Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are in a state of limbo. They’re not good enough to be contenders, but the team isn’t bad enough to be in a lottery spot. The Kraken are sixth in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of last-place Anaheim Ducks.
So, the Kraken will need to make a tough choice. Do they start from scratch or try to retool on the fly? Now, a full-blown rebuild is probably the last thing the Kraken want, at least not now. If anything, the Kraken will be looking to retool.
But to do so, they’ll need cap space. The Kraken could entice big-name free agents, while also rounding out the roster with established names.
Yannni Gourde and Brandon Tanev have been making the rounds on the rumour mill. Will Borgen has also been rumoured to be available. But perhaps the most interesting name is Philipp Grubaeur. The Kraken committed to Joey Daccord this season, signing him to a deal that expires in 2030.
None of these players would appeal to or help the Toronto Maple Leafs - at least not significantly. The players on the Kraken that would meet the Leafs needs are Jared McCann, who would provide depth scoring that is far more reliable than anything on the current roster, or Vince Dunn who could be the number-one defender the Leafs need.
The Kraken would obviously only move these guys if their season completely tanks, but either McMann or Dunn would help the Leafs fill their most obvious needs.