The Seattle Kraken acquired forward Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers on Sunday, sending two draft picks to Florida in one of the first notable NHL roster moves before the 2026 draft weekend.
NHL.com reported that Florida received the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a first-round selection that previously belonged to the Tampa Bay Lightning, plus the better 2027 second-round pick from either the Winnipeg Jets or Columbus Blue Jackets.
Kraken Pay Draft Capital For Samoskevich
Samoskevich, 23, can become a restricted free agent on July 1. That makes the move more than a rental-style trade: Seattle is buying negotiation rights and team-control upside on a young forward who already has meaningful NHL minutes.
The forward had a career-high 32 points for Florida this season, with 12 goals and 20 assists in 77 games. NHL.com also noted that he won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2025, giving Seattle a young player who has already been inside a winning NHL room.
Seattle general manager Jason Botterill told the Kraken website that Samoskevich's age, speed and shot appealed to the club. NHL.com carried the quote in its trade report, and that is the clearest source-backed explanation for why Seattle used a first-round pick and a future second-rounder on the deal.
Florida Adds Picks Before Buffalo Draft
The trade also gives Florida more draft flexibility. NHL.com reported the Panthers now have first-round picks at Nos. 9 and 27 and second-round selections at Nos. 40 and 48 for the 2026 NHL Draft, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
Samoskevich was selected by Florida in the first round, No. 24 overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. His regular-season NHL line stands at 63 points, 27 goals and 36 assists in 156 games, plus one assist in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Michigan connection gives Seattle one more layer. Samoskevich and Kraken center Matty Beniers were college teammates at the University of Michigan in 2021-22, a useful bit of roster context without turning the trade into a reunion story it may not become.
The verified core is straightforward: Seattle gets a 23-year-old forward approaching restricted free agency, and Florida gets a 2026 first-round pick plus a conditional path to a better 2027 second-rounder.