Kraken UFA
Bobby McMann’s agent Brian Bartlett is generally pretty forthcoming to various degrees, naturally depending on a particular situation. For McMann’s status at this point, “Barts” didn’t have anything to add to what the player told us on Friday during the team’s bye bye media sessions.
This is how McMann answered my question about any negotiations that may have taken place between his agent and the Kraken.
“Honestly it just never happened, I think with how hectic the end of the season was, there was no …” McMann said before changing course. “Neither side was trying not to discuss it, I think there was, I tried to stay out of it, there was a little bit of contact back and forth, just like, “we like having him here”, kind of thing, is what I think we heard on my end. But then it was reciprocated, that I enjoyed being here, that I was enjoying the opportunity, but no real, I guess discussions were started.”
A delay in negotiations based on how the season was unfolding makes complete sense. McCann wasn’t here long — he arrived via trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 6th — and he was busy scoring goals and increasing his value. The team was busy fading out of the playoff picture. He posted ten goals and four assists in 18 games with Seattle.
McMann is an unrestricted free agent come July 1st, which means at that point he’s open to sign with any NHL team that offers him the most lucrative and/or inviting deal. The Kraken have exclusive negotiating rights with him until that time.
The player and agent have the leverage. The Kraken are desperate for scoring, they and all NHL teams have increased salary cap space to work with this upcoming season ($104-million cap), and McMann’s size and speed brings a premium.
He’s 29-years-old, but he’s a late bloomer, mainly because of the way the Maple Leafs handled his development. Based on having a top heavy NHL forward group for many seasons, Toronto found it hard to find space for him. Switching into “retool” mode as this past season collapsed, then Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving moved him to Seattle for a 2nd (2027) and a 4th round (2026) draft pick.
Even in a limited role, McMann was a half-a-point-a-game player in 200 matches with Toronto.
It was a savvy acquisition by Seattle GM Jason Botterill, very likely with an assist from his head coach Lane Lambert. Lambert was an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs for the 2024-’25 season.
“Lane was definitely a nice part of coming here and has been a nice piece in knowing him, knowing the way that he coaches, and does a lot of teaching, and making sure all details of the game are covered,” McMann stated. “I enjoy that side of the game and making sure I’m optimizing my potential and the team’s potential.”
Lambert is expected back and that type of endorsement from a player the club will be desperate to sign doesn’t hurt the coach’s status.
As the Kraken hierarchy finishes up its “top-to-bottom” organizational audit in the coming days, one would expect to get official word on Lambert and see negotiations get underway with McCann.
Earlier Kraken:
— Head Coach Lambert Still Not Confirmed
