The Seattle Kraken have had a disappointing inaugural season and general manager Ron Francis will look to sell off veteran pieces for futures at the trade deadline. The haul that Seattle receives will largely be made up of picks and prospects, but there are also several young players around the NHL, established to varying degrees, who could find new homes at the deadline. Several contenders have young NHLers surrounded by trade rumors, and the Kraken should look to target them.
Jake DeBrusk, Boston Bruins
A few years ago, Jake DeBrusk looked like a rising impact player. He was receiving top-six minutes on the formidable Boston Bruins and appeared poised to take the next step. However, his development has since stagnated, and the 25-year-old has become something of an enigma in terms of what type of player he truly is. Earlier this season, the 2015 14th-overall pick requested a trade from the team that drafted him.
This season, DeBrusk has scored seven goals and 15 points in 38 games. That stat line isn’t overly impressive, but he has shown offensive flair in the past, tallying 27 goals in just his second NHL season. In the years since, he has bounced around Boston’s lineup and even been a healthy scratch at times. With greater opportunity and consistent linemates, he could find his game and grow into an impact scorer.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has said that he won’t trade DeBrusk for the sake of trading him; he intends to find a deal that helps his team. The Bruins will likely look to add some veterans ahead of the playoffs, and Seattle makes sense as a trade partner, with several impactful players likely to be traded. The Kraken should look to target DeBrusk if Boston does come calling.
Owen Tippett, Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers have put together a fantastic season thus far, and currently sit in first place in the tightly-contested Atlantic Division. As a result, it’s been heavily rumored that Panthers general manager Bill Zito is in search of some rental help ahead of the trade deadline. One of the pieces being dangled by Florida is reportedly young right wing Owen Tippett.
Tippett was drafted 10th overall by the Panthers in 2017 and broke into the NHL last year, scoring 18 points in 45 games. He has followed that up with 14 points through 41 games this year. Again, those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but he remains highly touted. Similarly to DeBrusk, Tippett could break out with greater opportunity on a different team. The Panthers will likely be interested in some of the Kraken’s veterans, and Seattle should make Tippett part of their ask.
Vitali Kravtsov, New York Rangers
Yet another first-round pick who hasn’t yet met his potential, Vitali Kravtsov has been involved in trade rumors for quite some time. The 2018 ninth-overall pick has been a poor fit in New York, and has played most of the last few seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Kravstov did get into 20 NHL games last season, scoring two goals and four points.
Kravtsov appears intent on playing in the NHL, as his disputes with the Rangers have stemmed from demotions to the American Hockey League. The disgruntled Kravtsov has returned to Russia several times over the last few years upon being sent down, and has had a standing trade request in place for quite some time. With the Rangers looking to make a playoff run this year, he may finally have his wish granted.
Related: 3 Rangers’ Trade Targets on the Kraken
As the Rangers search for playoff help at the deadline, Kravtsov’s name will undoubtedly come up in trade talks. Seattle should look to take the young winger off New York’s hands.
As the Kraken deal their veterans at the trade deadline, they should be buying low on high-upside players. These three players are realistic targets on contending teams, and Ron Francis should look to bring them to Seattle.