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Acquiring Shane Wright would be a wise decision for the Flames
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Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jan 27, 2026, 11:30 ESTUpdated: Jan 26, 2026, 23:30 EST
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A young right-shot centre’s name has come up in recent trade rumours.
Last Wednesday, The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta reported that the Seattle Kraken are open to moving Shane Wright, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the same in a recent 32 Thoughts Podcast. If that’s the case, the Calgary Flames should be all over that.
The Flames’ centre situation moving forward is rather precarious. Captain Mikael Backlund turns 37 years old in March, while Nazem Kadri’s name has popped up in trade rumours recently. They have young talent like Rory Kerins and Sam Morton in the American Hockey League and Connor Zary in the National Hockey League, but they either figure to not be a top six forward or a winger.
For as strong as the Flames’ farm system is thanks to three solid drafts in the last three years, they’re lacking centre prospects. The tide turned a bit in the 2025 draft, as they selected Cole Reschny 18th overall, Cullen Potter 32nd overall, and Theo Stockselius. There’s a good chance that all three of those players find their way to the National Hockey League, but who knows what type of impact they’ll make?
Every player I’ve just listed in the Flames organization has something in common: They shoot left-handed. Right-shot centres are incredibly valuable, and it’s something that Wright offers. The Burlington, Ontario native also has a high ceiling, as the Kraken selected him fourth overall in the 2022 draft.
After the Kraken selected him, it took Wright a while to get going, playing just 16 NHL games in his first two seasons, but scoring 22 goals and 47 points in 59 AHL games during the 2023-24 season. Finally, Wright broke into the league as a full-time player in 2024-25, scoring 19 goals and 44 points in 79 games in 2024-25.
Like his teammate Matty Beniers, Wright has hit somewhat of a sophomore slump in 2025-26. Through 51 games with the Kraken, the 22-year-old has just seven goals and 18 points. Over an 82-game pace, Wright would be on pace for 11 goals and 28 points, well below his mark from 2024-25. It hasn’t helped that Wright has been deployed as the Kraken’s third-line centre in 2025-26.
By no means is Wright a perfect player, especially for the position. In the 358 faceoffs he’s taken this season, Wright has won just 135 of them for a 37.7% faceoff percentage. He’s not been much better throughout his career, winning just 42.7 percent of the draws he’s taken. Faceoffs are something young players tend to improve on with more experience.
As for his underlying stats, Wright has been okay, but not good. According to Natural Stat Trick, Wright has played nearly 600 minutes of five-on-five action this season, and has been on the ice for 20 Kraken goals and 19 goals against for 51.28 percent of the goal share. 
The Kraken’s expected goal share is below 50% when Wright is on the ice, as the team has 49.44 percent of the expected goal share when Wright is on the ice during five-on-five. The Kraken have also been out-shot and given up more high-danger chances than they’ve generated with Wright on the ice during five-on-five action.
Still, at just 22 years old, Wright fits the Flames age scheme and gives them something they desperately need, a right-shot centre with potential. Assuming the Flames trade Kadri before the trade deadline, Wright would slot in nicely in the team’s top six, giving him more ice time and more responsibility.
It may cost a sizable package for the Flames to acquire Wright, but they have the assets to pull it off thanks to a surplus of defence and wing prospects, as well as plenty of picks. Acquiring Wright could be a move that pays off well if they choose to go down that path.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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