It appeared Shane Wright’s days with the Seattle Kraken were coming to a close this summer.
On July 5, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the 22-year-old center’s agent claimed Kraken general manager Jason Botterill agreed to move his client to a team seeking a top young center.
The fourth-overall pick in the 2022 draft, Wright struggled to establish himself as a top-six center with the Kraken. On July 13, we published a list of five trade landing spots, including the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Vancouver Canucks.
Despite his difficulties, Wright still has plenty of potential. He had a solid rookie campaign in 2024-25 with 19 goals and 44 points in 79 games and could get back on track with a better club. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract, making him an affordable option for a cap-strapped club.
Of the clubs we mentioned earlier this summer, the Flyers and Canucks are potential destinations. They’re young teams that could use depth at center and have the tradeable assets to pursue him. Perhaps the retooling Nashville Predators will also give him a look.