The Detroit Red Wings have made no secret of their desire to finally push past the bubble and get back into the playoffs, and one avenue to get there could run through Seattle. 

On Monday's season-ending episode of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman went team by team around the league, and his report on the Seattle Kraken stood out as one worth watching in Detroit.

Friedman explained that Seattle could look to move off goal-scoring winger Jared McCann as well as defenseman Vince Dunn, with both entering the final years of their current contracts. The Kraken, according to Friedman, are looking to flip either player for pieces that can step directly into the lineup. 

That presents an intriguing opportunity for a team like Detroit, which has a wealth of young talent either already in the NHL or on the verge of it, the kind of assets that could be attractive in a deal for a consistent 60-to-70-point player in McCann or a standout, puck-moving defenseman in Dunn.

Friedman noted that Seattle likes to view itself as a landing spot for young players looking for a bigger role, which lines up with the idea of trading established veterans for prospects and futures. 

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The Kraken have also reportedly been shopping former fourth overall pick Shane Wright, and it's not hard to see a scenario where Detroit gets involved there too. The Red Wings could use another high-upside, depth center, and Wright, still just 22, might be exactly the kind of change-of-scenery candidate who could finally tap into the pedigree that made him a top-four pick back in 2022.

A deal would be relatively easy for Detroit to construct if it decided the fit was right as the Red Wings have plenty of interesting trade chips from their deep prospect pipeline, names like Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård or Eddie Genborg among others, along with a healthy stockpile of draft capital that could intrigue Seattle.

McCann, 30, missed 30 games this past season but still finished with 20 goals and 20 assists for 40 points in 52 games played. The Stratford, Ontario native has posted at least 50 points in five straight seasons when healthy, and would slot in as an immediate scoring boost for Detroit's top six.

Dunn would address a real need on Detroit's blue line as well as the Red Wings' only notable left-shot defenseman currently is Simon Edvinsson, and adding Dunn would allow Ben Chiarot to slide down to a third pairing role. Meanwhile, Detroit's current left-shot option, Albert Johansson, could realistically be part of a return package to Seattle. 

Dunn, 29, has shown real offensive upside from the back end, with a career-best 64-point season in 2022-23, and he's been a steady 40-point defenseman over the last three seasons, the kind of two-way piece that would immediately upgrade Detroit's group.

As for Wright, he's still just 22 and hasn't quite found his footing at the NHL level. His rookie season showed real promise, 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 79 games, but he took a step back in his sophomore year, managing just 27 points in 74 games.

 Many around the league have suggested Wright has lost some confidence in his game, and a fresh start elsewhere could be exactly what's needed to unlock the player many still believe he can become. Right now, he looks like a legitimate buy-low opportunity for a team willing to be patient.

With Detroit reportedly weighing multiple avenues this offseason, there's a real chance one of those moves involves the Kraken and one of the marquee names currently sitting on their trade block.

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