Bob Mackie is a famous fashion designer; Bobby-Mackie is the new forward duo hoping to fashion a playoff berth for the Seattle Kraken.
Simmer put me in this mindset with yesterday’s “Mackie and Bobby Show” story, calling their offensive production one of the top Kraken storylines of the 2026-27 season. Since it’s that crucial, and the pair are replacing departed forwards Jaden Schwartz and Eeli Tolvanen, let’s delve deeper.
Bobby McMann was acquired from Toronto in March, and on June 21 signed a six-year, $34.5 million contract extension. On that same June day, Mackie Samoskevich was traded from Florida for draft picks and promptly signed a three-year, $11.5 million contract.
What The Kraken Did – And Didn’t Do – This Summer
Simmer writes, “The Kraken haven’t done a whole lot to add much offense.” Alexander MacLean of Dobber Hockey is harsher. “Seattle is a bottom of the barrel team that made only minor moves.”
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News claims Seattle had the league’s 4th worst offseason. “The Kraken entered with the financial freedom to improve, but they still have $18.4-million in cap space with few impactful additions and the top free agents off the board.”
Kraken GM Jason Botterill backed himself into a bit of a corner in April, promising to be “very aggressive” in pursuing roster upgrades. The truth is, he was unlikely to be able to fulfill that claim. There were precious few free agent needle-movers, he missed the trade-deadline window to sell off expiring contracts, and when a player turns down $120 million to put on your team’s sweater, options become limited.
They Can Drive 55
Samoskevich’s limited resume makes him “Definitely a wait and see,” says Simmer, who adds, “McMann can get hot and can also disappear for stretches.” Last year’s Kraken did a lot of the latter and not much of the former, so a mixed bag from both is still preferable to an empty one.
MacLean says, “There is a bit of hope that breakout seasons due for McMann (14 points in 18 games with the Kraken this spring) and Samoskevich could buoy the offence. Still, for both players a breakout season would only be about 55 points, which isn’t all that much of an upgrade on Tolvanen or Schwartz.”
Well, Tolvanen finished with 36 points, an injury-plagued Schwartz 26. So 55 from the replacements would be an upgrade – and 55 would tie the Kraken’s top point producer from this past season, Jordan Eberle.
Of the Seattle season ahead, MacLean forecasts “more of the same.” Proteau’s tsk-tsk is, “Not enough necessary steps have been taken.”
It’s up to Bobby-Mackie to make those comments as out of fashion as last year’s hemlines.
Earlier Kraken:
— Seattle Hopped Aboard The Never Ending Coaching Carousel
Earlier Canucks:
— Simmer’s 9; Cherry For HHOF, Obituaries, Kraken-Canucks Clash
