The Seattle Kraken added a young right-shot winger Sunday, acquiring Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers for two draft picks ahead of this week's NHL Draft.
Florida received the No. 25 pick in the 2026 draft, a selection Seattle previously obtained from the Tampa Bay Lightning, along with a conditional second-round pick in 2027. The second-rounder will be the higher of the Winnipeg Jets or Columbus Blue Jackets picks that Seattle had previously acquired.
Samoskevich, 23, provides the Kraken
with another forward who brings speed and offensive potential that general manager Jason Botterill has been seeking. He scored 12 goals and added 20 assists in 77 games for Florida last season, setting career highs in assists, points and games played.
The Newtown, Conn. native was selected by the Panthers with the No. 24 pick in the 2021 draft and was part of Florida's Stanley Cup-winning team in 2025. He has 27 goals and 36 assists in 156 career regular-season games, all with the Panthers. He added one assist in four playoff games with Florida.
"For me, there's the fact that, at such a young age, he's been able to win a Stanley Cup already, and he's been a part of a very successful organization in Florida," Botterill said. "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."
The move also gives Seattle a player with a built-in connection to its core. Samoskevich played at Michigan with Kraken center Matty Beniers during the 2021-22 season.
Samoskevich is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, so Seattle still needs to sort out his next contract. Florida, meanwhile, adds another first-round pick as it reshapes its roster after missing the playoffs this past season following back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
--Field Level Media
