NHL Rumors: 2 Seattle Kraken Who Should Be Buyout Candidates

For the Seattle Kraken, last week's roster changes were only the tip of the iceberg. Brandon Tanev, Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand were sent out at the trade deadline, as expected. Jamie Oleksiak was not. But more moves are on the way, as reported by Tim Booth in the Seattle Times.

He notes that Oleksiak, as well as Jared McCann and even Vince Dunn could have a change of address this summer.

Could the Kraken consider moving original cornerstones McCann or Dunn this summer? McCann’s on pace to finish this season with his fewest goals in a Seattle uniform, but his contract would be attractive to others. Dunn has seemed a little more mistake prone this season after missing six weeks early in the season because of injury. Maybe a hockey trade could be in the offering (sic)?

But more importantly, Booth suggests that two notable names could (should!) be buyout candidates this offseason as the Kraken look to streamline their salary cap structure for some hopeful big moves in the near future.

(Philipp) Grubauer is a prime candidate to have his contract bought out, with the relationship between the goalie and the franchise seeming to sour at the same rate as his save percentage. (Forward Andre) Burakovsky could be another buyout candidate.

Grubauer, who came to Seattle four years ago with a career save percentage of over .920 through seven full NHL seasons, has not topped .899 in his time with the Kraken, and this year, in 22 starts, has career worsts with an .870 Sv% and a 3.69 goals against average. He is 6-15-1. It's been a precipitous fall for the netminder who was a top-3 finisher for the Vezina Trophy the year before he came to Seattle in 2021.

He has two years remaining on a $5.9M cap hit, and, per PuckPedia, a buyout would take a $1.98M chunk of their cap next season, a $3.08M cap hit the following year, and $1.683 for two more years.

For Burakovsky, the former two-time 20-goal scorer in Colorado has just 13 goals combined over the past two seasons in Seattle. He has two years remaining on a $5.5M cap hit, and a buyout would cost the Kraken a cap hit of $1.95M next season, $3.2M the year after and $1.45M for another two seasons.

Some big decisions for GM Ron Francis and the front office staff in Seattle coming this offseason.