The Seattle Kraken's third season as the 32nd team in the NHL is not going exactly as planned, and General Manager Ron Francis could opt to put the team into seller mode at the trade deadline as a result.
The Kraken sit with a record of 23-21-11, having gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and not being able to come up with a hot streak to get fully into the playoff race.
Hopes were higher this season for Seattle after the Kraken upset Colorado in last year's first round before pushing the Dallas Stars to game 7 in the conference semifinal.
Seattle is currently only three points out of a wild card spot, but they're behind three teams for it. While the margin is doable, it seems unlikely that the Kraken will catch all three.
That means Francis could opt to move some pieces out at the deadline to help add to the team's loaded prospect pool, and veteran winger Jordan Eberle could be one of the first to hit the market.
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NHL Trade Deadline: Jordan Eberle
Contract Situation: Expires after this season, $5.5 million cap hit
Season Stats: 10 goals, 20 assists, 30 points in 51 games played
Possible Destinations: Edmonton, Carolina, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Colorado, Dallas
Two of Eberle's former teams could really use his services right about now, as the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders are both in need of scoring depth.
The Oilers drafted Eberle before trading him to New York years later, and the Islanders lost him to Seattle in the Kraken's expansion draft in 2021. The Islanders could use the extra boost to help make sure they get into the playoffs, while Edmonton could use a second-line threat to help them go for the Stanley Cup.
Eberle's goal-scoring touch is down this year, but he's boosted his assist numbers to keep his production up at a solid level.
Beyond Edmonton and the Islanders, Colorado, Dallas, Carolina, and the Rangers could all use more offense throughout the lineup.
Eberle has a strong track record in the playoffs, with 47 points in 76 career playoff games in his time with his three teams. Last season, the Kraken winger potted 6 goals in 14 playoff games.
Teams are always looking for that kind of proven ability to find the back of the net when it gets harder to do so in the playoffs, so expect a lot of interest in Eberle if Seattle decides to go the seller route.
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