Surprising Name From Kraken Enters Latest Trade Board

The latest trade board has dropped, from Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, and a surprising addition from the Seattle Kraken has been included. While Shane Wright's name has been out there for a couple of weeks now, and Jamie Oleksiak is once again making the rounds, as a pending UFA, Kypreos now says in the Kraken's never-ending search for a top-scoring forward, top center Matty Beniers' name has now joined the conversation as potential trade bait.

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... 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.

Always considered a franchise cornerstone in Seattle since winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2022-23, the former second-overall pick hasn't quite progressed offensively as expected. But he is an elite, defensive-minded center, who is still developing. As Kypreos notes, the upside is still there for the 23-year-old.

Beniers is tied for the team lead in scoring, with 37 points in 54 games. Since his 24-goal, 57-point rookie campaign, he's averaged just 17.5 goals and 40 points the past two seasons. He is, however, on pace to top both of those marks this year.

Matty Beniers could be had for a blockbuster offer: Insider

He has five more years left on his seven-year, $50 million contract ($7.14 AAV), so there'd be cost certainty for any team interested in dealing for him. But it would take a major, proven offensive star for the Kraken to consider it.

"I'm not sure if GM Jason Botterill is ready for that," concludes Kypreos, "but teams will try."

The Kraken are 24th in the NHL in goals per game at 2.87, and they haven't cracked the 3.00 gpg mark in the past three years. It's their Achilles heel, and a blockbuster offer of a goal-scoring star would be awfully tempting.