Grading the Predators and Kraken’s Shane Wright & Matthew Wood Trade

We’ve had some blockbuster trades to begin the 2026-27 NHL season. This isn’t that, but the Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken linked up for an interesting change-of-scenery trade for two recent high draft picks.

Shane Wright, whom the Predators acquired from the Kraken, finally gets the change of scenery he’s been seeking. Going the other way is Matthew Wood, a first-round pick of the Predators in 2023, who’s off to a slow start this season. Both teams need more young talent, and this could be a worthy gamble for each side.

Wright Gets a Fresh Start

Wright looked like he was on his way to breaking out after a solid 2024-25 season. He finished that year with 19 goals and 44 points in 79 games, but his progress has stagnated since. He totaled just 12 goals and 27 points in 2025-26, and like Wood, he’s off to a slow start this season.

Wright is an interesting player. He was touted as a well-polished two-way forward as a prospect. His defensive game hasn’t been a problem in the NHL, but scoring consistently has been an issue early in his career.

Part of Wright’s struggles is that he doesn’t do much with the puck. He doesn’t create much offense off the rush, and he’s not a volume shooter. He also struggles in transition, but that could be a product of the Kraken and how they play. It’ll be interesting to see if that changes in Nashville under head coach Andrew Brunette.

Where Wright excels offensively is as a playmaker. He sets up teammates for shots and chances and ranks in the 61st percentile in high-danger passes. He’s also a high-end skater, ranking in the 92nd percentile in speed bursts between 18 and 20 mph last season. He will add some pace to the Predators’ lineup, something they could use more of as they retool their roster.

This is an interesting bet for the Predators. Wright should get top-six minutes immediately since their only true centers are Ryan O’Reilly, Alex Kerfoot, and Jack Drury. Wright should push Kerfoot into a more suitable third-line role, and he should get some opportunity alongside some of the Predators’ top players such as Filip Forsberg. We’ll see if they can get the most out of him, but I like this gamble for the Predators.

Predators: Grade B+

Wood Gives Kraken a Different Look

The Kraken have some promising young talent, such as Berkly Catton, but they need more. It may seem counterintuitive to give up Wright, but Wood is 21 and showed promise last season, totaling 17 goals and 30 points in 71 games.

Aside from being a winger rather than a center, Wood is a different player than Wright. He’s not the best skater, but he’s 6-foot-4, 202 pounds, and has power-forward potential. He doesn’t need the rush to create offense, though he could improve as a forechecker. Wood showed some plus finishing ability last season, and he’s a decent playmaker.

Wood hasn’t scored much early this season, but he’s shooting just five percent; he shot 16.5 percent last season. His true shooting talent is probably somewhere between those two numbers, but there’s upside.

I am a bit surprised the Predators gave up on Wood this quickly, but they’re an analytically inclined organization under GM Chris MacFarland. Wood’s five-on-five metrics are a mixed bag; he has an expected goals share (xG%) of around 46 percent over the last season and a change. MacFarland must have seen something in the Predators’ in-house numbers to have pulled the plug this quickly while Wood still has value.

Still, I don’t mind this bet for the Kraken, even though Wright seems to be the better player. They need more young talent with upside, and Wood could do well on the wing with someone like Catton if they can get the most out of him.

Kraken Grade: B

Advanced stats from Hockey Stats