The Seattle Kraken open their season on Thursday night.
They weren’t resting on their laurels in the hours leading up to their road game in Calgary against the Flames, though. They’ve pulled off a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The deal is a swap of young players who both are on the fringes of the NHL at the moment, but it’s a fascinating move to make so close to the start of the season.
The teams announced the deal Thursday afternoon, and it’ll be an interesting subplot in the weeks ahead to see if one side got the better half of the deal.
Kraken-Flyers Trade Details
The Kraken are receiving 22-year-old winger Devin Kaplan from the Flyers.
The Flyers are getting 22-year-old center David Goyette from the Kraken.
It’s a straight 1-for-1 swap.
What To Know About Devin Kaplan
Kaplan is a New Jersey native who played college hockey at powerhouse Boston University.
He was a third-round pick by the Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft.
He eventually signed with Philadelphia in April 2025 and played 12 minutes later that month in his NHL debut, which was his only NHL game.
Kaplan had played the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He had 13 points in 49 games, broken down as five goals and eight assists.
In this deal, Kaplan is the physically bigger player on the move. He’s 6-foot-2 and 199 pounds.
It seems likely that Kaplan will head to the AHL level to join the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
What To Know About David Goyette
Goyette was a second-round pick by the Kraken in the 2022 NHL Draft after playing in the Ontario Hockey League.
He’s a small center at 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds.
The Kraken have had Goyette in the AHL since he was drafted. Last season, he had three goals and seven assists in 51 games played.
Goyette, unlike Kaplan, has yet to make his NHL debut.
Kraken Schedule
The Kraken open the season at 6 p.m. PT on Thursday night in Calgary against the Flames.
They remain on the road for their second game, which will be a 4 p.m. PT start on Saturday in Edmonton against the Oilers.
Seattle finally gets to play its home opener on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT. That’ll be a rematch with the Flames just three games after their first meeting.
The Kraken finished 6th out of 8 teams in the Western Conference Pacific Division last season. They won 34 games, lost 37 in regulation and lost another 11 in overtime for a total of 79 points. They were outscored by 37 goals over the course of the 82-game season.
Kraken Make Trade With Flyers For 22-Year-Old Winger