tye kartye

Seattle Kraken Place Winger Tye Kartye on Waivers: What It Means for the Team and Player

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Published February 27, 2025 | Updated March 1, 2025

In a move that has sparked both curiosity and concern among fans, the Seattle Kraken have placed forward Tye Kartye on waivers Thursday, Feb. 26, 2025—just days after he was recalled from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. The decision comes amid a crowded forward group returning from injury and raises questions about Kartye’s future with the organization, his development trajectory, and how such roster moves impact young players in the NHL.

According to multiple verified reports—including The Hockey News, Daily Faceoff, and TSN—Kartye, a 24-year-old homegrown talent from British Columbia, is now subject to the NHL’s waiver process. If he clears by Saturday afternoon (the standard 24-hour clearance window), he will be assigned to the Firebirds on a conditioning loan, effectively ending his NHL stint this season unless another team claims him.

Why Is This Move Significant?

For many hockey observers in Canada and beyond, placing a player like Tye Kartye on waivers signals more than just a roster shuffle—it reflects deeper organizational decisions around player development, depth chart management, and competitive timing. At just 24 years old and still considered one of the Kraken’s most promising prospects, this move could be pivotal in shaping Kartye’s career path.

Unlike veteran players who often negotiate contracts or trade clauses, young prospects like Kartye are typically evaluated based on performance, opportunity, and fit within the coaching staff’s long-term vision. His placement on waivers suggests that the Kraken may believe they have enough depth at forward—particularly with key contributors like Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann expected back from injuries soon—to give Kartye time to refine his game in the AHL.

“This isn’t necessarily a reflection on Tye’s abilities,” said longtime NHL analyst Craig Button in an interview with The Hockey News. “It’s more about opportunity. He had a strong rookie season, but now you’re seeing other guys return, and teams want to see consistency at the NHL level before handing over regular minutes.”

Recent Timeline: How We Got Here

Let’s break down the sequence of events:

• February 20, 2025: Tye Kartye scores two goals in a 4–3 win over the Calgary Flames, marking his best NHL performance of the season.
• February 22, 2025: The Kraken recall Ben Meyers from the AHL, signaling increased competition on the wings.
• February 24, 2025: Reports emerge that several Kraken forwards—including Shane Wright and Oliver Bjorkstrand—are nearing returns from injury, tightening the depth chart.
• February 26, 2025, 10:00 AM PT: The Kraken officially place Tye Kartye on waivers.
• February 26, 2025, 3:30 PM PT: Simultaneously, the St. Louis Blues place Mathieu Joseph on waivers—a move that drew less fanfare but mirrored the same structural logic.
• February 27, 2025: Multiple sources confirm Kartye will likely clear waivers and head to Coachella Valley.

Notably, no NHL team has claimed either Kartye or Joseph as of early Friday morning—a common occurrence when players are deemed expendable by their current clubs.

Who Is Tye Kartye? A Look Back

Born in Abbotsford, BC, Tye Kartye began his professional journey with the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he developed into a reliable two-way winger with offensive upside. Drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the fifth round (128th overall) in 2020, Kartye spent three seasons in junior hockey before signing his entry-level contract in April 2022.

His transition to the American Hockey League (AHL) was seamless. In 2022–23, Kartye dominated with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, earning Rookie of the Year honors after tallying 28 goals and 52 points in 68 games. That performance earned him a call-up to the NHL during the playoffs, where he scored his first NHL goal in Game 2 of the first round against the Dallas Stars.

Since joining the Kraken full-time last season, Kartye has shown flashes of brilliance—especially in high-pressure situations—but struggled with consistency in a bottom-six role. This season, in 40 games, he has recorded 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists), averaging just over 12 minutes per game.

Despite modest stats, scouts and analysts note his strong defensive awareness, net-front presence, and willingness to play physical. As noted in a profile by The Athletic earlier this year, “Kartye doesn’t always light up the scoreboard, but he makes smart plays and contributes in ways that aren’t captured in box scores.”

Why Are Teams Avoiding Him?

One might assume that any NHL-caliber player would be snapped up immediately upon hitting waivers—but history shows otherwise. Many teams view waivers as a last resort, preferring internal solutions or trade negotiations instead. For lesser-known or younger players, especially those not under long-term contracts, claiming them rarely makes strategic sense unless there's immediate need or upside potential.

In Kartye’s case, several factors may deter suitors:

• Contract Status: He’s currently under an entry-level deal through 2024–25 with club options for 2025–26. While favorable for Seattle, it limits trade value and makes him a short-term rental for contenders.
• Role Uncertainty: Most teams already have established bottom-six forwards; adding Kartye would require displacing someone.
• Development Stage: At 24, he’s still refining his game at the NHL level. Some coaches prefer waiting rather than disrupting chemistry.

As one anonymous Eastern Conference general manager told Daily Faceoff, “We don’t need another guy who’s good in practice. We need guys who can produce right now.”

What Happens Now?

If Tye Kartye clears waivers—which is widely expected—he’ll report to the Coachella Valley Firebirds for what amounts to a conditioning assignment. This gives him a chance to stay sharp, work on his game, and potentially earn another look when the Kraken’s forward corps thins out post-injury.

For the Firebirds, it’s a win-win: they get a proven scorer who knows the system, while Seattle retains control of his rights without risking him being claimed.

Should he remain in the AHL through the end of the season, Kartye is expected to be re-called in the spring if the Kraken qualify for the playoffs. There’s growing sentiment among local media that if he can replicate his AHL success—or even improve upon it—he could carve out a meaningful role next season.

“This might actually help him,” argued Seattle Times beat writer Danny J. Davis. “He’ll get consistent ice time, face better competition, and come back stronger. Sometimes, being sent down isn’t a demotion—it’s a reset.”

Broader Implications for Young Players in the NHL

Kartye’s situation mirrors a trend seen across the league: organizations increasingly favor patience over panic when evaluating young talent. With salary cap constraints and roster depth becoming more complex, teams are reluctant to rush prospects unless absolutely necessary.

That said, waivers can be a double-edged sword. For players like Kartye, being passed over can lead to diminished confidence, especially if they perceive it as a lack of trust from management. Conversely, handling adversity well—as evidenced by his professionalism throughout this process—can strengthen a player’s reputation and make him more attractive in future trades or free agency.

Moreover, the fact that both the Kraken and Blues simultaneously waived forwards underscores a broader league-wide strategy: shedding underperforming or redundant assets before the March 8 trade deadline. It also highlights how tightly wound the NHL’s internal player movement system is—every decision ripples through the entire ecosystem.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the Kraken and Kartye?

As of now, the immediate future looks clear: Kartye stays with the Firebirds for the remainder of the season. But longer-term, his fate hinges on how the Kraken rebuild their forward group in the offseason.

With Jordan Eberle’s contract expiring and trade rumors swirling,