The NHL trade deadline was two weeks ago, and the new faces are acclimated to their new homes. The Seattle Kraken are in the deep Western Conference Wild Card race and have Bobby McMann on the wing after a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. On their quest for their second playoff berth, McMann was the perfect fit for the Kraken.
McMann is a pending free agent who was on the Maple Leafs, who have no chance of making the playoffs. That made him an obvious trade candidate, and the Kraken jumped at the opportunity. They sent a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Maple Leafs for the forward.
Why is McMann a perfect fit for the Kraken? What makes this trade one of the better ones made at the trade deadline?
Every team needs goals, including the Kraken
The saying is that defense wins championships, but every team needs goals, too. McMann has four goals in five games since the trade, bringing his season total to a career-high of 23. This is his second consecutive season with 20 goals, a solid NHL career for an undrafted college free agent. McMann has proven he can score at the NHL level, which is key for the Kraken.
Five teams are clawing at the final spot in the Western Conference Wild Card race. The Kraken are heading into Tuesday's action with 71 points in 69 games, four points behind the Nashville Predators with a game in hand. The Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Winnipeg Jets all have a chance at that final spot. Goals can help seperate the Kraken from the pack, which McMann brings.
The Kraken have put McMann on the top line with Matty Beniers, which may unlock the former second-overall pick. The Kraken need goals, and McMann brings them.
The trade price was exactly right
There is no guarantee that the Kraken will make the playoffs this year. With so many teams fighting for that last spot and questions about other parts of their roster, Seattle could get clipped by any number of these teams. If that is the case, they won't regret trading for McMann. They did not give up a first-round pick, and both picks they traded were not their own. The 2027 second-rounder was the Columbus Blue Jackets, and this year's fourth was the Anaheim Ducks.
Even though the Kraken have not had much success in their brief history, they don't have much of a prospect pipeline to speak of. Shane Wright has not flourished at the NHL level, and Beniers has never eclipsed the 57 points he scored in his rookie year. Adding to that pipeline this offseason is important, and they still can do that.
Centers were expensive pieces at the deadline, with Nicolas Roy and Brayden Schenn netting first-round picks. While a center would have helped them, too, the Kraken were smart to trade for McMann, who is a winger. The Maple Leafs were not able to get anyone to pay a first-round pick for him, which sent him to Seattle.
The Kraken need some positive momentum
NBA expansion is coming, and the Seattle SuperSonics are set for a return over two decades after their move to Oklahoma City. With the Mariners putting together a championship-caliber squad and the Seahawks coming off a Super Bowl win, the Kraken are bordering on an afterthought in their own market. Bobby McMann won't change that fact, but maybe a Kraken playoff run will.
The Vegas Golden Knights were an immediate success upon joining the league, making an incredible run to the Stanley Cup Final. That garnered a fan base, made them withstand the Raiders joining the city, and will keep them relevant when MLB and the NBA come to town. The Kraken did not have that opportunity, but they can pave their own path in the city.
If the Kraken do not make the playoffs, they must do everything they can in the offseason to be a legit contender for the Pacific Division title next year. With NHL expansion reportedly coming soon, moving the team cannot be a conversation by the time that comes around. Adding at the trade deadline is a great first step to ensuring security in Seattle.
