A restricted free agent is coming to the Pacific Division.

On Sunday, the Florida Panthers traded forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken. In order to acquire the young winger, the Kraken gave up a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a conditional 2027 second-round pick.

The Kraken still have to put pen to paper with Samoskevich, as they only received his signing rights in the deal. Samoskevich is a restricted free agent after his latest one-year contract with the Panthers, which saw the Connecticut native make $775,000.

The 2026 first-round pick originally belonged to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it was traded to Seattle as part of a three-team trade prior to the 2024-25 trade deadline, with the Lightning notably receiving Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The condition on the 2027 pick is that it will be the higher of the two picks between the Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets, stemming from Seattle sending Brandon Tanev to the Jets.

The former Michigan Wolverine had been with the Panthers since the team took him in the first round, 24th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft. After making his NHL debut during the 2023-24 season, he became a regular in the lineup the following campaign and has been a solid depth player alongside superstars Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Carter Verhaeghe throughout the lineup. He posted 31 points during the 2024-25 season, appearing in four postseason games as the Panthers went on to win the Stanley Cup for a second straight year.

Samoskevich had close to the same amount of offence this past season. While the team wasn’t as good due to numerous injuries and missed the postseason for the first time in seven years, Samoskevich potted 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points. In 156 career regular-season games, Samoskevich has scored 27 goals and 36 assists for 63 points.

With the trade, the Panthers now have two picks in the first round next weekend, and two second-round selections in 2027. The Kraken now have just their own picks in the first round this year and the second round next summer.

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