Peterka Traded, McKenna Goes First, But One Kraken Pick Is Getting Seattle Hyped

Alright, listen up, Emerald City! You know we're always locked in on the M's trying to stack those early wins at T-Mobile Park, or waiting for Coach Mac to unleash the Seahawks at Lumen Field. But we gotta hit pause on all that for a minute, because the NHL Draft absolutely went down and it was an absolute rollercoaster! While everyone across the league is buzzing about Gavin McKenna going No. 1 overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that crazy Justin Bieber announcement, the real talk for us out here is what went down with our Kraken. There were trades flying everywhere, big names moving, and then, BAM, our guys made their move for the future!

The League Was on Fire, Folks, and It Was Insane!

Man, if you blinked, you probably missed a major move at the 2026 NHL Draft! This wasn't just about the new blood coming in, it was a full-on trade deadline experience that had the entire league buzzing. The Ducks sent McTavish packing to the St. Louis Blues, snagging two first-round picks in return. Vegas shipped Dorofeyev off to the New York Rangers for three picks, and then Utah sent Peterka to Boston for two first-rounders. Seriously, the phones must have been ringing off the hook! We also saw some big contract action with Clarke signing a five-year, $37 million deal with the Kings, and Spence inking a four-year contract with the Senators. The Avalanche were busy, too, adding Burns and Kulak each with new contracts. And Benson? He locked down a massive seven-year, $52.5 million deal with the Sabres. It was pure chaos, a total reset for so many teams, and you gotta wonder how all these immediate moves are gonna shake up the league moving fo

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rward. You see teams making these power plays and you absolutely know it ratchets up the competition, right?

Amidst the Noise, Our Kraken Got Their Guy!

Amidst all that madness and the league's GMs playing chess with their rosters, our Kraken were right there, making moves for our future! While the big spotlight was on the top picks like McKenna, or Caleb Malhotra heading to Vancouver, we were patiently watching for our own. And the big news for us, for the 12s, for everyone repping the green and blue, is that the Kraken drafted Reid! Yeah, you heard me right, Reid is officially coming to the Emerald City! It’s always awesome to see our team bringing in new talent, building for what’s next and shaping the roster that will play at Climate Pledge Arena. This is how you build a contender, piece by piece, picking up future stars who can grow with the squad. It might not be the flashiest headline in the league, but for us, it's a huge step forward, bringing fresh energy and skill to the organization down the line. We know our Kraken front office is always looking for those diamonds in the rough, and Reid could absolutely be exactly that kind of impactful player for us. You gotta trust the process, right? So, while the dust settles on this wild 2026 NHL Draft, and we keep an eye on our Mariners at T-Mobile Park and the Seahawks prepping at Lumen Field, don't forget about the exciting future of our hockey squad. Reid is now a part of the Kraken family, and that's something to genuinely get hyped about! We'll be watching closely to see what this means for our team's trajectory and can't wait to see Reid hit the ice in a Kraken jersey. This pick sets us up for some exciting times ahead, so keep that deep sea pride strong, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.