Seattle gambles a first-round pick to reunite Matty Beniers with his college teammate, hoping the former Panthers forward can ignite a struggling offense.
With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft coming up in just a few short days, the Kraken have been making moves to bolster a roster that has had a lackluster performance in recent years. The newest move? A trade with Florida for Mackie Samoskevich. In return for the 23-year-old forward, the Panthers received Seattle’s 1st Round pick (25th overall) and a 2027 conditional 2nd round pick. Did they overpay?
Courtesy of Seattle KrakenSamoskevich has put up just 63 points (27 goals, 36 assists) in 156 career NHL games. While he did set personal records during the 2025-26 season, the numbers were not particularly impressive (12 goals, 20 assists). With just two seasons in the NHL under his belt, it is hard to say where he might go from here.
Prior to joining the Panthers, Samosevich spent time in the AHL and played for University of Michigan hockey (2021-2023) where he overlapped with Kraken forward Matty Beniers. He also spent parts of three separate seasons with the Chicago Steel in the Uniter States Hockey League (2018-2021).
Speaking on the acquisition, Jason Botterill expressed hope that Mackie will “contribute offensively and add a spark to our lineup.”
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