A new report suggests the Seattle Kraken could be open to trading Matty Beniers and/or Shane Wright to land them an established top-six scorer.
The Seattle Kraken are determined to improve their roster this season to compete in the playoffs, and if a new report is true, Matty Beniers could be another trade victim alongside Shane Wright.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos released the third edition of his trade board, placing Beniers and Wright on it. He mentioned that the Kraken are in dire need of goalscoring as they push to make the playoffs, and Beniers or Wright could be the sacrifice they need to make to upgrade the current roster.
Wright’s name isn’t at all surprising to see on this list. Reports from David Pagnotta, Elliotte Friedman, Frank Seravalli, and Darren Dreger have confirmed that the Kraken are open to moving Wright in a package that would land them an established top-six scorer.
The name that is shocking to see is Beniers, considering he’s played the 2025-26 season as the Kraken’s No. 1 center, is tied for the team lead in points, and ranks second in ice time among forwards, trailing only Chandler Stephenson by eight seconds.
Beniers’ previous two seasons were far under the level they had hoped for after his rookie season, but his defensive game rapidly improved, and this season he’s been able to blend both aspects of his game. He’s on pace to finish the season with 21 goals and 56 points in 82 games.
Kypreos states that conversations will start with Wright, but the Kraken may look to move Beniers if they can get their scoring upgrade that way.
“While trade conversations with the Kraken might start with Wright, they could turn to Beniers as well if Seattle can get its much-needed scoring upgrade that way. But a team would need to pay for his upside, which has not yet fully surfaced. It would be tough to move him, and Beniers isn’t the most likely player to be traded off this roster. He’s on this list because if the return is a franchise-changing blockbuster for the Kraken, they’ll consider it. I’m not sure if GM Jason Botterill is ready for that, but teams will try.”
While Kypreos notes that it feels unlikely, the possibility remains.
It feels like a long shot that the Kraken would move Beniers, especially as he appears to be blossoming into a star. In his last 10 games, he’s recorded five goals and eight points.
At 6-foot-2, 23 years old, and under contract at $7.14 million until 2031, finding fair value in a trade for Beniers would be difficult.
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