PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
February 27, 2026Â Â (2:09 PM)
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Tye Kartye hit Seattle Kraken waivers, and the New York Rangers took him Friday, a brutal loss for a young forward.
Seattle tried to sneak Kartye through during a roster squeeze, and it backfired immediately. This is the nightmare version of «paper move» season.
Kartye is 24, and he was undrafted, so there is no draft year, round, or drafting team to point to. Seattle signed him in 2022 and developed him the hard way.
This year he has 3-5-8 in 40 games, with 98 hits and 21 PIM. He also barely played lately, dressing in only six of Seattle’s last 21 games.
That usage tells you the staff was losing trust, even if the underlying effort never really dipped. Kartye still plays like a guy trying to earn every shift.
Once a name like that hits the wire, teams with room and patience circle it. The Rangers did, and now Seattle gets nothing back.
Tye Kartye stings the Seattle Kraken, NY Rangers cash in
Kraken fans are going to feel sick about this one, because it looks like a self-inflicted wound more than bad luck.
Seattle’s transaction log shows exactly why it happened, bodies came off injured reserve and someone had to go. Kartye was the easiest to expose.
But «easiest» does not mean «smart,» especially with a young winger who forechecks, finishes checks, and can climb your lineup in a pinch.
There’s also the cap layer. Kartye carries a $1.25 million cap hit through 2026-27, which is affordable enough for a team hunting value.
For New York, he is a low-cost bet for bottom-six energy with upside, and he fits the Metro grind. For Seattle, he was cheap internal depth you can’t replace at the deadline without paying.
The Kraken are sitting at 27-22-9, and they cannot afford to leak controllable players while chasing points.
Now the next game comes with pressure, because the coaching staff has to prove the roster spot Kartye lost was worth it.
Previously on Seattle Hockey Daily
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