Shane Wright Aims to Be a 'Difference-Maker' Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk0Mjg0ODQ3MDg5MzI5ODQx/usatsi_19578370.jpg] About a month ago, this writer asked the question, “Can the Seattle Kraken continue exceeding expectations [https://thehockeynews.com/news/can-the-seattle-kraken-continue-to-exceed-expectations]?” The short answer is yes, and how – the Kraken may be on a two-game losing streak at the moment, but before that, they reeled off seven straight wins [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-stat-pack-bruins-streak-blackhawks-slide-and-kraken-surge] going 12-1-1 before last Saturday's loss to the Florida Panthers. That’s impressive for any NHL franchise, but for a second-year team like Seattle, that’s astonishing. But this is a professional league where, for the most part, you’re probably not as great as your best stretch of hockey goes, and you’re not as bad as your worst stretch goes. And so, for the Kraken and GM Ron Francis, the team’s phenomenal run brings up some other big questions – first and foremost, do you continue to chase a playoff spot, or do you sell high on some of your older assets in an attempt to be a better team for the long term? The truth is, after the memorable initial run of the Vegas Golden Knights, you really can’t abandon your pursuit of a post-season berth if you’re Francis. As it stands, their 15-7-3 record puts them in second place in the Pacific Division, and they’re just six points behind the first-place Golden Knights while holding two games in hand on Vegas. It doesn’t make sense for them to have an auction right now. That time may still come before the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline, but for the time being, they have positivity in abundance, and there’s a foundation developing in a notable way. Still, in some respects, the Kraken’s roster is perfectly positioned to bring back healthy returns via trades. Their scoring depth up front is about as good as it gets, with 10 of 14 forwards having at least 11 points in Seattle’s first 25 games this year. One of the four forwards who don’t is 2022 first-round draft pick Shane Wright, and he’s only appeared in eight games. Francis can offer cost certainty with anyone he puts on the trade block, as every player, with the exceptions of goalie Martin Jones, defenseman Carson Soucy, fringe forwards Ryan Donato and Karlson Kuhlman and injured forward Joonas Donskoi is under team control through the 2023-24 season. In other words, if you’re a GM interested in a veteran like, say, winger Jordan Eberle, you can trade for him knowing he’s locked up until the summer of 2024. Or maybe you’re seeking out a veteran, right-shot D-man like Justin Schultz – he’s signed through next season as well, with a relatively cheap salary cap hit of $3 million per season. While Jones has a modified no-movement clause (where he can submit a list of 10 teams he won’t accept a trade to), he’s been a positive reclamation project for Seattle this year, posting a vastly-improved goals-against average of 2.90 in 18 appearances. You can see, then, why Francis might be tempted to ship out a few veterans who likely won’t be around when Seattle’s younger players reach their peak years. You don’t want to ignore the forest because you’re overly enamored with a few trees. You want to be solid over the long haul. The best way to do that might be to take a lateral step or two in order to wind up with better players in the next half-decade or so. Tricky, isn’t it? There are many reasons for the Kraken to stay the course, but that’s not the only option available to Francis. Teams may step up with attractive offers for some of his players who aren’t truly Seattle’s core players. It’s a balancing act, to be sure. And it’s why the Kraken are a team to keep an eye on, regardless of what direction they ultimately choose.
