Mackie Samoskevich was traded to the Seattle Kraken by the Florida Panthers on Sunday.
The Panthers received a first-round pick (No. 25) in the 2026 NHL Draft (previously belonged to the Tampa Bay Lightning) and the better second-round selection from either the Winnipeg Jets or Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2027 NHL Draft (each previously acquired).
"Definitely a lot of excitement," Samoskevich said Monday. "There were a lot of emotions yesterday, but it always ended with excitement because I knew I was going to a good situation and good team. It was definitely a team I didn't love playing against for sure. I'm definitely pumped."
Samoskevich had an NHL career-high 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 77 games for the Panthers this season. The 23-year-old forward won the Stanley Cup with Florida in 2025.
He can become a restricted free agent July 1 but said he's hoping to come to terms on a contract soon.
"I’ll leave that to the agents, that’s their job," he said. "I just have to worry about having a good offseason and making sure my body is ready to come to training camp and be ready to roll. I think that all will kind of handle itself."
Kraken general manager Jason Botterill said there's a certain level of excitement at acquiring a young, talented forward who already has significant experience.
“For me, there’s the fact that, at such a young age, he’s been able to win a Stanley Cup already, and he’s been a part of a very successful organization in Florida,” Botterill told the Kraken website. "I just love his age, love his speed and I love his shot. So I think he’ll fit in very well with the style of play that we’re trying to play on an everyday basis here.”
Samoskevich and Kraken center Matty Beniers were college teammates at the University of Michigan in 2021-22. Samoskevich also played briefly with Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour with the Panthers.
"It was only a couple of games (in 2023-24) but I was able to be around him," Samoskevich said. "He’s such a great leader, so I definitely know I’m in for a good one there, and obviously with Matty playing a full year with him at Michigan, we were able to build a great relationship there and we definitely stayed in touch. He was one of the first people I called yesterday and I’m definitely fired up to get with those guys, they’re such good leaders and players too."
Selected by the Panthers in the first round (No. 24) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Samoskevich has 63 points (27 goals, 36 assists) in 156 regular-season games and one assist in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Later on Sunday, Florida traded two first-round picks (Nos. 9 and 25), a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft to the Ottawa Senators for forward Brady Tkachuk, the brother of Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. Florida does not have a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, which will be held Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, but it has two second-round selections (Nos. 40 and 48).
NHL.com staff writer Derek van Diest contributed to this report.
