Seattle Kraken Top 6 tradeable assets
5. Mason Appleton, RW
Contract: Mason Appleton makes $900K for the 2021-22 season. He is a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Why he’ll be traded
A disappointment, to say the least; Appleton has 2 goals and 4 assists in 24 games. Part of that has to do with his dismal shooting percentage of 5.9. Most of the disappointment has to do with his virtual invisibility and lack of impact.
Last season, Appleton was a big part of Winnipeg’s successful third line. He made his presence known between scoring and defensive play. That’s why Appleton shows up on several trade boards; teams want the 202-21 version. How much they are willing to pay for the opportunity is negligible.
Because he is an unrestricted free agent, whoever acquires him isn’t committed long term. If Appleton can’t cut with the new team, he can try to catch on somewhere else in free agency. At best, Francis can flip him for a fourth-round pick, but more likely a six or seven.
The @SeattleKraken Expansion Draft pick that made Dave Reid's ears perk up? Mason Appleton. pic.twitter.com/obQLeWN4Zr
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 22, 2021
4. Cap Space
People don’t think this is a trade asset, but it’s very important. It’s 2022, and the salary cap is king in the NHL. The Seattle Kraken has over $6M for the remainder of the season in projected cap space, according to capfriendly.com. That number will go up when they deal away number one on this list.
Contending teams want to add impact players. They may not have the cap space to do so, and a big-ticket player may have to go. Seattle can take on some salary to facilitate a trade. Of course, that will cost the other guys either prospects or good draft picks to make it happen.