For those of us who have had the Kraken on our minds since the final horn in Denver last spring, the wait is finally over. A long—occasionally newsy, but relatively uneventful—offseason is in the past. It all begins anew Thursday with the Seattle Kraken in Calgary to take on the Flames.

If you’re just logging back into the Kraken after taking the summer off, welcome back! You will find the Kraken lineup has a familiar look—at least to begin the year.

The team’s big offseason acquisition, Mackie Samoskevich, is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and won’t play Thursday. New fourth-line winger Curtis Douglas may draw in, but it’s likely that every other player in the Opening Night lineup was a Kraken regular at some point last season. Eeli Tolvanen and original Kraken Jamie Oleksiak and Jaden Schwartz all departed in free agency for other teams.

Before puck drop, we wanted to convene our Sound Of Hockey crew to discuss the big storylines and what has us excited, optimistic, or nervous as we head into Year 6 of Seattle Kraken hockey.

On the verge of a new season, how do you reflect on the Kraken’s offseason?

Curtis Isacke: For context, the public discourse surrounding the Kraken went from “not kind” going into last season to openly combative this summer. From negative coverage of CEO Ted Lieweke’s pronouncement that the Kraken were poised to have a “prolific offseason” to the criticism that came with the Jason Robertson saga and hand-wringing about Shane Wright’s trade request, the news cycle was a challenging one.

“I don’t know what the right word is, whether it’s frustration, disappointment, I’m not quite sure,” Kraken GM Jason Botterill told Sound Of Hockey in response to a question about how the Kraken were portrayed following the Robertson reports over the summer. “All I know is, we’re going to continue to look to improve this team. We’re going to try to find all avenues.”

Whether from a coverage perspective or otherwise, how do we look back at this offseason? Let’s start with John.

John Barr: Acquiring high-end talent is one of the most difficult things to do in the NHL, so in hindsight, labeling this a potential “prolific offseason” may have set unrealistic expectations. I liked that the Kraken took a legitimate swing at Jason Robertson, and I’m sure they were involved in plenty of other conversations that never became public. They weren’t alone in pursuing top talent, though, and sometimes those opportunities simply don’t materialize. Overall, I’m comfortable with how the offseason unfolded. The roster continues to get a little younger, and, just as importantly, the front office avoided making short-sighted moves that could have kept the team stuck in the NHL’s middle ground for even longer.

Darren Brown: Yeah, that “prolific offseason” bit was a killer for public perception, although it also may not have been the most encouraging press conference if Leiweke had gotten up there and said, “It’s going to be more of the same.” To your point, John, they tried to have a prolific offseason, and it very publicly blew up in their faces. The good news is that with their oodles of cap space, they can bide their time—perhaps surprise some people to start the season—and make Seattle more desirable for the next available big fish.

My favorite thing about the offseason is the way the players pushed back on the national narratives in the lead-up to the season.

Blaiz Grubic: I liked that Botterill was active in trying to bring in talent. The Robertson pursuit did not work out, but I loved seeing the Kraken in that conversation. At the same time, they did not do anything that mortgaged the future. Their salary-cap commitments sit at $87 million, the lowest in the league, which gives them roughly $17 million in flexibility when the right opportunity comes along.

Curtis: I’m pretty comfortable with the team’s approach of scouring the trade market for young, long-term roster upgrades, particularly up front. Even though the team ultimately got only one deal over the line, in my opinion, they calibrated their strategy correctly. OK, enough of that, onto the season!

What’s your biggest reason for optimism heading into this Kraken season?

Blaiz: It is a new season, and while the roster has not changed dramatically, that does not mean the outcome has to be the same. Head coach Lane Lambert has now been here for a full season, so he knows the players, and they know him. The same goes for the system they play, and I think that familiarity should lead to a little tighter play. Bobby McMann is here for a full season, and the arrival of Samoskevich could be a real boost for the Kraken. Both players are fast and have a shoot-first mentality, which fits well in Lambert’s system.

Darren: I think the full season of McMann is a big deal for this team, but they’re also exiting Training Camp a lot healthier than they were last year, save for Samoskevich. Jared McCann seems to be back to full strength, as does Brandon Montour. Both players shared with me that they were hindered all last season, and those are two extremely important players to have performing at peak condition.

I’m also encouraged by what I’ve seen from the young players in Training Camp. The Shane Wright drama seems to be gone, for now, and he has looked awesome. So too have Berkly Catton and Ryan Winterton, among others. The success of this whole franchise seems to be built on those players growing into key contributors, so let’s see if they move more in that direction this season.

Curtis: While the public sphere was eulogizing the Kraken for perceived misses in the offseason, perhaps—as in the fable of the old man who lost his horse—the better response would have been “we’ll see.” Could the “noise” be exactly what was needed to galvanize the players already in the room? Maybe the alchemy of Mackie Samoskevich mixing with the rest of the young core is simply perfect? It’s too soon to say, of course. But, from the outside, the vibes seem strong so far. This is in contrast with years past when the room has not had the same energetic feel. This has me feeling optimistic that we may see a group that is greater than the sum of its parts for the first time in years.

John: My biggest reason for optimism is that this team was in the playoff race for roughly two-thirds of last season, and I think they’re a little better on paper heading into this year. As Darren mentioned, the Kraken should also benefit from continued development from some of their younger players, which could provide a meaningful boost over the course of the season. I’m not predicting a playoff berth, but I do think they have a legitimate chance to get there and, more importantly, appear to be moving in the right direction as an organization. The path might be a bit more manageable, too. Several of last season’s Pacific Division playoff teams don’t look quite as strong, while Calgary and Vancouver are widely viewed as being among the league’s weakest teams entering the season.

What’s your biggest area of concern heading into this Kraken season?

Blaiz: I’ll take the easy one: scoring. Where is it going to come from? The Kraken have had only one 30-goal scorer in franchise history, Jared McCann, when he scored 40 in 2022-23. McCann could get back to the 30 goal mark this season. He was on that kind of pace last year before missing 30 games because of injury. Bobby McMann came close, and Jordan Eberle was in the neighborhood as well. I think you can make a case for just about every Kraken forward taking a step forward offensively. It is unrealistic to expect all of them to do it, but if even a handful add to their totals, that would go a long way toward easing this concern.

Curtis: The penalty kill has been the subject of much discussion since last season. Mostly, we have debated whether there were coaching points or systematic fixes that needed to be made to improve what was one of the worst-performing units in the NHL. I’m now concerned that the team’s personnel usage may exacerbate the issue. During the preseason, the Kraken were starting shorthanded situations with a pair of Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann—neither of whom have a proven track record of positive penalty kill impacts. On the backend, the second defense pair of Ryker Evans and either Josh Mahura or Cale Fleury also has me holding my breath a bit.

It may work out fine. And, if not, some of the answers may be on the team already (could we get a look at a Matty Beniers and Jared McCann forward tandem?) or, at least, in the organization (Oscar Fisker Mølgaard and Ty Nelson have been effective in shorthanded situations at every level they’ve reached so far). But I’m concerned.

John: I’ll echo Curtis here: the penalty kill remains my biggest concern. It simply has to improve if the Kraken are going to take a meaningful step forward this season. Ironically, there were signs of progress late last year. While the penalty kill operated at just 71.5 percent before the Olympic break, it improved to 74.1 percent afterward. That’s still not where it needs to be, but it suggests the adjustments the coaching staff made had some effect. Lambert acknowledged that changes were implemented over the course of the season, and the improved results provide at least some reason for optimism that the trend can continue.

Darren: I’m just worried that Li’l Buoy returns.

But seriously, leaning into youth is a good thing for the future of the organization on a macro level. But looking at just the season ahead on a micro level, I worry our optimism may be misguided. At the end of the day, the Kraken have the smallest payroll in the NHL and lots of inexperienced players who will be relied upon in key situations. That could go well, or it could be a downright painful season to watch from start to finish.

Who’s the player you think will surprise people with their performance this season and why?

John: Berkly Catton. My answer is largely influenced by how he’s discussed in national media circles and where he’s often ranked among the Kraken’s under-23 prospects. Frankly, I’m not convinced many of those evaluations are based on extensive viewing, and some seem to overlook the fact that he was only 19 years old last season. What I’ve seen is a player with the skill, creativity, and offensive instincts to make a significant impact. Eventually, those tools are going to show up not just in the underlying numbers, but on the scoresheet and the highlight reels as well. I’ll go a step further and predict Catton scores more than 25 goals this season.

Darren: I’ll go with Ryan Winterton. He flies under the radar, but he proved himself capable in every situation last season. Seeing him fly up the ice with Catton to create that beautiful 2-on-1 goal in Vancouver in preseason raised my eyebrows that—if he ends up playing up the lineup—he could start producing in a meaningful way.

Catton with a dandy from Winterton but kicked off with a great deflection pass from Wright in front of his own net. 3-2 Kraken. pic.twitter.com/0omjyoOxSI— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 27, 2026

Blaiz: I have always been a Shane Wright believer. I have lofty goals for him, and I think 60 points is within reach. Last season was a down year, but one season does not make a career, and every other season he has shown positive development. A bounce-back season that quiets some of the doubters is definitely on my bingo card. Wright has looked really sharp during Training Camp, stronger and faster, and he is making plays at both ends of the ice. We will have to wait until Samoskevich is back from injury, but I have also liked Berkly Catton and Kaapo Kakko as Wright’s linemates. I think Wright goes from requesting a trade to becoming too valuable for the Kraken to trade.

Curtis: I agree with much of what you all said, but I’ll take this in a slightly different direction and say Oscar Fisker Mølgaard. I gave most of my reasons in the most recent Down on the Farm column. When he does get called up, sooner or later, I think he will turn some heads not only with how “mature” and trustworthy he is in all three zones but also with solid skill-game elements built around puck movement, protection, and distribution. If the Kraken make a serious playoff push, I’d wager Mølgaard is a significant part of it.

What is your benchmark for a successful Seattle Kraken season?

John: For me, the benchmark for a successful season is simple: I want the Kraken playing meaningful games in March. Actually, scratch March. Make it April. There seems to be a common belief that narrowly missing the playoffs is the worst possible outcome. From a draft-position standpoint, there’s certainly some truth to that, but I think there is real value in a young team spending the final weeks of the season battling for a playoff spot. Those high-pressure games create important developmental opportunities and help establish a higher standard for the group moving forward. Whether the Kraken ultimately make the playoffs or fall just short, being in that fight until the very end would be a sign that the team is trending in the right direction.

Darren: I agree with you, John. Sure, it’d be swell to have Landon DuPont in the fold, but I do believe the organization needs to continue moving forward, not backward, in its on-ice results. Getting DuPont would mean another big step backward before adding another young player who may take years to become a star player.

On the whole, I do believe last season was a step forward in the sense that they were competitive for most of the season before they learned some very hard lessons down the stretch. Hopefully those lessons carry over to this season, and they take another step.

Blaiz: I just want the Kraken to have fun. Expectations outside Seattle are pretty low, but with the Pacific Division riding the struggle bus, I think they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. They were in a playoff position until March 18 last season, and I think they can be in the hunt again. I am not going to say making the playoffs is the benchmark, but finishing third or fourth in the division would be a successful season in my book.

Curtis: I believe the season can be counted as a success if we leave it with increased confidence the team has a young core to build around. As short-lived as it has proven to be (so far), seeing Mackie Samoskevich skate with Matty Beniers in camp had me dreaming about what could be if the group of 23-and-under forwards on this roster starts to coalesce from individual talents into a unit. Beniers’ offseason comments defending the team may not count for anything in the standings points column, but his words could be the first step toward a successful season nonetheless.

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What did we miss? What are your hopes, concerns, predictions, and projections for this Kraken season? Let us know in the comments below.