BREAKING: Seattle Kraken set to Trade 3 important Forwards, GM Ron Francis
The Seattle Kraken are expected to be highly active leading up to the NHL trade deadline. GM Ron Francis has several forwards attracting interest from other teams, and he is anticipated to move them before the March 7 deadline.
According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Yanni Gourde, Brandon Tanev, and Oliver Bjorkstrand are the top trade candidates. Gourde and Tanev are pending free agents and represent valuable bottom-six rental options, while Bjorkstrand has one year remaining on his contract with a $5.4 million AAV and a 10-team no-trade list. Gourde’s contract allows him to submit a 23-team trade list, whereas Tanev, like Bjorkstrand, can block trades to 10 teams.
Everyone is waiting for ultra-conservative GM Ron Francis to make a move—one that isn’t just out of necessity. Trading Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev doesn’t really count, as those deals are both expected and obvious. Oliver Bjorkstrand, however, seems like a prime candidate for such a move. He has provided solid production relative to his salary and holds real value for Seattle, as any acquiring team would get two playoff runs with him. While losing Bjorkstrand would hurt in the short term, it’s ultimately insignificant because the Kraken aren’t contending anytime soon.
Seravalli noted that if Francis fails to capitalize on these potential deals, his tenure in Seattle could be in jeopardy. The Kraken have made some questionable offseason moves, and the recent demotion of goaltender Philipp Grubauer—who still has two years left on his $5.9 million AAV contract—has only added to the scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Tanev and Gourde have been linked to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs as potential trade destinations.