It's time for another round of NHL Rumors this weekend. Many are talking about the impending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. But there's still plenty to discuss in the heated league. Teams will start jostling soon. In fact, a few trades have already been made. But things will really get going with the NHL Draft and free agency approaching. In today's NHL Rumors, we look at the Seattle Kraken's pursuit of a winger.
All NHL rumors come from original sources and are subject to change.
NHL Rumors
Seattle Kraken may be interested in Finnish winger
RUMOR: Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the idea of the Kraken trading for Patrik Laine during the offseason on a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast.
analysis: Seattle has already made some changes this offseason, with general manager Ron Francis naming Dan Bylsma to replace Dave Hakstol as the team's new head coach, and more roster changes are likely to come as Seattle tries to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Kraken struggled at times last season to score points and will be looking to improve on that. Francis and his team have $23 million in cap space as of this writing. Seattle has been very careful not to become a cap team like the Vegas Golden Knights, but they may have some intriguing options.
Crossing the River Rain
This makes Patrik Laine a trade target for the Kraken. Laine has joined the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to deal with some personal issues. We also learned that Laine is looking for a fresh start in a new city. The Columbus Blue Jackets forward hasn't hit the 30- or 40-goal heights of previous seasons, but he's still only 26, so he still has time to get back on track.
New Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell will likely try to do the right thing with Laine, but he will also try to get the best contract possible for his team. The deal would save $8.7 million in salary and allow Columbus to begin rebuilding its roster. Both sides would welcome the deal because it would accomplish a lot.
The Jackets and Kraken are in similar situations and need to make some changes: Both teams fired their coaches during the offseason and both want to return to the postseason.
Score punch
Friedman said many teams are looking to add scoring power, but Seattle was the team that really stood out to insiders. The Kraken haven't had many big-time scorers in their short franchise history. Jared McCann is the team's all-time leading scorer with 96 goals during his three-year tenure with the team. That includes 40 goals in the 2022-23 season, but he likely needs help.
A deal that would move Laine to the Pacific Northwest would mean replacing two former Carolina Hurricanes GMs, but would likely benefit both sides. Friedman said the Kraken will be a bit more aggressive on the trade market, and adding a player with a big cap hit like Laine is a sign of that.
Seattle doesn't have many players with big signing bonuses, which is why they're adding Vince Dunn for $7.35 million, and Laine will undoubtedly be the team's highest-paid player, but Columbus may be able to reserve some salary to make the deal happen.
The Kraken want goals and the Laine want a fresh start, so while it would be a risk for Francis, it could be a big payoff if the Laine shows up at Cascadia after his time with the Winnipeg Jets.
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