A day after being traded, Gaudreau opened up to The Athletic on getting to play for the Wild and their fans: “It’s a special place to play."

Well-liked in the locker room and among the Minnesota fan base, Gaudreau spent four years with the Wild having previously played three years for Nashville and one for Pittsburgh. In 2023 he signed a five-year contract extension worth $10.5 million and has three years remaining on that deal.

The Kraken swapped their fourth-round pick this weekend's NHL draft for 32-year-old center Frederick "Freddy" Gaudreau, an 18-goal scorer last season.