This week’s Monday Musings is a bit abbreviated thanks to the holiday weekend and an early Monday matinee. Keep an eye out for another edition of 10 for 10 later this week, and expect a full strength Monday Musings to return next week.

The Kraken’s week started in a good place and slowly unraveled, ending with a pretty ugly loss to the Utah Mammoth. Last week, I said they needed at least four of the possible eight points, including an overtime point against Utah, to keep pace in the standings. That didn’t happen. They came away with only three points and lost to the Mammoth in regulation. Seattle is still sitting third in the division, but they’re tied with three other teams and only holding their spot because of tiebreakers. They’re still in the playoff picture, but a flat week like this tightens the margin for error.

Things actually opened on a positive note with a 4–2 win over the Rangers, though even that game came with a red flag: the Kraken fell behind 2–0 in the first period before rattling off four straight. It worked that night, but spotting teams early leads is not a sustainable strategy.

Ironically, their best performance of the week came in a game they also trailed 2–0, in the matchup in Boston. Seattle generated 62 shot attempts to Boston’s 48 and pushed the pace for long stretches, even though they ultimately lost in regulation. It felt like a promising setup heading into the final and most important game of the road trip against Utah… which makes the way that one ended all the more frustrating.

Rebound goals

One of Lane Lambert’s early-season messages was that the Kraken needed to shoot more. He always paired it with the reminder that a huge chunk of NHL goals come off rebounds, which stuck with me. I’ve been watching for those second chance opportunities all year and even flagged it in one of my early Kraken 10-for-10 posts and lately, the Kraken have been cashing in.

They’ve been scoring rebound goals in bunches, and this road trip has been the clearest example yet. By my definition, any goal scored within three seconds of a shot attempt. Seattle has four of them on this trip alone.

Exhibit 1:

The Kraken are still one of the top teams in rebound goals (off attempts):

Power play

One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the Kraken’s suddenly potent power play. They’re sitting ninth in the NHL at 23.1%, a massive jump from last year’s 23rd ranked unit that converted at just 18.9%. The difference has been obvious, too. Their puck movement with the extra skater looked sharp throughout the last homestand and should, in theory, only improve with the return of Brandon Montour and Jaden Schwartz from injured reserve.

Seattle is humming along at 34.8% in January and ranks second in the league over its last 20 games. The only real drawback is that they don’t get many chances to show it off, but when they do, they’ve been making them count.

It is worth pointing out that the Kraken allowed two shorthanded goals against on this road trip, but I would like to think that is just a fluky coincidence.

Other musings

• With Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour back, the Kraken are finally healthy. I’m really curious to see how the group settles in once those two get a few games under their belts. Both will slot onto the power‑play units, which means Berkly Catton and Ryker Evans are the likely players to lose some PP time.
• Catton, for his part, is playing with real confidence. He’s developed a shoot‑first mentality, putting up six shot attempts in each of his last two games, both season highs.
• Down in the desert, the Coachella Valley Firebirds have won five straight.
• With Nikke Kokko out week‑to‑week with a lower‑body injury, it was encouraging to see the new tandem of Jack LaFontaine and Victor Ostman deliver back‑to‑back shutouts over the weekend.
• Big congrats to Firebirds standouts Jagger Firkus and Tyson Jugnauth on being named to the AHL All‑Star Game. There are plenty of variables in play, but it’ll be interesting to see if either gets a look with the Kraken at some point.

Goal of the week

Freddy’s touch here is so nice that I had to include it in here somehow.

Player Performances

Jani Nyman (CVF/SEA) – Lil’ Jani is on a heater. He scored six goals in four games and was named AHL Player of the Week.

In other action, Jani Nyman continues to score for the @Firebirds. This is Nyman’s fifth goal in his last three games and this game still has two periods remaining. pic.twitter.com/N108bD8HkW

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 18, 2026

Jared McCann (SEA) – It’s great having McCann back in the lineup. The Kraken’s all‑time leading scorer chipped in two goals and two assists this week, immediately reminding everyone what this team looks like with him healthy.

Nela Lopusanova (SLO) – The 17‑year‑old Slovakian phenom first made waves at age 14 when she pulled off a Michigan goal at the U18 Women’s Worlds. Three years later, she just wrapped up her fourth U18 tournament and tied Kendall Coyne Schofield for the most career points in event history. Lopusanova now sits at 22 goals and 11 assists in just 14 games.

This is the famed Michigan goal:

14-year old Nela Lopušanová pulled off the Michigan at the #U18WomensWorlds 🤯😱🔥

🔗: https://t.co/f3kbOyJG3Jpic.twitter.com/p1hwMwyWvM

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) January 12, 2023

The week ahead

The Kraken open the week with a Monday afternoon matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m not usually one to throw around the term “must win,” but it sure would be nice to start this six game homestand on the right foot and put an end to the current two-game skid. From there, it’s an every other day rhythm: the Islanders on Wednesday, a big Pacific Division test against the Ducks on Friday, and an early one against the Devils on Sunday. None of these teams are world beaters, but all of them have something to play for, so there won’t be any freebies.

Seattle is still in a playoff spot, and at this stage the goal is simply to hang around and give themselves a real shot down the stretch. The minimum target this week is four of eight points, with at least one coming in that Ducks game. The ideal version? Six points and a regulation win at Anaheim’s expense.