McMann is Already Making Waves for the Kraken's Playoff Push
Bobby McMann arrived in Seattle on March 6 and wasted no time proving his worth. The forward has already racked up five points, three goals and two assists, in just two games since the Kraken grabbed him from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Trade Deadline. Better yet, Seattle has won back to back games after dropping four straight in regulation. General Manager Jason Botterill was blunt about it at the NHL GM meetings: "He's delivered exactly what we expected." Not bad for a rental acquisition.
Right in the Thick of It
Here's the reality: the Kraken are holding down the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, but this thing is tight. They're tied in points with the Los Angeles Kings, who are sitting just outside the playoff line, and they're only up one point on the San Jose Sharks. This is exactly the kind of tense playoff race that gets your heart pounding in mid-March.
Up first is a matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night. After that? A brutal six-game road trip that includes stops in Nashville, Columbus, Florida, Tampa Bay again, Buffalo, and Edmonton. Botterill acknowledged the grind: "We have a huge road trip and pretty tough competition. But for us just to be a part of these games is exciting, and it's something that our group hasn't had in the last two years here."
A Different Approach This Time Around
When the deadline hit, Botterill made a bold choice. Instead of tearing things down for draft picks like in previous seasons, the Kraken signed captain Jordan Eberle to a two year, $11 million extension and brought in McMann. The move was intentional and philosophical.
"We just felt it wasn't right to sort of dismantle the team or take away from the team," Botterill said. "They earned the right to keep battling to get into a playoff spot. In the last couple years, we have traded players at the deadline for draft picks. We felt now it was a situation of, 'Hey, can we help the team a little bit here?'"
That's the mentality of a team ready to fight. The Kraken have earned this spot, and now they're making sure they have the pieces to hold it.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.