Veteran pending UFA forward drawing significant interest, expected to be moved
Photo credit: Sportsnet
Insider Elliotte Friedman reports that veteran pending unrestricted free agent forward Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken is generating plenty of interest around the NHL and all signs point to a trade.
The Seattle Kraken are working to bring winning hockey back to their city. After making the playoffs in their second NHL season, the team took a step back last year. To address this, Kraken management signed big-name free agents Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour while also giving young talent Shane Wright a chance to shine.
One key player for the Kraken this season is forward Brandon Tanev, an original member of the expansion team. Tanev is entering the final year of his contract, and with Seattle on the edge of playoff contention, there's speculation that the team could become sellers by the trade deadline.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman thinks Tanev's situation is worth watching. In his "32 Thoughts" column for Sportsnet, Friedman pointed out that there have been no contract extension talks for Tanev, raising questions about his future with the team.
"This is an important season for Seattle," he writes, "with NBA expansion on the horizon. It's not a coincidence their major free-agent acquisitions - Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson - both have winning pedigrees, big presence on the ice and, especially in Montour's case, off it. The Kraken wish to establish a bolder, more boisterous, identity...Brandon Tanev is a pending unrestricted free agent, and there's interest in him. That's one to watch."
Tanev has been a valuable player since joining Seattle, with a career-high 16 goals and 35 points during the 2022-2023 season. At 32 years old, he's played 474 NHL games over 10 seasons, racking up 74 goals and 158 points. His future in Seattle remains uncertain as the season unfolds.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 13 | 193 ANSWERS Veteran pending UFA forward drawing significant interest, expected to be moved Do you think Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev will get traded before the trade deadline? | ||
| Yes | 157 | 81.3 % |
| No | 36 | 18.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
