Kraken Rumors: 3 Forwards Expected to Be Traded From Seattle

The Seattle Kraken are going to be one of the busiest teams ahead of the NHL's trade deadline. Seattle Kraken GM Ron Francis has a slew of forwards who are drawing trade interest from other teams, and expectation is Francis will be moving them ahead of the trade deadline March 7. 

Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli has listed Yanni Gourde, Brandon Tanev, and Oliver Bjorkstrand as prime trade candidates to be moved by Francis. Tanev and Gourde are pending free agents and make up some bottom-six options on the rental market, meanwhile, Bjorkstrand has one year left on his contract at $5.4 million AAV, and does own a 10-team no-trade list. Gourde has a 23-team trade list on his contract, while Tanev, like Bjorkstrand can block trades to 10 teams.

Seravalli had this to say on Bjorkstrand in a recent trade targets piece: 

We’re all waiting for ultra-conservative GM Ron Francis to do something, to be pushed into a move that he doesn’t necessarily ‘have’ to make. Moving Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev doesn’t count – that is expected and obvious. Bjorkstrand seems like as good a bet as any on that front. He’s been productive relative to pay and he has actual value for the Kraken, as an acquiring team would get two playoff runs out of Bjorkstrand. The short-term pain of Bjorkstrand’s absence moving forward is largely irrelevant – because the Kraken are going nowhere fast.

If Francis doesn't hit on these three trades, it could be the end for the executive in Seattle. The team has made questionable signings in the offseason, and recently had to send goaltender Philipp Grubauer down to the minors, with two years left on his contract at $5.9 million AAV.

As far as Tanev and Gourde go, they've been linked to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images