Offseason plans, the Oilers are going to try and upgrade their team by moving Yamamoto and Ceci and acquiring a top 4 D and some bottom six forwards, While Seattle will sign Dunn, give Wright a NHL role and look to add a top 4 defensemen.
Edmonton Oilers
Significant Pending UFA:
LW,RW M.Janmark 10-15-25 66GP
C,RW N.Bjugstad 17-12-29 78GP
LW,RW D.Shore 1-8-9 47GP
LW,RW T.Benson 0-0-0 2GP
LD R.Murray 0-3-3 13GP
LD/RD S.Koekkoek 0-0-0 0GP
Significant Pending RFA:
RW,C R.Lavoie 0-0-0 0GP
C R.McLeod 11-12-23 57GP
LW,RW K.Kostin 11-10-21 57GP
RD E.Bouchard 8-32-40 82GP
G O.Rodrigue 0-0-0 REC 0.00 GAA .000 SV%
Current draft capital for Oilers in 2023: 3
2RD EDM
6RD EDM
7RD EDM
What lead the Oilers to exit the 2nd round of the playoffs this year: So for the Oilers they had one of the best records in the western conference this year and were one of the more well rounded teams, especially after the deadline and finished just a couple points behind the Golden Knights at 2nd in the pacific and tied for second in the West and drew the 3rd place Kings in the 1st round for the second year in a row, and after having a bit of a scare early in the series and losing two of the first three in OT, they were able to rattle off 3 consecutive victories and take the series in 6 and advance to round two against the Golden Knights, and after a back and forth first 4 games that saw both Edmonton and Vegas win 2 games apiece, the Knights were able to do what the Kings weren’t and that is shutdown the Oilers stellar offense enough so they won back to back games and took the series in 6, and for a team in Edmonton who was the favourite to come out of the West this year, it was definitely a let down losing in round and although they were pretty good throughout the playoffs, I do think there were a couple of reasons they bowed out in round 2.
Number one is the fact that the Oilers were a power play driven hockey team and their 5v5 play was a complete no show throughout the playoffs. Now the Oilers were a amazing power play team both in the regular season and playoffs as when they got McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice with a man advantage, it was almost always guaranteed the Oilers would be able to put one in the back of the net, and after having a historic power play in the regular season that clicked at a 32.4% success rate, the would carry that success over to the playoffs were they had a mind boggling 46.1% success rate on the power play which was a 15.3% better power play percentage then the closes team who advanced to round two in the playoffs, so that team was lethal on the power play, but not 5v5. Now in the playoffs Edmonton scored 44 goals in the 12 games against Vegas and LA, and they scored 18 of those goals on the power play which ment that 41% of the playoffs goals scored by Edmonton were on the power play, and that was their downfall as the Knights were a very disciplined team and they were able to not give up too many penalties which took the Oilers advantage away and they were not able to score as lethal as they had, so the being too dependent on the power play cost the Oilers the series and not being good at 5v5 against a way better team at even strength like Vegas was the main reason in my opinion the Oilers dropped out of round 2.
Next up would be lack of depth scoring the Oilers had in round two against Vegas. Now for the Knights, not only were they better at 5v5, but they are also a more well rounded team and had the ability to role 4 lines against the Oilers and could get scoring from just about anywhere in the lineup, while Edmonton usually went top heavy and played McDavid and Draisaitl for a good portion of the game. Now the Oilers had some solid contributors from their middle six in the regular season and even in round 1, but in round 2 besides Draisaitl, McDavid and Bouchard, their supporting cast was basically a no show as Kane only had 1 point, Hyman had 5 points in the first 2 games and then only had 2 in the last 4, besides when Edmonton won in game 2 and 4, RNH only had 3 assists, Yamamoto only had 2 points and Ekholm only produced one goal in the final 5 of games of the series and was part of a defence that wasn’t able to put up much points, so the lack of depth scoring in Edmonton and having to rely on the top two players to score too often was another significant reason the Oilers fell at the hands of the Knights in round 2.
And Finally would be the fact that the Oilers goaltending was not at its best in round 2. Now last offseason the Oilers signed Jack Campbell to be the teams starting goalie, but during the season Campbell didn’t play overly well and young goalie Stuart Skinner took over the starting role and was actually a Calder cup finalist which was pretty cool, but he is still a young goalie and in the playoffs you could see the nerves getting to him, as in round 1 he did give up a ton of goalie but thanks to the offence and power play the Oilers were able to score their way out of trouble, but in round two when their offense got a bit weaker, Skinner wasn’t able to bail them out and in three of the 4 games that the Oilers lost, Skinner was pulled, so the inexperience in net in the playoffs I think was a significant factor in Edmonton losing in round 2, but it was also a good learning experience for Skinner and I think he will do better in the future because of it, but not getting the key saves was a huge part of the Oilers downfall.
So in my opinion the fact that the Oilers were not able to play well at 5 on 5, the lack of depth scoring from the supporting cast and the not too good play from young rookie Skinner in Net were all reasons in my eyes that the Oilers would up getting bounced in the second round of the playoffs, and although the Oilers didn’t get as far as they wanted to and this lethal team got stood up in round 2, they still have two of the best players in the NHL on their team and also have a good supporting cast and if they can tweak some things this offseason to improve their team even more, they should once again be a Stanley cup contender next year in my opinion.
5 ways of how I think the Oilers can improve in the offseason.
.1) Sign top pair defensemen Evan Bouchard to a new deal.
Now the first order of business this offseason for the Oilers has to be getting the Oilers best offensive defensemen in Evan Bouchard locked up long term as he is a RFA who is looking for a big pay raise and is a key part of the Oilers blueline and I think the longer they could lock him up the better.
Now the Oilers have a decent enough defence put together as it is good enough right now, but they need to lock up the biggest piece of their defence this offseason in Evan Bouchard, as he is the best player on that blueline and also the team most offensive defender and getting him locked up is priority number one this offseason. Now it took Bouchard a few years to finally become a regular defender in the Oilers lineup, But he has grown into a solid top 4 defensemen and a great offensive weapon as well as he captains the first power play unit and is the teams best offensive weapon on the backend by far after they moved on from Barrie, and I think signing him is a huge priority for the Oilers this offseason. Now the Oilers are right up against the salary cap right now and don’t have much cap space to work with so I do think we could see the Oilers try and sign Bouchard to more of a shorter term deal as they could sign him to a 1-2 year deal with a AAV of $4-5 Million dollars per year and could boot this down to when there is more cap space and the cap could go up, but in my eyes I think that would be the wrong move because Bouchard is already coming off a season where he had 40 points and has hit the 40 point mark in back to back seasons and had a solid 17 points in 12 playoff games this year, so if they push it down the road a year or two then a long term deal will be extremely high and I think signing Bouchard to a 6-8 year contract extension that has a AAV of $6-7.5 Million dollars would be the smart move as it wouldn’t be as much cap as it would be in a couple years if they do a bridge deal and Bouchard continues to grow, and I know there have been rumours that the Oilers could move him or a team could offer sheet him, but in my eyes they would match any offer sheet and he isn’t a player they are willing to move, so whether they get him locked up long term or even on a bridge deal, I think getting him signed is something the Oilers have to do and I am sure they will get it done at some point this offseason.
.2) Move at least 2 of Yamamoto, Foegele and Ceci.
Next up the Oilers have no cap space as we discussed, and they want to improve this team to be better next year and to do that they would need cap space so they could look to move a couple of players off of their roster and it seems like Yamamoto, Foegele and Ceci are the likely trade candidates.
Now for Foegele I don’t think it is too surprising he is being mentioned in trade rumours again this offseason as he was a player mentioned a lot at times last year in the offseason as the Oilers tried to clear cap space last offseason but he remained, and was a okay bottom six forward this season putting up 13 goals and 28 points in 67 games and did much better then the previous season, and was even solid in the playoffs putting up 2 goals and 3 points in 12 games, but wa stage teams best bottom six forward in round 2 and the Oilers like him enough that he isn’t really the Oilers top choice to trade as they believe he can be a good bottom six forward for them next year, but I wouldn’t guarantee that he stays as Foegele is entering the final year of his deal and does have a pretty big cap hit for a bottom six forward at $2.75 Million dollars, but I think with the Oilers a little higher on him then last year, they may be looking to move some of the other players they could move before they try and move him, so not a guarantee that he moves but with the Oilers tight cap situation I do think he is a likely trade option.
Next is Yamamoto who I never thought the Oilers would be discussing a potential move as he has been a okay middle six forwards but with the Oilers looking for any bit of cap space they can, it does seem like Yamamoto being traded is at least a possibility right now. Now Yamamoto has been a up and down forward over his career, but was coming off a career year last season putting up his first 20 goal season and had 41 points and was able to stay healthy and play a near 82 game season, but this year Yamamoto only got into 58 games and put up 25 points which was definitely a down year for him and in the playoffs besides game 6 of round 1 he only had 2 points in 11 playoff games. So he definitely hasn’t been playing to the level of a former 1RD pick should be playing, and does have a pricey $3.1 Million dollar contract for one more season and I can see why the Oilers may want to move him, and I have also heard the Oilers could possibly buy him out but I think they should try hard for a trade before they consider that as I think buying a solid young player like that would be a mistake, and I do think they could at least get a mid level draft pick in return for Yamamoto, so in my eyes Yamamoto may have enough value and have a high enough cap hit to be the most likely trade candidate for the Oilers and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was moved this offseason.
And lastly is Cody Ceci on the blueline. Now the Oilers moved Barrie at the deadline to help them acquire Ekholm from Nashville and that move thrust Ceci into a top 4 role with the Oilers toward the end of the regular season and in the playoffs and although Ceci is a solid NHL defender he isn in my opinion a solid top 4 defender, and with the Oilers on the look out tor a upgrade to their top 4 (which I will talk about below), they au have to move if they are seriously going to upgrade their top 4 this offseason. Now Ceci has been in Edmonton the past 2 years and did have a dip in his offensive production last year as in his first year with Edmonton Ceci hit 28 points which was a career high for him but was only able to muster 1 goal and 15 points in 80 games last year and I think he was not ready to be solid top 4 defensemen last year and I think his production did take a bit of a hit from that. Now with Edmonton looking for a defensive upgrade right now they could look to move Ceci who is a solid 3rd pair defensemen in my opinion and has a okay $3.25 Million dollar cap hit over the next two seasons to a team who needs some defensive depth and then could use his money to go after a top 4 defensemen as o think that could be a solid trade off for the Oilers and while I do think Ceci is a good defender in Edmonton, I think he may have to be sacrificed if the Oilers are going to improve their team.
So in my opinion the Oilers will have to move at least one of Yamamoto, Foegele and Ceci and it wouldn’t surprise me if all 3 players were moved by Edmonton as combined moving them could clear up to $9 Million in cap space and they could use that to make some significant additions to their team this offseason, so not exactly sure who will be dealt, but I think at least one of these three guys will be traded this offseason.
.3) Add a top 4 defensemen.
Now the Oilers made a trade at the deadline as they moved solid offensive defensemen in Barrie for a more well rounded defensemen in Ekholm, and it worked for the Oilers as Ekholm fit in extremely well as Bouchard’s D partner and I think that was a very good deal for the Oilers, but it did force Ceci into a top 4 role which I don’t think was ideal for the Oilers and it seems like they could try and get a defensive upgrade in their top 4 this offseason.
Now the Oilers I think would most likely be looking for a top 4 right shot defender who could replace Barrie in the lineup and maybe play with Nurse in the top 4,and I do think there could be a couple of guys available that could be dealt to Edmonton and fit under their cap for next year as long as they move Ceci as I think that improving their defence is a must this year as it did hurt the Oilers a bit in round 2 of the playoffs, so I could see them look to the trade market and although the Oilers don’t have a overly deep prospect and are lacking a bit on the draft capital side of things, I think the better defensemen are on the trade market and it may be better for them to acquire a player that way, and guys who I could see being acquired by Edmonton would be Pesce, Karlsson is they can make the Money work, Parayko or Murphy as I think all of those players would be solid upgrades on Ceci and although it may come at a high price and they may have to move pieces they don’t necessarily want to, I think it would be the right play for that Oilers to make a move like that, but if they don’t want to part with some significant pieces, then maybe they would look to the free agent core, where I think a guy like Gudas, Mayfield or Orlov would be a some decent options for them as they could all be solid 2nd pair defensemen and may come in at not too much money (except for Orlov), but whether they look to free agency or via trade, I think it is l’admît a given the Oilers will trade for a defensive update on Ceci and will try to improve this defence as much as they can.
.4) Figure out if Campbell will be the backup next year.
Next is the fact that the Oilers brought in Jack Campbell last offseason to be their starter, and Skinner played a lot better then him and took the starting role from Campbell, and I don’t think the Oilers really want to pay a 1B goalie over $5 Million dollars for the next 4 seasons, so the question is can they move him.
Now the Oilers starting position it really solid right now as Skinner showed last year that he can be the starter the Oilers need or at least a 1A, but Campbell had quite a poor season after some great years in Toronto and I think that the Oilers are maybe regretting giving Campbell that contract last offseason, so the question is Campbell back as the teams backup next year or can they move him and find someone else. Now I think Moving Campbel may be quite impossible to do right now and they may be stuck with him, as he is coming off a down year and had 4 years left on his contract at a $5 Million dollar cap, which I think most teams would not be interested in acquiring, but there are a ton of teams looking for goalies right now and maybe if the Oilers moved Campbell to a team like San Jose, Anaheim or Chicago who have the cap space to take him on and some questions in goal, and the asking price for the teams acquiring him isn’t too much, then I think they should try and do it as I think the Oilers could definitely make do with a cheaper 1B in the organization and Skinner as a tandem next year and moving Campbell would give them some much needed cap space, but the ask to move off Campbell may be too high and there may not be too much interest in Campbell, and the Oilers may just have to hope that Campbell can bounce back next year in a tandem with Skinner, so I could see this going either way for the Oilers as I think it is possible they could move Campbell and get someone cheaper, but I also think that they way more likely scenario is that Campbell stays and I think the Oilers will just have to bank on Campbell being better next year.
.5) Re-work their bottom six.
Now the team also has a couple of pending UFA’s such as Janmark and Bjugstad who were solid bottom six forwards in the team slats year and as I mentioned above, they may be forced to move Foegele and Yamamoto due to cap reasons, and if most of those guys are gone, I could see the Oilers seriously look at some bottom 6 replacements this offseason.
Now the Oilers could use a bit of a shakeup in their bottom six and with guys like Foegele and Yamamoto possibly on the move and Bjugstad and Janmark both UFA’s, it sounds really likely that the Oilers may try and add some more pieces that can help them get some depth scoring next season. Now they still have some solid bottom six forwards like McLeod, Kostin, Holloway and Ryan who are still pretty good players but I think the Oilers would benefit from adding 2 or 3 more bottom six forwards who can replace guys like Foegele and Yamamoto in the lineup. Now if they were looking to go the trade route I could see some guys like Laughton in Philly, Barabanov in San Jose and Olofsson in Buffalo could all be solid fits on the third line for the Oilers and if they go down the trade route, I could see the Oilers target these types of players while if they were to look through free agency, I think some cheap bottom six forwards they could look at would be guys like Kampf, Watson or Motte who can put up some points and would be solid hard to play against forwards for Edmonton, but with the Oilers needing to clear cap space and possibly moving on from guys Foegele and Yamamoto, adding a couple of bottom six forwards couple help that team and especially if they could also help with some depth scoring the Oilers had troubles getting in the playoffs.
So if the Oilers can extend Bouchard preferably on a long term deal, move at least two of Foegele, Yamamoto and Ceci, add a solid top 4 defensemen who can man the top 4 better then Ceci, maybe move on from Campbell if they can find a trade fur him and add some more depth in the bottom six who can help with the depth scoring the Oilers had trouble with in the playoffs, and I think if the oilers can make these tweaks to their roster and get a little more help and experience for McDavid and Draisaitl, then I think not only will the Oilers be a powerhouse in the regular season again, but should also be Cup contenders just like they were this year and may be able to make it past round 2 next year.
If you liked this blog post, then check out my YouTube video on the Oilers offseason here. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xBPiyq2X_eM&t=1s
Seattle Kraken
Significant Pending UFA:
RW J.Donskoi 0-0-0 0GP
LW,C R.Donato 14-13-27 71GP
C,RW A.True 0-0-0 0GP
RW J.Froden 0-4-4 14GP
LW C.Twarynski 0-0-0 0GP
C,RW J.Hayden 2-0-2 7GP
LD/RD C.Soucy 3-13-16 78GP
LD G.Olofsson 0-0-0 3GP
G M.Jones 27-13-3 REC 2.99 GAA .886 SV%
G J.Daccord 2-1-0 REC 3.15 GAA .900 SV%
Significant Pending RFA:
RW,LW D.Sprong 21-25-46 66GP
RW K.Lind 0-0-0 0GP
C,RW M.Geekie 9-19-28 69GP
LD/RD V.Dunn 14-50-64 81GP
RD W.Borgen 3-17-20 82GP
RD C.Fleury 0-1-1 12GP
Current draft capital for Kraken in 2023: 10
1RD SEA
2RD WIN, SEA, TOR
3RD SEA
4RD SEA
5RD SEA
6RD WAS, SEA
7RD SEA
What lead the Kraken to exit the 2nd round of the playoffs this year: Noe just like the Devils, a lot of people thought the Kraken would take some major steps forward this season and get out of the bottom 5 which they were in year 1, but they surprised many by putting up a solid regular season performance and got 100 points this year and the 1st wildcard position, and almost no one thought they would be a playoff team, but they proved people wrong, and then they got the Avalanche in round 1 and most people thought the Av’s would handle the Kraken easily, but the Kraken showed they were not just going to be first round exits, and after a hard 7 game series against the banged up Avalanche they were able to come away with their first ever series win and would face the Stars in round 2, and once again had another close 7 game series but this time came out on the losing end in round 2, so they were one of the great stories in the NHL this year, and do much more then people thought they would do, but I do think there were a couple of reasons they bowed out in 7 games in round 2.
Now in my opinion I think the first reason the team lost in round 2 would be the fact that the Kraken were not able to keep the puck out of their net the entire series. Now goaltending was a serious issue for the Kraken this year as Seattle couldn’t get very much consistency from Grubauer, but then in round 1 Grubauer found another level and played fantastic against his former team in Colorado as except for game 3 against the Av’s where they were able to put up 5 on him, he didn’t allow the Av’s to get more then 3 goals in a game and he had a better then a .908 SV% in each game except for game 3 and was a big reason the Kraken won round 1, but in round 2 it was a different story as the Stars were able to put plenty of pucks past Grubauer in the playoffs and he gave up at least 3 goals in 5 of the 7 games and had a sub .900 SV% in those 5 games and even though he played well in the finale, it was not enough, so the shaky goaltending that caused them problems in the regular season also caused them problems in round 2 and wound up being the biggest reason in my opinion the Kraken were bounced from round 2
Now next would be the fact that the Kraken’s power play was an absolute no show in the playoffs. Now during the first round against the Avalanche the Kraken had a better hard defensive battle against the Av’s and thanks to their scoring by committee they were able to down the Avalanche, but the one thing that never was going for them in the playoffs was their power play. Now in the first round the Avalanche were able to shut down the Kraken power play so well, that by the end of the playoffs the Avalanches 85.7% success rate on the PK was tops in the NHL in the playoffs, and then during round 2 against the Stars the Kraken would get 14 power plays which worked out to a average of 2 per game which isn’t too bad, but of those 14 power plays, they only scored twice for a success rate of 14.2% on the power play and finished the playoffs at a 14.3% success which was 14th in the playoffs and the lowest of teams who at least made round 2, so the Kraken couldn’t get a power play goal to save themselves and had they had a better power play, maybe they would’ve made it past round 2, but they couldn’t get anything going on the power play and was a major reason for their demise in round 2.
And lastly would be the awful road record the Kraken had in round 2. Now during the regular season the Kraken were a solid road team as they were able to put up a 26-11-4 record on the road and got 56 of their 100 points on the road this year and were a beast away from Climate Pledge, and they brought that success into round 2 as besides losing game 2 in Colorado, they would be able to win game 1,5 and 7 on the road and had a 3-1 record on the road in the playoffs after round 1, but then against the Stars they weren’t able to find the road success they had during the regular season or round 1, as after splitting the first two games again, they would up on the losing side of a 5-2 loss in game 5 and a 2-1 loss in a winner take all game 7 and after having such good success on the road, they were not able to find ways to win in Dallas and not having that stellar advantage really did help them lose this series against the Stars.
So in my eyes the poor record on the road in round 2 after so much success on the road in the regular season and round 1, the fact that the defensive game sort of collapsed and Grubauer didn’t play too well in round 2, and also the inability to capitalize on the power play that had them being one of the worst teams on the power play in the playoffs were all factors that lead to the Kraken exiting in round 2 and although they were only 2 goals away from the Confrence final and were heartbroken they didn’t get farther, I think they were very happy with how they did this year as not too many people had them making the playoffs let alone game 7 of round 2, and I think this team is already built for success and with some tweaks this offseason I could see them once again make the playoffs next year and maybe even be good enough to make the final 4.
5 Ways of how I think the Kraken can improve in the offseason.
.1) Sign top pair defensemen Dunn to a new deal.
Now the Kraken don’t have much internal business to get done this year as they have most of their players under contract, but one big signing they need to get done this offseason is a extension for top defensemen Vince Dunn.
Now I know some people were surprised by the Kraken when they took Dunn instead of Tarasenko in the expansion as a lot thought Dunn was going to be no more then a 3rd pair defensemen, but with the bigger role and more of a opportunity in Seattle he has thrived and shown he could be a top end defender, as his first year in Seattle he put up 35 points which tied his career high, but he smashed that record this year and put up career numbers in goals with 14 and points with 64 and emerged as a solid number 1 defender in Seattle, and I think signing him as to be a top priority for the Kraken this offseason. Now they have enough cap space to match any offer sheet that could possibly be given to him and I don’t believe he will be dealt so it is just a matter of finding common ground for a extension, and I think a long term 6-8 year deal that has a cap hit of $6-7 Million dollars I think would be a solid contract for Dunn after the season he had and it wouldn’t be overly expensive for the Kraken to sign, so I do think he signs for somewhere around there, but I definitely think priority number 1 for the Kraken this offseason will be getting Dunn signed to a new deal and preferably a longer term one in my opinion.
.2) Add a solid top 4 defensemen.
Now the defence was the Kraken’s weakness this season as the goaltending was subpar and the team wasn’t the greatest on the back end, so I think the Kraken could look to improve the backend this offseason and look for a defensive upgrade in their top 4.
Now the Kraken have a couple of solid defensemen as one is their best defensemen in Vince Dunn and they also have some other solid defensemen in Oleksiak and Larsson, but I think they could use another defender to round out their top 4 on the blueline, especially if the team loses Soucy to free agency which is a likely possibility this offseason, so getting a top 4 defender could help them greatly in my eyes, and some guys I could see the Kraken look at in the trade market would be DeAngelo, Pesce or Hanafin as all three all solid top 4 defenders and pretty good upgrades on Soucy and with the Kraken having some serious draft capital right now, I could see them use some of their picks to make a trade happen, so if they were to go the trade route I think those guys would be players the Kraken look at, as for the free agent market, I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to bring back Soucy as he is still a really good defender, but if they can’t get him then maybe a Dumba or Shattenkirk in free agency would be the right move as I think the Kraken are okay cap wise to bring those guys in and both come with experience, so I could easily see Seattle have interest in those guys, but whether it is via trade or free agency, I think the Kraken will for sure add another trop 4 defensemen to their roster this year.
.3) Figure out who is Grubauer’s partner in net.
Now the Kraken stil have Grubauer on a longer term deal and he will most likely be the teams 1A in Net next year for Seattle, but the big question will be who is their backup, as they do have a couple of options but I do wonder if they go out and grab someone.
Now the Kraken signed Grubauer in year one to be their starter and he hasn’t done as well as he did with the Avalanche before, but he did show his potential in round 1 when the Kraken beat the Avalanche as Grubauer played absolutely fantastic in that first round series and with Grubauer still signed for the next couple of years he will most likely remain Seattle’s starter next year, but the backup position is a big question mark as it will be interesting to see who winds up being the teams backup next year. Now 2nd and 3rd string goalies from this past year Jones and Daccord, who both had solid seasons at the NHL and AHL level respectively, are both pending UFA’s and would need new deals to be brought back, so I could see the Kraken have interest to bring one of them back as their backup, but I am not overly confident they would do so, and they also have Dreidger under contract for a year and he was brought in at the expansion draft to be a tandem goalie, but it is more then likely that he moves on at some point this offseason, and I think the most likely way to go for the Kraken would be to look in free agency for a solid backup goalie, as I think guys like Brossoit, Reimer or Varlamov could all be really good options on short term deals to be brought in as the Krakens new backup goal and either backup or split time with Grubauer, so whether the team looks to reason one of their pending UFA’s, keep Dreidger or go out and get someone in free agency, it is going to be interesting to see who they bring in and who backs up Grubauer in Net for the Kraken next year.
.4) Get Wright in the lineup next year.
Next is a simple thing that I believe the Kraken should do next season and that is get the young Shane Wright some NHL playing time next year.
Now this isn’t something the Kraken can really work on in the offseason, but I think having Wright who was the 4th overall pick in last years draft have a consistent NHL role next year would be a smart thing to do. Now Wright started this year in the NHL and did alright putting up 2 goals in 8 games but wasn’t getting much opportunity so he was sent to the AHL on a stint and put up 6 points in 8 games before going back to the OHL where he was able to thrive and then he joined the Kraken’s AHL affiliate for the playoff run and while he wasn’t overly productive, he was still a pretty good player and did put up some points and although he did have his ups and downs this year, I still think he has a top 6 Center potential. Now I think the perfect place to put him next year would be line 3 as the Kraken have a abundance of solid NHL wingers so he would be playing with solid NHL caliber players, while not having too much responsibility as the 3rd line Center and could continue to grow his game, and in my eyes having him play consistent NHL minutes next year instead of being a healthy scratch would be the right move and I think he could do well developing at the NHL level, so don’t be too surprised if Wright was a regular NHL player next year.
.5) Move at least one of Wennberg or Driedger.
And lastly, the Kraken could use a bit more cap space if they are going to sign their RFA’s and upgrade their top 4 and the backup position this offseason, so that may force them to move a couple of players and I could see both Alex Wennberg and Chris Driedger used by Seattle as trade chips.
Now Dreidger missed most of last year due to a injury sustained the year prior and after he recover from the injury he was placed on waivers and sent to the minors, and he did alright in 14 AHL games to finish the season but was the 4th string goalie on the Krakens depth charts, so I do think there may be a way for the Kraken to move on from him, now I wouldn’t rule out the Kraken keeping him as the backup for their team next year as he has done well in the past with Florida and his first year in Seattle, but I do think the Kraken could go a different direction and use his cap space to get someone else, and I think there would be at least some interest for a team to acquire Dreidger as he is a decent backup, but it would definitely be a difficult trade but I could see Dreidger used as trade bait.
As for Wennberg he is a solid Center for the Kraken, but with a crowded forward group I could see him being moved. Now Wennberg is a natural Center and has done well with Seattle since they signed him in free agency, as he has been able to put up back to back 30 point season for the first time since 17-18, and has been a solid middle six forward in Seattle and I could also see them keep Wennberg to, but as I said before getting Wright into the lineup next year has to be a priority and with Wright being a Center and the Kraken having guys like Gourde, Beniers, McCann, Geekie and Donato who can already play Center, I think that pushes Wennberg out of a regular top 9 spot and paying a 4th line Center $4.5 Million dollars is not ideal and a luxury the Kraken can’t afford to have, so with Wennberg in the final year of his deal and expendable, I think a Wennberg trade could also happen at some point this offseason.
So in my eyes while they are not guaranteed to be moved, I do think goalie Dreidger and Center Wennberg could both be moved this offseason by the Jraken as they are luxury the Kraken can’t have and would free up cap and roster space for Seattle to do other things and I would not be surprised if both were moved.
So in my opinion the Kraken should try and sign their number one defensemen in Vince Dunn to a long term deal, go out and get a top 4 defender to help round out their top 4, find a new backup or 1B goalie for Grubauer, make room on the roster so that Wright can be the teams 3rd line Center next year and move on from Wennberg and Driedger and I think if they make those tweaks to their lineup and get some more young players in the lineup and round out that roster, I think not only will the Kraken challenge for a playoff spot and top 3 in the Pacific again, but if they improve enough, I could definitely see them get to the Confrence Finals and maybe even the Cup Final next year as they are a great up and coming team and with a few changes could be great next year.
And if you like this blog post, then check out my YouTube video about Seattle’s offseason right here. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xBPiyq2X_eM&t=1s
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