In a surprising move, the Seattle Kraken recently announced that forward Shane Wright, despite his impressive performance during his recent call-up, has been reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL). Wright made an impact with four goals and an assist in just five NHL games.
The Kraken's decision to send Wright, along with Logan Morrison and Ryan Winterton, back to the AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, comes ahead of the AHL playoffs. While it's understandable that the organization wants Wright to gain more experience with playoff hockey, some are puzzled as to why he wasn't given more NHL ice time before the AHL playoffs begin next weekend.
Speculation abounds that the move may be aimed at avoiding burning the first year of Wright's contract. With him having played eight games this season, just one shy of the threshold to trigger his contract's first year, the Kraken may have opted for caution.
For Wright himself, this decision likely feels unjust, especially when he sees fellow draftees like Lane Hutson making their NHL debuts. Drafted fourth overall in 2022, Wright has proven his worth in the AHL this season, tallying an impressive 43 points in 56 games with the Firebirds.
Despite showing promise in his limited NHL appearances, totaling five goals and two assists in 16 games with the Kraken over two seasons, Wright may have hoped for more NHL opportunities as a reward for his progress. At 20 years old, he has demonstrated significant growth in the AHL and could have benefitted from further NHL experience.
