Florida trades forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken for draft compensation, with the teams announcing the deal in conjunction with the NHL Draft. Samoskevich, 23, is moving from the Florida Panthers after the club determines it cannot realistically retain him as a restricted free agent. Seattle receives the younger forward in exchange for the No. 25 pick in this year’s draft and an additional second-round pick next year. The trade is described as a way for Seattle to add talent following another missed postseason, while Florida converts the player asset into future draft capital shortly before the selection process.
Multiple reports add that Florida’s first-round pick position improves through the transaction, while at least one account notes the Panthers later use the acquired pick assets to make an additional move, including flipping the No. 25 pick. The Athletic reports Florida ends up with the Nos. 9 and 25 selections in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft after the sequence of trades.
