Chris Johnston Officially Links Kraken Forward to the Vegas Golden Knights
In a recent paper, Chris Johnston officially linked the Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev to the Vegas Golden Knights.
With the NHL Roster Freeze ending, fans are eagerly waiting to see if some teams managed to make some deals during the Holidays. Reporters Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston used that time to share their predictions ahead of the upcoming trade deadline in a recent paper for The Athletic.
Among other players, they talked about Seattle Kraken's forward Brandon Tanev.
Tanev, 32, is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, leaving most experts to believe he could be traded by the deadline.
While LeBrun stated that the New Jersey Devils should go after him, Chris Johnston, on the other hand, linked him to the Vegas Golden Knights.
In their own words:
All signs point to the pending unrestricted free agent winger getting dealt ahead of the deadline if the Kraken aren't in the playoff chase, which seems rather likely as of now.
My understanding is there are several contenders waiting to see if/when Tanev is on the market because they want a crack at him. He brings the kind of grindy game most playoff teams are looking for. He's an excellent penalty killer who leads Seattle in shorthanded ice time. He won't back down from anyone.
I like the Devils as a fit. They're looking for a bottom-six boost, and I can picture Tanev finding a nice spot in that Cup-contending lineup that has no shortage of offensive talent but could use a little more sandpaper.
Johnston: Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas went into the NHL's holiday break with the league's best points percentage, and there's a strong expectation it'll be looking to beef up before the deadline yet again.
In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Golden Knights pursue two forwards - one with more offensive ability, and a bottom-sixer to round out other elements of the team. Tanev falls into the latter category and may end up being the strongest player with that skill set available.
A high-end skater who plays the game hard, it's not difficult to imagine him fitting in with a team accustomed to using all four lines to win."
Both teams will have big expectations going into the playoffs, and they'll likely look to make additions to their lineup ahead of the trade deadline.
It'll be interesting to see what the Kraken management decides to do.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 28 | 272 ANSWERS Chris Johnston Officially Links Kraken Forward to the Vegas Golden Knights Do you think the Seattle Kraken will trade Brandon Tanev at the deadline? | ||
| Yes | 190 | 69.9 % |
| No | 82 | 30.1 % |
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