The Kraken are off to a great start, but I’m not celebrating anything just yet.
In case you missed it, the Kraken kicked off the season last Thursday with a dominant 6-1 win over the Flames in Calgary, with six different players finding the back of the net. Two days later, they looked destined to earn at least a point in Edmonton against the Oilers before an unfortunate bounce in a tie game with less than three minutes remaining left Leon Draisaitl all alone to put Edmonton ahead for good. One day later, the Kraken dominated the Flames yet again in another 6-1 rout that saw five different goal scorers on the scoresheet and Mackie Samoskevich scoring twice in his first home game.
That was a solid three-game effort to open the 2026-27 campaign, but we still need a larger sample size before making any sweeping judgments about this team. Still, the Kraken don’t make the schedule, so you bank the points when you can, and it’s encouraging to see them take care of business against a mediocre team like Calgary.
Penalty kill optimism?
A few weeks ago, I wrote that the penalty kill had to improve after posting a 72.2 percent success rate last season, good for 31st in the league. Through three games, the Kraken have killed five of six penalties, which is certainly encouraging. The most promising development came in Edmonton, where Seattle successfully killed off three first-period penalties. The Oilers had the league’s best power play last season and converted seven of their 10 opportunities against the Kraken.
The broadcast mentioned that it was a point of emphasis coming into the season, and it looks like there are some early returns. During the preseason games, the coaching staff was trying several different players out on the penalty kill. Freddy Gaudreau and Ryan Winterton seem to be the mainstays from the forward group, but the second unit seems to vary based on who is in the lineup. What stands out to me so far is how much less chaotic the group looks. It’s only three games, but the clears have been cleaner, and they haven’t spent nearly as much time scrambling in their own zone. It is something I will be keeping an eye on going forward.
Return of depth scoring?
It’s also way too early to say that depth scoring has returned to the Seattle Kraken, but 10 different players have scored a goal through three games. The new guys, Mackie Samoskevich and Bobby McMann, each have two goals, while youngsters Berkly Catton and Shane Wright have already logged goals this season.
For some perspective, the Kraken have already scored six goals in two of their first three games. They only reached six goals twice all of last season. As the national media loves to point out, this team does not have any high-end superstars (yet), and when that is the case, you need to rely on scoring throughout the lineup. So far, the early results have been positive. The balance throughout the lineup looks much better, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
Overall, you have to be happy with both the level of play and the results from the first three games. It’s a great way to start the season and something to build on as the competition gets tougher this week.
Other Musings
It obviously won’t last, but the Kraken currently have six players averaging a point per game through three contests. (The franchise has never had a player finish a full season at a point-per-game pace.)
Catton showed flashes of high-end skill last season. This year, those flashes are becoming commonplace, and he’s starting to drive play. His setup for Shane Wright on Sunday night is Exhibit A.
WRIGHT AS RAIN! ☔️
What. A. Goal.
Great drive and pass by Catton, even better finish by Shane Wright.
I don’t think anyone has been more snake bitten than Ryan Winterton. Regardless of where he’s playing in the lineup, he’s consistently putting himself in good scoring positions. He had two more breakaways against the Flames on Sunday. The points haven’t come yet, but he’s had an excellent start to the season.
It’s been a rough week for the Chandler Stephenson haters. He finished with a goal and three assists while making plenty of smart plays throughout the week. I especially loved this little poke pass to Jordan Eberle that eventually led to Bobby McMann’s goal against Edmonton.
MCMANN CAN! 🎯 🚨
What a snipe. Seattle’s first power play of the game was looking pretty sad, until a quick strike by Bobby McMann just under the bar.
Both Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer have looked excellent in the early going. It will be interesting to see how the Kraken deploy the tandem this season. Daccord got the first three starts last year and quickly established himself as the primary option, but his performance, like the team’s, tailed off late in the season. With that in mind, the Kraken may be more intentional about spreading out the workload to soften the impact of an 84-game season.
If you haven’t done so already, check out Darren’s conversation with John Forsland before the game on Sunday. I’ve said this before and I will say it again, we are lucky to have a play-by-play man like Forsland calling our games. It’s also incredible to hear his real opinions on the team in that interview.
Player Performances
Jordan Eberle (SEA) – There were several worthy candidates this week, but Eberle scored the Kraken’s first goal of the season in Calgary and finished the opening three games with two goals and one assist. He recorded at least one point in every game. Joey Daccord (SEA) – Two wins and a .966 save percentage in his first two starts. Joey came within minutes of posting two shutouts, with the only goals against arriving during the final five minutes of each game. It’s much easier to play with a lead than chase one, and Daccord made several key early saves against Calgary on Sunday that allowed the team in front of him to settle in and play confidently. Jani Nyman (CV/SEA) – The Coachella Valley Firebirds opened their season this weekend with a split against the Ontario Reign. Li’l Jani Nyman responded by scoring five goals in the two-game set and was named the AHL Player of the Week.
Goal of the Week
There were plenty of candidates this week, but I’ve got to give the nod to Stephenson’s bunny-hop goal.
STEVIE DOES IT! 🚨
Chandler Stephenson shows nice composure to hurdle a dead body and slip it through Wolf’s five-hole on the breakaway.
If we need a reminder not to overreact to the first week of the season, the Kraken earned five of a possible six points in their first three games last season against teams that eventually made the playoffs. This week will provide a much tougher test, with three formidable opponents on the schedule.
The Kraken welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday. Seattle surprisingly went 3-1-0 against Vegas last season, including two wins at home. On paper, the reigning Western Conference champions got weaker over the offseason, but they remain one of the strongest teams in the Pacific Division. Vegas enters the week at 2-1-0 with wins over Chicago and Vancouver.
Following that game, the Kraken begin one of their more significant road trips of the season with stops in Detroit on Friday and Washington on Sunday.
The Red Wings are dealing with some early-season turbulence, including the ongoing Simon Edvinsson contract situation and all the Dylan Larkin drama, and they’ve started the year with two losses. It doesn’t look great right now, but this was still a 92-point team last season that beat the Kraken in regulation in both meetings. Count them out at your own peril.
Meanwhile, the Capitals are 1-1-0 to begin the season. Seattle split last year’s season series with Washington, but the Capitals improved considerably over the offseason through the additions of Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou.
By next Monday, we should have a much better idea of what these early results actually mean. Conservatively, the objective should be three out of a possible six points. Regardless of the outcomes, there is no reason to overreact one way or the other, but this week’s opponents should provide a much better measuring stick than the opening three games.
The Kraken should petition the NHL to play the Flames every game. At such an early stage in the season, it’s a little hard to say if Calgary is that bad or Seattle is that good, but for the second time in two chances against that same opponent, the Kraken rolled to an easy 6-1 win in their home opener Sunday.
“[Scoring goals] obviously gives them the opportunity to gain some confidence that way,” coach Lane Lambert said. “Certainly, we’re making some pretty nice plays, and guys are shooting the puck in the net. So it’s nice to see.”
Mackie Samoskevich scored twice in his home debut, Shane Wright and Berkly Catton showed more chemistry, and Joey Daccord was stellar with 32 saves.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 6-1 Kraken win over the Flames.
Takeaway 1: Mackie was the belle of the ball
That was quite the way for Mackie Samoskevich to “officially” introduce himself to the home Kraken crowd at Climate Pledge Arena.
After a relatively quiet first game for him on the fourth line Saturday in Edmonton, Lambert elevated the 22-year-old offseason acquisition to the first line with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann. That meant Kaapo Kakko moved back down to the line with Berkly Catton and Shane Wright, while Ryan Winterton got bounced back down to the fourth line.
“We had Mackie in there for most of Training Camp,” Lambert said. “I liked what I saw during that time, and I thought [Kaapo Kakko] was good with those kids in Training Camp as well. So we just made the flip. I think that, certainly, Mackie’s speed with McCann and Beniers is helpful for those guys.”
The move worked wonders in this game, with Samoskevich potting his first two goals as a Kraken, and Catton and Wright each getting their respective first goals of the year.
It was Catton who got the scoring started just 2:22 into the game—more on that in Takeaway 2—and Samoskevich who followed it up two minutes later to start ripping out the hearts of Flames players who came in hoping for a bounce-back after two poor outings to start their season.
Samoskevich’s first goal came off a beautifully weighted high flip from Brandon Montour, which sailed about 110 feet and dropped at the far blue line for Samoskevich to skate into. He burned around two defenders, then deked and slipped it through Dustin Wolf.
THE MACK ATTACK! 🚨
Montour with a perfect high flip, and Mackie Samoskevich uses his speed to burn two defenders and slip it through Wolf.
First goal as a #SeaKraken for Samoskevich.
2-0 https://t.co/WJ5nlR9bHa
“I was going as fast as I could, and then [Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl] fell over, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I definitely can get there,’” Samoskevich said. “I’m glad he fell over, but yeah, it was a good one to start the game for sure.
“That is my game, the speed part of it. I love skating as fast as I can, and when you do that, things like that happen. So I’m just going to keep doing it.”
Mackie’s second goal, which truly put the nail in Calgary’s coffin at 5-0 with 26 seconds left in the second, showed some of the chemistry Lambert saw in Training Camp between McCann, Beniers, and Samoskevich.
Facing even 3-on-3 numbers, McCann recognized he didn’t have a lane in the middle, so he drove wide. He dropped it to Beniers at the top of the left circle, and Beniers one-touched it to Samoskevich driving down the right side. Samoskevich whipped it over Wolf’s left shoulder.
MACK ATTACK IS BACK (for his second goal of the night)! 🚨 🚨
Another great setup. https://t.co/5TnO45AG5T
“It feels really good,” Samoskevich said about playing on a line with McCann and Beniers. “I think we played pretty well in that first preseason game too, and I think it’s only getting better. So I’m excited for it.”
Takeaway 2: More chemistry from Wright and Catton
I wondered if moving Winterton off the third line would be a detriment to Wright and Catton, but that wasn’t the case in their first game reunited with Kakko. Instead, the chemistry between Wright and Catton continued to build, and both players came away with a goal, Berkly with two points.
After waiting 27 games to score his first NHL goal last season, Catton scored the very first home goal for the Kraken this season. Off a 3-on-2 rush, Kakko’s pass to Wright got intercepted, but Catton stayed with the play and stole the puck right back from Connor Zary. He then cut to open space in the left circle and flung it against the grain to beat Wolf.
THE LI’L CAT! 🐱 🚨
Broken play off a rush, but Catton sticks with it and flings it over Dustin Wolf’s shoulder.
1-0 #SeaKraken early. https://t.co/IQpjI5Db6V
“I think just getting that first goal of the year is always nice to get it out of the way,” Catton said. “It took a little long last year, so it’s nice to get that out of the way and just kind of keep going from there.”
Catton wasn’t done. He got on the scoresheet again when Vince Dunn found him cutting across the offensive blue line. Catton turned on the afterburners and flew down the right flank, then hit the brakes to create a seam and threaded a hard pass to Wright in the slot.
Wright then made a skilled play to A.) catch a hot pass and B.) spin to his backhand and get good wood on a shot that glanced off Zach Whitecloud’s skate and through Wolf’s five-hole.
WRIGHT AS RAIN! ☔️
What. A. Goal.
Great drive and pass by Catton, even better finish by Shane Wright.
4-0 #SeaKraken https://t.co/SGXaTFP7zb
“I think Shane in front of the net is super dangerous, as we all know,” Catton said. “So if I can get the puck to him in there, good things will happen.”
We’ve talked ad nauseam about how encouraging Training Camp was for Wright and Catton and how they’ve looked in the first couple games, but these guys really do look different this season.
Takeaway 3: Another Joey shutout bid… FOILED!
The Kraken have gotten great goaltending for three straight games to start the season. While Seattle ran away on the scoreboard again in this one, the Flames did have plenty of looks at the net, but Daccord was excellent for the second time in as many outings against them.
He was again closing in on a shutout until Ville Ottavainen high-sticked Yegor Sharangovich at 13:33 of the third period. Morgan Frost converted on the ensuing power play, finally sneaking one by Daccord with 5:35 left in the game.
There is something that happens for goalies on certain nights when, no matter what, it feels like pucks are going to find them and somehow stay out of the net. It was clear from the jump that this was one of those nights for Daccord.
“We love those nights. Yeah, those are the best nights as a goalie,” Daccord said.
Hear from Joey Daccord after a *near* shutout, including his thoughts on hearing #SeaKraken fans chanting his name. https://t.co/8a6Qe4rHe5
Of course, it can also go the other way. There are those nights when pucks are going in no matter what, so having them stay out builds confidence.
“There were a couple flurries in the first period that I thought were maybe a little bit frantic, just like chaos in and around the net,” Daccord said. “And sometimes those bounce in, sometimes they don’t, and when they don’t, you start to settle in a little bit. So it was nice to have those go my way.”
Daccord was so sharp on a three-save sequence in the second period that all of Climate Pledge Arena was chanting, “Joey! Joey! Joey!” in perfect unison for a few rounds. While Daccord tried to play it cool and pretend the fans weren’t chanting his name, you could see his posture change slightly in net, indicating he was well aware of what was happening in the building.
Asked what it’s like to have that many people chant his name, Daccord said: “Ah, it’s the best. It’s like the coolest thing ever. I was thinking, actually, during the game, I was like ‘I’ve played a lot of hockey now over the years, and it’s still so cool to be out there.’ And I love just looking around the arena and realizing I’m in the NHL. It’s just the best, and I’m super grateful for every opportunity that I get to play out here and even more grateful when the arena’s supporting me and the team. The Joey chants are my favorite thing in the world. So yeah, it’s great to be back.”
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Hello from the friendly skies en route back to Seattle! The Seattle Kraken split their two-game road trip, with a dominant 6-1 win at the Calgary Flames on Thursday and then a stinging 3-1 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. They now return to Seattle to face those same Flames on Sunday in what could be a physical and feisty matchup against a team that is off to a terrible start to its season.
I was on the trip, along with some combination of other Sound Of Hockey crew members throughout.
Here are some general, bullet-pointed thoughts from the two-game swing through Alberta.
Vince Dunn definitely wants to stay — If you haven’t already, give my interview with Vince Dunn a watch. It’s been noted by national media that he’ll be a hot commodity next summer, should he get to unrestricted free agency. But without me prodding him too much about his contract situation, he offered up that he loves Seattle and clearly wants to stay, going so far as to say, “I would love to retire as a Kraken.” I also reminded him that he simply can’t leave Adam Larsson.
Curtis Douglas remains large — I also did a great video interview with Kraken newcomer Curtis Douglas in advance of the game at Calgary, but that one’s sadly going in the “lost tapes” file. I didn’t realize until after I had finished talking to him for five or six minutes that my new camera had errored out and didn’t actually record. [Facepalm.]
But what I will say is that he is well aware of his role as a deterrent and physical presence when he gets into the lineup. I found it interesting that in a game against a team known for running around—and one in which Calgary got spanked in its home opener to kick off the final season of the Scotiabank Saddledome—there were almost no shenanigans. He only played 5:58, but could Douglas’ presence in the lineup have contributed to the relatively clean game?
My favorite portion of the lost interview was when we talked about the best and worst things about being his size (I prefaced it by saying I know he gets asked all the time about being tall, and I’m sure that’s annoying). He shared that flying on airplanes stinks; going to concerts is great because you can see everything but also stinks because people behind him get mad at him; and he smacks his head on things multiple times a day.
Ben Meyers strong in season debut — Douglas was replaced Saturday by Meyers, and I liked Meyers’ game. He had a couple of offensive rushes, but I especially noticed him at the defensive end of the ice, helping to kill Seattle’s three first-period penalties and intercepting several dangerous-looking passes.
Mackie Samoskevich relatively quiet — Meanwhile, Mackie Samoskevich also made his Kraken debut Saturday and was relatively quiet. I noticed him using his effortless speed to win a couple of races, but coach Lane Lambert was clearly easing him back in with a mostly fourth-line role and just 11:54 of ice time. With the back-to-back games and travel, we will have to wait until warmups Sunday to see if his role will be expanded in the home opener.
Brandon Montour goes at McDavid — At Kraken practice Friday in Edmonton, us media folks could hear some specific discussion about containing a particular Edmonton player, and defenseman Brandon Montour loudly gave his thoughts on the matter. I won’t say what he said.
I found it interesting, though, that Montour took a big run at Connor McDavid during the game—almost flipping him into the Seattle bench—something you don’t see players doing to McDavid that often. Montour also gave 97 some big-time whacks just before he scored his empty-net goal and ended up taking a misconduct penalty.
Brandon Montour takes big run at Connor McDavid and almost flips him into the #SeaKraken bench. https://t.co/JhM4mAGhsY
Philipp Grubauer was great against the Oilers – Philipp Grubauer deserved a better outcome against the Oilers, making five or six 10-bell saves during the course of the game and giving the Kraken every chance to come away with a win. He also got pissed after he was run into for the third or fourth time in the game and took his frustration out on Max Jones’ knee.
We requested Grubauer for post-game media, but he wasn’t immediately available after the game. That typically happens if a player is getting treatment. I don’t know if that’s what happened in this case, but being that Grubi took some bumps and a shot off his mask that seemed to hurt him, we will keep an eye out for any last-minute call-ups Sunday. So far, status quo, which tells me Grubi is probably fine.
A tale of two buildings — The juxtaposition of the withered old Scotiabank Saddledome, which is entering its last season before being torn down for a billion-dollar facility being built across the street, against the sparkling Rogers Place in Edmonton is striking.
I loved the Saddledome. It was like a journey back in time to when the only “amenity” an arena offered was the game itself. It’s a truly unique building with a one-of-a-kind design and quirks galore that took me back to my childhood. The press box was wild—the famed catwalk/gondola situation lived up to its billing and seemed to be constructed of toothpicks and plywood—and the atmosphere was electric, at least until the Kraken pumped three goals past Dustin Wolf in the first period. It was my first and likely last visit to the Saddledome, and now I’m bummed they’re tearing it down.
As for Rogers Place, there is every amenity you can imagine. You can tell they truly thought of every detail in building it, from how fans and media enter and exit the building to how much room is available for teams to work out and stage their equipment.
But man, is it cavernous. Just a massive, massive building. There are definitely some seats (and a press box) that feel very far from the ice surface.
Very doable road trip — On the whole, this wasn’t my favorite road trip I’ve been on—I liked the Florida swing and various New York trips better—but this one is very easy and somewhat economical. We flew to Calgary, drove to Edmonton, and are now flying back from Edmonton. The flight times are quick and convenient, hotels are reasonable, and the arenas are right in the hearts of the cities. Where this trip lacks is in the cities themselves, which just don’t have that much to do outside of going to the games and bars.
Curtis Isacke and I did take the 30-minute trek out to the West Edmonton Mall on Saturday, which was interesting and reminded me a lot of the Mall of America in Minnesota. If I were to do the trip over again, I would carve out some more time to go to the waterpark there, because the slides legitimately looked pretty awesome. They’re also building a new roller coaster in the indoor theme park, which I wish I could have ridden. We did find a few minutes to ride the swan boats, though.
Here’s @DarrenFunBrown and @DeepSeaHockey with a pre-game Swan Boat and Talk from the West Edmonton Mall. #SeaKraken https://t.co/sYs5l1XLjS
Feeling more optimistic than anticipated — I really think the Kraken are going to surprise some people this season. I know they got out to a strong start last season and spiraled late, but something feels quite different about this team.
Even when the Kraken were winning last year, it always looked like they were just holding on for dear life. We saw a little of that against Edmonton in the first period, when they got into penalty trouble, and late in the game, before a lucky bounce landed on the tape of Leon Draisaitl for the game-winner. But there’s some real ability to dictate the pace of the game that wasn’t there last season.
Ville time?– I’m missing Sunday morning availability, but our buddy Charles Hamaker at Circling Seattle Sportsreported that Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury were on the ice with EBUG Dolan Gilbert. That tells us they are the healthy extras tonight, meaning Ville Ottavainen could draw in for the home opener.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Bummer. The Seattle Kraken, who are now 1-9-0 all time at the Edmonton Oilers, had every chance to win Saturday despite minimal puck possession in the first period, an issue exacerbated by taking three penalties and allowing the Oilers’ lethal power play to tilt the ice.
Seattle pushed back in the second, though, got a power-play goal from Bobby McMann to tie the game, and came within 2:27 of at least earning a point. But a bad bounce that landed on the stick of Leon Draisaitl and subsequently in the back of Seattle’s net ultimately did the Kraken in.
Bad break for the #SeaKraken. A rim attempt hits a bottom and caroms straight to Draisaitl on the doorstep.
“I think we deserved a better result when you see [goals] like that,” McMann said. “You sometimes realize that’s the game of hockey, and you want to put yourself in a position where maybe something like that doesn’t matter as much because you maybe have a goal up or something like that. So there’s always ways to counteract that, but yeah, those ones are always tough to see when a game’s so close, and you’ve been playing so well down the stretch towards the end of a game.”
Here are Three Takeaways from a hard-fought 3-1 Kraken loss at the Edmonton Oilers.
Takeaway 1: First-period penalty trouble
On Thursday in Calgary, the Kraken played a very disciplined game and used their speed to force the Flames into dumb penalties. The penalty-related tables turned dramatically in the first period Saturday, though, with the Oilers’ terrifying power play getting three chances in the opening frame.
The penalty kill came up big, backed by a couple of 10-bell saves from Philipp Grubauer, including this right-pad dazzler after Seattle let Vasily Podkolzin walk down Main Street and Leon Draisaitl threaded a pass through to him.
“First of all, we got some good kills, and we got some great saves by Grubi,” coach Lane Lambert said. “There wasn’t any rhythm in the first period. Some guys only played maybe two minutes. So once they started to get the rhythm going and the flow going a little bit, I thought we settled in quite nicely.”
Three successful kills in the opening period meant the Kraken were firmly on their heels for much of that frame, but in the closing minutes before the first horn, you could see them starting to find their game.
Indeed, they tilted things the other way for a good stretch of the second period, got the lone call of the frame in their favor, and took advantage with McMann’s snipe under the bar.
MCMANN CAN! 🎯 🚨
What a snipe. Seattle's first power play of the game was looking pretty sad, until a quick strike by Bobby McMann just under the bar.
“We just needed to stay out of the penalty box,” Lambert said. “It wasn’t like we were doing anything terrible, terrible. We were sitting back maybe a little bit, but we just couldn’t get anything going because we had a steady stream to the penalty box.”
Takeaway 2: They held off the big guns, until…
For the vast majority of the game, every time it looked like Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl—who skated together on a line—was about to connect on a pass, a Kraken stick would magically appear in the lane and break it up.
I was prepared to go down to the dressing room after the game and ask about how the Kraken had so successfully held the big guns at bay… until…
Edmonton was pushing late and had extended zone time. Ryan Shea tried to rim the puck deep from the blue line, but it hit McDavid on the shin pad and ricocheted straight to Draisaitl on the doorstep. Although Grubauer got across in time, he wasn’t able to properly square up to Draisaitl, who chipped it over his shoulder and into the far corner.
“In the first two games here, I liked our structure for the most part,” Lambert said. “Really unfortunate the winning goal tonight was the bounce that it was. So we just have to keep building on it, but I liked our structure, and I think our sticks were pretty good.”
McDavid followed that up with an empty-net goal, so after 57 minutes and 33 seconds of holding that duo completely off the scoresheet, Draisaitl ended up with the game-winner, and McDavid got two cheap points.
What can you do?
Takeaway 3: Lots to build on
If the Kraken can bounce back and take care of business against the Flames—who they smoked 6-1 on Thursday—in their home opener Sunday, then this should be viewed as an extremely positive start to the season.
They absolutely could have beaten Edmonton in this game. And considering the Oilers had played two insanely high-scoring games against Vancouver to start their season, holding them to one goal for almost the entire game—while also controlling some stretches—should be viewed as a positive.
There was some bad luck and a couple of absolute robberies by Devon Levi, including a save on Eberle that was so close to going in, the officials actually reviewed the play to see if his glove crossed the line.
[Dr. Evil voice]: "You know, I have one simple request, and that is to have technology that tells us when a fricken puck crosses the line."
“It’s hard after a loss. Losing is not fun,” Lambert said. “But I think if you look at the [first two] games as a whole, we did a lot of good things. We had a lot of commitment, and I thought everybody played an important role. Everybody matters on our hockey team.”
The early returns are encouraging. What say you?
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Hello from Edmonton, where the Seattle Kraken are set to take on the fast-and-loose Edmonton Oilers Saturday at Rogers Place. Head coach Lane Lambert confirmed that forward Mackie Samoskevich will make his debut after sitting out the first game in Calgary with an upper-body injury sustained in Training Camp.
“Obviously, it’s not fun watching, but it was fun to watch,” Samoskevich said of the team’s first outing, a 6-1 drubbing of the Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “They came out hot right away and ready to go, and with a short camp and all that, that’s good to see. I think the coaching staff did a good job of getting us ready.”
Samoskevich, known for his speed, should bring another element of skill to the lineup for Seattle in a matchup against an Edmonton team that has scored 14 goals but given up 13 through its first two games, both against the Vancouver Canucks.
“We all know it, speed is a big part of [The Oilers],” Samoskevich said. “It’s a big part of our team too, so it’ll be a fun game. We’ve just got to be smart, manage the puck really well, stay above their speed and help each other out out there.”
Jacob Melanson on injured reserve
We all wondered who would be put on waivers when Samoskevich became available, since the Kraken are at their 23-man roster limit. That question can be put off for at least a week, though, because Jacob Melanson is now out and on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
We didn’t see anything specific happen in the Calgary game, but Melanson did not practice Friday in Edmonton, and Lambert said at the time that he was “banged up” and “being evaluated.”
On Saturday, the coach shared that he doesn’t “expect him to be able to play in the next three games, but we’ll see.”
Lineup plans remain fuzzy
Seattle did not hold a morning skate Saturday, and based on how practice went Friday—when I genuinely do not think Lambert knew for sure if Samoskevich would be ready Saturday—there seemed to be a plan to ease the winger into the lineup. During line rushes, Samoskevich rotated in on the fourth line, with the top three lines from the Calgary game all remaining intact.
Lambert was unsurprisingly cagey Saturday, though, about where he would slot Samoskevich against Edmonton. Would he dare break up The Kids line of Berkly Catton, Shane Wright, and Ryan Winterton after they drove the bus en route to a dominant win last game?
“Well, we’ll see how we progress and see what our lines are tonight,” Lambert said with a smirk.
On the Catton/Wright/Winterton trio, Lambert said: “I like Ryan Winterton’s speed with them… It’s a long season, but certainly, I like the speed of Shane and ‘Cats.’ I think Shane’s got a pretty good mentality now, playing on the wing of using his shot, and we need him to use his shot.
“But they were quick, and they were hounding pucks, and I think Winterton has done a pretty good job with them. Not only does he complement their speed, but you could argue he’s faster too, so it makes for a dangerous trio.”
If Lambert wants to get Samoskevich into a top-six role, the most obvious solution to the puzzle would be to put everybody back where they were in Training Camp, with Samoskevich on the top line with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann, and Kaapo Kakko sliding back down to play with Catton and Wright.
But that would mean booting Winterton down to the fourth line, and after Game 1—and considering Lambert’s comments above—how does he do that?
We shall see…
Heck, I’m not even 100 percent sure who the goalie will be for this game. My gut says Joey Daccord, but Daccord was often tabbed for the second of back-to-backs last season.
In any case, here’s my best guess at the lineup:
Jared McCann / Matty Beniers / Kaapo Kakko Bobby McMann / Chandler Stephenson / Jordan Eberle Shane Wright / Berkly Catton / Ryan Winterton Ben Meyers / Freddy Gaudreau / Mackie Samoskevich
Vince Dunn / Adam Larsson Ryker Evans / Brandon Montour Ryan Lindgren / Josh Mahura
Joey Daccord Philipp Grubauer
If I’m right, the extras would be Curtis Douglas, Ville Ottavainen, and Cale Fleury.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
You can’t ask for a much better start to the season than what the Seattle Kraken got on Thursday, cruising to a 6-1 win over the Flames in Calgary.
The youngsters, who Seattle is relying upon to take a big step in their development this season, literally led the way. Six different Kraken scored, Jared McCann had three assists, and Joey Daccord was rock solid, despite having his shutout foiled with three minutes left.
Here are Three Takeaways from a dominant 6-1 Kraken win over the Flames on Opening Night.
Takeaway 1: The Kids™️ are alright
I loved what I saw from “The Kids” line of Shane Wright, Berkly Catton, and Ryan Winterton.
After the Flames tilted the ice for the first few minutes, it was that line that flipped things back the other way for Seattle, earning the first sustained zone time of the season and creating the first two shots on goal. A game that initially felt like the Kraken couldn’t get the puck suddenly reversed course, and within minutes, they were off and running.
Jordan Eberle credited that young line with getting the team going. “They had some good shifts, and then we obviously got one on the power play. We found a couple after. Yeah, then we started to roll from there.”
Wright drew the penalty that led to Eberle’s power-play goal at 9:10 of the first period, then had a great shift that ended with a Vince Dunn bomb to make it 2-0 just 32 seconds later.
DUNN DEAL! 🚨
Ryan Winterton goes low-to-high, and Vince Dunn just lets it rip.
On that play, Catton stole the puck and chipped it low for Wright. Wright took a hit below the goal line but kept the play alive to a swinging Winterton, who then banked it up to Dunn at the point. Catton and Wright both went to the front of the net to wreak havoc in front of Dustin Wolf, and Dunn let it rip.
“They were unbelievable, and I think Shane and ‘Wints’ and the guys that we need to get going to win games—they are very committed to create things away from the puck,” Dunn said. “I thought they were pretty good and put themselves in good positions to get the puck back and create a lot of scoring chances… That was a really big team effort, and it’s good to see them get their confidence going right from the start because we’re going to need them throughout the season.”
Aside from those moments of production, the trio looked dynamic and fast throughout the night and played with a ton of confidence. Obviously, it’s just Game 1, but all three players look like they took steps in their development this summer.
“Really encouraging,” coach Lane Lambert said of The Kids. “That’s what we’re counting on. A lot of that trio—we’ll see if ‘Wints’ is on there the whole time or how that works—but certainly, they use their speed, hockey sense, and they’ve got some skill offensively. So they did a really good job, and I really liked their compete level.”
Takeaway 2: Encouraging signs from power play, too
The Kraken got a lot of chances on the power play on this night, with the undisciplined Flames putting themselves shorthanded five times. Eberle buried one early, but Seattle failed to convert on the subsequent four power plays.
“I thought [the power play was] average, at best,” Dunn said. “I think it’s obviously nice when you get one right away. I think from there we got a little complacent and a little slow. I think we can be a little bit more selfish, and I think that’s going to have to be the identity with it this year.”
So, that seems bad. HOWEVER…
Even on the four chances in which they didn’t score, Seattle looked reasonably dynamic. The two units were slinging the puck around with ease at times, and there were a few sequences with four or five shots in quick succession at Wolf, who was equal to the task.
More goals would have been nice, but it was a decent showing by the PP units and an encouraging foundation for Game 1.
Takeaway 3: Solid start for Joey
Joey Daccord (almost) couldn’t have asked for a better start to his season, shutting out the Flames for more than 56 minutes before Ryan Strome finally got one by him at 16:35 of the third.
There were some big saves, too, and at critical times. For example, with Seattle leading 2-0 in the first period, Josh Mahura took the team’s lone penalty of the contest. Matty Beniers laid out for a painful block, and Ryan Lindgren had one as well. Beniers had his knee wrapped in ice after the game.
But Daccord also stood tall during that PK, and Freddy Gaudreau’s dazzling goal at 19:30 of the first put things well on the rails.
“I liked [Joey’s game],” Lambert said. “He needed to make some saves, and he did. I thought he was square, solid, I thought his puck play was solid. So it’s unfortunate that he didn’t get the zero, but I thought he played very well.”
—
All in all, that was about as solid a first outing as you could have hoped for from the Kraken, from top to bottom. Now, it’s on to Edmonton, where they’ll face a team that just went 1-0-1 in a two-game series against the Vancouver Canucks, with the teams combining for 27 goals across the two games.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
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.
A full season of Bobby McMann’s goal scoring is a reason to be optimistic. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
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.
Berkly Catton could prove he deserves to be mentioned as a top young player this season. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
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.
* * *
What did we miss? What are your hopes, concerns, predictions, and projections for this Kraken season? Let us know in the comments below.
As we’ve sought reasons for optimism heading into the sixth edition of Seattle Kraken hockey, we’ve continuously found ourselves circling back to scoring winger Bobby McMann.
Acquired from Toronto at the NHL Trade Deadline last season, the 30-year-old burst onto the scene and filled up the net 10 times in just 18 games in Deep Sea Blue, despite the team spiraling out of the playoff picture around him. Keeping him in the organization quickly became a priority for the Kraken this offseason.
Now, armed with the first big contract of his career—he’ll make $5.75 million over each of the next six seasons with Seattle—McMann is ready to hit the ground running with more familiarity with the organization, the team, and the city.
“It’s definitely a fresh start for everybody,” McMann said. “It’s a new season, a new approach, definitely excited about the season. I think the guys are excited. The guys are really optimistic and feeling good about our game.”
The trade that brought McMann to Seattle was a down-to-the-wire deal, with the transaction going through moments before the deadline. General manager Jason Botterill was cautious at the time about indicating whether he could see extending McMann past last season or if it would be a proper “rental” situation.
Botterill joked on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast two weeks ago that seeing McMann play one game—he had two goals and an assist in his debut in a 5-2 win at Vancouver on March 14—was all it took to convince the front office that they wanted to keep him around. (Watch the full interview in Ep. 398 of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast.)
“In all honesty, it was a great fit for our group,” Botterill said. “Bobby coming in and— first of all, you look at the acquisition of Bobby, it was a scenario where you look at [Research and Development], you look at our pro scouts, that combination [of departments] both agreeing this player would be a good fit.
“Also, [head coach Lane Lambert] having a relationship with Bobby from his Toronto days, he came in, and I think you saw, when a player comes in with speed, the way Lane wants to play, that assertiveness, that aggressiveness, Bobby certainly did. I think we have some players with some very good hockey sense, but we needed more of a shoot-first mentality. Bobby brought that, got to the net, and so it was a great fit from there.”
Kraken captain Jordan Eberle immediately saw the fit, too, and looks forward to (likely) skating on a line with McMann when the season opens Thursday in Calgary.
“Things that stick out are his shot, his speed, his size,” Eberle said of McMann. “He plays hard, plays fast. He came in, made an impact, scored goals right off the bat. And just as a guy, I think he’s a pro. He takes care of himself, he’s always got things going on just to fine-tune his body and be ready for the next game. I think that’s an important thing, and you bring that to our culture of just being professional.”
Why McMann stayed in Seattle
At his end-of-season press conference, McMann indicated that winning was high on his list of priorities. It was up to Botterill and the Kraken to prove they shared that priority, so they went to work wooing McMann and his agent to convince them this was the best place for Bobby.
At the beginning of the offseason, McMann spent more time with his Kraken teammates and returned to Seattle for an extended stay to get even more of a feel for the city than he got during the season.
“I went on a bit of a golf trip [with the guys], spent some time here, checking out the city, checking out different areas: Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle, the west sides of Seattle too,” McMann recalled. “I wanted to really get a good feel of the city, first off, and then the hockey was the main focus. ‘What does this team look like in the future here, and where do I fit into that?’
“And then it was extensive conversations with Botts and Lane too. I went over to his house, had discussions about it, and kind of went back and forth about ‘How can I contribute, and how can I be a piece that adds to this group? And do we have the pieces in this group to continue to grow and continue to push to be a competitive and contending team every year?’”
Lambert, who was an associate coach for the Maple Leafs in 2024-25 when McMann finally became a full-time NHLer and scored 20 goals in 74 games, confirmed he was in on the pitch.
“I was very involved with Bobby,” Lambert said. “I had him in Toronto, and he came in here, and he liked what was going on. Obviously, we didn’t have the successes that we wanted to have, but certainly with the plan and the plans that are in place in the development area, and he’s a guy who continuously wants to develop his game… I think there were things that we were doing here that he hadn’t seen before, and it’s probably a good portion of why he wanted to remain here.”
Indeed, McMann was sold on Botterill’s vision for the future of the Kraken, the depth of their prospect pool, and the tightness of the group currently in the dressing room.
“I like the group here, and I like what they’ve established so far,” McMann said. “And I think that there’s a lot to be built and a lot of potential out of guys in here to grow their games and be really elite players in this league. And that’s what you need to be a winning team, and I think that this team has potential… The prospects and the amount of picks that they have coming up here, I think those are all things that you can utilize to make this team better. And I think there are guys coming up in this organization that can be real players.”
The Kraken crumbled down the stretch following the Olympic break last season, despite McMann adding a needed offensive boost. Now, with him in the fold as a more permanent member of the team, there is a glimmer of hope that he can bring that punch from the beginning and help Seattle roll all the way through the end of the season.
“Throughout the discussions [with Botterill and Lambert], I felt comfortable enough that I could be a good piece in [the team’s future success],” McMann said. “[I believe] we have the pieces surrounding too to continue to grow this new program to new heights.”
Other Kraken notes
Curtis Douglas and Ville Ottavainen were perhaps the most surprising holdovers when the Kraken reduced their roster to 23 in advance of the NHL’s Monday deadline. Based on what we saw in practice this week, we expect them to begin the season as healthy scratches, along with Josh Mahura.
Here’s how they looked in line rushes on Monday.
Mackie Samoskevich, listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, is not expected to play Thursday in Calgary. He has not been ruled out for Saturday in Edmonton or the home opener on Sunday, but he did not participate in the team’s most recent skate on Monday.
Jake O’Brien is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury, but while Samoskevich is noted as “IR” and still present on the official roster, O’Brien is nowhere to be found. We confirmed he has been designated as non-roster injured reserve. We suspect that whenever he is healthy enough to do so, O’Brien will report to Coachella Valley to take advantage of the new rules allowing 19-year-old first-round draft picks to play in the AHL.
With the shortened Training Camp, the team is not doing a “bonding trip” of sorts this season, but they did have a team golf outing on Monday.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
As the Seattle Kraken head into their sixth season, we are back with the Strive for 95 series to track their progress toward the playoffs. However, the NHL has expanded the 2026-27 regular season to 84 games, which upped the target for standing points from 95 to 97. With that change I am changing the series name to “Path to the Playoffs,” since very few words rhyme with “97.” I might continue to workshop the name.
As in years past, we will update this series monthly. The Kraken had several player departures and additions during the offseason.
Mackie Samoskevich — Seattle traded a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Panthers for Samoskevich. He skated with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann in the preseason game he appeared in.
Samoskevich looked as billed: fast, with a shoot-first mentality. He finished the game but is now day-to-day with an upper-body injury, so Kraken fans will have to wait a bit to see him in action .
Curtis Douglas — The 6-foot-9 forward signed a two-year deal with Seattle. He appeared in 43 NHL games between Tampa Bay and Vancouver last season, piling up 108 penalty minutes.
Ville Ottavainen — Seattle’s fourth-round pick in 2021 looks to have made the roster out of Training Camp. That puts Seattle at eight defensemen, something the club has done in years past. With Samoskevich on injured reserve, it will be interesting to see who gets sent down when he returns (barring other injuries). Ottavainen would require waivers if Seattle sends him to the AHL.
Ville Ottavainen
Team tiers
For those new to this series, we at Sound Of Hockey split NHL teams into three categories: Playoff Bound, Bubble, and Tankers. To reach 97 points, a team needs a .577 points percentage.
No game in the NHL is a gimme, but tiering teams helps gauge the difficulty of the Kraken’s schedule and level-set expectations.
Playoff Bound — Teams expected to comfortably make the playoffs, generally among the league’s top performers last season.
Bubble — Teams fighting for a playoff spot, most likely battling for wild-card positions.
Tankers — Teams likely to miss the playoffs, making them Seattle’s most favorable matchups.
Bolded teams are teams the Kraken play this month. ‘x2, X3’ indicates the Kraken face that team multiple times.
These tiers have to start somewhere, but they will change each month as the season settles in, after teams stress test how offseason changes have impacted their play.
Breakdown of point percentages
The key to separating teams into tiers is understanding how the Kraken need to perform against each group. Here are the point percentages for October.
These will be adjusted each month to show what the Kraken need to do to maintain a 97-point pace.
October targets
The Kraken will have their busiest October yet, as the NHL season begins Oct. 1, one week earlier than any other Kraken season. The month will feature 14 games, with eight on the road and six at home.
The Kraken open in Calgary at the Saddledome, which will host its final Flames season. They will then travel north to Edmonton before returning to Seattle for the Oct. 4 home opener against Calgary, part deux.
Seattle then has a five-game swing through the Eastern Conference spanning eight days. It will be a good chance for the team to bond early in the season.
Playoff Bound teams (target: two points)
Three games qualify for this tier: Vegas, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay. The Kraken went 4-3-1 against those teams last season. With a two-point target and two of the games at home, this could be a category where they bank an extra point or two.
Bubble teams (target: nine points)
With 18 teams in this category, this is the largest tier. The Kraken have seven games here, with five on the road. They will play Edmonton, Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, Florida, and Utah.
The Kraken will play both of the season games against Detroit in October, so they would only see the Red Wings again if the teams somehow met in the Stanley Cup Final. Seattle did not fare well against these teams last year, compiling a 4-10-1 record. Hopefully, catching them early creates opportunities to steal a point here and there. The Kraken are shooting for a 4-2-1 record.
Tankers tier (target: six points)
Maybe we should rename this the Flames tier for October, as the Kraken will play Calgary three times. Add in the two preseason games against Calgary, and you can understand why the last one got chippy, with the teams trying to set the tone for October.
Two games are in Calgary and one is in Seattle. The Kraken also play Toronto, making four games in the tier.
The Maple Leafs might not be a true Tankers team, but they finished 28th in the NHL last season. Winning the Draft Lottery for Gavin McKenna likely turned things around quickly for Toronto, which also made several other offseason changes: they added Sergei Bobrovsky in net, Darren Raddysh to the blue line, and depth forwards Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, and Brandon Duhaime. They also made a big trade Monday for Kirill Marchenko. Still, they have to prove it, so the Tankers tier is where they sit.
Let the hockey begin
Although the Kraken did not have any major moves, I am still hopeful they can make the playoffs. Starting the year with a healthy Jared McCann, the Kraken’s all-time leading scorer with 283 points, should help. We will have to wait for Samoskevich, but hopefully not for long. The Kraken also will get newly signed Bobby McMann for a full year. On defense, it is mostly the same group, but Ryker Evans has moved from the third pairing to the second alongside Brandon Montour. We will see whether Ottavainen is on the game-day roster, but it has looked so far like the third pair will be Ryan Lindgren and Cale Fleury initially.
The Vegas Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final last season before losing to the Carolina Hurricanes. Vegas won the Pacific Division with only 95 points, and the other teams in the division did not fare much better. Vancouver and Calgary are still projected to be at the bottom of the league, while Anaheim signed Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier but lost a slew of players.
Los Angeles will be without Anze Kopitar after his retirement, while San Jose could be the most improved team in the group after bolstering its defense with Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba and drafting Ivar Stenberg. Edmonton still has goalie issues under a polarizing new head coach, Mike Babcock. After John Tortorella righted the ship in Vegas, the team declined to retain him and hired first-time NHL head coach Ryan Craig.
With three playoff spots guaranteed for Pacific teams, those spots are up for grabs. If the Kraken can buy into tight defensive structure, and if some young players can take a step forward offensively, they have a legitimate path to the playoffs.
With the shortened training camp, the Kraken sent many prospects down early. Sound Of Hockey’s Darren Brown talked with head coach Lane Lambert about the players on the cusp of the NHL.
Lambert said Oscar Fisker Mølgaard is “very, very close” to the NHL, calling the center “a very trustworthy player” and “a great option for us.” He stressed that the Kraken “need depth” and mentioned Jani Nyman, Jagger Firkus, and Ty Nelson as prospects who could come up and give Seattle games. Lambert said those names were simply “off the top of my head,” not a complete list. I would add Logan Morrison and Tyson Jugnauth to the list of players who impressed in camp and could be called upon during the season.
Puck drops Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. PT in Calgary. Let’s get this season started.
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to 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.
The preseason is done, and the games will count from here on out, starting with the season opener in Calgary on Thursday. It’s difficult to extrapolate many insights from a shortened preseason when only the last two games resembled NHL lineups. It’s also worth noting that one of those games, the Kraken versus Flames preseason game on Thursday night, was basically the full NHL Kraken playing against Calgary’s AHL team.
The roster is set for now
The Kraken made their roster moves on Sunday to be roster compliant for the NHL deadline on Tuesday. Unfortunately, there weren’t many tough decisions to be made because the Kraken designated Mackie Samoskevich (day-to-day) and Jake O’Brien (week-to-week) to injured reserve.
As I see it, there are five bubble players: Ben Meyers, Curtis Douglas, Ville Ottavainen, Cale Fleury, and Josh Mahura. In my opinion, Fleury and Mahura’s spots are more secure, but the team could be concerned about losing the 24-year-old Ottavainen in a possible waiver claim.
Here is how the lines look going into the season:
I don’t expect those lines to stay intact for very long, but I did like the Winterton-Catton-Wright line on Saturday night against Vancouver.
Jake O’Brien status
The Kraken’s first-round selection from the 2025 NHL Draft played the first preseason game before being classified as injured. It was only one game, but he seemed much more NHL ready than I expected. He looked comfortable with the puck and made some nifty skilled plays that showcased his potential. The scouting report on O’Brien is high-end hockey sense and excellent vision. I anticipate he will be more of a playmaker, but his timing and positioning are top notch here in his preseason goal last Saturday.
I anticipate that, once healthy, he will be sent down to Coachella Valley. It would have been nice to see him play one of the final two preseason games against some tougher competition, which would have provided a better benchmark for his game and helped us understand just how “NHL ready” he really is.
Heading into Training Camp, I expected him to spend the entire season with the Firebirds, but there could be a scenario where he gets some NHL games later in the season.
Pack mentality
I don’t think every hard hit or questionable transgression requires a response or a scrap, but I did like the pack mentality that the team showed over those last two preseason games. To prove the doubters wrong, this team needs to be better than the sum of its parts. From everything I’ve heard around Training Camp and through different media outlets, it feels like there is a deliberate effort to build a better team commitment and culture on and off the ice from the players themselves.
This shows up in that pack mentality on the ice. It’s a “you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us” type response. It showed up when newcomer Mackie Samoskevich took a hit after a shot on net last Thursday. You also saw a response on Saturday when Ryan Winterton went after Elias Pettersson after he hit Shane Wright late in the third period.
Other musings
There are currently eight defensemen and 13 forwards on the roster. The Kraken only used eight unique defensemen but 19 different forwards all last season. Some of the guys sent down will certainly get an opportunity later this season.
Mackie Samoskevich is currently listed as day-to-day and on injured reserve. IR indicates he is out at least a week, though IR can be retroactive to when the injury occurred. So, it’s still possible he plays the opener.
Even if Samoskevich is out on Thursday, the Kraken will likely have five players under 24 in the lineup. That will be the most under-24 players the Kraken have suited up for a season opener in their six-season history.
Matty Beniers seems to be taking a bigger leadership role this season. When speaking to the media, he seems more assertive and vocal when talking about the team and eager to prove the pundits wrong.
The Kraken allowed two power-play goals against in four shorthanded situations on Saturday night. It was more like three power-play goals in those four opportunities since time expired right as Vancouver scored its fourth goal. That’s bad, and the penalty kill must improve this season, but it is way too early to freak out about the penalty kill.
Speaking of killing penalties, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard is going to be a regular NHLer very soon. He is starting the season in Coachella Valley, but he is knocking on the door right now.
In case you missed it, the Seattle Torrent’s first round pick “threw” out the first pitch at a White Sox game over the weekend.
USA Hockey Olympic gold medalist Abbey Murphy made the ceremonial first shot at the White Sox game 🏒 pic.twitter.com/OUYU9IWmlj
Bobby McMann (SEA) – I know it is just preseason, but Bobby McMann had a goal in each of his two preseason games. During his 18-game stint with the Kraken last season, he was on pace for 47 goals over an 84-game season. I would settle for 30 this season. Semyon Vyazovoi (SYU/SEA) – The Russian goaltender has five wins and two losses in the KHL this season, with two of those wins being shutouts. He is the Kraken’s most promising goaltending prospect in the system. Brandon Montour (SEA) – He had two goals and an assist in his two preseason games. Again, it’s just preseason, but it’s nice to see that Monty is starting the season healthy. (Check out Darren’s interview with Monty if you want to hear what he was dealing with last season.)
Goal of the week
I love this entire sequence.
The week ahead
The regular season kicks off for the Seattle Kraken on the road with a Thursday game against the Calgary Flames and then they face the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday in Edmonton before heading home for the home opener on Sunday in another game against the Flames.
The Flames are expected to be a bottom-five team in the league, but a lot of pundits are predicting the same for the Kraken. Meanwhile, predictions for Edmonton are all over the map, so who knows what to expect from them. The Kraken are a collective 4-14-1 against the Oilers in franchise history. Their last win in Edmonton was Jan. 3, 2023.
I am not expecting much from the game against the Oilers, but it is important to get a few points from the two games the Flames. The Kraken do have a back-to-back scenario over the weekend, but so do the Flames, so no excuses.
I will settle for three points out of the three games.
And finally
I know not many people are giving this team much of a chance this season, but I think the path is there if they can stay healthy. A full season of Bobby McMann should be an upgrade over what they got last year, Samoskevich adds another scoring threat, and I’m very excited to see what Catton can do in his second NHL season. If those things break the right way, I can see this group sticking around the playoff bubble. And if they’re still in the mix come March and April, anything can happen.
