The Seattle Kraken acquired 21-year-old power forward Matthew Wood from the Nashville Predators on Sunday in exchange for 22-year-old center Shane Wright, pairing two high-profile former first-round draft picks in a one-for-one trade designed to address each team’s roster needs.
Both franchises struck the deal on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, as they came into the day fighting for a playoff spot. The Kraken sat third in the Pacific Division with an 8-5-1 record, while the Predators stood just outside the wild-card picture at 5-4-5.
Jason Botterill Secures Size and Scoring Depth in Matthew Wood
Wood, selected 15th overall by Nashville in the 2023 NHL Draft, posted 17 goals and 30 points as a rookie last season.
Matthew is a young forward who adds size and an elite shot to our group.
By bringing in Wood, the Kraken bolstered their ongoing effort to add physical presence to their forward lines, a strategy that previously included locking up 6-foot-2, 217-pound winger Bobby McMann to a long-term deal last summer following a trade with Toronto. Less than two seasons have passed since they brought in 6-foot-2, 215-pound wing Kaapo Kakko from the New York Rangers, and they also recently promoted 6-foot-4, 212-pound wing Jani Nyman up from AHL Coachella Valley. Wood is a native of Lethbridge, Alberta, who grew up in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Chris MacFarland Pursues Speed and Urgency with Shane Wright
For Nashville, the trade marks another swift roster maneuver under general manager Chris MacFarland. MacFarland parted with a young player who had logged 30 points a year prior in order to secure a center.
Wright arrived in Seattle as the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft after the Montreal Canadiens opted for Juraj Slafkovsky, while Arizona opted for center Logan Cooley. His tenure with the Kraken featured developmental stops before a 19-goal campaign in 2024-25. Production dipped to 12 goals and 27 points the following year, and his representation had publicly applied pressure over the summer seeking a fresh start.
Wright maintained that his focus remained on the ice right now in training camp
after trade rumors swirled during the offseason.
Selected fourth overall by Seattle in 2022, the two-way center was drafted with the expectation that he and Matthew Beniers would form a long-lasting duo of top-six foundational pieces down the middle. Selected second overall in 2021, Beniers subsequently earned the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL for 2023. Back when he was 18, Wright was barred from regular-season AHL action under minimum age bylaws—a policy subsequently amended to permit one first-rounder per NHL club—forcing him to spend that year juggling stints with the Kraken, Canada’s world junior team, major junior competition, a unique loophole-based AHL conditioning stint, and the Calder Cup playoffs. After receiving a special waiver to compete in the AHL as a 19-year-old, he also saw action in eight games for the Kraken during the 2023-24 season before entering his initial full-time NHL campaign in 2024-25. We feel (Wright) will bring a strong two-way game to our team and will add to the pace of our lineup,
MacFarland said.
Lineup Adjustments and Upcoming Debuts in Nashville and Seattle
Nashville slotted Wright into the lineup. The addition continues a broader organizational push to acquire larger wingers, following earlier moves for Kaapo Kakko and Bobby McMann.
