Kraken Trade Deadline Recap 2026: Seattle Extends Their Captain and Adds to the Top Six
By Jayd Serdy
Seattle, WA - The NHL trade deadline tends to be a time of stress for fans — wondering what their team will do and whether their favorite player will still be around following the deadline. Luckily for Kraken fans, the team played it safe at this year’s March 6th deadline, making only one change to the roster and handing out one contract extension.
For the second time in captain Jordan Eberle’s career with Seattle, he was signed to a two-year extension at the NHL trade deadline. Eberle was originally acquired by the Kraken in the 2021 Expansion Draft, then signed a two-year $9.5 milliion contract on March 8th, 2024. With that deal expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season and Eberle being a pending UFA, it was time for Seattle to make a choice. Re-sign him, try to trade their captain, or let him walk in free agency on July 1st? General manager Jason Botterill opted for the first, and perhaps safest, option. Eberle was signed to a two-year, $11 million contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
“We’re thrilled to have Jordan under contract for the next two years. Jordan embodies what it means to be a Kraken, and we’re glad we were able to come to terms on an extension. He continues to be a consistent point producer and a great role model for our younger players.”
On the season, Eberle has tallied 44 points with 22 goals and 22 assists over 60 games. During his time as a Kraken, he has 221 points (89 goals, 132 assists) in 341 games. “Ebs” has been a solid veteran presence within the locker room and will continue to be that for the next two years, providing Seattle with stability in its leadership group when there is some potential change looming, considering some of the team’s impending unrestricted free agents, plus the potential of wanting to shake things up this summer from the Kraken front office.
“My family and I love Seattle. The organization is world-class, the culture here is incredible, and the fans have been amazing since day one. We want to win here, and I really believe we’re building something special in Seattle. I also want to thank Sam Holloway, Ron Francis, and Jason Botterill for believing in me.”
In addition to re-signing Eberle, the Kraken made one additional move on deadline day when they acquired forward Bobby McMann (not to be confused with Jared McCann) from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The 2027 second-round pick will be the lower of Seattle’s Columbus or Winnipeg picks acquired in trades. The 2026 fourth-round pick was originally from the Anaheim Ducks.
“We’re really excited to have Bobby in Seattle. He’s a big, strong forward who knows how to put the puck in the net. We think he’ll be a great fit with our group down the stretch.”
McMann is a solid middle-six winger who has played on both the left and right sides but tends to do better on the left. During the 2025-26 season with the Maple Leafs, he has recorded 19 goals and 13 assists in 60 games. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Toronto on April 29, 2022, after playing college hockey and then moving to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL) before joining the NHL. Over the course of his career, he has 91 points (54 goals, 37 assists) over 200 games. McMann has played under Kraken head coach Lane Lambert previously, which is beneficial to both parties. Lambert knows how McMann plays, and McMann knows what Lambert expects in a player. This was arguably one of the better moves that Seattle could have made without making a big splash and mixing too much up in the locker room.
The Kraken had been rumored to be looking at another Maple Leafs forward, Scott Laughton, but that didn’t materialize and Seattle instead nabbed McMann.
McMann is expected to slot into the lineup on the second line, which is beneficial to the team now that forward Jaden Schwartz has been ruled out indefinitely following an injury Saturday night against Ottawa that saw the side of the skate hit him square in the face. Once Schwartz is back in the lineup, though, there will have to be some changes made, whether that’s sending a player back to Coachella Valley or healthy-scratching a player, is yet to be determined. It was a fun exercise to wonder what the lineup could look like for the Kraken at full strength and to see who would be the odd man out, but Seattle isn’t going to have to deal with that problem for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see if Schwartz returns before the end of the regular season.
These were the only major moves Seattle made ahead of the trade deadline, despite an accidental transaction appearing in the system that would have sent Erik Haula from the Nashville Predators to Seattle. The Kraken sent forwards Jacob Melanson and Ryan Winterton to AHL affiliate Coachella Valley on the day, but that was essentially just a paper transaction to make them eligible for the AHL playoffs, and both players never actually went down to join the Firebirds.
A quiet deadline was expected, though, after the success Seattle has seen so far this season. While the Kraken aren’t a high-flying team and cruising to the playoffs, they have found themselves in a postseason spot for most of the year and are primed to find a way in, considering how weak the Western Conference is this year. Free agency is expected to bring more opportunities for big-name players to be on the market, allowing Seattle to hopefully bring in a more star-studded player.
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