Kraken's Steep Asking Price Complicates Canucks' Pursuit Of Shane Wright
The problem is the price.
Per Vancouver insider Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks have approached the Kraken about Wright, but Seattle's asking price is extremely high.
"Canucks like Shane Wright," Dhaliwal said. "They approached Seattle about him, but the ask was very high. You know Seattle wants either one of their two young defensemen, Zeev Buium or Tom Willander."
Why The Ask Is So Steep
Buium and Willander are two of the most important building blocks in Vancouver's system, and young, cost-controlled defensemen are among the hardest assets to acquire in the entire NHL.
Buium, 20, was the centerpiece of the return the Canucks got in the Quinn Hughes trade, while Willander, 21, has quickly established himself as a blue-line cornerstone.
Shane Wright's preferred trade destination is the Vancouver Canucks, per @benkuzma
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) July 13, 2026
Wright is looking for a fresh start, and reportedly views Vancouver as the ideal fit because of where the rebuild is headed 👀 pic.twitter.com/6jPtqgHBhQ
Both are still on their entry-level contracts, with one and two years of term remaining, respectively.
For a Canucks team that also needs top-pairing defensemen, surrendering either to acquire Wright would create a major organizational weakness on the back end to fix a hole down the middle.
The Wright Situation
Wright's trade request became public earlier this month when his agent, Kurt Overhardt, confirmed through Elliotte Friedman that the former fourth overall pick wanted out of Seattle.
The Kraken have agreed to facilitate a move, but GM Jason Botterill has made it clear the organization expects a fair return and will not be pressured into a lopsided deal.
The 22-year-old is coming off a down season, however, which is what makes the reported ask so aggressive.
After a promising rookie campaign in 2024-25 that saw him post 19 goals and 44 points, Wright regressed to just 12 goals and 27 points in his sophomore season.
He has one year remaining on his three-year, $2.66 million entry-level contract.
Why Vancouver Should Be Patient
The fit is legitimate, as Wright is young enough to keep developing but experienced enough to step directly into Vancouver's lineup as a solid NHL center.
Still, moving Buium or Willander straight up for a player coming off a 27-point season would be a clear overpay that no rational front office should accept.
The good news for the Canucks is that this does not have to happen now.
The Kraken have no time-based pressure to move Wright and can wait for an offer that approaches their asking price.
There is also a geographical wrinkle, as the division rivals would not want to see Wright succeed just across the border, giving Seattle even more incentive to demand a premium from Vancouver specifically.
If and when the asking price comes down, new Canucks GM Ryan Johnson can re-engage, but for now, Vancouver should let the right deal come to them rather than mortgage its defensive future.
