The NHL’s Seattle Kraken has been granted an exception to send star prospect Shane Wright to its American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, this season if Wright does not make the Kraken’s opening night roster, according to the Seattle Times.
The news comes following months of speculation as to whether the 19-year-old, who was the fourth overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, would be forced to play junior hockey one more year if the Kraken didn’t believe he was ready for the NHL.
The Kraken open training camp at Kraken Community Iceplex in Seattle on Sept. 21. The team’s first regular season game is Oct. 10 in Las Vegas versus the Golden Knights.
Clarification on Wright’s status is particularly noteworthy in the Coachella Valley, where the 6-foot-1, 197-pound center would likely play a vital role for the Firebirds. Wright played in 24 of 26 games in the Calder Cup Playoffs for Coachella Valley last spring. He scored a pair of goals and added seven assists as the Firebirds reached the Calder Cup Finals.
There was previously concern that Wright, who had not yet established himself as a star in the AHL, would not be eligible to play for the Firebirds because of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the three Canadian-based major junior circuits. The agreement stipulated that players drafted out of those leagues were not eligible to be sent from the NHL down to the AHL until after their 20th birthday. Wright turns 20 on Jan. 5 and would technically miss that mark by less than a week.
Having Wright play another year of junior hockey would surely be detrimental to his short-term development as a prospect. But he may also not be ready for full-time action in the NHL. So, having the AHL as an option would be ideal, depending on his development over the summer.
Kraken general manager Ron Francis confirmed Wright’s eligibility status to the Seattle Times on Monday.
Wright’s exemption will likely not be the norm among NHL prospects from Canadian junior hockey leagues. Aside from his birthday being so close to the cutoff, Wright has played junior hockey since he was 15 and only missed a season in juniors due to the 2020-21 season being canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Francis told The Times that he hopes the Burlington, Ontario native will make the Kraken roster. Along with forwards Tye Kartye and Kole Lind, both of whom starred for the Firebirds last season, he’ll have a chance to make his case once training camp begins next week.
Andrew John covers the Coachella Valley Firebirds for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Seattle Kraken granted exception for Shane Wright to play in AHL
