Seattle Kraken Acquire Forward Mackie Samoskevich in Trade With Panthers

The Seattle Kraken acquired forward Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers on Sunday, sending a 2026 first-round draft pick and a conditional 2027 second-round selection to Florida. The 23-year-old restricted free agent, who won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2025, joins Seattle as a primary offseason roster addition.

The Terms of the Trade and Draft Capital

The trade, executed on Sunday, provides the Florida Panthers with significant draft assets while clearing space for the team’s upcoming financial obligations. According to official league reporting, Florida receives the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft—a selection previously held by the Tampa Bay Lightning—and a conditional second-round pick in 2027. That second-round selection will be the more favorable of either the Winnipeg Jets’ or Columbus Blue Jackets’ picks.

For the Panthers, the move serves as a pragmatic response to financial constraints. The team enters the offseason with $15 million in salary cap space but faces looming contract requirements, including the need to secure two goaltenders and address the upcoming unrestricted free agency of key depth players like Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues, as reported by Bleacher Report. By offloading Samoskevich, the Panthers gain flexibility to potentially pursue veteran goaltending options or re-sign core pieces of their championship-winning roster in a market where cap space is at a premium for all 32 NHL clubs.

Why Seattle Targeted Samoskevich

Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill prioritized the acquisition of Samoskevich to inject speed and offensive versatility into the team’s lineup. Samoskevich, a 2021 first-round pick (No. 24 overall), recorded a career-high 32 points during the most recent season.

“I just love his age, love his speed and I love his shot. So, I think he’ll fit in very well with the style of play that we’re trying to play on an everyday basis here.” — Jason Botterill, General Manager, via NHL.com

Beyond his raw statistics, Samoskevich brings recent championship experience. Sound Of Hockey noted that Samoskevich’s familiarity with Kraken center Matty Beniers—the two were teammates at the University of Michigan in 2021-22—could facilitate his integration into the locker room. The Kraken are betting on his continued development, noting that Samoskevich has already played 156 regular-season NHL games, a significant threshold compared to the historical success rate of late-first-round draft picks. In the modern NHL, the ability to secure a player who has already proven capable of handling the physical and mental rigors of a full 82-game schedule is often viewed as a safer investment than a high-round draft pick who may require years of development in the AHL or collegiate ranks.

Contract Status and Roster Outlook

As a restricted free agent (RFA), Samoskevich is currently without a contract for the upcoming year. Seattle must issue a qualifying offer by June 30 to retain his rights. The RFA process is a standard mechanism in the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement designed to allow teams to maintain control over young players while they transition from entry-level deals to veteran status. While projections vary, his next deal is expected to fall in the range of $3 million annually, though some analysts suggest a four-year contract could reach $4.7 million per season.

Samoskevich’s usage in Florida provides a baseline for his potential impact in Seattle. Despite playing in a bottom-six role, he saw consistent time on the Panthers’ second power-play unit, where he contributed 10 points. His aggressive style of play resulted in 161 shots on net last season and 136 recorded hits. Analysts expect that a move to Seattle may lead to a promotion in the lineup, potentially placing him alongside Shane Wright to anchor a third-line role. Such a transition would be typical for a player moving from a deep, championship-caliber roster like Florida’s to a team like Seattle that is actively looking to elevate its offensive production from the middle of its forward group.

Implications for the 2026 Draft

The trade significantly reshapes the draft boards for both franchises ahead of the event at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Following the transaction, the Florida Panthers now hold two first-round selections (Nos. 9 and 27) and two second-round selections (Nos. 40 and 48).

The move suggests that Florida may be looking to leverage these assets to address other roster holes, such as the search for a starting goaltender. For Seattle, the decision to part with the 25th overall pick reflects a clear preference for an established, young NHL talent over the uncertainty of draft-and-develop timelines. Historically, only 56.3 percent of players selected 25th overall reach the 100-game mark in the NHL, a milestone Samoskevich has already surpassed. By acquiring a player with Samoskevich’s track record, the Kraken are signaling a desire to compete immediately in the Western Conference, prioritizing proven depth over the statistical likelihood of long-term failure inherent in the draft. The Kraken will now look to integrate Samoskevich into their training camp rotation this September, where he will compete for a top-nine forward spot as the franchise aims to solidify its playoff positioning for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.

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