Teams Will Try To Trade For One Of Kraken's Top Players

The Seattle Kraken are in an interesting spot. They are fighting for a spot in the playoffs, but have been in and out of the race at multiple points this season. They traded Mason Marchment, have dealt with injuries, and have some good young players on the team and on their way. But they aren't good enough to win a Stanley Cup and not bad enough to get a top-5 pick to potentially really change their franchise.

Matty Beniers and Shane Wright were supposed to be the players to do that, drafted second overall in 2021 and fourth overall in 2022. They are good young NHL players, but at 23 and 22 years old, they aren't at the level of franchise-changing, and may or may not be able to get there.

There are no superstars on the Kraken, and that's usually what a team needs, along with the strong depth that Seattle has. In the case of Beniers, he still has time to grow into an elite player, but right now he's stuck at a top-6 center that could be a number two on many teams. He is the top line center for the Kraken and in a league where the scoring is higher, he has 14 goals and 37 points in 56 games. Chandler Stephenson matches him offensively and plays the same amount.

Regarding Beniers, Nick Kypreos said, "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."

Beniers doesn't need a change of scenery. He is trusted, plays a solid game, but he isn't the offensive juggernaut that a second overall pick typically is. He hasn't played up to that level yet. The best he did was 24 goals and 57 points as a rookie, which allowed him to take home the Calder Trophy, but that was back in 2022-23.

If a team is desperate for centers, which some are, and are a younger team on the rise or rebuilding, targeting Beniers would make a good amount of sense. But it would be tough to find the value to give back to the Kraken, who see themselves as on the rise and don't want to get worse again before getting better. I don't think Beniers is going anywhere, but you never know what comes about.