Seattle Kraken: Keep ’em or Dump ’em – post 2022-23 season
Go
Jaden Schwartz, LW, 30
Contract Status: 3-years, $5.5M (no movement clause).
2023-24 production: 71 Games, 21 G, 19 A, -17, 8 PP.
Comment: I put Jaden Schwartz on the go side, but in reality, his no movement clause makes it almost impossible for the Seattle Kraken to trade him away over the summer. His $5.5M salary would be put to better use elsewhere. Maybe a buyout.
Alexander Wennberg, C, 28
Contract Status: 1-year, $4.5M (modified no trade clause).
2023-24 production: 82 games, 13 G, 25 A, -7, 9 PP.
Comment: Alexander Wennberg has been a huge disappointment during his two years in Seattle. A change of scenery might help his career. He’d make a decent secondary scorer for a team with a good shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
Jamie Oleksiak, D, 30
Contract Status: 3-years, $4.6M, (no trade clause).
2023-24 production: 75 games, 9 G, 16 A, +13, 0 PP.
Comment: His Game 7 screw-up against Dallas in the WCSF is enough for banishment. But the reason “Big Rig” needs to leave the Seattle Kraken is that he isn’t worth the money. Jamie Oleksiak is far from a lockdown defender and contributes little offensively.
Carson Soucy, D, 28
Contract Status: UFA (made $2.75M in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: 78 games, 3 G, 13 A, +18, 0 PP.
Comment: Carson Soucy leaves the Seattle Kraken, not because he is a bad player. It’s the opposite; as an unrestricted free agent, Soucy will get more money than Seattle is willing to pay.
Joonas Donskoi, W, 31
Contract Status: UFA (made $3.9M in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: Did not play for Seattle.
Comment: After an unfortunate collision with Seattle Kraken teammate Kole Lind, Donskoi missed the entire season with concussion symptoms. The injury time probably saved him from getting cut, because Donskoi was the 13th or 14th best forward going into the season. He collected his full $3.9M while on the injured list.
Kole Lind, RW, 24
Contract Status: RFA (made $850K in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: Did not play for Kraken.
Comment: For all his potential, the Seattle Kraken are the second team Lind couldn’t make. Maybe Europe is an option.
John Hayden, W, 28,
Contract Status: UFA (made $750K in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: 7 games, 2 G, 0 A, +2, 0 PP.
Comment: In baseball, guys like Hayden are referred to as Quad-A players. He’s better than most minor leaguers, but not good enough to be an NHL regular. They are easily replaced.
Cale Fleury, D, 24
Contract Status: RFA (made $750K in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: 12 games, 0 G, 1 A, 0, 0 PP.
Comment: Fleury is the defensive version of Lind.
Jaycob Megna, D, 30
Contract Status: 1-year, $763K.
2023-24 production: 6 games, 0 G, 0 A, -3, 0 PP.
Gustav Olofsson, D, 28
Contract Status: UFA (made $750K in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: 3 games, 0 G, 0 A, +1, 0 PP.
Comment: Megna and Olofsson are Quad-A players.
Martin Jones, G, 33
Contract Status: UFA (made $2M in 2022-23).
2023-24 production: 39 games, 27-13-3, 2.99, .886.
Comment: It was Martin Jones that kept the Seattle Kraken above water early on. His numbers weren’t stellar, but he played good enough to win. Now that Driedger is healthy, Seattle can let Jones leave as an unrestricted free agent.
Carsen Twarynsky, Alex True, and Joey Daccord are Group 6 free agents. Each hasn’t played enough NHL games by age 26 to keep any status, so they become unrestricted free agents. Out of the three, the Seattle Kraken might try to keep Dacord as their third goalie and AHL starter.