Report: Seattle Kraken, Shane Wright agree to part ways

All signs are pointing to the Seattle Kraken and 22-year-old center Shane Wright parting ways this offseason.

Two Seattle Kraken originals leave in free agency

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in Canada reported in an article early Saturday that Wright’s agent said Kraken general manager Jason Botterill has “agreed to move” Wright to a new team this summer.

“I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young center,” said Wright’s agent Kurt Overhardt on Wednesday, per Friedman.

The Kraken appeared to luck out when Wright, long projected as the likely No. 1 overall pick in 2022, fell to them at No. 4 in that year’s NHL Draft. Wright has scored 78 points in 169 games over four seasons with Seattle, including the last two as a full-time member of the roster.

Both Wright and the Kraken as a whole have disappointed in those last two seasons. Wright had just 27 points in 74 games in 2025-26, a considerable step back from the career-high 44 points he had in 79 games in 2024-25. The Kraken, meanwhile, finished in the bottom three of the Pacific Division and missed the playoffs both seasons.

Per Freidman’s article, Botterill declined comment on the situation with Wright. Freidman added that “the Kraken made it extremely clear they expect a fair price and won’t be pressured into anything they don’t want to do. In other words, they are making no guarantees.”

The 6-foot, 192-pound Wright has been involved in trade rumors throughout this year.

In January, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Kraken were “open to moving” Wright ahead of the NHL trade deadline in March, potentially by packaging him in a deal for a top-six forward.

Pagnotta also reported last month that “teams continue to poke” around in trade talks with the Kraken for Wright, with the Philadelphia Flyers recently joining discussions with Seattle.

The Kraken are aiming to turn around their fortunes after making the playoffs just once in their first five seasons since joining the NHL for the 2021-22 campaign. Team president Ron Francis, who previously was Seattle’s GM from their inception until 2025, stepped down at the end of the season. And so far this offseason, Seattle has traded with Florida for Mackie Samoskevich and signed him to a multi-year extension, re-signed 2026 trade deadline addition Bobby McMann, and signed the 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas, the NHL’s most prolific fighter last season, in free agency.

Seattle Kraken news and more

• Bobby McMann confident in Kraken’s future after signing extension
• Samoskevich brings speed, skill to offensively challenged Kraken
• Seattle Kraken scoop up ex-Vancouver Canucks GM for front office

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