The Seattle Kraken had unprecedented success after their inaugural season in 2022, as they not only made the playoffs, but also knocked off the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games in the first round this year. If the Kraken want to build on their success, a goaltending upgrade in the form of Carter Hart might make sense.
Beyond the 2023-24 season, the future of the Kraken’s goaltending is very questionable. Former Flyer Martin Jones has been bad for quite a few years now, and the Kraken are expected to let him walk this offseason. Chris Driedger has one season left on his contract and played only 14 games in the AHL with Coachella Valley after recovering from an ACL injury. Philipp Grubauer was okay in the playoffs, but has gone two consecutive regular seasons in Seattle with a save percentage below 0.900.
Good to see Philipp Grubauer in midseason form #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Xvrq8RKMiR
— James Nichols (@JamesNicholsNHL) October 8, 2022
Luckily for the Kraken, they shouldn’t need to break the bank for a Carter Hart trade unless they are outbid by other teams. Shane Wright is obviously off limits, unless the Kraken and Flyers combine for some crazy blockbuster move involving more pieces than just Hart and Wright. The Flyers desperately need a top center prospect in addition to whomever they might select in this year’s draft, and David Goyette might make sense. If Daniel Briere feels like going a different route, Jagger Firkus is a decent prospect at right wing.
Whatever the return might be, it ultimately comes down to what pieces Briere feels add the most to the scarce foundation of this Philadelphia Flyers team. Whether it be defense, center, or wing, the Flyers need to get better, younger, and faster from the pieces brought by a Carter Hart trade.