The Kraken have traded defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to the Nashville Predators, Seattle announced Sunday. As part of the deal, Seattle will receive a 2022 second-round draft pick.

Lauzon has recorded one goal and six points in 53 games this season, his first with the Kraken. He is set to become a restricted free agent after earning $850,000 this year.

The 24-year-old was drafted by Seattle from the Boston Bruins in the 2021 expansion draft. Lauzon spent parts of three seasons with the Bruins after the team selected him in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft. In 76 games with Boston, he tallied 11 points.

Seattle's latest trade comes after it sent captain Mark Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell to the Toronto Maple Leafs for two second-round picks (2022, 2023) and a third-round pick (2024) earlier in the day. The Kraken will retain 50 percent of Giordano's cap hit and salary.

For more on the NHL trade deadline, you can follow The Athletic's live blog here.

(Photo: Steven Ryan / Getty Images)

Will the Kraken make more moves before the deadline?

Ryan S. Clark, Kraken beat writer: There is the possibility Kraken general manager Ron Francis could make more moves. He is now in charge of a franchise that currently has 31 draft picks and 32 players under contract in the entire organization. It is the type of draft capital he can use to rebuild the team through the NHL Draft or as pieces in a potential trade.

Although, the thing to keep in mind is the Kraken have 11 active forwards and six active defensemen on the roster. They do have players they can recall from the AHL. But, they also still have 19 games remaining while being one point out of last place and having the highest odds to land the No. 1 pick in this summer's NHL Draft.

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How will Lauzon help Nashville?

Joe Rexrode, Nashville senior writer: The Preds have needed depth on the blue line, and that's especially true now that Mark Borowiecki and Matt Benning — this team's ideal third pairing — have both been placed on injured reserve. Philippe Myers has not worked out (he was waived, not picked up and is in Milwaukee), and John Hynes has tried various combinations there. So Lauzon is a welcome addition.

But for a second-round pick? That seems awfully pricey, and it demands that he makes a consistent difference the rest of the way.

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