Seattle Kraken’s Pending 2026 Free Agents - Who Stays And Who Goes?

While the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs rages on, the Seattle Kraken look on from the sidelines. The team finished with a record of 34-37-11 (79 points), which, despite being a three-point improvement over the year prior, was not enough to claim a playoff berth in an abnormally weak Western Conference. It’s the fourth time in five seasons and the third time in a row that the Kraken will not be participating in the postseason, casting doubt on the franchise’s trajectory.

Ron Francis’ unexpected departure from his post as president of hockey operations thrusts the responsibility of dictating the Kraken’s path forward onto Jason Botterill, who assumed the general manager position in 2025 after Francis was promoted. Given that it appears as though the Kraken will leave Francis’ role unfilled for now, Botterill will have his hands full as the organization’s lead decision maker regarding hockey ops.

The Kraken are set to have several key players become unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on July 1, meaning those left unsigned will be free to negotiate with any other franchise. Let’s dive into each player’s case for sticking around in the Pacific Northwest, and guess which could test the open market.

Jaden Schwartz, Forward (UFA)

2025-26 Statistics: 50 Games Played (GP) – 11 Goals (G) – 15 Assists (A) – 26 Points (PTS)

The positives for keeping Schwartz in the fold are clear. The 33-year-old winger has previously won a Stanley Cup (2019) and boasts over 100 career playoff games on a team that isn’t exactly brimming with playoff experience. He’s a good teammate and a beloved part of the community, but those intangibles only go so far in the cruel industry of sports.

Two strikes against Schwartz are his age and health concerns, and relatedly, his declining output. He will turn 34 in June and has missed 11 or more games in four of the past five seasons, including 32 games in 2025-26 after taking a skate to the face during a game in March.

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For someone who made $5.5 million against the cap last season, the limited availability and reduced offensive contributions make a return at the same number difficult to envision. Schwartz’s desire to contend for a Stanley Cup and his willingness to take a pay cut will determine whether he sticks with the retooling Kraken or goes on the hunt for contenders in need of a veteran presence.

Eeli Tolvanen, Forward (UFA)

2025-26 Statistics: 78 GP – 12 G – 24 A – 36 PTS

Tolvanen represents one of the Francis-Botterill regime’s biggest successes, as they claimed Tolvanen off waivers from the Nashville Predators for free after his former team grew frustrated with his untapped potential. Selected in the first round (30th overall in 2017), the Finnish winger has begun to flash what made him an intriguing prospect nearly a decade ago.

Tolvanen has scored at a 19-goal, 40-point pace since joining the Kraken and given the team another sorely needed offensive weapon. As a 27-year-old winger set to hit the open market, Tolvanen could be enticed into seeing how much of an improvement on his current $3.475 million contract. In a very shallow 2026 free agent class, he could get his wish and price himself out of Seattle.

Bobby McMann, Forward (UFA)

2025-26 Statistics: 78 GP – 29 G – 17 A – 46 PTS

Speaking of someone who will benefit from a shallow free agent class, 29-year-old Bobby McMann has made his agent very happy with his play this season. Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline for a pair of draft picks, the late-bloomer has positioned himself for a healthy increase on the $1.35 million he made last year by finishing the season with 10 goals in 18 games after joining Seattle.

After 20 goals in 74 games with the Maple Leafs last season, McMann finished one goal shy of 30 on the year and ranks fourth among pending UFA forwards in that department. He’s also fast and one of the younger options available, so expect the Alberta native to cash in, though Seattle could be roped into negotiations due to the team’s lack of firepower up front.

Jamie Oleksiak, Defenseman (UFA)

2025-26 Statistics: 78 GP – 5 G – 10 A – 15 PTS

Few player archetypes get general managers more ornery than the hulking penalty-killing defenseman, and the Kraken’s Oleksiak fits that bill as he stands at 6-foot-7, 252 pounds. Despite turning 34 next season, he should draw lots of attention in free agency.

Outside of his obvious size and shorthanded usage, Oleksiak has plenty of NHL experience, with over 800 combined regular-season and playoff games, and he appeared in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

Teams always pay a premium at the trade deadline for such players, so it would be prudent for them to get Oleksiak at a lower price than the $4.6 million he made last season. I wouldn’t expect him to return to Seattle with Tyson Jugnauth and Ty Nelson knocking on the door from the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, on top of Ryker Evans demanding a bigger role.

Matt Murray, Goaltender (UFA)

2025-26 Statistics: 5 GP – .922 Save Percentage (SV%) – 2.27 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx)

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray was signed as a free agent to be the Kraken’s third goalie behind Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer. Both goalies enjoyed strong seasons, limiting Murray to only five NHL appearances. Those cameos were very productive, however, with Murray ranking first in the league in SV% and eighth in GSAx per game among goalies with a minimum of five games played.

Murray’s history of major injuries and inconsistent play on the ice has subdued the demand for his services around the league. Less than a month away from turning 32, Murray has played 279 regular-season games in his career and has only played 40 games or more in a season on three occasions. Concussions and chronic hip issues, which eventually required surgery, have limited Murray to only 53 games played since the start of the 2021-22 season, five years ago.

Despite his sterling numbers in a very limited role as Seattle’s third goalie, it’s hard to see many teams envision him being part of a potential 1A-1B tandem, given his durability concerns, let alone as an outright starter. For that reason alone, Murray might be tempted to stay in a less demanding role while still making NHL money.

2026 and 2027 Offseasons are Turning Points for the Kraken

This summer will give the front office the chance to part ways with several veteran players on expensive contracts, or at the very least re-sign them to much more palatable deals.

The Kraken’s trajectory is much more uncertain amid the reconfiguration of the front office and the question of whether ownership will demand a playoff appearance next season by any means necessary.

While the 2026 offseason will see several significant names potentially hit free agency, the 2027 offseason could be an even more pivotal one for the franchise. Jared McCann ($5 million cap hit), Vince Dunn ($7.35 million), and Philipp Grubauer ($5.9 million) will need new contracts as UFAs. At the same time, Ryker Evans and Shane Wright will also become RFAs seeking long-term extensions.

Botterill will have his hands full this summer, and the future of the franchise could depend on whether he makes the right moves in free agency.

Data courtesy of Hockey Stats, Natural Stat Trick, and the NHL.