Seattle Kraken captain Mark Giordano won't play against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night, head coach Dave Hakstol announced, according to NHL.com's Andy Eide.

The veteran defenseman is a premium trade chip for the Kraken. General manager Ron Francis reportedly met with Giordano in late February to discuss his future with the league's newest franchise, and the pending unrestricted free agent is expected to be moved ahead of the March 21 deadline.

Seattle will celebrate Giordano for playing in 1,000 NHL games before the puck drops on Wednesday's contest.

Giordano is tied for most points among all Kraken blue-liners with 23 in 55 games. The 38-year-old has logged 46 hits and 98 blocks while averaging over 21 minutes a contest.

He's playing out the final season of a six-year deal with a $6.75-million cap hit.

The Montreal Canadiens pulled off a similar move Tuesday when they sat coveted defenseman Ben Chiarot against the Arizona Coyotes.

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