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While the Seattle Kraken missed the postseason last year, there is reason for optimism moving forward.
The Kraken hired former New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert as the full-time replacement for Dan Bylsma, who was dismissed after just one season, while former Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment is now a Kraken forward after being acquired in a trade.
Meanwhile, forward Jared McCann has drawn trade interest from other NHL teams, but the Kraken are not currently willing to part with him. NHL Insider Rob Simpson recently reported that Seattle has no plans to move McCann, who has led the franchise in scoring in each of its first four seasons since entering the NHL as an expansion team in 2021-22.
“The 29-year-old has led the franchise in scoring all four seasons of its existence and has two more seasons left on his contract at a very reasonable $5-million per,” Simpson wrote via Seattle Hockey Insider. “Those are two very good reasons why the Kraken were telling teams, at least up until now, that they’re not parting with their lefty winger who can also play the middle.”
Simpson concluded by saying it would take an overwhelming offer from another NHL team to convince the Kraken to part ways with McCann, though those chances could increase if the franchise struggles in the early goings of the season.
“It would take a king’s ransom to pry McCann loose at this point, and it would still take a pretty hefty offer come late November or December should the Kraken falter in the early season,” Simpson wrote. “If they do, and the playoff chances look slim after US Thanksgiving, then the trade talk will triple.”
This past season, McCann scored 22 goals and added 39 assists while appearing in all 82 games.
Jared McCann is Kraken's all-time leading scorer
McCann, who was originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Draft, spent time with the Canucks and the Florida Panthers along with a stint as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins before he was left exposed for the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
Selected by the Kraken, McCann is officially the franchise's scoring leader through their first four campaigns. He's scored a total of 118 goals with 125 assists for a total of 243 points.
During Seattle's thrilling run to Game 7 of the Western Conference Semi Final in 2023, McCann added a goal and two assists in eight postseason games.
While it's been reported that the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens are two of the teams who have inquired, it looks like GM Jason Botterill has no desire to part with McCann at this time.
