There’s no sugarcoating it—the Seattle Kraken are struggling right now. After scoring eight goals against the Montreal Canadiens last Tuesday, the Kraken have managed just one goal in their last three games, all losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Boston Bruins. Before this stretch, the Kraken had never scored fewer than two goals over any three-game span in franchise history. For the first time ever, they’ve been shut out in back-to-back games.
Playing from behind
The Kraken have allowed the first goal in each of their last three games, a pattern that’s troubled them all season. So far, they’ve given up the first goal in a league-leading nine games and managed to win only three of those—a concerning stat that underscores a consistent struggle to gain momentum. Playing from behind puts teams at an immediate disadvantage, and in the Kraken’s case, it’s led to them trailing for 49 percent of their total game time, ranking third worst in the league in this category, just ahead of Nashville and St. Louis.
This uphill battle impacts both offensive and defensive dynamics, with players forced to take more risks in order to equalize the score. Such a style is not only physically draining, but it also creates vulnerabilities that opponents can exploit. The Kraken’s inability to score first means they’re playing with added pressure early in the game, which affects everything from line changes to defensive schemes. When a team chases the game, it can disrupt their typical rhythm and put a strain on key players, leading to higher ice time for the top lines and greater fatigue by the final period.
The third period in particular presents a steep challenge. NHL teams with a lead tend to enter “lockdown mode,” shifting to a defense-first mentality that emphasizes structure, discipline, and careful puck management. These teams actively push opponents to the outside, preventing high-quality scoring chances from dangerous areas in front of the net. For the trailing team, cracking this defense can be incredibly tough, requiring clean entries, strong puck possession, and often, an extra effort to get to the net and create traffic in front of the goalie. But with the pressure mounting, shots often become less selective and are taken from the perimeter, which rarely beats a well-structured defense.
Struggling to get inside
The Kraken continue to struggle with generating high-danger scoring chances, a challenge that also plagued them last season. Despite offseason personnel improvements, they’re finding it difficult to penetrate defenses and create the kinds of opportunities that lead to quality shots on goal.
This inability to consistently get inside to the net-front area forces them to settle for perimeter shots, which are far easier for opposing goaltenders to save. Finding ways to improve puck movement, quick passes, and player positioning near the net could be key in transforming these struggles and helping the Kraken turn their offensive potential into goals. Alison Lukan wrote a great article that sheds some light on what it takes to create net-front offense. You can check it out here.
Other Musings
- The Kraken have the same number of points at this stage in the season as they did last season.
- As bad as these last three games have felt, I don’t for one second question the team’s work ethic. The Kraken continued to work and fight to claw back into the games. Though the team is slumping, it continues to feel very different than last season, and I believe Seattle will turn it around.
- While the loss to Boston could be chalked up to a “schedule loss” on back-to-back games, the Kraken should also capitalize when playing a team in the second game of a back-to-back. Saturday night’s game was the Senators’ second in as many days.
- John Forslund had an excellent line during one of the Ontario games, saying something to the effect of, “Eventually, ‘early in the season’ becomes ‘the season.’” We’re getting close to that point, and I typically use the 20-game mark as a benchmark.
- The Kraken had just three shots on goal in the first period on Sunday against the Bruins—their lowest shot total in any regulation period this season.
- Shane Wright is averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time over the last four games. I’m not sure what’s behind his low ice time, but I was hoping for more from him. In Coachella Valley last season, he had a knack for getting into scoring areas. I’m still optimistic about Shane, but the team could use more production from him right now.
- Yanni Gourde is due for a goal. He’s been generating more shot attempts lately, and many of those chances are coming from prime areas. He’s exactly the type of player who could help pull this team out of its slump. He had a golden opportunity with a 2-on-1 at the end of the second period against the Bruins, but was stopped by Jeremy Swayman.
- Congratulations to Ty Nelson and David Goyette for scoring their first professional goals over the weekend with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
- Here’s your weekly reminder to check out a WHL game if you haven’t already. This past weekend saw some exciting games: on Friday, the Edmonton Oil Kings defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 in a shootout, and the Tri-City Americans outlasted the Everett Silvertips in a 6-5 thriller in Kennewick.
- Last week, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced plans to open the door for expansion as early as next season. This is excellent news for hockey overall, but it may be a while before we see the potential for a team here in Seattle. The league will likely want to expand gradually, clustering teams regionally. Seattle’s chances will increase once Calgary secures a team.
- As for a PWHL team in Seattle, there’s still the question of where they would play. Arenas in Everett or Kent would be a good size for a women’s team, but I believe it’s important for the team to play in Seattle or Bellevue. It’s a long shot, but I’d love to see a 5,000- to 10,000-seat arena built that could also host future University of Washington Division I hockey programs and a PWHL team.
Player performances
Ryan Winterton (CVF/SEA) – The Kraken prospect notched two goals and two assists in the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 5-2 victory over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday.
Carson Rehkopf (MIS/SEA) – The Kraken’s 2023 second-round draft pick recorded seven points across three games for the Mississauga Steelheads in the OHL, including a four-assist night on Friday against the North Bay Battalion. Rehkopf now has 28 points in 14 games.
Clarke Caswell (SC/SEA) – Caswell had an impressive weekend, tallying seven points in two games for the Swift Current Broncos. On Friday night, he contributed two goals and three assists in their 9-4 win over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Goal of the week
There’s talk about changing 3-on-3 overtime, but doing so could eliminate exciting sequences like this one:
Jared Spurgeon's terrific hustle sets up Matt Boldy for the OVERTIME WINNER!#mnwild pic.twitter.com/weWPuTzx6m
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) November 4, 2024
The week ahead
The Kraken have only two games over the next eight days, and they’ll need to salvage at least a point in Colorado to prevent this road trip from being a complete disaster. The Avalanche, who have lost three straight games heading into Tuesday’s matchup, have allowed five goals in each of those losses. Colorado has already beaten the Kraken once this season, so it won’t be an easy game, but the Avs are also decimated by injuries, so it’s a good time to catch them.
The other game this week is Friday at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, who currently have the best record in the Pacific Division and rank second in the league in goals per game at 4.92. Adding to the challenge, the Kraken have yet to beat the Golden Knights at Climate Pledge Arena in their history. It’s a tall order for the Kraken in their current form, but stranger things have happened—and I hear they’ll still play the game. 😊
How are we feeling? Anyone else starting to panic?