The Olympic break roster freeze is officially over, and the NHL has snapped back into trade deadline mode. Between now and March 6, every front office will be asking the same question: Who are we, really? And for the Kraken, a team that has spent most of the season hovering around the playoff bubble, the answer isn’t as straightforward as it is for others.

That’s what makes this deadline so compelling. Seattle isn’t locked into any one lane. Depending on the plan, they can justify almost any approach, with some paths more realistic than others. And because the conversation usually collapses into the oversimplified “buy or sell,” it’s worth laying out the full menu of strategies NHL teams actually use this time of year.
Here’s what’s on the table, with real examples and a little Kraken-specific seasoning.

The big swing

This is for teams that want to push their chips in and win a Stanley Cup now. This category includes both the classic “full buyer” approach and the rare, seismic deadline blockbuster that shakes the league.

Examples:

Dallas Stars (2025): Acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Hurricanes for Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks, and two third-round picks. Result: Lost in the Conference Finals to the Oilers.

Vegas Golden Knights (2024): Added Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin for two firsts, a third, and depth prospects. Lost in the first round, but both players remain long-term pieces.

Tampa Bay Lightning (2023): Acquired Tanner Jeannot from Nashville for Cal Foote and five draft picks. Result: Lost in the first round to Toronto.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2023): Added Erik Gustafsson, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, Ryan O’Reilly, and Noel Acciari across three trades for Rasmus Sandin and multiple picks. Won a round, then fell to Florida.

Kraken angle: Very unlikely. Seattle hasn’t reached the “push the chips in” phase of the franchise. A blockbuster only makes sense if it involves a player with several years of term beyond 2025–26, and that might be a deal they try to swing over the summer.

Targeted buyer

This is the “we’re good, but let’s not tweak too much” approach. You’re improving the roster without lighting your future on fire. Usually there’s a specific role or depth need, but these moves don’t get the headlines of a big swing.

Examples:

Winnipeg Jets (2025): Added Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn for second-round picks. Won a round, then lost to Dallas.

Florida Panthers (2024): Acquired Vladimir Tarasenko for a third and a fourth. Won the Stanley Cup.

Dallas Stars (2023): Added Max Domi and Evgenii Dadonov for a second and Denis Gurianov. Reached the Conference Finals.

Kraken angle: Unlikely. With the team finally healthy, the Kraken have an abundance of depth, which makes this scenario less likely. Their needs lean more toward high-end talent, and that usually requires significant assets.

Stay the course

Sometimes the best move is no move. Sometimes the best move is getting a key player back from injury. Sometimes the best move is solving your depth issues with internal resources. Plenty of teams have taken this path and lived to tell the tale.

Examples:

Montreal Canadiens (2025): Did nothing at the deadline, made the playoffs, then lost to Washington in Round 1.

Boston Bruins (2024): Made two small depth trades, finished second in the Atlantic, beat Toronto, then lost to Florida.

Seattle Kraken (2023): Stood pat, then beat Colorado in seven games before falling to Dallas in seven.

Kraken angle: Likely. It’s not exciting, but it’s probably the most likely scenario. The Kraken are in a playoff spot and playing their best hockey of the season, but it’s hard to argue they’re a true Cup contender. Keeping their expiring contracts may simply be the strategy.

Soft seller

You’re not rebuilding, but you recognize the long odds of contending for the Cup. You have players on expiring contracts who could fetch a nice return, and you’re willing to listen.

Examples:

Washington Capitals (2024): Shed Evgeny Kuznetsov, Joel Edmundson, and Anthony Mantha while seven points out of a playoff spot. Still made the playoffs, then were swept by the Rangers. Playing it conservative enabled them for a busy summer of retooling by acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Logan Thompson, and Jakob Chychrun in four different trades.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2024): Moved Jake Guentzel and little else. Despite calls to tear it down, the core stayed intact. Now, the Penguins are surprisingly back in a playoff spot with that same core.

Kraken angle: Possible. The Kraken have four players on expiring contracts: Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jamie Oleksiak. All have contributed, but the Kraken also have enough depth to backfill if another team makes an offer they can’t refuse. With Ben Meyers and Berkly Catton set to return from injured reserve, a trade could solve a roster crunch while bringing back a meaningful asset. It also seems like current Coachella Valley Firebirds Logan Morrison and Jani Nyman could help backfill any forward departures, while Seattle is carrying two extra defensemen in Cale Fleury and Josh Mahura.

Tear it down

A tear it down approach isn’t really a trade deadline strategy — it’s a multi-year plan for a team with little to no path to competitiveness. Full rebuilds are less common now, since there’s no guarantee they work. But a major deadline offload can signal the start (or continuation) of one.

Example:

Boston Bruins (2025): On the outside of the playoff picture, they moved Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Justin Brazeau, and Trent Frederic. One year later, they’re holding down the last wild card spot with a very different roster.

Kraken angle: Very unlikely. Seattle has a healthy amount of young talent in the NHL and in the pipeline, plus plenty of early-round picks in the coming drafts. A major teardown at the deadline makes little sense.

What should the Kraken do?

With the Kraken in the playoff hunt and several players on expiring contracts, they have multiple paths available. It’s unlikely they’ll be a major player at the deadline, but if an opportunity arises to add an impact player with term, they’ll be in the mix. They also have pieces that could help any playoff team, along with prospects and picks that rebuilding clubs covet.

They have options, but staying relatively quiet might be the most realistic outcome.

So what’s your take? If you were Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill, which lane would you choose, and how bold would you be as the deadline approaches?