The Seattle Kraken workout at a morning skate at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia ahead of a game against the Vancouver Canucks on March 14, 2026. (Curtis Crabtree / FOX 13 Seattle)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - More than a week after being traded to Seattle at the NHL trade deadline, forward Bobby McMann is cleared to make his debut with the Kraken on Saturday night in Vancouver against the Canucks.
McMann had to wait a week to get a visa to work in the United States after being traded to the Kraken by the Toronto Maple Leafs last Friday. That authorization finally came through on Friday morning, clearing the path for McMann to play.
"It's hard playing that waiting game, trying to be ready, but also trying to make sure I get hard skates and make sure I'm staying in game shape. So that was a hard battle," McMann said after morning skate on Saturday at Rogers Arena. "And when you're not sure you're going to go, so you're trying to save it a little bit, make sure that you're ready to go. But just happy that's kind of over with and ready to go now."
Throw in the three-week break for the Winter Olympics and the decision by the Maple Leafs to hold McMann out of the lineup ahead of the trade deadline and McMann has played just four games since February 3. He played four games for Toronto coming out of the Olympics before missing two games for roster management ahead of the trade to Seattle. He's missed the Kraken's last three games while getting his visa approved.
"Yeah. I think that's gonna help with everything," McMann said of getting back into action. "I feel more comfortable with this group is getting into battle with these guys and getting after it. So definitely excited."
McMann was working on a line with Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle in morning skate on Saturday, indicating that he'll jump immediately onto Seattle's top line. While is immigration status was in limbo, McMann had been working with the fourth line in practices to keep the top groups together with the uncertainty. Now that he's cleared, Lambert is throwing him into a prominent spot.
"When we were practicing, we didn't want to disrupt the top lines because we didn't know if he was going to be able to play or not," head coach Lane Lambert said. "So, you know, everything's going to be a little bit new. Like I said, it's hockey, you know, we just want him to go out and play his game. We want our whole team to go out and play their game. "
Jared McCann will bump down into the spot vacated by Jaden Schwartz alongside Chandler Stephneson and Eeli Tolvanen. Ryan Winterton appears to have drawn the short straw and will come out of the lineup.
"In January, those guys were really good, and (McCann) was really good," Lambert said. "When you find yourself in a bit of a goal drought, goal scoring drought, you know, we just move things around. And so that'll be the message tonight."
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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