After a breakout 40-goal effort in 2022-23, Kraken forward Jared McCann has taken a small step back offensively since then. While he has still surpassed 20 goals in each of the last two years, it appears that might not be enough to make his roster spot secure. In a recent appearance on the Sekeres and Price Show (video link), David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relayed that Seattle is open to moving McCann. Meanwhile, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic suggested on his podcast earlier this week (video link) that the Kraken might be compelled to move McCann.
The 29-year-old has spent the last four seasons in Seattle after being selected from Toronto (a team he never played for) in the expansion draft. McCann has led the Kraken in scoring in each of those four seasons which certainly makes it puzzling that there are suggestions that he could be available.
Last season, he had 22 goals and 39 assists in 82 games, while amassing 118 goals and 125 assists in 315 games over his four seasons with the Kraken. After never reaching 40 points with any of his former teams, McCann has reached the 50-point mark at a minimum each year in Seattle. Meanwhile, his goal-per-60 rate at that time is sixth-best in the NHL over that stretch, a number inflated obviously by that 40-goal campaign. Nonetheless, that’s an impressive spot to be in.
McCann has two years left on his contract with a $5MM price tag, one that stands out as a team-friendly pact in an inflationary salary cap environment with two more big jumps to the Upper Limit expected over the next two years. It’s a contract that many teams can afford or would be willing to make other moves to be able to afford although it’s worth noting that McCann would have some say in any possible trade as he has a 10-team no-trade clause.
A natural center coming up, McCann has primarily played on the wing in Seattle and with the center depth they’ve amassed, especially among their younger players, it’s unlikely that they’d need to move him back down the middle for an extended period of time. But given the extremely high demand for centers right now, that would only strengthen his trade value.
Seattle has a new GM in Jason Botterill plus a new head coach in Lane Lambert and has done more buying than selling so far this summer. They’ve added Mason Marchment in a trade from Dallas along with Frederick Gaudreau in a swap with Minnesota and signed Ryan Lindgren to one of the bigger blueline deals in free agency while their main subtraction was Andre Burakovsky in a cap-clearing move to Chicago. Those moves suggest that they are hoping to get back into the playoff picture and moving their top scorer would completely run counter to that objective.
However, in a free agent market that’s completely bereft of impact forwards now, the Kraken would be able to command a significant trade return if they were to move McCann and perhaps their reported willingness to deal him stems from that. It would be a case of taking a step back to potentially take a couple of steps forward depending on the return and while Seattle has shied away from that approach early in their franchise’s history, perhaps they’ll get an offer that’s too good to pass up to push them in that direction now. Either way, McCann becomes a player to keep an eye on over the next couple of months on the trade front.
McCann has been the Kraken’s best forward for the last 3, Or 4 seasons, Parting with Eberle, And, Or Schwartz would be better options moving forward.
Except you are missing the point of a trade. Neither of those guys could bring back what McCann can bring and this team is not a Stanley Cup contender with or without him. I’m not saying they should move him, but they should listen if someone comes with an offer that makes sense longer term.
I see no logical reason to move McCann.
McCann can play center. At least half the league is still looking for a 2C. If the team can get a haul from a desperate team, you trade him.
would set back their playoff aspirations a couple years
So that means you become one of those teams needing a 2C?
Ron Francis doesn’t employ logic…
If McCann is that critical to your playoff aspirations then you might as well trade him and see if you can get better that way cuz you’re not good enough to challenge for the cup anyways
Did you read the article as it tells you why? That assumes your don’t actually think they are contenders.
Trading Canner would be like the emotional equivalent of canceling the season.
You just gave a perfect reason to trade him. It’s Jared McCann. Nice player but if he is the emotional linchpin of your season, the season is not looking strong. If his market value is at a point where multiple assets can be received in exchange for him, you do it, whether it is now, when a team suffers some injuries, or at the deadline.
I could see moving him at the deadline and for the right price, but I’d be shocked if the kraken managed to get enough of a return right now to justify shipping off the most productive forward on the team. I’ve liked not much of how the kraken managed the team thus far though, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go before the season starts.
Tbf they should have already been selling. The cap increase really will just help strong teams stay strong since they have most guys locked up already. So yes sell McCann, make a team believe he can be their 2c if you can.
Yep, I agree with the assessment. Where I diverge is that McCann is one of the few players I’d like to see built around, even at 29 or whatever he is. There are a lot of people who could be serviceable, maybe enticing trade chips (I’m all for trading Beniers tbh). But if you look at the kraken, it’s clear that they are “risk averse”: when they ice players like Victor Rask and Marcus Johansson (who has been much better with the wild) in the top 6 to try to build trade value, and to keep Tatar around when he fell off a cliff for the same reason instead of putting people on the ice who were passionate to play, you start to get the picture. Then you look at the returns for those players and the outcomes of those seasons and it gets a little clearer. Then the summers… The kraken just don’t have that gutsy FLA/VGK/DAL style, or the Waddell eye for filling in gaps. Curious if the predators will gel this year. Not all teams are fair comparisons, like Utah who had so many picks to use. The kraken remind me more of Philly or NYR recently… teams that just seem jumbled and confused. It’s funny cause not being in last place in the division/league is basically the same amount of moves away from competing for WC.. it’s just which moves get made.
Ron hates offense
Yzerman should be all over this, amd get him to Detroit. He can either slot in at LW with Larkin and Raymond, or if they keep Kasper there, he can be the 2C between Kane and Cat.
Totally agree with you Feury. Word for word.
Yzerman has done a horrendous job. His end of the year press conference was a total train wreck. He actually read a prepared statement? He’s got thin skin.
If his last name wasn’t Yzerman and if he wasn’t the golden child of the Ilitch family he would have been gone after year three.
Copp and Compher have not been able to center that second line. Not saying McCann is the second coming of McDavid but he would be a nice upgrade.
I doubt he’d be a better center than compher. Copp, probably. He’s much better on the wing.
Exactly, so it would slot to me (I like Kaspar better at 2C so…)
McCann-Larkin-Raymond
Kane-Kasper-DeBrincat
JVR-Rasmussen-Copp
Appleton-Compher-Soderblom
Berggren
If they unload either Copp or Compher, Mazur comes up to be the 4C. I dont hate that lineup at all (with or without Mazur in it). I think Wallinder and the ’26 1st gets McCann, could maybe be Berggren, Wallinder and a 3rd too, but Seattle is pretty set at F currently, so I’m not sure that Berggren is really a feasible target.
Disagree. Compher is just an overpaid plodding 3rd line type of payer. He’s not capable of centering a second line. That’s been proven here in Detroit. He was given the opportunity.
The guy had 32 points last year? You can’t settle for that when you’ve got Kane and DeBrincat on the second line needing a legit center who can get them the puck.
The lack of a true second line center has been what’s killed the Wings for years now. That’s assuming Larkin is your #1. Personally, he’s probably a #2 center on a legit team.