The Seattle Kraken made a seemingly minor trade late Friday night. They sent forward Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second and fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The deal shouldn’t constitute a major roster overhaul. Marchment had been the subject of speculation for some time now. But there could be a deeper level of subtext brewing beneath the trade.
The Kraken were off to a surprising start this season. They raced to the top of the Pacific Division, but then gradually regressed to the mean. Currently, Seattle is riding a four-game losing streak and is 1-9-0 in its last 10 games.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks have strung together a three-game winning streak and have managed to pull ahead of the Kraken for last place in the Pacific. As such, the Marchment trade could be a signal that the Kraken are ready to raise the white flag on the season. While they could technically rebound and rekindle their early-season success, that seems like wishful thinking.
So, Friday night’s trade could be the signal that the Kraken are ready to punt on this season. Considering how deep the 2026 NHL Draft is supposed to be, there could be a larger incentive to give up now and regroup for next year.
If that’s the case, there could be more trades coming down the pipeline from Seattle.
Kraken Could Move Several Impending UFAs
Marchment, who is an impending UFA, was the first to go in Seattle. Now, the path forward could be for other impending UFAs the club may want to find new homes for. The biggest name rumored on the block is Jaden Schwartz. The 33-year-old has a $5.5 million cap hit and a 16-team no-trade list.
Schwartz is on IR at the moment. So, that could affect the Kraken’s ability to pull off a trade at this point. But there would still be considerable interest for the veteran winger once he gets back on the ice.
Another impending UFA is Kraken captain Jordan Eberle. The 35-year-old has a full no-trade clause, making a move that much harder. It’s tough to envision the Kraken moving their captain, but they may consider a move if a deal comes along.
Eeli Tolvanen is yet another impending UFA. The 26-year-old has 17 points in 32 games this season. He comes with a $3.48 million cap hit. A team looking for a middle-six winger might find a decent option in the Kraken forward.
Lastly, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak will also become a UFA next summer. He has a 16-team no-trade clause himself and carried a $4.60 million cap hit. A team looking for a depth defenseman may kick the tires on Oleksiak, though not many contenders have the cap space to take on his full hit.
Seattle Could Look to Free Up Space and Reload in the Summer
At this point, the Kraken may look to free up as much cap space as possible and reload in the summer. While next summer’s free-agent class won’t be overly exciting, some interesting names could pop up on the market.
That situation could allow the Kraken to find some serviceable names to round out a still promising young core.
Plus, a high draft pick would not be a bad consolation prize. The Kraken actually holds two first-rounders. The team holds its own and the one acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Oliver Bjorkstrand-Yanni Gourde trade from last season.
So, there is reason to be optimistic in Seattle moving forward.
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