It is early in the season, but the Seattle Kraken have started on the right foot with a 5-2-0 record.
Four of those wins have come against struggling teams. The Calgary Flames (twice), Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers have only two wins between them. Still, through seven games, Seattle already has as many games with five or more non-empty-net goals as it had all of 2025-26.
That offensive burst makes this a good time to review how the forward lines are performing, even this early in the season.
For the most part, the lines have taken shape as they were used during Training Camp. The main difference is the absence of Jacob Melanson, who suffered an upper-body injury in the first game of the season.
Here are the forward lines the Kraken have been using:
The order might look unusual, but the lines are listed by goals scored per 60 minutes, from highest to lowest. Recently, the head coach was asked what he liked about his top line’s play.
One note, raw data in this article is sourced from MoneyPuck.com and is for 5v5 play unless otherwise noted.
Early season results
Through seven games, all 12 forwards have found the back of the net at least once. Freddy Gaudreau leads the team with four goals while playing on the “fourth” line. Every forward line has scored more goals than it has allowed at 5v5.
The “third” line of Kaapo Kakko, Berkly Catton and Shane Wright leads Seattle in expected goals for per 60 (xGF/60) at 3.63.
Scoring more than your opponent remains a pretty good strategy for winning hockey games.
There are also encouraging signs defensively.
All four lines have allowed fewer goals or matched what their expected goals-against (xGA) numbers would suggest. That also points to the Kraken receiving solid goaltending behind them.
Understanding shift starts and ends
Beyond goals and expected goals, shift starts and ends provide another way to evaluate how each forward line is being used and how effectively it moves play up the ice. Understanding these metrics will help put the individual line reviews into context.
Shift starts and ends fall into four categories: offensive zone, neutral zone, defensive zone, and on the fly. The first three represent shifts beginning or ending with a faceoff in the corresponding zone. On-the-fly changes occur during live play, making them a little harder to interpret.
Generally, you want fewer shifts ending in the defensive and neutral zones and more ending in the offensive zone or on the fly. Comparing where shifts start and end can provide insight into how effectively a line moves play up the ice.
On-the-fly changes require additional context. They often occur after a dump-in, while the Kraken maintain puck possession or during an offensive-zone cycle. In many cases, the puck is safely away from Seattle’s defensive zone, allowing players to change without creating an immediate scoring opportunity for the opponent.
There are exceptions, of course. I manually tracked line changes during the Oct. 13 game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Of the 29 shifts that started on the fly, only one came during what I considered a bad change while Philadelphia was attacking.
Line-by-line review
With those metrics in mind, let’s look at how each of the Kraken’s four forward lines has performed through seven games.
Winterton-Gaudreau-Meyers
The “fourth” line of Ryan Winterton, Freddy Gaudreau, and Ben Meyers has jelled quickly and become a major contributor. It currently leads the Kraken in 5v5 scoring at 7.07 goals for per 60 minutes.
What makes that production more impressive is how the line is being deployed. A team-high 19.2 percent of its shifts start in the defensive zone. Another 22.0 percent begin in the neutral zone, second highest among the four lines. Only 6.9 percent start in the offensive zone, the lowest rate on the team.
Despite that deployment, the line has consistently turned defense into offense.
Winterton’s speed has been an asset, contributing to a strong forecheck and leading to multiple breakaways. He converted one for his first goal of the season against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 11.
The heavy defensive-zone deployment presents additional challenges. The line ranks last among Kraken forward lines with 4.17 expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60).
The transition numbers are especially interesting. Only 6.9 percent of the line’s shifts start in the offensive zone, but 19.5 percent end there. That is a significant swing and shows how effectively the group has moved the puck out of its own end.
Kakko-Catton-Wright
Typically considered the “third” line, this young group is primarily deployed for offense. It starts 21.8 percent of its shifts in the attacking zone and 60.8 percent on the fly. Both are team highs.
The results have followed the deployment. The line leads Seattle with 3.63 xGF/60. It is also converting above expectations, ranking second with 6.31 goals per 60 (GF/60).
Wright has moved to right wing this season, with Catton featured at center. They still split faceoff duties based largely on location. Wright, a right shot, typically takes draws on the right side. Catton, a left shot, handles the left side and center-ice draws.
Wright appears to have taken another step offensively. At 5v5, he ranks second on the Kraken with 1.41 xGF.
Catton has also shown growth in his sophomore season, with his creativity becoming increasingly noticeable. Kakko rounds out the line and, at 25, still fits with the group’s youth. All three players have scored two goals this season.
Given their offensive-zone deployment, you would expect a high percentage of the line’s shifts to also end there. Instead, only 12.1 percent end in the offensive zone, the lowest rate among the four lines. That suggests opponents are gaining possession and pushing play back up the ice too often against this group.
Despite losing ground in offensive-zone shift endings, the line has maintained a respectable 2.52 xGA/60. Its offensive production has more than offset those defensive shortcomings. The Kraken frequently emphasize playing a 200-foot game, and while this line has improved, there is still room to grow.
McCann-Beniers-Samoskevich
The general consensus is that Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, and Mackie Samoskevich form the Kraken’s top line. In terms of 5v5 ice time, though, the group ranks second at 10:19 per game. Bobby McMann, Chandler Stephenson, and captain Jordan Eberle lead at 11:13.
The biggest change is newcomer Samoskevich on the right wing. The former Michigan Wolverine brings speed and a shoot-first mentality to the group.
Beniers’ line was used more offensively last season while still earning trust in the defensive zone. This season, only 9.5 percent of its shifts have started in the offensive zone. That is roughly five percentage points lower than the deployment McCann and Beniers received last season.
Much of that difference has shifted toward defensive-zone starts, which have climbed to 15.2 percent. That suggests the coaching staff has significant trust in this line.
Another 24.7 percent of the line’s shifts begin in the neutral zone. Those starts come from faceoffs at center ice or one of the neutral-zone dots. The line is being asked to win those battles and establish possession, and so far it has done that well.
McCann, Beniers, and Samoskevich have been the Kraken’s best line at moving play up the ice. The group is reducing defensive-zone endings while increasing offensive-zone and on-the-fly endings.
McCann continues to produce and is tied for the team lead with seven points, including two goals and five assists. After missing 30 games because of injury last season, he does not appear to have lost a beat. A contract year provides a little extra motivation as well.
McMann-Stephenson-Eberle
This is the only Kraken line that has remained unchanged through all seven games. McMann and Eberle have joined Stephenson to create a balanced offensive and defensive group.
When the Kraken need a critical faceoff, Stephenson is often on the ice. He leads the team with 118 faceoffs taken and a 57.6 percent winning percentage.
Typically considered the “second” line, the group starts 18.5 percent of its shifts in the defensive zone. The personnel around Stephenson also adds significant scoring potential.
McMann and Eberle combined for 101 points last season, while Stephenson had 55. On paper, that gives this line plenty of offensive upside.
The coaching staff appears to agree. The line starts 15.4 percent of its shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the team. It also ranks second with 19.4 percent of shifts ending there.
That positive differential shows the group is winning battles in both zones and moving play up the ice.
McMann has been a shooting machine, leading Seattle with 24 shots on goal. His speed and physicality fit well with the line’s balanced deployment. He also leads Kraken forwards with 15 hits, at least until Melanson returns from injury.
Eberle has increased his physical play as well. At 36, he ranks second among Kraken forwards in hits and is on pace for 108. That would be nearly double his total from last season.
The line is producing, but the underlying offensive numbers have room to improve. It ranks last among the four lines in xGF/60 at 2.45 and GF/60 at 3.06.
Part of the lower expected-goals rate might come from McMann’s shot profile. He leads Kraken forwards with 29 shot attempts, but 25 have been classified as low-danger chances. Three were medium-danger chances, one was blocked and none were considered high danger.
Getting pucks to the net is valuable, but there have been a few situations where McMann had a passing option and chose to shoot. Creating more dangerous looks could help drive the line’s expected-goals numbers higher.
Promising start
Seven games are not enough to determine whether this Kraken team is for real. The results have been encouraging, though, and banking points early can build confidence for later in the season.
This analysis focused on the 5v5 forward lines, but Seattle has also received strong performances from both goaltenders. The Kraken rank fourth in the NHL with a 106.02 PDO.
PDO combines a team’s shooting percentage and save percentage. Seattle currently has a 14.89 shooting percentage, a rate that is unlikely to hold over a full season. A range closer to 11 to 12 percent is a more realistic long-term target.
Some regression should be expected, but there are reasons to believe the offense can be better than last season.
The reshuffling of the Beniers and Stephenson lines has helped. So have a healthy McCann, the addition of Samoskevich, and a full season of McMann. Younger players are taking steps forward, and the fourth line is contributing meaningful offense.
So far, this mix is working.
The Kraken finish their road trip with stops in Tampa Bay on Thursday and Florida on Saturday.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.