Friday Film Room – Finn Kearns, Carson Rehkopf

by Curtis Isacke | Jul 24, 2026 | Uncategorized

Welcome to Friday Film Room, our offseason Seattle Kraken prospects series here at Sound Of Hockey. Today, we’ll look at gameplay video, data, and analysis of Finn Kearns, an off-the-radar 2026 fifth-round pick, and Carson Rehkopf, a high-profile forward prospect who played for the Coachella Valley Firebirds last season.

If you like these breakdowns, stop by every Friday because we’ll cover two prospects per week (one 2026 Kraken draft pick and one other organization prospect) until Kraken players are back on the ice for camp this fall.

Any suggestions or questions for future posts? Please let us know below or on social media at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Finn Kearns | Defenseman | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Profile: Left-shot | 18 years old | 6-foot-3 | 212 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken fifth-round pick (unsigned)

Summary: Finn Kearns’ game is built around physicality. He is a big, imposing shutdown defenseman who leverages his strength, reach, and punishing contact to produce. At his best, he disrupts plays with heavy hits, strong net-front coverage, and effective gap engagement, while showing enough mobility to project as a defensive specialist at higher levels. Although he flashes competent puck-carrying ability and escape skating, his puck-moving consistency, skating pace, and offensive impact are limited at this stage.

Kearns is still raw, relatively untested, and underdeveloped compared with his draft-class peers, having spent most of his draft season playing prep hockey. He is a long-term development project with the size and enough skating ability to become a dependable defensive defenseman.

Video: Kearns is the left-shot defenseman wearing No. 2 in green.

Strengths:

• Elite physical presence at lower levels of competition; delivered heavy, game-changing hits regularly.
• Excellent size, strength, and reach to deny space and separate opponents from the puck.
• Good mobility for his frame, with flashes of solid edgework and escape skating.
• Flashed strong defensive instincts and positional awareness.
• Effective at denying zone entries at the blue line and defending the net front.
• Capable of closing plays along the boards with physicality before making simple, effective outlet passes.
• Willing, competitive defender who embraces a shutdown role and mentality.
• Showed a useful, heavy point shot at the prep school level.
• Physicality and an on-the-edge playing style (163 penalty minutes in 53 prep games during his draft season) bring “identity” potential in the mold of Jeremy Lauzon.
• Scouts indicate Kearns is team-oriented, self-aware about the strengths and weaknesses of his game, and a hard worker.
• Long-term developmental upside due to his physical tools and defensive foundation.

Weaknesses:

• Adequate four-way mobility will need to take steps to be pro-ready.
• Linear skating lacks explosiveness and could use technical refinements.
• A bit more stiffness than fluidity in his movements.
• Struggles when he does not maintain speed and momentum while closing gaps.
• Puck-moving ability lacks creativity, and the results are inconsistent.
• Offensive upside and transition impact are limited.
• At times, he deadens his feet in the defensive zone, becoming too stationary and overly reliant on net-front physicality.
• A limited sample of transition rushes at the prep school level did not generate much.
• Very limited time at the major junior level (20 OHL games) and even less production (one assist).
• Overall, his game remains raw and will require significant development time.

System rank: 15-30 (organizational depth).

Notes: Kearns is a pure defensive-defenseman projection. While he is buoyed by strong reports on his character and team-first mentality, he’ll need to find more puck-moving and basic playmaking ability to traverse higher levels. He has a long runway ahead to make those gains, with a post-draft year in the OHL on tap before joining the University of Massachusetts Minutemen in 2027-28. If he can get into the 20-30 point range for the Sudbury Wolves this season, it would be a good sign that there could be enough offense in his stick to dream on a professional future.

More reading: Hard-nosed, hard-working Finn Kearns turns heads ahead of the NHL Draft

More video: 10/7/25 v. Powassan Voodoos (No. 2 in red)

Carson Rehkopf | Winger | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Profile: Left-shot | 21 years old | 6-foot-2 | 201 lbs | 2023 Seattle Kraken second-round pick (signed)

Summary: Carson Rehkopf has significant offensive skill in his stick, combining a high-end shot with deceptive release mechanics and intermittent offensive-zone playmaking ability. He has the offensive instincts to get to soft scoring areas. His strength and physical engagement have taken a step forward since he was drafted, which should give him more of a “B” game, at least in theory.

On the other hand, his ability to rush the puck in transition has not translated professionally, as he struggles to protect the puck or evade checks. His defensive engagement has taken some steps forward but remains significantly below par. His frame and skill set should yield more forechecking and puck-retrieval production, but his commitment and motor are not there often enough.

Even if he does not hit his ceiling, Rehkopf could still bring complementary offensive value as a spot-up shooter in the offensive zone and on power-play setups, but he needs to push his off-puck game up a level or two. He has the frame and skating ability to do it, but the compete needs to be there.

Video: Rehkopf is the left-shot forward wearing No. 16 in white.

Strengths:

• Elite major junior goal-scoring ability with a quick catch-and-release shot and a deceptive wrist shot (94 goals in 117 OHL games over two post-draft seasons).
• Strong offensive instincts and the ability to find soft areas in coverage; consistently creates separation and gets open in dangerous areas.
• Reads defensive rotations, coverage changes, and developing plays well.
• Improved playmaking ability at the major junior level, which also flashed professionally, including finding teammates through seams and using give-and-go plays.
• Physicality and willingness to engage opponents and battle for space have improved over time.
• Showed the ability to be a net-front presence and score from high-danger areas in the OHL.
• Shows patience with the puck and can delay plays to allow teammates to get open.
• Improved defensive engagement, including better awareness and earlier backchecking.

Weaknesses:

• Skating mechanics lack fluidity, particularly when changing direction or handling the puck laterally.
• Agility and edgework can limit his ability to create plays independently against higher-level defenders at the blue line or in the offensive zone.
• Above average junior pace in transition has not shown up professionally.
• Upright skating style leaves the puck exposed to checks.
• Puck skills are effective but can become less dynamic when forced into tight, one-on-one situations.
• His poor ability to protect the puck or evade defenders with east-west skating often frustrates his rush chances and has caused him to defer as a transition rusher, limiting his scoring potential.
• Development in explosiveness and overall skating range may be necessary to achieve offensive impact at the NHL level.
• His forechecking and physical game have taken strides, but neither has developed into a strength at the professional level. His “want to” also appears lacking at times.
• Defensive production is below average, both in terms of reads and execution; his lack of consistency in this area has cost him deployments in major international tournaments and now at the professional level.
• Too many stick infractions when his skating or compete level wanes.
• Has not gotten to the front of the net often enough professionally for a player with his physical profile.
• Regularly skated in a fourth-line role without power-play time in his first AHL season, having failed to show that he brought enough off the puck to earn more ice time.
• With just four points in his last 34 regular-season and postseason AHL games in the 2025–26 season, his scoring proficiency has not translated professionally.

System rank: 8-15 (NHL upside).

Notes: There are times when Rehkopf certainly passes the “eye test.” He can show enough skating and physicality in a 6-foot-2 frame to go along with effective offensive-zone play engagement. That said, I find it unlikely that the once-speculated high-end outcome of a top-six scoring winger is coming unless Rehkopf can take significant strides in his transition play-driving, puck protection, and/or skating agility. Absent that, Rehkopf will need to continue improving his off-puck play to earn NHL ice time in a complementary middle-six and power-play role.

Rehkopf is still young, but he needs to start showing more consistency defensively and on the forecheck this season to earn top-six AHL deployment. It’s hard to see anything more than the slimmest path forward if he’s mired in limited AHL minutes yet again this year.

More video: May 17, 2026 v. Colorado Eagles (No. 16 in white)

More Friday Film Room

July 17, 2026: Chase Reid, Eduard Sale

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.

Read more from Curtis

The 2026‑27 Seattle Kraken schedule: Travel and road‑trip daydreaming

by John Barr | Jul 20, 2026 | Uncategorized

The NHL released its schedule last week for the upcoming 2026‑27 season, which means it’s time for my annual tradition: digging into travel distances, back‑to‑backs, and identifying any appetizing road trips on the schedule.

Even before the schedule dropped, we already knew two big wrinkles were coming. First, the Kraken will play two games in Helsinki, Finland against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes as part of the NHL Global Series. Second, the league is officially expanding the regular season from 82 to 84 games. More hockey is never a bad thing, but more hockey also means more miles, more wear and tear, and more opportunities for chaos.

Let’s dive in.

Looking at the travel schedule

Historically, Pacific Division teams dominate the league in total miles traveled. That’s just life on the far edge of the map. But this season, something unusual is happening: Central Division teams will actually travel more on average than Pacific teams. As I do every year, I exclude the Global Series travel to have fair comparables to all teams in the league.

Central teams will average 47,037 miles traveled per team while Pacific teams will average 46,004 miles per team.

Even when removing the Helsinki trip entirely, the Kraken still land near the top of the league in total miles traveled. Only the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will log more sky time.

The league’s shift from 82 to 84 games adds roughly 2,000 miles of travel per team on average. For Seattle, the increase is even steeper: 4,484 additional miles compared to last season.

Minnesota gets the biggest bump of all, 10,195 more miles this season than they traveled in 2025‑26.

Back-to-back scenarios

Analyzing back‑to‑backs meant a lot more last offseason, when the Kraken were coming off that unforgettable (in the worst way…as in worst in the league) 0‑12-0 record on the second night of back‑to‑backs. It was one of those stats that became more demoralizing as the Kraken attempted to break the streak, the later the season went on.

Thankfully, the 2025‑26 season brought a bit of redemption. Seattle went 5‑6‑2 in those second‑night games, still not great, but the 12 standings points they earned were a massive improvement over the zero they banked the year before. Progress is progress.

This season, the Kraken once again have 13 back‑to‑back sets, the same number they had last season. But adding some context: last season, 13 was in the bottom third of the league because the Olympic break compressed everyone’s schedules. This season, with a more normal calendar (plus the added two games), 13 back‑to‑backs actually lands Seattle in the top third of the league.

A quick glance at the home schedule

As a season ticket holder, I always like to get a feel for the home rhythm of the season. And once again, the Kraken’s home schedule leans heavily on weekend hockey.

• 10 Saturday home games
• 9 Tuesday games
• 7 Thursday games

If you’re someone who plans your fall and winter around Climate Pledge Arena, this year’s cadence should feel familiar. I will spend a lot more time going through the home schedule in the fall.

Early road‑trip candidates

I try to hit two or three road games every season, and I’m still working toward my long‑term goal of seeing the Kraken play in every NHL rink. If you’re thinking about traveling this year, here are a few trips that caught my eye.

Calgary (October 1 or October 30)

This is the final season the Flames will play in the Saddledome, and if you’ve never been, it’s worth the pilgrimage. The building is a relic—quirky, outdated, and full of charm you just don’t find in modern arenas. I’ve seen the Kraken play there before, but I’m tempted to go one more time before the doors close for good.

The season opener on Oct. 1 is the most convenient option. You could even tack on Edmonton on Oct. 3 before hustling home for the Kraken’s home opener on the 4th.

Detroit → Washington → Philadelphia (October 9–13)

I’ve seen NHL games in both DC and Philly, but never the Kraken in either building. With no snow to worry about, this early‑season swing is appealing.

• Oct. 9 – Detroit
• Oct. 11 – Washington
• Oct. 13 – Philadelphia

I was hoping for a Detroit matchup that lined up better with the college hockey schedule—Yost or Munn in a big rivalry game is still on my bucket list—so I’ll be skipping the Wings this year. But DC and Philly remain strong candidates.

Helsinki, Finland (November)

The only November road trip worth mentioning is the Global Series, and my flights are already booked. If you’ve ever wanted to combine Kraken hockey with international travel, this is the year.

Nashville → Columbus → Pittsburgh → Denver (December 15–20)

This mid‑December stretch is a choose‑your‑own‑adventure depending on your PTO situation.

• Dec. 15 – Nashville
• Dec. 17 – Columbus
• Dec. 18 – Pittsburgh
• Dec. 20 – Denver

I’m skipping this one—Pittsburgh is the only arena I haven’t hit, and I’m saving my budget for other trips—but if you’re considering it, Nashville is one of my favorite NHL cities, and Columbus is underrated both as a destination and as a hockey environment.

Vegas (January)

There’s a Saturday Kraken–Golden Knights matchup in January. If you enjoy Vegas, this is an easy recommendation. Even as someone who doesn’t gamble much, I still enjoy catching a game there.

New York City Triple (January 23–26)

Three games in four days against all three NYC‑area teams. It’s tempting, but New York in January is… New York in January. I may look elsewhere.

Toronto → Montreal → Ottawa (Early March)

This is the trip that really jumped out to me. I saw the Kraken in Toronto last season and had an incredible time. This early‑March stretch offers:

• Mar. 3 – Toronto
• Mar. 4 – Montreal
• Mar. 6 – Ottawa

All in a relatively warmer month, all in great hockey cities. Aspirational fans could tack on Boston, which remains one of my favorite NHL road cities: walkable, historic, and usually with a college game worth catching.

Final thoughts

Those are my early impressions of the 2026‑27 Kraken schedule. Between the Global Series, the expanded season, and some genuinely fun road‑trip opportunities, there’s a lot going on in this upcoming season’s schedule.

What about you? Any road trips you’re eyeing this season?

Friday Film Room – Chase Reid, Eduard Sale

by Curtis Isacke | Jul 17, 2026 | Uncategorized

Welcome back to Friday Film Room, our summer Seattle Kraken prospects series here at Sound Of Hockey. In these posts, we’ll pass along gameplay video, data, and analysis of two prospects in the Kraken organization—one 2026 NHL Draft pick and one other under-24-year-old player in the organization. The plan is to have a new post weekly until Seattle Kraken players are back on the ice this fall.

If you have prospect questions, I hope to do one more mailbag column this summer as well, so send those along. And, while I do have a tentative schedule sketched out through training camp, if you have a Film Room request, please do let us know below or on social media at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Chase Reid | Right-shot defenseman | 18 years old | 6-foot-2.5 | 194 lbs

Summary: Chase Reid is a smooth, well-rounded defense prospect who “looks the part” and can reasonably be projected as an NHL No. 1 defender at his ceiling. His game is built around high-end skating, hockey sense, transition defense, and offensive skill.

Reid creates advantages on nearly every touch. He is calm with the puck on his stick, surprising and deceptive with his passes, exits, and other puck movements, and intelligent when pressing the play through the neutral zone or activating in the offensive zone. He can manipulate forecheckers in his own zone, make pro-level breakout passes, and attack space with pace. His shot is a weapon, and he has the ice vision to manage a power play at the NHL level. His defensive stick and transition gap control are standout defensive elements.

While his defensive-zone reads, offensive creativity, and compete can still become more consistent, and his physicality could hit another level yet, his loud tools and overall professional blend gave him one of the highest ceilings in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Reid is right-shot defenseman wearing the white No. 25 jersey.

Strengths:

• High-end processing speed and hockey sense in all situations allow him to play with his head up and anticipate movements all over the ice.
• Almost always composed under pressure and rarely appears rushed.
• Exceptional four-way skating with outstanding mobility, edgework, agility, and recovery speed.
• Outstanding retrieval habits, remaining poised while absorbing pressure and scanning options over his shoulder. Excellent ability to manipulate forecheckers through delays, shoulder fakes, look-offs, weight shifts, and deception.
• Exceptional overall puck management with very few forced plays or turnovers at the OHL level.
• Consistently creates offensive advantages by drawing defenders before moving the puck.
• Complex passing skills, with outlets, stretch passes, slip passes, no-look set-ups, and cross-seam passes all on tape.
• High-end transition defenseman who consistently drives controlled exits and entries and will continue to the net front on combination plays if unchecked.
• Dynamic and usually responsible offensive activations make use of his skating and stick skills.
• Heavy, accurate point shot that he gets through traffic consistently and uses to score, create shot-passes, and generate rebounds.
• Outstanding rush defender with gap control, excellent stick positioning, long reach, and lateral mobility.
• Strong defensive processing, particularly in transition, routinely stepping up early, taking away the middle, and killing entries before they develop.
• Consistently wins puck battles and shows the ability to separate opponents from the puck along the boards at the junior level.
• Does not shy away from physical engagement, finishing checks, and pinning opponents.
• Supports plays off the puck intelligently to make himself an outlet option.
• Played in all situations, including the power play, penalty kill, and reduced-player situations in the OHL.
• Steep development trajectory over the last two years.

Weaknesses:

• Isolated backward skating could still use development and did not stand out versus his peers at Rookie Camp.
• Developing physical strength is a priority and could improve his defensive presence and elevate his skating game even more.
• Scoring production in the OHL wasn’t exceptional considering his skill level and in comparison with recent high-end blueliners like Zayne Parekh, particularly considering Reid’s heavy power-play usage.
• Defensive-zone coverage against sustained offensive-zone cycles was spotty at times.
• Can lose defensive coverages when defending the weak side or net front.
• His defensive compete also waned at times, particularly late in shifts; sometimes he needed a more decisive play-killing effort earlier in a shift and allowed himself to get hemmed in the defensive zone on tired legs.
• Overly aggressive activations and step-ups sometimes left space for the counterattack behind him.
• Backchecks and off-puck pace could be stronger at times.
• Will force the play offensively at times rather than sticking to the schemed plan of attack.
• There were times when he would defeat a junior defender with his skating and puck deception and create a decisive advantage but would not maximize the opportunity; there could be another gear to his offensive creation that he has not reached.

System rank: Reid is the No. 1 Prospect in the Seattle Kraken organization and the team’s best chance at a homegrown star.

Notes: Reid will move on from the OHL to play for the Michigan State University Spartans this season. In addition to a projected top-of-the-lineup role against a higher level of competition, Reid will also have access to premier off-ice strength and training support at Michigan State. Due to his NCAA commitment, do not expect Reid to sign an NHL contract in the short term. We’d wager that Reid plays two seasons at Michigan State and joins the Kraken in spring 2028 after his sophomore season ends.

More reading: Seattle Kraken draft Chase Reid at No. 7 overall

More video: January 29, 2026 vs. Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

Eduard Šalé | Left-shot winger | 21 years old | 6-foot-1 | 174 lbs

Summary: Sale is a skilled offensive winger with NHL-caliber shooting, passing, stickhandling, and puck-control abilities. He excels as a creative playmaker, particularly through deceptive east-west passes, quick touch plays, and offensive-zone distribution.

His size and offensive toolkit suggest middle-six upside. When he’s playing his best, Sale looks like an NHL player. But his overall impact in North America has been limited by inconsistent pace, engagement, and off-puck influence. He relies heavily on skill plays but struggles to maintain possession through pressure, which limits his versatility and ability to manipulate defenders. His defensive impact and puck-retrieval ability are limited. Though his calm, cool demeanor can be deceiving, he must develop a stronger motor and a more reliable two-way presence to become an NHL contributor.

Sale is the left-shot forward wearing No. 12 in white.

Strengths:

• Standout passing skill with the ability to make creative plays through layers of defenders, particularly when given space.
• Strong finesse and deceptive stickhandling and puck-control ability.
• NHL-caliber shooting ability, particularly from scoring areas and power-play setups.
• Good offensive instincts in sustained-zone possessions, especially as a connector and set-up player.
• Consistently able to execute one-touch passes and other quick distributions to teammates in motion.
• There were flashes of improved competitiveness in 2025-26, including driving the net and playing through contact.
• Pro-level frame and physical tools that provide long-term upside.
• Has shown the ability to elevate his game internationally, suggesting he could have the necessary “it” quality.

Weaknesses:

• Low motor and inconsistent pace limit Sale’s overall impact and ability to influence games; he needs to improve his compete level, urgency, and shift-to-shift consistency.
• Relies on finesse skill plays without a backup avenue for positive contributions through effort, checking, or defensive impact.
• Play strength and puck protection skill are adequate at best.
• Needs greater physical engagement; rarely uses his size effectively in contested situations.
• Struggles along the boards turning battles into possession.
• Inconsistent off-puck habits and awareness; sometimes looks lost in coverage.
• Too predictable in his offensive attacks due to a lack of difference-making speed, compete, or strength.
• Point production, while reasonable for a young player in the AHL, has not pointed toward an NHL future.
• Has not earned more than a low-minutes, bottom-six role for much of his time in the AHL.

System rank: Top-20.

Notes: Many of the positives in Sale’s scouting profile are vestiges of his prior junior and international successes. In the AHL, Sale has just not been engaged or impactful enough off the puck on a night-to-night basis. And he has not been dominant enough with the puck to justify those other weaknesses. Sale is moving into the long-shot category at this point. He is still young enough to make a development leap. Absent that, though, he projects to get a few NHL looks based on pedigree and then ultimately return to Europe for a productive career. This is shaping up to be a make-or-break season for Sale in North America.

More video: November 8, 2024 vs. Ontario Reign (AHL)

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.

Read more from Curtis

Shane Wright requested a trade; where do the Kraken go from here?

by Darren Brown | Jul 9, 2026 | Uncategorized

In a summer of eyebrow-raising moments for the Seattle Kraken, another such instance occurred last week when Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned in an article that Shane Wright’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, had gone on record to confirm that he had requested a trade for the 22-year-old center.

This wasn’t the most shocking news—Wright’s name had been percolating in trade rumors since the middle of the 2025-26 season, and there had been a growing sense that he wanted out of Seattle. Overhardt’s comments effectively confirmed what many already suspected.

The way the quote was worded, though, with Overhardt stating that Seattle had “agreed” to move Wright, has since been questioned. After all, there’s little reason Kraken general manager Jason Botterill would let it be known to his competitors that he is committed to moving the player, taking away any leverage he might have in trying to get a fair return for the former No. 4 overall pick, who famously dropped from consensus top-pick status just before the 2022 NHL Draft.

Do we believe Botterill has tried to work out a trade to give Wright a new home while also getting a decent return? Yes. Do we believe he’s willing to hold onto a player whose representation has gone public in indicating that he wants out? Also yes.

That said, we have asked around, and we get the sense that Shane Wright’s camp remains optimistic the Kraken will be able to move the center this offseason.

How did we get here?

It is a shame the Kraken have gotten to this position with their once-prized forward prospect. There’s no question Wright fell short of the lofty expectations the organization had for him this past season, especially after his 19-goal rookie campaign in 2024-25 under then-head coach Dan Bylsma, who also oversaw Wright’s successful AHL stint when he scored 22 goals and 25 assists in just 59 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2023-24.

But something changed this past season under new head coach Lane Lambert. It was clear coming into Training Camp that the Kraken hoped to see Wright take hold of the No. 2 center spot and slide Chandler Stephenson into a bottom-six role.

It is our belief that this was always the plan: Wright would continue to progress and push his way higher up the lineup, while Stephenson would gradually move into a more suitable role after serving as a bridge top-six center and giving Wright time to develop into that position.

That didn’t happen, at least not this past season.

Although Lambert never admitted it publicly, it did seem there were trust issues preventing him from simply handing Wright the bigger role many fans thought he deserved. Wright’s protected minutes and carefully managed face-off deployment offer clues as to what Lambert wanted to see improved, and the coach’s end-of-season presser also implied there was an emphasis on Wright continuing to develop away from the puck.

“Everybody’s going to look at Shane Wright’s season and go, ‘Oh, gee, he had this many points [this year], and he had that many points last year,’” Lambert said. “Ask Shane if he feels like he’s a better player now than he was at the beginning of the year, and the answer would be yes, he does. Sometimes the points can fool you a little bit. I thought Shane got stronger defensively, I thought he got stronger on face-offs, and I thought he improved his 200-foot game. And what I see about that is that that’s a better formula for the future with him than in the past.”

Lambert was making a case that this past season was good for Wright because it helped him form more of a foundation for becoming a complete NHL player. If he can build on that foundation and layer the offensive production back on, then he is on a path toward a successful career.

But Wright apparently does not view it that way and instead believes he is more likely to find that success faster with another organization.

The Kraken have taken a few knocks over the past year, with players like Artemi Panarin and Jason Robertson rejecting trades to Seattle, and now Wright asking to be moved. For what it’s worth, our understanding is that Wright’s trade request does not have anything to do with the city or its fanbase, but rather with finding a place where he believes he has a better opportunity to flourish.

Where do the Kraken go from here?

Again, Botterill does not have to move Wright. If he trades him now, he could be selling low on a player who took a step backward offensively in his sophomore season.

There’s no question, though, that having the trade request become public puts unwanted pressure on the organization to make a deal and likely costs it some leverage, as opposing teams know there’s a desire to get something done. Plus, there’s the lingering potential for serious awkwardness if, come Training Camp, Wright is still a member of the Kraken.

What Botterill and the front office have to remember is that Wright should still be a hot commodity. After all, he is a 22-year-old center who is just one season removed from scoring 19 goals, and he still possesses considerable upside. If the Kraken do move him, it feels likely that he will break out with his new team. That means Seattle has to be careful and patient. They can’t just ship Wright out because he wants to be moved; it has to be a deal that also helps the Kraken.

We’d love to see the kind of trade that brings back a player in a similar situation: a young, skilled forward in need of a change of scenery and fresh start. Somebody who, like Wright, has upside but can also contribute to the Kraken’s roster immediately.

And if Botterill can’t find that? Well, then things could get a little awkward in September.

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.

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A Seattle Kraken view on the Leo Carlsson offer sheet

by Blaiz Grubic | Jul 8, 2026 | Uncategorized

On July 3, the Philadelphia Flyers tendered a massive five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. The deal carries an $18 million average annual value (AAV) and would cost Philadelphia four first-round picks if Anaheim does not match. The Ducks have until July 10 to decide whether to match.

The more I think about that $18 million number, the more I think Philadelphia picked the right amount, because in a way, there might not be a clear winner here. Whichever team ends up with Carlsson gets a 21-year-old potential franchise center. But that team also gets a major cap challenge.

That could create opportunities for the Seattle Kraken.

Seattle is not directly involved in the offer sheet, but it has something one of the teams could need in the near future: flexibility. The Kraken have about $18.4 million in projected cap space, according to PuckPedia, and they have a full 23-player roster.

From a league perspective, this also shifts the restricted free-agent market upward. Obviously, not every RFA is suddenly going to $18 million, or even get close to touching double digits. But more teams may need to pay a premium to keep their best young players away from the offer sheet market.

The salary cap is $104 million this season and is projected to rise to $113.5 million next season and continue increasing in the years ahead. Player salaries are going to keep climbing with it.

That makes the recently inked Mackie Samoskevich contract, which looked good for the Kraken before, look even better now. Seattle signed Samoskevich for three years at $3.85 million AAV. The Kraken front office deserves credit for getting that deal done on July 1 before the Leo Carlsson offer sheet chaos began.

If Anaheim match and keep Carlsson

The most likely outcome still feels like Anaheim matching. Young franchise centers are extremely difficult to acquire, so even at an uncomfortable price, Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek likely has to match.

Since Carlsson signed the offer sheet, the Ducks also overpaid Pavel Mintyukov on a five-year contract at $7.2 million AAV, a deal made to avoid letting him also get offer sheeted. They also signed 23-year-old defenseman Tyson Hinds to a two-year deal at $900,000 annually. That leaves the Ducks with about $10.2 million in projected cap space and 22 players on their active roster.

The final major piece of business is Cutter Gauthier.

After a 41-goal, 69-point season, Gauthier has plenty of leverage. He is not offer-sheet eligible yet and does not have arbitration rights, but he remains unsigned.

Cutter Gauthier

You might wonder why Gauthier has not received an offer sheet.

The short answer: He cannot.

Gauthier is not yet classified as a Group 2 RFA. To become offer-sheet eligible, a player must meet certain professional experience requirements. For players who sign their entry-level contract at 18 or 19, that means three years of professional experience. A player who is 18 or 19 earns one professional year by playing at least 10 NHL games in a season.

Gauthier has only two years of professional experience under his belt. That gives Anaheim some protection this summer, but it does not remove the pressure. If Gauthier lands in the $13 million to $15 million range, the Ducks would be roughly $3 million to $5 million over the cap, based on their current projection.

The good news for Anaheim is that teams can exceed the cap by 10 percent during the offseason. The Ducks can sign Gauthier first and figure out the rest later, but they must be cap compliant before Opening Night.

The Ducks have players they would likely prefer to move, but several come with modified no-trade clauses and other challenges. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Mikael Granlund, and Frank Vatrano all make between $4.57 million and $7 million annually, and they are all 32 or older.

That does not make them impossible to trade, but it does mean Anaheim could have a difficult time finding takers without getting creative.

Possible Anaheim trade angles

So, how does this affect the Kraken?

If the Ducks match Carlsson and still need to sign Gauthier, Seattle should at least call. Anaheim would need cap relief and may also want defensive help.

Is there a world where the Kraken could offer to take one of those veterans and send back a reasonably priced defenseman and get Anaheim to attach one of their young players? It’s a massive long shot, but what would it take to pry Beckett Sennecke out of Orange County? Hard cap decisions can make teams consider uncomfortable options. Remember, Anaheim already made the difficult choice to trade young defenseman Olen Zellweger to Buffalo to avoid having to sign him to a new contract, and now they’re looking at an even bigger conundrum.

Again, this feels unlikely, but Sennecke would be a huge boost to the Kraken, both now and in the future. He is a 20-year-old right wing coming off a 60-point rookie season, and he fits Seattle’s timeline.

Meanwhile, there’s the currently injured Troy Terry, who is a different type of target. He has been a steady 50- to 60-point player and has four years left at $7 million annually. He also has a 10-team modified no-trade clause and recently had hip surgery, so he will be out until at least November. All those factors complicate things.

Terry would bring skill and production (eventually), but the fit is also not perfect. He is not the most reliable player defensively, which could make it harder for him to fit Lane Lambert’s system.

If Philadelphia lands Carlsson

Philadelphia’s side is more straightforward but still interesting.

The Flyers have about $29.6 million in projected cap space before adding Carlsson. His $18 million cap hit would drop them to about $11.6 million. That sounds manageable, but Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale still need contracts.

If Drysdale lands around $6 million and Zegras pushes toward $7 million, Philadelphia would come up short. That overage would be easier to manage than Anaheim’s potential problem, but it would still require a move.

The Flyers could start the season with 21 players to help become cap compliant. That is not a long-term solution, but it would reduce the urgency to dump salary.

Arbitration wrinkle

Zegras and Drysdale both filed for salary arbitration. That makes them ineligible for offer sheets, but it does not guarantee team-friendly deals.

If an arbitrator awards more than $4,950,080 in a player-elected case, the team can walk away and make the player an unrestricted free agent immediately. That seems unlikely with either player, given their age and upside, though.

More likely, Philadelphia uses the summer 10 percent cushion while it works to become cap compliant. That is where the Kraken could help, but only for the right price.

Possible Philadelphia trade angles

The Flyers players I would call about are Owen Tippett, Matvei Michkov, Jamie Drysdale, and David Jiricek.

Tippett is under contract for six more years at $6.2 million annually. He plays with speed, gets the puck on net and led the Flyers with 28 goals. That is the type of player who should fit Lambert’s system. One might wonder why the Flyers could be willing to move Tippett, but there has speculation out there that Philadelphia is at least listening to calls on him for the right deal.

Michkov, Drysdale, and Jiricek are different cases.

Michkov and Jiricek are young players who are inexpensive now, being that they are on entry-level contracts. They do not help Philadelphia clear much cap space by themselves, so to create savings, one of them would need to be attached to a larger contract.

Drysdale could be a more realistic target because he needs a new deal. But if Philadelphia still values him as a long-term piece, it may prefer to move money elsewhere.

The veteran contract I would target is Rasmus Ristolainen, only if packaged with a young player.

Ristolainen is a 6-foot-5, right-shot defenseman with one year left at $5.1 million. He could slide into Seattle’s top four and would not create long-term cap risk. He also would give the Kraken another Finnish player before the Global Series in November.

The key is the sweetener. Taking Ristolainen by itself should not be the goal. Taking Ristolainen as part of a deal that lands Seattle a promising young player or a legitimate in-his-prime contributor is where it gets interesting.

Philadelphia would also be sending its next four first-round picks to Anaheim if the Ducks do not match the Carlsson offer sheet, which could make the Flyers more interested in draft capital. The Kraken have two first-round picks in 2027, including the pick acquired from Tampa Bay.

That could create a path to a larger deal. Wright could be part of that type of trade, but the return would need to be significant.

The team that misses out

The team that does not end up with Carlsson may still need a center.

That brings the Kraken into the conversation again.

As stated, I personally want Seattle to keep Wright, even though his agent has asked for him to be traded. I still think he is going to blossom, and I do not want the Kraken to give up on him before that happens. Let’s chalk last season up as a sophomore slump and look for him to take a step forward this year.

That said, if a team is looking for young centers, it should call upon the Kraken’s young center emporium. Seattle has Matty Beniers, Berkly Catton, and Shane Wright in the organization, with Jake O’Brien on the horizon.

That does not mean the Kraken should trade any of them. It means general manager Jason Botterill should listen if another team gets desperate.

Talented young centers are at a premium. The Carlsson offer sheet proves that. If another team wants to pay that premium, Seattle should at least answer the phone.

Should the Kraken use an offer sheet?

The Carlsson offer sheet also raises a natural question: Should the Kraken make one of their own?

In most cases, probably not.

The Kraken have the cap space and draft capital to explore the RFA market. But many eligible RFAs have already filed for arbitration, which prevents them from signing offer sheets. The biggest remaining names are players like Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli.

That sounds fun in theory. In practice, it is hard to see. Offer sheet compensation is based on the average annual value. In Carlsson’s case, the $18 million cap hit is well above the top compensation tier, and if Anaheim does not match, the Ducks receive four Philadelphia first-round picks. A Bedard or Fantilli offer sheet would also hit that top tier.

Philadelphia has shown why an offer sheet can be tempting and has also set the market for how much a team needs to be willing to pay to persuade a young player to sign one. Instead of hoping to win the draft lottery and land a franchise player, the Flyers tried to acquire one directly.

For Seattle, the answer should be no for now. But as the cap keeps rising, this strategy could make more sense in the future. It is hard for a non-playoff team to use this path because its draft picks are too valuable.

For a team in a wild-card spot or sitting third in its division, though, an offer sheet could become a way to improve now instead of waiting on the draft-and-develop path.

Who do you think the Kraken should target in a trade? And is an offer sheet something you want to see Seattle use in the future?

Blaiz Grubic

Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.

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