NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 16: Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers defends against Alex Wennberg #21 of the Seattle Kraken at Madison Square Garden on January 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
SEATTLE - The Seattle Kraken have traded center Alex Wennberg to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and 2025 fourth-round pick.
The fourth-round pick in 2025 is conditional, per a source, and previously belonged to the Dallas Stars. The Kraken are also retaining 50 percent of Wennberg's remaining salary in the deal.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was the first to report the details of the deal.
"We want to thank Alex for his contribution to the Kraken over these last three seasons," general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. "Alex has been with our team since day one and was an important part of establishing our franchise. We wish him well in New York."
Wennberg, 29, was in the final year of a three-year contract worth $4.5 million a year he signed with Seattle ahead of the franchise's inaugural season in 2021-22.
Wennberg was held out of the lineup each of the last two nights for Seattle’s wins over the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets for trade-related reasons.
Wennberg is a skilled player whose best assets don't always show up in the box score. He can play in all situations, is adept at controlling the puck and gaining entry into the offensive zone, a strong passer, and is trustworthy defensively.
He just doesn't score many goals or put up massive assist numbers himself. Wennberg had 37 points on 11 goals and 26 assists in 2021-22, 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists in 2022-23, and has 25 points on nine goals and 16 assists in 60 games played for the Kraken this year.
Centers had been highly sought after on the trade market leading up to Friday's deadline. The Flames traded Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks last month in exchange for winger Andrei Kuzmenko, prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round selection. The Montreal Canadiens were able to get a 2024 first-round pick and 2027 conditional third-round pick from the Winnipeg Jets for Sean Monahan as well.
Both players – Lindholm especially – have been more productive players throughout their careers, though Monahan's numbers have dropped in recent years with a bit of a resurgence this season.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers acquired Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade package around a first-round pick, and the Colorado Avalanche acquired Casey Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram.
The chance to move Wennberg with his expiring contract was too valuable for Seattle to pass up given their place outside of the playoff picture.
After Tuesday night’s win over the Winnipeg Jets, the Kraken are tied with the St. Louis Blues as the first two teams out of the final three playoff spots in the West, which are currently held by the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators.
The Kraken do have a game in hand over Nashville, the Kings are dealing with the loss of key forward Adrian Kempe to injury, and the Golden Knights have lost eight of their last 10 games, bringing them back to the chasing pack.
Wennberg's best fit would seem to be as a third-line center that can play in all situations for a contending team. As a second-line center on a Seattle roster that has struggled to score all season with an expiring contract, the decision to trade Wennberg made a lot of sense. Especially when considering that former 2022 No. 4 overall pick Shane Wright is an obvious in-house replacement. Wright has 19 goals and 14 assists in 46 games played as a rookie for AHL Coachella Valley this season. However, Wright's three-year entry-level contract can slide to next season if he remains in the AHL, so there is incentive to keep him in the minors as well.
Pierre-Édouard Bellemare also returned to the lineup for the first time since mid-December for the win against the Jets, which gives Seattle depth to work as Wennberg moves out. Tye Kartye and Kailer Yamamoto have both filled in as centers on the fourth line as well.
Seattle has been quite successful with their second-round draft picks in the first three years of the franchise. Defenseman Ryker Evans has cracked the team's lineup this season from the 2021 class, and top prospects Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, Jani Nyman, Niklas Kokko, and Carson Rehkopf have all been selected in the second round.
The Kraken now have nine picks in the 2024 NHL draft, which includes all seven of their own selections, New York's second-round pick, and a seventh-round pick acquired from the Flames for Calle Järnkrok at the 2022 trade deadline.