own comparison, Alex Wennberg? Not sure that blocks you from getting a 6’6” reliable 23 year old D man who might be able to play with Reid. Not sure Nelson ever finds a spot here, unless we get Edvinsson, we have
Edvinsson – Reid
Evans – Montour
<someone> – not Larsson?
It kinda does matter what Wright wants. If he truly wants out, he just doesn’t sign a new contract and forces a trade out. Returns for holdouts tend to diminish the longer it drags on, as the team’s leverage tends to diminish. So if we wants out, it makes sense to trade him during the season if his stock is rising.
Force a trade? What’s he gonna do, sign an offer sheet? Given their cap I don’t think that’s a realistic option. Hold out?
Hmm…
honestly, bringing in a third team that is a Larkin requested team would probably get this over the finish line. i really dont want to see wright go but i understand you have to give to get.
evans has been great this season but im all for adding big bodied D that are hard to play against. evans isnt “redundant”, like… you can never have too many offensive weapons, BUT edvinsson would fit more of a need. any package including OFM needs to return more than edvinsson.
this is one of those trades where i dont know what to do or what to want. it isnt a lateral move as edvinsson projects to be a top 4 D (probably top 2) but after Evans i dont know what to add that doesnt hurt. detroit has a lot of needs and we could spare some forwards but which ones? freddy g could be a good add as a depth center, detroit needs center depth and tampas 1st? dont want to mess up the 4th line chemistry but OFM could come up and hold down the 4th line center job. i really want to see more games with shane before even considering letting him go, the kid line has been fantastic and i want to see more of him this season before considering a trade.
I would love to get Edvinsson. I don’t think it could happen via trade, unless we are trading Vince Dunn? And would Seattle want to throw Dunn into that particular dumpster fire (or any other Kraken player) just out of principle? I don’t think Seattle would do that to one of our current roster players. Additionally, Detroit seems unwilling to accept futures assets. They have expressed in any Larkin discussions they want a player who can contribute now. Not assets for the future.
I am assuming we can’t offer sheet him? Are we beyond that deadline? I am thinking maybe that wouldn’t be doing him any favors anyway, because Detroit could then just match, and he is stuck there.
If we could offer sheet and I thought it would work, I would be willing to go $10.5 x 6, and then flip Dunner for some assets at the deadline…or maybe even keep him short term and figure out what to do with Lindgren. Unfortunately, I think Detroit would match 10.5m x 6. They don’t have much cap pressure coming up, except Debrincat, Kasper and a starting netminder, and they have plenty of cap room.
“The Red Wings would still prefer to receive NHL-ready talent in exchange for the restricted free agent, but they’re also open to considering future-based packages centered around draft picks and prospects, sources told Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli.”
I think Evans (a player), Lightning 1st (a pick), and OFM (a prospect) gets close.
He is offer sheet eligible but that number – $10.5 x 6 would cost their next four firsts, unprotected. That’s too much risk for me.
Then I would rather part with two firsts and some other prospects if I could get away with it. I am very bullish on Evans. He is going to be very good.
If they keep Evans that’s Dunn, Edvinsson and Evans on the left. I think that’s overloaded. As much as folks think anyone over 30 is garbage and they don’t fit with the Kraken’s necessity to tear it down to the studs and try and compete with the Canucks and the Flames for single digit odds at an 18 year old… I think keeping Dunn is probably the smart move baring a big opportunity. Edvinsson is nice, but I don’t think he’s that big opportunity. If they can resign the guy whose projected to be the No.1 UFA D when Hughes doesn’t get there, I say do it, especially since it may come at a discount.
If I’m bringing in Edvinsson, Evans has got to go and Dunn needs to be extended l.
Agree to disagree on this one. I see a 4-5 year timeline for the Kraken getting promoted to the top 8, and Evans sits right in that timeline. Long term, I also think he is better than Dunn. He is also more flexible. Anyway, if you’re getting Edvinsson, I think you are trying to keep Dunn AND Evans, and you figure out what to do with Lindgren.
I wouldn’t equate their ask in a Larkin trade with what it would take to land Edvinsson. Larkin is the 30 year old star of the team, he isn’t someone they can replace without leaning in to a full-on rebuild, which it seems they aren’t prepared to do. Edvinsson is a 23 up-and-coming player still. While they miss him right now, he’s an easier player to replace in their line up with another young player and picks.
With all of that said, I think Detroit really doesn’t want to trade him. Anything they are asking for right now I wouldn’t want to pay. With more time the pressure will build, Detroit will either cave and pay him what he wants, or they’ll be more willing to trade him and recoup what they can.
Well, I agree with what you said at the start. They have Chiarot and Wallinder on the left. Do they need Edvinsson?
Hard pass. Nobody pays the price Detroit is supposedly demanding unless the intention is for Edvinsson to be a top-pairing guy, and paying Vince Dunn fills that need with nothing but money as a cost. Also, trading away a bunch of talent for a guy who can’t run a powerplay seems like a straight-up loss any way you look at it. It’s not like Dunn is so old that he will not remain a top-pair guy through a new contract. If the Wings only wanted to swap for Shane Wright, I would buy that despite Wright’s obvious improvement (would Wright want to go to Detroit?), because it would allow Edvinsson to come in on the second pairing instead of wearing all the expectations of being a star defenseman. For a player, a prospect, and a pick? Not a chance.
I have so many questions.
4. Who is all this talent we are trading away? OFM? Nyman? Firkus? Does it matter if you get a 6’6” d-man who has shown he can play in the league? None of those guys were picked 6th overall. Also, they may never make this team. You already have a young core of Beniers, Catton, Samoskevich, Wright, Evans and presumably O’Brien. You probably aren’t trading your own 2027 pick no matter what. You have Caswell (Denver champion) Josephson (center at UND), Fyodorov, Mutryn. Most Kraken prospects will never play for the Kraken. Kraken are bursting with prospects.
Vegas doesn’t care what they trade for a player. They see player, want player, get player because they fit where they need the team to go. Kraken are going to find themselves needing a reliable LHD to play with Reid. Who is that going to be? Lindgren? Evans? Mahura? Who is it?
1. Cool your jets on Reid. Defensemen take a few years to develop, and Reid is still in the NCAA. He will likely not even be a third-pairing guy within the next two years let alone a guy who will need a top-pairing partner. And, I know nobody wants to hear it, but we don’t even know if he is going to be any good.
2. Nope. All I have are the reports.
3. If he can’t run a power play then he can’t do what the guy he would be replacing can do. How long do you expect the Kraken to count on an aging Brandon Montour to be that guy, especially if either Vince Dunn or Ryker Evans gets moved? Also, a non-play driving defenseman just is not worth what a power play quarterback is, not even close.
4. Draft position doesn’t matter after draft day. The Kraken got stupid-lucky with mid-to-late round picks in the first couple years. Don’t expect that to continue. The Kraken need to enoy the product of those drafts while they have it.
5. It would be lousy to move him someplace he doesn’t want to go.
6. Who knows, maybe Ty Nelson? We are years away from finding out.
He’s no Shaeffer, but Reid will be ready in 2028. He will be able to run a PP.
…but he is also going to need a partner, and currently it’s Evans, Lindgren or Mahura. It definitely isn’t Nelson, and probably not anyone currently in CV. Kraken are going to have to bring someone in.
Yeah, Reid should be ready for a third-pairing role two years from now assuming all goes well and he does not need an extra season in Coachella Valley. Lindgren, Mahura, Nelson, or Dragicevic can likely handle a third-pairing role in two years. The year after, maybe Reid takes over the second pairing, at which point Evans will be a grizzled vet who can teach a young guy some stuff. So we really do not need to be worried about a top-pairing partner for Reid until 2030. Hey, maybe they can draft one next off-season.
I big young stay at home D man with some offensive skill is worth an effort to acquire. Finding the right mix of a player, pick, and or prospect that everyone can agree on would probably result in an overpay right now with so many teams interested. I would wait it out and stay the course with the young players here unless Detroit gets desperate.
Opportunity also just knocks sometimes.
With Edvinsson on this team, your 2028 1st might be in the 12 to 15 range.
It’s probably Tampa’s 2027 for sure. But that’s not nearly enough for a 23 year old 6th overall pick who has proven he can play in the league. So now you are looking at adding your 2028 1st (because you won’t trade your 2027). But DET is going to want a prospect, even with the two 1sts, just to look good. So then there’s probably a player they really wanted in a draft, but Seattle got there first. Maybe it’s Viktor Fyodorov. Maybe it’s Jani Nyman. Who knows. They will probably want that player. You just make that trade.
It really doesn’t matter because the best looking player in CV is actually Avon, and they probably aren’t asking for him, and you aren’t trading your own 2027 1st.
I don’t see this trade making sense for us unless the package is strictly built around Shane Wright and Ryker Evans. We just launched a transitional retool to build a young core, and we need to stay the course with that plan if we ever want to see a clear path to the future.
He’s 23. Doesn’t that make him age appropriate for building a young team? And how does packaging Shane and Ryker for anyone help with that. I’m confused.
Very interesting takes from all. Not sure where I stand, but would be okay if we stand pat for the time being. Go Kraken!!!
If you don’t go for it on 4th and 5 when you are 6 pts down and there are 3 minutes left in the game, you will never be a champion.
Is he really that good? I thought Seattle’s D corps would be atrocious this year with Mahura and Fluery occupying that 6/7 D spot but they’ve looked serviceable. With Lindgren out, Ottavainen looks like he belongs in the NHL. Is getting a D1 shut down player really going to move the needle? I dont think so. You can find D-men that play good defense.
I get that he fits the time line but its a hard pass for me. Especially given how much Shane Wright has improved in his second year under this coaching staff. He’s surely to be added to any trade this team makes. At this point in the season I’d argue that he’s untradable, which is astounding given the situation that he found himself in last year.
If anything, they need a big wing to pair with Beniers. I still like Owen Tippet and PHI is disastrous. They need a puck moving D so vince dunn on an expiring contract or a young center. that would be wright which would be tough but would open a spot for Firkus. Or Winterton when Melanson returns.
either way, trading anyone on this team when they’re clicking would be tough. We’re less than 10 games in so lets see were this team is at come trade deadline. I expect them to come back down to earth a bit but I hope not!
Edvinsson is a 6’6” 23 year old top pair NHL defenseman. He also happens to be a LHD and defensively oriented. It’s not really about is he “that good.” We used to have phrases like “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” If you think Reid is any good (and lots of people thought he easily could have gone 1-3 in the draft) then you have to think about the team you could be building with him on it.
If you’re hedging on whether Reid is any good or not, that also doesn’t matter, because the cost to get Edvinsson will be relatively low. Even if you trade both Tampa and Seattle’s own 1st round picks. Edvinsson is worth more to the Kraken than both of those picks combined and even adding in a prospect or two.
I trust the Kraken FO to decide if he’s worth Wright and Evans and a CV guy (Nyman?) and Tampa’s 1st rounder. They know more than me and any of you or we’d be working in the NHL. But a Blueline of Dunn, Montour, Edvinson, Reid, Jugnauth and Nelson (or maybe another D oriented D man) sounds good to me. So, Yes. I would, but they know best. Go Kraken!!
What if we try to acquire Edvinsson and Larkin? McCann is out for 10 weeks (and has unfortunately had a string of injuries). AI tells me the Kraken would need to offer Detroit:
Shane Wright — young center
Seattle’s 2027 first-round pick
Jani Nyman — young power forward
Jagger Firkus — scoring prospect
Seattle’s 2027 second-round pick
I don’t know if the Kraken can make this fit the salary cap but both players fill a need (big D-man, more proven offensive).
Would this package be worth it?
What if we try to acquire Edvinsson and Larkin? McCann is out for 10 weeks (and has unfortunately had a string of injuries). AI tells me the Kraken would need to offer Detroit:
Shane Wright — young center
Seattle’s 2027 first-round pick
Jani Nyman — young power forward
Jagger Firkus — scoring prospect
Seattle’s 2027 second-round pick
I don’t know if the Kraken can make this fit the salary cap but both players fill a need (big D-man, more proven offensive).
Would this package be worth it?
I don’t know about the AI version…
It makes sense – and has been reported – they’d be looking for a young center. Unfortunately, Wright hasn’t really helped his case so far this season.
If you bring in Edvinsson the left side is overloaded so someone would need to go unless they’re cutting bait on Dunn, which I don’t think they are. I think that gets Evans in the deal.
Lindgren is their leading D man on the PK, but Edvinsson numbers in Detroit last season suggest he’d be well suited to displace him in that assignment – which could be a big bonus.
Wright and Evans seems like a solid starting point to me. Maybe they want OFM too (or instead along with picks), who knows. But I think Seattle is one of the few teams that can actually afford to trade for him. The biggest question of all though… would he sign here?
Does this package look better to the Red Wings now that they’ve suspended Larkin after he said he won’t play and demanded a trade?
Seattle isn’t on Larkin’s list and I really can’t see him waiving to come here.