As we have declared on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, loser points are no longer helpful for the Seattle Kraken, who are firmly out of contention. We’re fine with wins, and we’re fine with regulation losses; wins bring good feelings and help build a winning culture for next season, while regulation losses improve Seattle’s chances of winning the draft lottery. Loser points do neither of those things.
Still, the Kraken deserve commendation for their effort on Sunday, going toe-to-toe with the NHL’s best team. It was their fifth straight game since the NHL Trade Deadline in which one could argue they delivered a strong performance.
With the overtime loss, the Kraken ended the season series 0-1-2 against Winnipeg. “They’re the best team in the league with their record, and each one of the games we’ve played them [this season], two in overtime and one with a goal [against] in the last minute, and they beat us with that,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “They’re a benchmark team right now, and… we’re right there with them.”
Here are three takeaways from a hard-fought 3-2 Kraken overtime loss to the Jets.
Takeaway #1: Jani Nyman strikes again
Jani Nyman may have legitimately set himself up for a full-time Kraken roster spot next season with how he has performed in his first NHL stint. He became the second Seattle player ever to score in two of his first three games (Matty Beniers was the first) after another pretty power-play dish by Jordan Eberle, who also assisted on Nyman’s first goal in his NHL debut.
HELLO, NYMAN! 🚨
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) March 17, 2025
Just like on his first career goal, it’s a PPG set up by Eberle.
Two goals in three career games for Li’l Jani.
1-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/6CoFd0VwiV
Nyman also picked off a Dylan DeMelo pass at the midway point of the third period and just missed scoring what could have been a critical go-ahead goal.
“We’ve clearly got a good picture of what he can do and what he can be,” Bylsma said. “It’s not just the shot on the power play that we’ve seen a couple times. He had some good time in the offensive zone with the puck, getting over it, making plays. His line had another real good shift there in the second, maybe our best in the second, with chances in the offensive zone. So really good to see from him in another game.”
Nyman’s lethal shot got Seattle off on the right foot with a 1-0 lead at 9:58 of the first period, and Mikey Eyssimont followed that up by looking off Tye Kartye on a 2-on-1 and slipping a hard shot through Eric Comrie’s five-hole at 15:23.
Despite the goals, I would still guess Nyman’s call-up won’t last too much longer. This was always meant to be a short stint to reward him for an outstanding AHL season and see if he’s getting close to ready for the next level. I think he earned himself a couple extra games with his performances, and as Seattle heads out on a road trip, it may make sense to return Nyman to Coachella Valley now, where he can continue helping the Firebirds on their march toward the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Takeaway #2: Another tough night for Ryker Evans
When the Seattle Kraken faced the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, they also had a two-goal lead in the second period. The gap was narrowed with a power-play goal by Patrik Laine, but then Alex Newhook and Juraj Slafkovsky each scored three minutes apart to give Montreal the lead. On both of those goals, Ryker Evans could have done things differently to help prevent the Canadiens from scoring.
Evans was then a healthy scratch against the Utah Hockey Club, and Bylsma said after morning skate on Sunday that he “didn’t think [the Montreal game] was the strongest game from Ryker,” which explained why he didn’t play on Friday.
The 23-year-old defenseman was back in the lineup Sunday and had the primary assist on Eyssimont’s goal. But he also appeared to be the one who lost his check on Cole Perfetti when he found a rebound and banged it into an open net behind Joey Daccord with just 17 seconds left in the first period, a critical goal to allow heading into the first intermission.
D’oh!
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) March 17, 2025
Bad time to give up a goal at the very end of an otherwise fantastic 1st period.
Perfetti bangs home a rebound to get the Jets on the board.
2-1 #SeaKraken through 20. SEA goals by Nyman and Eyssimont. pic.twitter.com/EKjekMOYqL
Evans also shot into a block, then didn’t retreat fast enough to mark the very dangerous Kyle Connor, as the Jets star scorer saw an opportunity and flew the zone. Connor raced in on a breakaway and tied the game at 11:42 of the second.
2-2.
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) March 17, 2025
Kyle Connor gets behind Ryker Evans for a breakaway. #GoJetsGo #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/FnZTRgwXFF
When asked post-game about Evans’ performance, Bylsma said, “I want to reserve comment on that one,” before giving several comments about it. “Like for every player, there’s some plays in the game that you do well, and some plays you want back.”
Evans is a young, still-developing player in his first full NHL season. It is normal to go through growing pains, as well as have challenging stretches of games that can rattle the confidence. He’ll find that confidence again soon.
Takeaway #3: Brandon Tanev brings shenanigans in return
Brandon Tanev made his return to Climate Pledge Arena just nine days after being traded to the Jets at the NHL Trade Deadline. Always a hard-nosed player, Tanev seemed extra intent on making his presence known physically in this one and even got himself into some extracurricular activities with some of his former teammates.
Six minutes into the game, Tanev took a big run at Shane Wright and sent him flying headfirst into the boards. Tye Kartye went right after Tanev, and lots of pushing, shoving, and punching ensued, though nobody ever dropped the gloves.
Whoa! 🤯 Brandon Tanev with a questionable hit on Shane Wright, and Tye Kartye goes RIGHT AFTER Tanev.
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) March 17, 2025
I guess Turbo is no longer a #SeaKraken! pic.twitter.com/8l5Frienv4
Oddly, after quickly making himself the villain for several members of the home crowd, Tanev was then honored by the Kraken and welcomed back with a video tribute that got a nice ovation.
Bylsma said he was unsurprised by Tanev making a heavy hit on Wright. “I think that’s what Brandon provided the last four years is that energy and speed, physicality, and tenacity. And so I think we all expected it, because that’s what he brings each and every night to his game, that’s what makes him an effective player.”
The Kraken coach added that he liked the way his players were immediately “sticking their jerseys together” to stand up to Tanev but also gave some advice to Wright for the next time Tanev is on the ice with the opposing team: “Heads up, Wrighter… He probably should have heard me yelling.”
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
As much as I want Nyman to succeed, his spot on that line has handcuffed the team re:Wright. It seemed like as soon as he got on a line with McCann and Burky in the 3rd, they had a great rush and scoring chance. Sticking him with Kartye and Eyssimont just seems like a waste of his talent. But, I guess it’s better that he be on that line temporarily than Nyman, especially if he’ll be sent down shortly like you said Darren.
And yes, Ryker missed his man a few times, but that goal at the end of the 1st was on Stephenson. He had a chance to break it out easily to Burky but instead he tried to pass it weakly through TWO Jets players’ skates, and predictably turned it over and boom it was in the net. It was such an infuriatingly loose and lazy play. I didn’t mind the rest of his game but that was a brutal goal to give up in the last minute of the period.
It’s always funny seeing Stevie get blamed for smart plays that happened several touches before a scoring event because the Stevie hate boner crew are hyper fixated on everything he’s doing. If you actually watch the play and check your bias, you’ll see there wasn’t actually a clear pass available. Jets player had his stick firmly in the passing lane.
Uh, no. I’ve watched the replay a lot of times — he could’ve turned his body a tiny bit away from the wall and gotten it out quickly. He even could’ve flipped it out of the zone on his backhand easily. His feeble attempt to pass it through two Jets players was the worst of all the options. Everyone around me was wondering what he was doing on that play as well, it wasn’t just me. Maybe you’re the one with the bias here?
Again, I didn’t mind his game overall, but his occasional lazy loafing is frustrating to watch, especially because he has the capacity to give a crap and turn it on at other points in the game.
Well he’s leading the team in scoring! And face off percentage, still critics will zero in on any Chandler flaw, that you could also find something with any other player.
WHY was Nyman with McCann and Burakovsky again? When, once again, he scores on the PP with assists from Eberle and Stephenson?!?!? Just put him with Eberle and Stephenson FFS.
I’m wondering a little bit if having Wright on the fourth line is to see if he can get something going with Kartye and Kartye possibly moving up to third line next season as a replacement for Bjorkstrand or Burakovsky. The scouting report (https://thehockeywriters.com/kraken-what-is-tye-kartyes-future-role/) when he was originally signed projected him as a “goal-heavy middle-6 winger” with strength on the PP, which is the role he played on the OHL and in CV (and closer even to how he was used in the playoffs).
The fight with Tanev was interesting in how quickly it went to fists instead of a half-hearted wrestle and that there was neither any smile-and-laugh-it-off or chirping when they were in the penalty box, which is very out of character for both. I was really really hoping he’d be in the box when the tribute was shown.
Obviously we’ve seen Tanev lay out some hits over the past 3+ seasons, but the one he put on Wright was one of the more aggressive ones I can recall from him. Also, he was pressuring Beniers pretty heavy from behind on the play that temporarily took out Comrie. Real-time, I actually thought he’d tripped Beniers and caused a chain reaction, but it looks like Beniers was just trying to out-skate him and stumbled.
I wish they’d try putting Wright with Ebs and McCann, and just give him more ice time. I’m wondering if they’d make a good line. I feel like McCann is just not with the right line mates, and we’re wasting his talent. Having him with Burky just doesn’t work – I feel like I’ve seen McCann open so many times waiting for a pass from Burky and he just doesn’t see the opportunity, or sees him too late. I may be imagining it, but I think the frustration from McCann shows. Does anyone else have an explanation for McCann’s slump?
McCann’s shooting percentage is way down this year. His 4 seasons in Seattle (starting with 2021): 13.6, 19.1, 13.4, 9.9. So down 3.5 ppt since last year.
He’s also not doing as great with the puck. His giveaways/60 was 1.3 the last 2 seasons. This year it’s 2.86. Takeaways is down as well.
It also doesn’t seem to be who he is/is not playing with. In fact, most of the players he’s been with this year have better numbers when they’re not playing with him…