The Kraken are suddenly being linked to a blockbuster move and fans are buzzing

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Vincent Carbonneau
June 2, 2026  (7:49)

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Photo credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Matty Beniers and Lane Lambert are heading into a summer that could change Seattle fast, with the Kraken now open to moving the No. 7 pick.

That is the kind of rumor that gets attention right away.

David Pagnotta says Seattle will entertain moving the 7th-overall pick in a deal for a top-line forward. That tells you exactly where the front office thinks this roster still comes up short.

It is not hard to see why.

Jason Botterill already said after the season that he planned to be «very aggressive» because Seattle missed the playoffs and is not where it needs to be five years in.

This is what aggressive looks like.

The Kraken are not talking about flipping the pick for depth or a middle-six patch. A top-line forward is a much bigger swing, and it points straight at the need for more finish and more punch up front.

Seattle's numbers back that up.

The club went 34-35-11, and Jordan Eberle led the team with 55 points while Matty Beniers finished with 50 in 82 games. That is useful production, not enough star power.

That is why this rumor feels real.

If your leading scorer is sitting at 55 points, you are not shopping a premium pick because you are bored. You are shopping it because you know the top of the lineup still needs another real driver.

This is the strongest message in all of it.

Lambert is still new behind the bench, and Botterill is still early in shaping the roster under his watch. Waiting on another teenager to maybe become a top-line piece in 3 years does not hit the same when the organization is openly talking about urgency.

That does not mean Seattle should force it.

The 7th pick still matters, and teams get burned when they trade premium draft capital for the wrong name. The Kraken have to make sure the player coming back is not only a scorer, but a real top-line fit.

Still, the direction is clear.

This front office is not hiding behind patience anymore. It is looking for a forward who can help Beniers, take heat off the top six, and make Seattle harder to defend right away.

And honestly, that is the right read.

The Kraken have enough support pieces. They need more bite at the top. If the 7th pick is what it takes to chase that, Seattle is finally acting like a team tired of staying in the middle.

Previously

Cole Caufield just pointed the finger after the loss to Carolina and it's causing major backlash

Mitch Marner just took another massive shot at the Maple Leafs and fans can't believe it

Taylor Hall went off with a controversial statement nobody expected before the Stanley Cup Final

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1 HOUR AGO   |   55 ANSWERS The Kraken are suddenly being linked to a blockbuster move and fans are buzzing Should the Kraken trade the No. 7 pick for a proven top-line forward ?

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