The Seattle Kraken traded forward Shane Wright to the Nashville Predators for forward Matthew Wood in a one-for-one swap, the teams announced Sunday.
The trade offers a change of scenery for two players who have yet to live up to expectations in their young careers.
The 2022 No. 4 pick by Seattle, Wright set career highs with 19 goals and 44 points in 2024-25 but hasn't parlayed that season into continued growth. He regressed to 27 points a year ago and has notched only three goals and an assist in 14 games this season. A natural center, Wright has predominantly played the wing this campaign.
Wright is one of nine players ever to be granted exceptional status into the CHL as a 15-year-old. The Burlington, Ontario, product put together an impressive age-15 season with 66 points in 58 games in 2019-20 with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. He was long considered a lock to go No. 1 in the 2022 NHL Draft, but the Montreal Canadiens took Juraj Slafkovsky instead, and Wright fell to the Kraken at No. 4.
The Kraken reportedly began fielding trade offers for Wright ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
Wood, the 15th overall selection in 2023 by Nashville, has a goal and a pair of helpers in 14 appearances for the Predators this season after tallying 17 goals and 13 assists as a rookie a year ago. The 6-foot-4 winger played collegiately for UConn and the University of Minnesota before turning pro.
Wright and Wood are both in the final seasons of their entry-level contracts.
