With all the recent talk of the Ottawa Senators placing a greater emphasis on high-upside acquisitions, there may be a good candidate available. It was reported last week that Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken has requested a trade. Formerly the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright was granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada as a 15-year-old, making him eligible to play in the OHL.
Unfortunately for both Wright and the Kraken, he hasn't been able to live up to his lofty draft pedigree. This is where the Senators could view Wright as an opportunity to buy low on an extremely high-upside player.
Why Shane Wright is still worth betting on
When Wright is playing up to his potential, he is fast, highly skilled, and consistently puts himself in the right position to either make an excellent pass or utilize his highly accurate shot. He consistently will use strong edges to drive the net to create scoring chances as well.
The situation in Seattle appears to be moving toward a full rebuild, with the organization focused on acquiring as many future assets as possible. Wright's trade request doesn't put the Kraken in a particularly strong negotiating position, especially after he recorded just 27 points last season, which has likely hurt his trade value.
Ottawa has successfully bought low on talented players in the past who simply needed a change of scenery. Kyle Turris is the perfect example. The Senators recognized that he needed a different situation, gave up fair value, and acquired a player who flourished into an excellent two-way, point-producing centre.
Wright has many of the same qualities. Although he is listed as a centre, Ottawa could begin by playing him on the wing while allowing him to take faceoffs periodically to continue developing that aspect of his game.
Adding a young, fast player like Wright to Ottawa's top six would be a worthwhile gamble for general manager Steve Staios. Staios has already brought in several high-upside players recently, including Samuel Ersson and Andre Burakovsky, despite their recent struggles.
As mentioned previously, Wright's value is likely still influenced more by his draft pedigree and flashes of potential than by his production, meaning acquiring him may not require a significant return. A package in the neighbourhood of a second- or third-round pick, along with a prospect like Blake Montgomery or perhaps the more NHL-ready Jorian Donovan, could be enough to get a deal done.
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