Alexander Wennberg was traded to the New York Rangers by the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday for two draft picks.
Seattle, which retained 50 percent of Wennberg's contract, received a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, previously acquired from the Dallas Stars. The pick will become a third-round selection if Dallas defenseman Nils Lundkvist, who was acquired from New York prior to last season, finishes with 55 combined points between last season and this season.
Wennberg is in the final season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) he signed with the Kraken on July 28, 2021, and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
"We talked to ‘Wenny,’ liked him,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said Friday. “He's been here from Day One, been good for our organization, and we talked to him about trying sign, we just couldn't get comfortable on where we were. So, at that point, we just had a discussion, said, 'Wenny, we can't get there. We're going to have to move you,' and he understood that and so we proceeded down that path."
The 29-year-old forward has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 60 games this season. He was scratched from a 4-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday and a 4-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday because of trade-related reasons.
