The Seattle Kraken just had their best week of the season, grabbing five out of a possible six points without their starting goalie and best goal scorer in the lineup.
The imperfect game
Coming into Thursday night’s game against Winnipeg with Connor Hellebuyck in net, it felt like the Kraken needed to play a perfect game to beat the Jets. Winnipeg got on the board first with a rush chance that looked a little too easy and not characteristic of the type of play we have seen from this team this season. The Kraken answered that mistake with a nice Kaapo Kakko deflection that floated over Hellebuyck’s shoulder.
KAAPO! 🚨
Great play by Vince Dunn, who takes… er… THROWS a hit to make the play to Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz shoots for Kakko’s stick, and Kakko gets off the schneid.
Go to the net, kids!
1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/l9kpigY7Pm
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025
Winnipeg took the lead back when Neal Pionk found Mark Scheifele behind a Kraken line change in the second period for a breakaway goal. It was another consequential mistake by the Kraken that we haven’t seen often this season. The Jets had just a one-goal lead going into the third, but it felt like a big hill to climb against a formidable opponent, especially with Hellebuyck in net.
Seattle scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the third and then added an empty-netter in the dying minutes to seal the win. It was a signature victory where they found a way to win without being perfect.
Shot attempt volume
The Kraken are 26th in the league in shot attempts per game. There’s been a lot of fan chatter about the lack of shots and attempts lately, but those numbers can be misleading. Dallas is dead last in shot attempts per game, yet the Stars have the third-best record in the league.
Because the Kraken have been playing from ahead rather than tied or trailing, they’ve naturally taken fewer attempts. They average almost six fewer shot attempts in regulation in wins than they do in regulation losses.
Penalty kill
The penalty kill remains a sore spot. San Jose’s power-play tally marked the sixth straight game in which Seattle allowed a goal while shorthanded. The unit has struggled all season, but discipline had been a saving grace, until this week.
Seattle was shorthanded 13 times over three games, their highest such stretch of the season. Early-season issues stemmed from extended defensive-zone time, whether from failed clears or uncontested entries. I chalk this up more to rough execution than systemic failure, and improvement should come as the season progresses.
Freddy Gaudreau returns to the lineup
Usually the return of a fourth-line center isn’t something that gets fans buzzing, but Freddy Gaudreau’s return should give this team a real boost. Gaudreau does a lot of little things that don’t always show up. He’s a bit of a Swiss Army knife: kills penalties, provides a right-shot center option, is very good in the shootout, and has enough sneaky skill to move up and down the lineup when needed.
On Saturday, he took 40 percent of the defensive-zone draws, was on the ice for 35 percent of the penalty-kill time, and even generated a high-quality shorthanded chance. His return should ease some of the burden the team has placed on Chandler Stephenson while Freddy was out. He’s a sneaky addition who strengthens the lineup in subtle ways that not everyone may notice.
Other musings
- The 5–3 win over Winnipeg was the first time the Kraken scored five or more goals this season. They had already done it four times in the first 18 games last season.
- The Kraken are now 6-1-3 at home. One regulation loss. That’s incredible.
- Jaden Schwartz’s empty-netter on Saturday was Seattle’s first shorthanded goal of the season.
- I know I’m not the only one disappointed with Mason Marchment’s production, but I think his last four games have been his best stretch as a Kraken. He feels due for a breakout.
- We are not talking nearly enough about how much Ryker Evans adds to this lineup. I really like Josh Mahura, but Ryker’s skating and puck-moving are such luxuries on a third pair.
- We got an “interruption goal” on Saturday when Eeli Tolvanen scored 38 seconds after Adam Larsson. I’m sticking with that name, since when we talked to PA announcer Chet Buchanan on the SOH Pod two years ago, he said he doesn’t mind being interrupted—as long as it’s for another Kraken goal.
- The Kraken are fourth in the league in blocked shots. Another byproduct of playing with a lead.
- The Pacific Division is absolute chaos right now—five points separate the first-place Kings and the seventh-place Sharks.
- The Seattle Torrent split their preseason games with the Vancouver Goldeneyes over the weekend. The regular season kicks off Friday when they meet again for real. I have not seen anything official, but I assume the games will be broadcast in the US on YouTube.
Goal of the week
The interruption goal…
EELI GOALVANEN! 🚨
Another great pass off a 2-on-1 from Stephenson, and Tolvanen scores his second in as many games.
3-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/FueoRAoZeE
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025
Player performance
Philipp Grubauer – Two wins in two games, including a shutout in relief for two periods against San Jose. He saved 2.39 goals above expected, per evolving-hockey.com.
Grubauer under fire early in the 2nd, after being forced into action at the end of the 1st. He’s standing tall in the first couple minutes… #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/7ORRa9FssY
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025
Jacob Melanson – The 22-year-old notched his first AHL hat trick Sunday for Coachella Valley, giving him six goals in 14 games (he had just eight all last season).
Jagger Firkus – Another Firebird hat trick over the weekend, but Jagger’s came Saturday. He leads the AHL in points and has a six-game point streak.
The week ahead
If you had looked at this stretch before the season started, you probably would’ve circled it as a chance to bank some points, with four games against teams that missed the playoffs last year. However… as of Monday morning, all four of those teams are in playoff spots and look a lot tougher than previously expected.
It’s a four-game road trip starting Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. I still wake up in cold sweats thinking about that game in Detroit last year. On Thursday, the Kraken face the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time this season. Seattle won the first meeting 3–1, but they saw backup Arvid Söderblom in that one, so the boys might see Spencer Knight this time.
Then it’s another shot at fixing the back-to-back demons with the Penguins on Saturday, followed by the Islanders on Sunday to wrap things up.
Given the quality of opponents, four out of eight points would be fine, five would be good, and six would be great.
And finally
It usually takes 20 games to really assess a team, and the Kraken just crossed the 18-game mark. I’m calling it now: the Seattle Kraken are going to be in the mix for a playoff spot. Their success isn’t driven by luck or a soft schedule—in fact, it’s pretty much the opposite. Considering the injuries that have chipped away at the roster and the absolutely brutal October schedule, this start is nothing short of incredible.
I was one of the few people who expected the Kraken to be much better this season, but even I’m impressed. With Freddy Gaudreau back and Jared McCann and Joey Daccord seemingly close, this team might have another level to hit. How are we feeling out there?
Go Kraken!!!
I love seeing Freddy back. Go Kraken!!
I was at that game last year in Detroit and I still have PTSD! Gosh, I hope Joey can make this trip, It seems like this might be a challenging road trip.
No matter what, it’s an exciting time to be a Kraken fan.
I was at that game as well! (nightmares!)
I still don’t see this team as likely to make the playoffs. Maybe likelier than before the season, but not likely. They are still only one lousy point ahead of teams outside the playoff picture. McCann has been out or playing hurt for some time now — will we ever get that top scorer back at full strength? I hope so, but worry about that. Especially without him, I think literally every other team has at least one player better than anyone on the Kraken. That’s not good. The NHL is a “strong link” league.
But I’m still enjoying the season! At least we should be “in the mix” a while longer. Seeing Chandler Stephenson with a hop in his step and seemingly rejuvenated is awesome to see (especially as he continues to eat up the most and biggest minutes). He looks so much more like the player I used to love watching in Vegas. His game on Saturday blew my mind. Not only did he NOT look slow, he was creating hustle plays with his speed! Was he a little hurt last year? More motivated by Lambert now? Who knows, and who cares.
And all the home wins! Finally! I have been to 7 of the 10 home games — more than I usually go to, and the team has rewarded me. They are 5-0-2 in those games! It’s been a blast. Yes, I was lucky enough to miss that first Sharks disaster.
OK, apropos of nothing, Angelica sang the national anthem on Saturday night. And nailed it (although Tommy is still king). This took me and Boist completely by surprise. But my daughter swears that she saw Angelica sing the anthem before in a game she went to in a previous season. Has she done it before? Should I trust my daughter’s youthful memory? Or is she confusing Angelica with that other lady that used to share duties with Tommy? After googling looks like she has sung the anthem for the Mariners and Seahawks, so I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised… but still not sure if she ever did it for the Kraken. Just posting the question here because I bet John knows the answer.
Confirmed that she has done the anthem before Kraken many times. I think she has even done one this season, but it might have been a preseason game.
Wow, ok then. I “only” usually go to like a third of the games, but also probably I’m just getting old, considering my daughter remembered at least one time. Thanks John!
P.S. I am positive Tommy sang it in the one preseason game I sent to (the first one). I remember thinking, “No Chet, but at least we got Tommy.”
The “other lady” to whom you refer is Madison Stoneman.
Yes. Thanks.
Eberle recently said that he believes the team has another level in them to meet.
Lamberts system has already shown that it can work. Credit to him and the players that have bought into it. It might be boring hockey to some, but having a chance to win almost all their games so far makes them so worthy to root for and watch.
Go Kraken!!!
I shared with someone ahead of the Jets game with Joey out and all the talk about shot volume I was afraid the Kraken were gonna get smoked in that game… and boy was I wrong. In the last two games they’ve had a nice mix of firing pucks at the net AND scoring off the pass and it seems like they’re staying focused on controlling the puck rather than volume.
I don’t know much, but it seems to me they may be as likely to build on what they’ve done so far as opposed to regressing. Do I think they’re a 105 point team – their current pace? Probably not, but they’ve given themselves some room for a bit of a stumble and as the only team in the West that hasn’t had a losing streak (three or more losses in a row) there’s bound to be one at some point. Let’s hope it’s not for some time.
A lot of folks call it boring, low-event hockey, but, sweet Christmas, does that arena crowd get wild when the score is within one in the third period. It may not be as good to watch on TV, but the live experience in these nail-biters is something else. With them winning like they are at home lately, fans are having a good old time. Hell, I would rather watch a grinding overtime win than a blowout win any night.
I am bracing myself for the inevitable skid and hoping fans don’t immediately turn because right now there is so much positivity. We all know there will be a rough patch – almost every team battles a cold spell every year. But it sure is nice that their home record has been so strong. Their style may not be as exciting as the Habs or Ducks right now, but winning is way more fun than the exciting loses we had last year.
That said there does seem to be another level there if their health can improve and the young guys start producing. For how well it seems some of the guys are playing they are not showing up in the scoresheet.
Our depth also seems like it is going to be a big advantage during a season where injuries are more likely due to the compressed schedule. Other teams reliance on just a few players puts even top teams in more precarious spots. Heck the three goalie situation is proving to be smart right now.
Oh, a skid will happen. I am expecting one in January when the schedule becomes an onslaught of scripted losses. That is going to suck, so it is best that we all enjoy this while it lasts. And after the Olympics, the guys will be rested and ready for a reboot.
What are your reasons for saying the Kraken have not been lucky, other than injuries?
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Kraken have spent an average of 16:46 leading per game, which is 25th in the league. HockeyViz has them leading by 3+ for all of 5 minutes 5v5. I don’t see how playing with a lead is an adequate explanation for the low rate of shots/shot attempts.
Dallas, for comparison, has spent an average of 20:32 leading per game, good for 7th in the league. Colorado leads the league with 33:22.
Piling on, Dallas is 24th in SOG but 12th in high danger shots and 7th in medium danger shots. So they’re getting the most out of what shots they do take. By comparison the Kraken are 32nd in total SOG, 32nd in high danger shots, and 32nd in medium danger shots.
That doesn’t seem good…
Isn’t the important stat who ends up winning the game? Leading isn’t winning. Mammoth were leading the Ducks up until the final 4 seconds last night, and ended up losing 3-2. It happens all the time in hockey. At least enough to not be considered extraordinary or extremely rare.
You could say not leading but still winning indicates some level of resilience.
I’m not evaluating their overall performance or mental state, I’m disputing a particular statistical claim from the article.
To paraphrase John Cooper – and I’m not very good at this – “It’s not about scoring goals, it about the other team NOT scoring goals.”
I’m no strategist, and I get the point, but to me the sun doesn’t rise and set on shot volume… especially given the trends in the league over the last few years. I’d also be a little dubious about using an average in this situation where one or two outliers could heavily skew the result. Limiting the opposition is as important as creating volume and Seattle is third in the league in xGA/60 and sixth in GA/60. I don’t expect that they’re a Cup contender, but if they can be hard to score against – which also means fixing the PK – then they can be competitive without needing to be lucky… and without needing to throw more pucks on net. It seemed to me last season, more shooting just meant more time in the defensive zone.
Personally, I don’t think they’ve been lucky, I think they’ve been stingy.
I used an average to control for the number of games played when comparing across the whole league. Any statistic has the potential to be influenced by outliers with sample sizes this small. The fact remains that the Kraken have spent less time leading (301:48, 16:46 per game) than they have trailing (366:27, 20:21) and less time leading than the median NHL team (~357:46, 18:56). I’m just saying that if their low shot totals were simply the result of spending a lot of time playing with a lead, that is not the time distribution I would expect to see.
I don’t think John was saying the Kraken’s “low shot totals were simply the result of spending a lot of time playing with a lead,” I think the point was it’s a contributing factor.
And my point is that it’s not accurate to say that they’ve played with the lead more than they’ve played tied/from behind, so how can it be a factor?
“Because the Kraken have been playing from ahead rather than tied or trailing, they’ve naturally taken fewer attempts.”
I don’t really know how else to read that. They’re playing from ahead more than last year (low bar) but it’s still not a lot relative to the rest of the league or relative to their time playing from behind..
All this fancy talk of dissecting specific numbers such as puck possession, when and where mean nothing to most of us. What matters most is being an hard team to beat and winning.
All aboard the Lane train…
Go Kraken!!!
Is it just me or does Masson Marchment look awkward in this system?
Imagine if Grubauer played well enough we were able to get a good pick for him at the deadline. At this rate there might be a chance.
I haven’t been commenting as much since the subscription I watched the Kraken with almost doubled in price and I won’t pay it… Glad the team is doing well even if I don’t get to watch.
If you live in the Seattle area it’s practically free. Just go buy a $19 antenna and you can watch Kong most nights. No sub required. If not in the area your best bet might be ESPN+.