The Seattle Kraken missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024. It was an unfortunate turn of events for a team that had a lot of promise entering the year. Unfortunately, a lack of depth was their undoing last season. The Kraken sought to surround their players with more talent and went out to sign Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in NHL Free Agency this past summer.
The logic behind these massive signings made a lot of sense. Stephenson filled in the team’s need for another top-six center alongside Matty Beniers. Meanwhile, Montour was a fantastic offensive producer from the blueline with the Florida Panthers. He also signed with the Kraken fresh off winning the Stanley Cup over the Edmonton Oilers.
So far, these marquee signings haven’t blown up in their face. Montour has eight goals and 21 points through 33 games in 2024-25. This puts him on pace for 20 goals and 53 points across a full 82 games. Stephenson only has three goals to this point, but he also has 21 points on the year.
Despite these performances, the Kraken are not playing well as a team. Seattle entered play on Saturday with a record of 15-17-2. This is good for sixth place in the Pacific Division on 32 points. However, they are closer to the basement-dwelling San Jose Sharks (28 points) than they are to the West’s final Wild Card holder, the Dallas Stars (38 points).
The Kraken can certainly make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025. It is not out of the realm of possibility for them to turn this thing around. However, even if they turn things around, Seattle has one player on its team who should be considered a trade candidate as the NHL Trade Deadline continues to draw closer.
Kraken should see if Yanni Gourde has a market
The Kraken selected Yanni Gourde from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Adding Gourde made a ton of sense for the upstart Seattle franchise. He was one of the better middle-six centers in the NHL at the time. And he came off his second straight Stanley Cup championship with the Lightning.
For the first two seasons, Gourde proved the Kraken brass correct in selecting him. The veteran pivot matched his career-high 48 points in 2021-22 and 2022-23. His 21 goals in 2021-22 marked his highest goal total since 2018-19, as well. However, the offensive production has fallen off since then.
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Gourde currently has five goals and 14 points in 30 games. This puts him on pace for 13 goals and 37 points in 2024-25. These are certainly respectable numbers. And it shows Gourde can still produce as a depth point producer. However, it’s clear that his best days offensively are behind him.
Gourde is more than an offensive player, to be fair. He has the second-lowest Expected Goals Against Per 60 Minutes of any Seattle forward at 5v5, according to Evolving Hockey. He has also allowed the second-lowest Corsi against per 60 minutes. Keeping with the trend, he also has the second-lowest Fenwick Against Per 60 Minutes at 5v5.
Gourde is a solid two-way forward whose defense is the main value he brings at this point. Still, he can chip in offensively when his team needs him. It just won’t be to the extent that he did earlier in his career. He is also a pending unrestricted free agent, making him more enticing for contending teams.
The Kraken could do well putting Gourde on the trade market this coming spring. Contending teams would love to add a player with his skill set and track record. It could lead to a rather useful return for a Kraken team trying to find its way back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs down the line.
