The Kraken might have just saved their season with their performance over the last week. After opening this six‑game road trip (technically, they played five games, came home for two nights, and are heading back out to Edmonton on Monday) with two losses, they were staring down a brutal stretch against Florida, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo.
At this time last week, they’d dropped three straight and sat four points back of Nashville for the final wild card spot, and seven points behind the then–second‑place Vegas Golden Knights. Fast‑forward seven days, and the Kraken are now two points back of Nashville and five behind Vegas, with one and two games in hand, respectively. If there was a week I expected them to lose ground, it was this one. Instead, they clawed out four of a possible six points and shoved themselves right back into the race.
The week began with what should have been their most manageable matchup: a rematch with the Florida Panthers, whom the Kraken had thumped 6–2 in Seattle just 10 days earlier. This one was nothing like that. Seattle trailed 4–1 with under six minutes left before erupting for three goals in a two‑and‑a‑half‑minute span to force overtime and steal a point in a shootout loss. On the surface, that single point against an injury‑depleted team with little to play for seems small, but it may have been the spark that lit the rest of the week.
Even with that comeback, the Kraken’s playoff hopes still felt like they were teetering on extinction heading into Thursday. Tampa Bay and Buffalo have been the two best teams in the league in the 2026 calendar year, and I didn’t expect much from Seattle in either matchup. Both games followed the same script: Kraken score first, build a two‑goal lead, then watch the opponent storm back to force overtime.
The difference was in the finish. Seattle beat Tampa in overtime and fell to Buffalo in a shootout. Getting three of four points out of those two games, given how poorly the team has played since the break, feels like a minor miracle.
Kraken shootout woes
The Kraken are 1‑0‑6 in shootouts but 6‑0‑5 in games decided in overtime. They rank 31st in the NHL in shootout conversion rate, scoring on just 13 percent of attempts. The only reason they aren’t 32nd is because Utah hasn’t played a shootout game this season. They’re also near the bottom in preventing goals, stopping just 54.5 percent of attempts. It’s pretty clear this team is not built for the shootout.
The impeccable timing of Bobby McMann
Seattle’s newest forward has been a revelation. McMann posted three goals and two assists over the last three games, bringing his totals as a Kraken to seven goals and four assists in eight games. The production is great, but the timing of his goals has been even better.
It started in his debut in Vancouver on March 15. With the first period winding down in a 1–1 game, McMann broke the tie with 50 seconds left, a back‑breaker for the Canucks. Seattle would go on to score the next three goals and cruised at a time they really need a win.
This past week, he tied the game in Florida to complete the comeback and force overtime, just 14 seconds after Jordan Eberle scored. He also scored the third goal in Tampa to restore a two‑goal lead. And he buried the second goal in Buffalo minutes after the Sabres nearly tied it on the double‑doinker.
You have to think part of the Kraken’s motivation in trading for McMann was the chance to re‑sign him before he hits free agency. So far, it’s hard to argue he isn’t a perfect fit, and he’s already finding chemistry with Kaapo Kakko and Chandler Stephenson.
Striking distance
At the start of the season, the hope was simply that the Kraken would be playing meaningful games in March. Instead, they’ll be playing meaningful games in April. Their four points last week—combined with Vegas’ continued slide—have given them two legitimate paths into the playoffs.
This season has been a roller coaster, but none of that matters now. What matters is the opportunity in front of the Kraken. And for the younger players, this playoff‑like pressure is invaluable. They have a real shot at sneaking in, so let’s see if they can finish the job.
Other musings
- Among Western Conference playoff contenders, the Kraken have the second‑worst points percentage since the Olympic break. The worst team? The Vegas Golden Knights. Seattle and Vegas meet twice more before the season ends.
- The overtime game against Florida was Seattle’s first since Jan. 14. Since that date, they’ve played the fewest OT games in the league, just three, and they all came in the last week.
- Despite both games going to overtime, the Kraken never trailed in their matchups with Tampa Bay and Buffalo. That’s the power of scoring first.
- Seattle ranks 18th in goal differential when excluding empty‑net goals—better than Nashville and LA, and tied with Anaheim.
- This week in “How the West Fared”
- Jamie Oleksiak dropped the gloves with Logan Stanley in Buffalo after taking exception to a hit on Shane Wright. It was Oleksiak’s 11th fight as a Kraken, making him the franchise’s all‑time leader, breaking his tie with Yanni Gourde.
- Berkly Catton had his first NHL fight earlier in the week, squaring off with J.J. Moser in Tampa. At 20 years and 71 days old, he becomes the youngest Kraken player ever to fight, beating Ryan Winterton’s record set in January.
- Regular readers know I’ve been high on Oscar Fisker‑Mølgaard since the day he was drafted. He played his fifth NHL game Saturday in Buffalo but has yet to appear at home. I’m excited to finally see him in person outside of preseason or prospect games.
Goal of the week
This seemed like another no brainer.
Player performances
Clarke Caswell (DEN/SEA) – The 2024 fifth‑round pick tallied three points in two NCAA tournament games as Denver advanced to the Frozen Four. The Pioneers are the favorites to win the national title in a few weeks.
Kim Saarinen (HPK/SEA) – The Finnish goaltender helped 12th‑seeded HPK upset fifth‑seeded Lukko in the Liiga playoffs. Saarinen stopped 89 of 93 shots (.957 save percentage) over two games against Lukko and one against top‑seeded Tappara.
Jakub Fibigr (WSR/SEA) – The Windsor defenseman posted a goal and three assists in the first two games of the OHL playoffs against Guelph. Many prospect analysts liked this seventh‑round pick, and he’s taken meaningful steps this season. He’s committed to Ohio State in the fall.
The week ahead
To say I’m stressed about every game right now would be an understatement. This week looks particularly challenging: Edmonton on Tuesday, Utah in Seattle on Thursday, and then a lighter matchup Saturday when Chicago visits Climate Pledge.
Seattle is 1‑2‑0 against Edmonton this season, with the lone win coming back in October. The Oilers dominated the two post‑Thanksgiving games, outscoring the Kraken 13–4 and torching the penalty kill with six power‑play goals on seven opportunities. Edmonton will be without Leon Draisaitl, who had eight points in three games against Seattle this year, so that gives me a little optimism. Still, those two blowouts are seared into my memory. Prove me wrong, Kraken. Prove me wrong.
Utah, meanwhile, is a fun, high‑flying offensive team with shooters everywhere. They remind me of Anaheim, but with some form of defense. Seattle is 0‑2‑0 against them this season, outscored 11–6, though three of Utah’s goals were empty‑netters. Both games were in Utah; last season, the Kraken went 2‑0‑0 at home against them.
And then there’s Chicago. The Blackhawks are 3‑5‑2 in their last 10 and have the second‑worst record in the league. In the words of General Ackbar: “It’s a trap!” Given how poorly Seattle played from the Olympic break until a couple games ago, they cannot afford a letdown. Chicago has beaten Utah, Minnesota, and the Islanders in the last month. It’s the NHL, anyone can beat anyone.
The Kraken have just three weeks left in the regular season and are inching toward do‑or‑die territory, but they’re not quite there yet. I’d be satisfied with three points this week, discouraged with only two, and devastated with anything less.
Thanks, John! Good stuff!
It feels like Tolvanen, Schwartz, and McMann fill a similar middle-six wing role and it will be interesting to see how many of them they bring back, especially given the number of prospects waiting in the wings.
Agree. Feels like they have to sign one or two of those guys. I don’t feel there are any obvious prospects that can be penciled in for next season but 2027-28, there could be a few.
Its tough to see a clear path towards the team drastically improving next year. 1) there are no real game changers on the free agency market this year, 2) none of the young guys appear ready to explode offensively, and 3) we likely don’t get a top 5 draft pick so are unlike to land generational talent that way. JB has his work cut out for him this offseason to make the team better.
They don’t have a lot of pending free agents this year and will have a bunch of money available. So they can clearly afford to keep whoever they want out of the three. Tolvy is durable, younger, and can play a grinding role…I hope they bring him back but not sure at what cost. Based on age, injury history, and production McMann seems like a solid upgrade over Schwartz at this point in is their careers. Though his pace since joining is likely earning him a nice pay day and its unclear how well his speed, which is a key part of his game, will hold up as he ages. All of these guys at best seem like they are going to keep us status quo unless we think McMann’s recent play is indicative of him being an incredible late bloomer – one can dream for that right.
On the defensive side letting Oleksiak walk seems like an obvious decision unless he signs for way cheaper on much shorter term, but that is unlikely. They have depth there with both Mahura and Fleury signed for another season each so they can focus on upgrading up front. On the trade side Dunn and Evans probably have the most value, but with lack of D prospects, trading one of them just addresses one need by creating another one.