With the preseason underway and the regular season around the corner, it’s time to highlight a handful of Seattle Kraken players who can improve on last year’s results. I’m calling them “rebound candidates,” but that doesn’t mean they had bad seasons in 2024-25. It means they’ve already shown they can play at a higher level than what they showed last season. After finishing with 76 standings points last year, the Kraken will need every ounce of production if they hope to return to the playoffs.
Here are the players I’ll be watching for rebound seasons:
Jared McCann
Since arriving in Seattle via the Expansion Draft from Pittsburgh by way of Toronto (he never actually played a game for the Maple Leafs before they left him exposed), McCann has thrived in an expanded role. His ice time has climbed from 16 to 17 minutes per game, and he leads the franchise in both goals (128) and points (243). He even led the Kraken in points last season with 61 (22-39=61).
So how does he qualify as a rebound candidate? Goal scoring. In his first three Kraken seasons, McCann topped the team in goals each year and shot 15.4 percent. Last season, that number dipped 4.5 percentage points to 10.9 percent, and he finished with 22 goals. He also scored just four power-play goals, his lowest total since joining Seattle.
Regression to the mean suggests his shooting percentage should creep back toward his Kraken average of 14.3 percent. His career high is 40 goals (2022-23), and while that may be ambitious, returning to the 30-goal mark feels realistic. Last season, McCann played mostly with Chandler Stephenson, who was second on the team with 51 points but often matched against top opposing lines.
McCann has shown he can produce from any spot in the lineup, and I expect him to bury more chances this year. It should be noted that McCann is currently day-to-day and shared earlier this week with media that he didn’t skate much this summer while recovering from a procedure that he underwent after last season.
Rebound target: 30 goals and 70 points
Matty Beniers
After his 57-point rookie season and Calder Trophy win, the Kraken have been waiting for Beniers to recapture that magic. He has since posted 37 and 43 points while leading the forward group in even-strength ice time (15:44 minutes per game). But among NHL forwards who averaged that much even-strength time and played a full season (70+ games), he ranked last in the NHL in points in each of the last two seasons.
There’s still reason for optimism. He returned to the 20-goal plateau in 2024-25, showed chemistry with Kaapo Kakko, and boosted his shooting percentage to 13.6 percent (up from 11.3 in 2023-24). He’s proven he has the offensive talent, as his rookie numbers came with less ice time. With new head coach Lane Lambert emphasizing structure at both ends, Beniers should benefit.
Rebound target: 60 points. It’s a stretch, but it’s within reach if he finds his stride early.
Vince Dunn
Dunn broke out for 64 points in 2022-23 but has since been slowed by injuries, missing 20-plus games each of the past two seasons. During his career-best season, he averaged 0.79 points per game, 12th best among defensemen that season (2022-23). He nearly matched that rate the next year (0.78 PPG) but played just 59 games. Last season he dropped to 0.63 PPG and again missed almost a quarter of the year (20 games).
Keeping Dunn healthy is a priority. When in the lineup, the puck-moving defenseman drives offense and brings an edge that energizes teammates and fans. The physical side makes him popular but also adds injury risk. Balancing those elements will be critical for Seattle.
Rebound target: 60 points and play 82 games
Backup goaltending
Philipp Grubauer officially slid into a backup role in 2024-25, and the results were rough: an .875 save percentage and an 8-17-1 record. After four straight years below .900, hope is scarce. Still, he showed a late spark. Following a stint with Coachella Valley, he returned to Seattle with a 3-2-0 record and a .915 save percentage. The sample was small but promising, and he seems to really enjoy working with goalie coach Colin Zulianello, who was promoted from the Firebirds to the Kraken this summer, replacing Steve Briere.
The Kraken also added two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray. Murray has struggled in recent NHL stints but dominated the AHL last season with a .934 save percentage. Neither option is a sure bet, but both have NHL experience. And frankly, can it get worse than an .875 save percentage?
Whoever wins the backup job behind Joey Daccord, Seattle will be counting on more stability in net. General manager Jason Botterill has even suggested the team may carry three goalies.
Both Grubauer and Murray would require waivers to be sent to the AHL. Murray, on a one-year deal at $1 million, could be a low-risk waiver claim for another team. Grubauer’s $5.9 million cap hit, on the other hand, is unlikely to be claimed if Seattle wanted to send him down at some point.
Rebound target: A .500 record when the backup is in net
Final thoughts
The Kraken don’t need all four of these rebound stories to hit in order to take a step forward. But if McCann’s shot rebounds, Beniers breaks through, Dunn stays healthy, and the backup goalie spot stabilizes, Seattle’s chances of returning to the playoffs increase dramatically. Even two or three of these improvements could be the difference between another disappointing season and meaningful games in April.
Comment below on which Kraken player you think could be a rebound candidates?
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.
Kraken preseason is officially underway. As I have done in previous preseasons, I like to project Seattle’s playoff chances by forecasting the team’s goal scoring. You can review my last three forecasts here: 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25.
This forecast looks at adjusted goals for each player on the projected Kraken roster. The “adjusted goals” metric is defined as goals scored minus empty-net goals. Based on prior analysis, teams with an adjusted goal differential of plus-one to plus-five make the playoffs more than 50 percent of the time. Adjusted goals against is the other half of that equation, but for this article, we’re only focusing on adjusted goals for.
Looking back at the 2024–25 forecast
Last season, the Kraken finished with 230 adjusted goals, an increase of 25 compared to 2023–24. My forecast missed the mark by 11.9 goals. Here’s a player-by-player breakdown:
Overall, the forecast did fine but not great. A few players came in well below expectations, Andre Burakovsky and Jared McCann among them, but Jaden Schwartz more than offset those misses, finishing 10.9 goals above what I had projected for him. That’s how forecasting tends to work: some players overshoot, others undershoot.
There were also factors that would have been tough to build into the model. Jordan Eberle’s injury was significant. Yanni Gourde also missed time with injury, and even when healthy, his production lagged. Trades always shake things up, too. While Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand were dealt at the deadline, their lost production was roughly balanced by Kaapo Kakko, who arrived in an earlier trade.
Roster unknowns for 2025–26
Unlike recent offseasons, this year’s roster still has a few question marks. Several rookies are making strong pushes out of camp, and late adjustments could happen depending on who earns spots. That makes projecting games played a little trickier, so I’ve leaned conservative with totals.
Another wrinkle: a lot of Kraken players are entering the final year of their contracts. If Seattle falls out of playoff contention by the deadline, it wouldn’t be surprising to see veterans moved to contenders for future assets. That uncertainty isn’t baked into this forecast, but it’s definitely a storyline to monitor.
Departures and Arrivals for 2025–26
From a pure goal-scoring standpoint, the only notable departure from last season is Bjorkstrand, who was traded to Tampa Bay at the deadline.
The Kraken made two trades this offseason that should help replace some of the goal scoring lost from last year’s roster. First, they acquired Mason Marchment from the cap-strapped Dallas Stars in mid-June. Marchment brings size, physicality, and a proven middle-six scoring touch, with three straight seasons of double-digit goals. Just a week later, the Kraken added Freddy Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild. Gaudreau isn’t as flashy offensively, but he’s versatile, defensively reliable, and can chip in 10–15 goals while playing anywhere in the lineup (he had 18 last season and 19 in 2022-23). Together, the pair should provide depth scoring and stability that will help offset the loss of Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Based on last year’s production, the Kraken lost 41 goals but brought in 35 — and that’s in 112 fewer games played. That gap is where potential rookies like Berkly Catton, Jani Nyman, and a handful of other candidates could step in and contribute.
Scoring forecast approach
As in past seasons, I’m using each player’s last three years of games played and adjusted goals to project for 2025–26. Games played is the trickiest part to forecast — I leaned on each player’s historical average, but I’ll make the occasional subjective adjustment if I think the production rate doesn’t quite line up.
Yes, some guys have averaged 75-plus games per season, but as we saw with Eberle and Gourde last year, injuries are inevitable. Since it’s nearly impossible to predict who will go down, I also take a conservative approach to projecting games played for the upcoming season.
Forwards forecast
The most difficult part of this forecast is figuring out games played and goals for the rookies. Take Jani Nyman, for example — he scored three goals in 12 games with the Kraken during his late-season call-up and added 28 goals in 58 games for Coachella Valley. He’s a natural goal scorer, so 10 goals in 50 NHL games feels conservative… but that’s probably the right cautious estimate for now, because it’s impossible to say if he’ll be a full-time NHLer.
Berkly Catton is even tougher to predict. He’s either going to play fewer than nine games (because he burns the first year of his entry-level contract if the Kraken keep him for longer than that) or more than 50 — not much in between. I’ve been leaning toward the higher end, but without full certainty, I split the difference and set his forecast at 40 games.
Outside of the rookies, there are a couple of eyebrow-raisers in the model. Shane Wright’s 18.9-goal projection feels a little light, while Jared McCann’s looks a bit heavy. But that’s the nature of an aggregate forecast: some players run hot, some cold, and ideally it all balances out.
Defensemen forecast
Forecasting the defensemen is a bit more straightforward. The top six are pretty well set heading into the season, with Josh Mahura likely sliding into the seventh spot if everyone stays healthy. The one new face, Ryan Lindgren, brings plenty of defensive reliability but isn’t exactly known for his goal scoring.
One player who could push the totals higher is Ryker Evans. He’s shown steady progress the last couple of years, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he chipped in a bit more offense as his role continues to grow.
Putting it together
When you combine the forwards and defensemen, the forecast lands at 246.3 adjusted goals for the 2025–26 season. That’s a 16-goal bump over last year, a total that would’ve ranked ninth in the NHL in 2024–25. It feels a little optimistic, but we’ll stick with it for now.
Other considerations
Coaching/system tweaks – The biggest change this offseason came behind the bench with the hiring of Lane Lambert. His teams have been known for playing structured, defensively sound hockey. That could tighten things up in Seattle’s end, but Lambert has also emphasized that creating turnovers in the defensive zone can fuel offense. How that balance plays out will be worth tracking. Lambert mentioned he thought Nyman’s goal in Seattle’s 5-3 preseason win over Vancouver was an excellent example of this. “The thing that excited me about that goal was that it started in the D-zone,” Lambert said. “We killed the play, and then it ended up in the back of their net. So from my perspective, that’s what we’re talking about when we’re talking about defense translating into offense.”
Power play – Seattle finished 23rd in the league on the power play last year, leaving plenty of room for improvement. With a new staff and some fresh personnel looks, there’s cautious optimism that the power play could finally take a step forward.
Injuries – The ultimate wild card. If the Kraken’s top six can stay mostly healthy, it would go a long way toward hitting (or even exceeding) this forecast.
Will Seattle improve offensively?
My projection for the Kraken’s 2025–26 season comes in at 246.3 adjusted goals, a 16-goal bump from last year. That total would have ranked ninth in the NHL a season ago. Still, the big questions remain: can the young players fighting for roster spots make an impact right away, and how much will Lambert’s system influence scoring, for better or worse?
For now, Kraken fans should keep expectations measured but optimistic. There’s clear upside here, but also plenty of volatility depending on health, development, and where the team sits at the trade deadline. As the season progresses, I’ll layer in adjusted-goals-against numbers to give a full playoff outlook and track how close (or far) this projection ends up.
What do you think, are my numbers too high, too low, or just right? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
It happens every offseason—restricted free agents file for arbitration, and fanbases panic. In the case of the Seattle Kraken, forward Kaapo Kakko has filed for arbitration, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to do so. However, no Kraken player has ever made it to an actual arbitration hearing. Each has instead found common ground and signed a contract beforehand.
So, what does the arbitration process entail, and what does this mean for Kakko and the Kraken?
Requirements for arbitration
Arbitration is a mechanism that allows a neutral third party to determine a fair contract when the team and player can’t agree. Each side presents their case—each limited to 90 minutes—and within 48 hours, the arbitrator issues a binding ruling on the player’s salary.
The result is a one- or two-year deal at a salary determined by the arbitrator. The team, if it did not file, gets to choose the term. The exception is if the player is one year away from unrestricted free agency; in that case, only a one-year deal can be awarded. Kakko is one year away from being a UFA, so if his negotiation gets all the way to a hearing, the arbitrator will award a one-year deal.
The ruling is final, unless the award exceeds $4.85 million for the 2025 season. If it does, the team can walk away, making the player an unrestricted free agent. This threshold adjusts annually.
Who is eligible?
A player’s eligibility for arbitration depends on his age upon signing his entry-level deal and how many professional seasons he has accrued. For players who signed at age 18 or 19, a professional season is counted if he plays 10 or more NHL games. At age 20 and older, it’s 10 or more games in any pro league (NHL, AHL, ECHL, or top overseas leagues).
Here’s the breakdown:
Age 18-20 signed contract
4 professional years
Age 21 signed contract
3 professional years
Age 22-23 signed contract
2 professional years
Age 24+ signed contract
1 professional year
Who can file and when?
Both players and teams can file for arbitration, though it’s far more common for players to do so. Players must file by July 5 at 5 p.m. ET.
Teams have two windows to file:
June 15 through 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final.
July 5 at 5 p.m. through July 6 at 5 p.m., if the player did not file.
For a team to file, the player’s previous base salary (not average annual value) must exceed $2.43 million (per PuckPedia, as of 2025). Teams may use this route if they wish to avoid issuing a qualifying offer at the player’s prior salary. Through arbitration, a salary reduction is possible, with the maximum decrease capped at 15 percent. It also blocks the player from signing an offer sheet. The Buffalo Sabres just used this strategy with Bowen Byram.
Once a filing is made, a hearing date is scheduled between July 20 and August 4. Contract negotiations can continue right up to the hearing, but once it begins, both sides must abide by the arbitrator’s ruling.
Most never reach a hearing
Despite the headlines, arbitration hearings are rare. Since Seattle entered the league in 2021-22, 60 players have filed for arbitration:
2022: 23 filed, 1 hearing
2023: 23 filed, 3 hearings
2024: 14 filed, 1 hearing
That’s just five hearings out of 60 filings. The rest were resolved with signed contracts ahead of time. This season, 11 players have filed for arbitration.
Kaapo Kakko celebrates a goal with his Kraken teammates. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Kakko’s unique situation
Kaapo Kakko’s case is more complex than past Kraken arbitration filings. His negotiation comes at a unique intersection of three key factors:
NHL salary cap jump
The cap is set to rise from $88 million to $95.5 million next season, then to $104 million in 2026-27, and again to $113.5 million in 2027. This makes short-term deals more appealing to players who want to cash in later. But there’s risk—contracts are guaranteed, but a major injury on a one-year deal can derail a payday.
Production and potential
Kakko tallied 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games with Seattle after his midseason acquisition from the New York Rangers and has shown good chemistry with Matty Beniers. That projects to a 50-point season over a full schedule. At age 24, Kakko may prefer to bet on himself, aiming to boost his value heading into his prime years. Seattle, meanwhile, is likely to make an offer aligned with his current production rather than anticipated growth.
UFA status
If Kakko signs a one-year deal, he keeps his path open to unrestricted free agency. That doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to leave Seattle, but it gives him flexibility and leverage.
In March, I previewed RFA expectations for the Kraken. Kakko’s case stood out then—and even with his arbitration filing, my expectations and predictions remain unchanged.
Potential outcomes
Here are three realistic outcomes for Kakko’s contract:
Longer-term deal – Five years at $6 million AAV
Short bridge deal – One or two years at $5 million AAV
Arbitration hearing – One-year deal awarded in the $4 million to $4.5 million range
Technically, Seattle could sign Kakko for up to eight years, but that would take him through age 32. A five-year deal would expire when he’s 29, allowing him to cash in once more when he’s still in his prime and likely able to land another significant contract.
Final thoughts
Arbitration filings sound dramatic, but they’re often just a step in the negotiation dance. Most cases settle before a hearing, and both sides move on.
Still, the process can be awkward. During hearings, teams must point out a player’s flaws to justify their stance—comments that can linger long after the deal is done.
For fans, it’s easy to worry, but there’s no need to panic. This is just part of doing business in the NHL offseason. Negotiations take time—and patience is key.
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.
After trading away Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Brandon Tanev, Ron Francis told the media that he made it more difficult for the Kraken to win games. Apparently, he didn’t tell the players, because the Kraken are probably playing their best hockey of the season right now.
The Kraken have a points percentage of .556 in the 18 games since the deadline. At the time of the deadline, they had just a .444 points percentage. In the grand scheme of things, these games don’t mean much, but it’s a reminder that the Kraken are probably better than their record would indicate.
The Kraken went a respectable 2-2-0 over the past week, with a win against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and a thrilling shootout victory against the St. Louis Blues at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday. That was the Kraken’s fifth shootout game of the season and just their second shootout win. The first came way back on Oct. 12 against Minnesota, the second game of the season. Seattle is now 4-2-1 at home since the trade deadline and has really served up some fun games for fans at CPA lately.
Their losses this week came in the form of a 7-1 stinker to the Utah Hockey Club and a tough battle with the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. I gave the team a pass on the Utah game. It was the second night of a back-to-back, and several players were impacted by a stomach bug going around the locker room. The Vegas loss was a tight 2-1 final, and the Kraken had a golden opportunity to tie it up late but just couldn’t get it done.
Reverse standings watch
The standings are tight around the Kraken’s current position, which will determine their lottery and draft placement. The Kraken are currently sitting 28th overall and could finish as low as 29th or as high as 24th. Per tankathon.com, if they land in 29th, they’ll have a 9.5 percent chance to win the lottery and draft first overall. Their most likely draft position would be fifth. If they climb to 24th, they’d have a five percent chance to win the lottery and would likely draft ninth.
Draft analysts are projecting a drop-off in talent after the top five this year. Given the option, it’s always better to draft high, but as we know, there are always players who should have been selected higher and top picks that don’t pan out. Don’t worry too much about it. Let the chips fall where they may.
Other musings
Saturday night’s win over the Blues marked the Kraken’s 35th win of the season, one more than they had last season.
For as well as the team has played lately, the power play has been atrocious. They’ve scored just one power-play goal in their last 24 opportunities, spread across eight games. That’s their worst stretch of the season in that regard.
Jaden Schwartz notched his 25th goal of the season on Saturday, his highest total since scoring 28 back in 2014–15. He’s been excellent for the Kraken this year. Assuming he plays on Tuesday, it’ll be his 81st game of the season, a new career high.
If you haven’t seen Darren’s piece on Mikey Eyssimont last week, go check it out. He scored another goal Saturday night. He had five goals in 57 games with Tampa Bay before being traded to Seattle, and now has four in just 19 games with the Kraken. He’s basically a more skilled Brandon Tanev, for a fraction of the cost.
Speaking of goal scoring, the Kraken will finish the season averaging around 2.96 goals per game, up 0.37 from last season. That’s the fifth-largest increase in the league. It probably says more about last year’s team than this one, but 2.96 is right around the league average.
Shane Wright scored his 19th goal of the season Saturday night. I think it’s safe to say he has exceeded expectations. Before the season, I often pointed out his ability to get shots off from inside — the high-danger area. Take a look at his goal location chart.
Shane and Matty are both sitting on 19 goals. It sure would be nice to see them each hit 20 on Tuesday.
Joey Daccord has played a ton this year, but there are still nine goalies around the league with more starts than him.
Congrats to Kraken prospects Carson Rehkopf and Nathan Villeneuve, who both played their first professional hockey games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds this past week. These are two of my favorite Kraken prospects, and I think Villeneuve has an outside shot at making the Kraken next season.
Another one of my favorite prospects, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, scored his first AHL goal on Sunday. It was OFM’s fifth AHL game, and even in that short time span, he’s looking more comfortable as he adjusts to the smaller North American ice and the different AHL playstyle.
— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) April 14, 2025
Stick taps to all the staff around the Kraken Hockey Network. The production has been excellent in its first year. I’ve heard viewership numbers for Kraken games have tripled compared to when they were under ROOT. Making the games available over-the-air was a fantastic decision. Not exactly a hot take, but making the game more accessible is the best way to grow the game.
Goal of the week
This one comes from our old friend Morgan Geekie, who scored his 32nd goal of the season with this blast that defies physics:
Boston goal!
Scored by Morgan Geekie with 08:04 remaining in the 2nd period.
Joey Daccord (SEA) – I’m giving Joey a pass on the Utah game. Throw that one out, and he’s 3-1-0 with a .961 save percentage in April. Where would this team be without him?
Berkly Catton (SPO–SEA) – Two goals and 10 assists in his last three playoff games for the Spokane Chiefs.
Julius Miettinen (EVT–SEA) – The second-round pick from the 2024 NHL Draft scored the overtime game-winner Saturday night in Everett’s 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the second round of the WHL playoffs. He also had a secondary assist on the overtime winner Friday night.
The week ahead
One game remains on the Kraken schedule: Tuesday night at home against the Los Angeles Kings. It’s hard to say what kind of effort we’ll see from L.A. The Kings and Oilers are locked into a playoff matchup, but their seeding isn’t finalized. The Kings currently hold a two-point edge on the Oilers, with three games remaining for L.A. and two for Edmonton.
As luck would have it, the two teams face each other Monday night. If the Kings win in any fashion, they’ll clinch second place in the Pacific and home-ice advantage in the first round — making Tuesday’s game against the Kraken meaningless for them. But if they lose in regulation, the two teams will be tied, and that Tuesday game could determine home ice.
The game means very little for the Kraken, and plenty of people will argue that losing helps their draft odds — but you already know I don’t subscribe to that kind of chatter. Winning is still more fun than losing, and going out on a high note feels like the best way to end the year. If you were in the building Saturday night, you know how fun the environment can be at Climate Pledge when the boys put on a show. The players have shown some real compete lately, and I’d like to think that’s partly because they care about playing for the fans.
This is likely the final Monday Musings of the season. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of you readers. I spend a lot of time putting this together, and I love doing it. It means a lot that you take the time to read and comment on the topics I explore, the theories I come up with, and the random collections of thoughts that go through my head.
Although Musings will take a break during the Kraken offseason, I’ll do my best to go deep into a few topics along the way. First up: a deep dive into Kraken scoring this season. If you have any other topics you’d like me to explore, drop a note in the comments and I’ll build a plan to dig in.
All I’ve asked for down the stretch is for the Seattle Kraken to play competitive games that are enjoyable to watch. Over the past week, that’s exactly what they delivered during a tough three-game stretch. The Kraken lost in overtime to the Calgary Flames, blew the doors off an injury-riddled Edmonton Oilers team, and then got handled by a Stanley Cup-contending Dallas Stars team.
Even in the Stars game, it was a one-goal game heading into the third period. But when Mason Marchment scored just 28 seconds into the period, it felt like that was all the Stars would need to put the Kraken away. If you had told me the Kraken would go 1-1-1 for the week, I would have taken it.
I try to be objective when analyzing this team, and it feels like they’ve been more competitive than their record suggests. One stat people often look to beyond the standings to evaluate a team is goal differential. I take a slightly different approach by excluding empty-net goals for and against, which I call ‘adjusted goal differential.’ Historically, teams with a positive adjusted goal differential are more likely to make the playoffs, while those with a negative one tend to miss out. Teams hovering around zero are usually the bubble wild-card contenders.
Here’s a look at the adjusted goals for/against across the league, with the net result of the two metrics shown in the right-side graph.
The diagonal line represents where ‘adjusted goals for’ equal ‘adjusted goals against.’ The idea is that teams above the line—those with a positive ‘adjusted goal differential’—are more likely to be playoff teams. As of Monday, every team above the line is currently in a playoff spot, with the only exceptions being the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild, who are in playoff positions despite being below the line.
The key takeaway from the graphic is that teams close to the diagonal line have been in the playoff hunt over the past month, except for one outlier: the Seattle Kraken.
I’m not saying the Kraken should be a playoff team, but they probably should have been in the mix down the stretch of the season.
PWHL to Seattle
On last week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, I shared my belief that Seattle will be named as one of the expansion cities for a new PWHL team for the 2025-26 season. I haven’t received official confirmation, but I’ve reached out to several sources both locally and nationally. What I’ve heard has given me enough confidence to say that this is going to happen. I’d put the likelihood at 75 percent, and we could hear an announcement as early as Tuesday of this week.
A few months ago, I published an article arguing that Seattle would be a great location for a PWHL team, but the timing didn’t seem right. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I believe Seattle is an ideal market. The PWHL has always aimed bigger than any of its predecessors in professional women’s hockey, and expanding aggressively aligns with that vision. Seattle and Vancouver are strong markets for pro women’s hockey, and I assume the Kraken organization is leading this effort. If they are, they’ll do it right. They certainly make mistakes, but they operate at a first-class level. That kind of launch in a key market would likely appeal to the PWHL.
Seattle PWHL arena thoughts
One challenge I speculated about in January was the arena situation. The turnout for both the USA-Canada game in 2022 and the PWHL Takeover Tour earlier this year proves there’s real demand for elite women’s hockey. Those two games drew 14,500 and 12,608 fans, respectively, undeniably impressive numbers. However, those were marquee events, which are traditionally easier to rally fans around when they’re one-offs rather than part of a full season.
The PWHL’s average attendance over the past two seasons was 5,485, less than a third of Climate Pledge Arena’s hockey capacity. That said, the 5,485 figure lacks context. New York’s attendance has dragged the league average down, and Toronto played its first season in the limited-capacity Mattamy Athletic Centre.
I don’t know what the forecast would be for attendance over 15 regular-season games in Seattle, but I’ve speculated that a hybrid approach could work—splitting games between Climate Pledge Arena and Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. Both venues are managed by Oak View Group and could help tap into different geographical markets. I haven’t heard anything to suggest this is the plan, but it could be a good solution if arena availability becomes an issue and/or they want to expand their reach. In the PWHL’s first season, three of the six teams played in multiple home arenas. This season, only the Boston Fleet continue to do so. You also have to consider whether the Kraken Hockey Network, along with their local TV and streaming relationships, is part of the appeal of Seattle for the PWHL.
The thought of having a PWHL team to call our own really excites me. I already watch plenty of women’s hockey, but it’s more scattered: split between the PWHL, college hockey, and national team games. Having a dedicated team to follow, with appointment-based viewing both on TV and in person, would take engagement to another level. Instead of catching random games when schedules align, I could follow a team consistently, learn the players’ stories, and invest in their journey throughout the season.
A Seattle-based PWHL team would provide a rallying point for local fans, building a community around women’s hockey much like the Kraken have done. It’s one thing to appreciate the game from afar, but having a hometown team would make the experience more personal, immersive, and meaningful.
Other musings
The Kraken’s 6-1 win over Edmonton on Thursday night was their largest margin of victory this season since they beat Montreal back in October.
It was also just the third time in 15 games that the Kraken have beaten the Oilers in franchise history.
As shared by the Kraken Hockey Network, the Kraken’s three goals in 111 seconds against the Oilers on Thursday were the second-fastest trio of goals in franchise history.
No matter how much Alison Lukan disagrees with me, I don’t think a goal scored by the same team should be counted as a “response goal.” In my opinion, a response goal should only be when a team answers a goal against with one of their own. A goal for that comes within a set interval of another goal for should be considered a “pile-on goal.” Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The Kraken rank third in the league in pile-on goals (12) and first in response goals (12) using a 60-second interval. (I also don’t think we have consensus on the interval length either.)
Earlier this season, I mentioned that Seattle was one of the most disciplined teams in the league and didn’t put themselves shorthanded often. Before the trade deadline, the Kraken averaged 2.2 shorthanded situations per game, the third-fewest in the league at the time. Since the deadline, they are averaging 2.9 per game. This really bit them in the butt on Saturday when the Stars had five power plays and executed on two of them.
I think we can safely assume Jani Nyman will make the Kraken roster next fall.
The WHL playoffs kicked off over the weekend, and here’s your friendly reminder that you can watch all games for free on Victory+. The Everett Silvertips versus Seattle Thunderbirds series is shaping up to be a doozie.
The first game of the Portland–Prince George WHL playoff series was wild. Portland entered the third period with a three-goal lead, only for Prince George to score four straight to take the lead. Portland then tied the game with about three minutes left, forcing overtime where Prince George won it on this play:
Terik Parascak scores his second of the night for the W!
The @PGCougars storm back from a 5-2 deficit to take Game 1 in overtime 🔥
The Coachella Valley Firebirds announced they have signed Justin Janicke to an AHL contract for the 2025-26 season. Janicke, a Kraken seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, was not signed by Seattle but remains in the system. Now that he’s in the organization, it should be a smoother path for him to eventually sign with the Kraken. He had a terrific season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, leading the team with 15 goals and finishing second with 34 points.
Ryan Donato (CHI) – The former Seattle Kraken forward had four goals and two assists over his last three games. He has 29 goals this season, and assuming Chicago doesn’t sign him to an extension before July 1, he will be hitting the free agent market this summer.
Scott Ratzlaff (SEA-WHL) – The Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender saved 89 shots on 94 attempts in his two games against Everett over the weekend in the opening round of the WHL playoffs. He won the first game and would lose in overtime in the second game. Go check out this series if you get a chance.
Victor Ostman (SEA-CVF) – Victor Ostman posted a shutout for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in just his third career AHL game. The Kraken-signed goaltender has spent most of the season with the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL.
The week ahead
The Kraken will face the Dallas Stars again on Monday night to close out their second-to-last homestand of the season before hitting the road for five games. Their first stop will be Wednesday night in Vancouver, where they could deliver a serious blow to the Canucks’ playoff hopes with a regulation win. The Canucks are 5-3-2 over their last 10 games, but they’re chasing the Blues for the final wild-card spot. St. Louis has won nine straight and currently holds a six-point lead over Vancouver, which has just eight games remaining. The Kraken then head to San Jose for a Saturday night matchup—at least on paper, a lighter opponent than they’ve faced lately.
Beyond the three Kraken games, it’s shaping up to be a jam-packed week of hockey, featuring three I-5 rivalry games in the Everett–Seattle WHL series and a possible PWHL expansion announcement. Not to mention the ongoing playoff races, especially in the East.
I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t keeping an eye on the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators—and the potential impact their results could have on the current lottery odds.
The Kraken wrapped up the last week of games with a 1-2-0 record. The win came against a very bad-looking Chicago Blackhawks team, where the Kraken spotted the Blackhawks an early two-goal lead and then promptly rattled off six unanswered goals in the 6-2 win. The Kraken looked to implement a similar strategy in their next game against the Minnesota Wild, spotting the Wild three goals in the first five minutes. Unfortunately, that was where the game would stay until the Wild added an empty-net goal with less than two minutes left.
The final game of the week was against the Edmonton Oilers, who were missing the services of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Kraken were missing Chandler Stephenson, which forced a big shake-up of the lines.
John Hayden moved over from wing to play fourth-line center, while Shane Wright then moved up to center Jordan Eberle and Jaden Schwartz. With the Schwartz move, Jani Nyman slotted into Schwartz’s previous spot alongside Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers. Finally, Eeli Tolvanen moved to a line with Jared McCann and Andre Burakovsky. The final score was 5-4 Edmonton, which included an empty-net goal by the Oilers and then a 6-on-5 goal for the Kraken.
I am not going to overanalyze the games, given the context of this team’s position at this point in the season, but it seems like there have been quite a few defensive breakdowns over the last few contests. I don’t know if it’s the fact that the team is missing two true centers in the lineup or just flukey plays that lead to the breakdowns. Either way, this team is still competing, and that is all I am asking for at this point in the season. Even in the Minnesota game, the Kraken were still generating chances when they could have collapsed after going down 3-0 five minutes into the game.
Other musings
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Kraken had more expected goals than their opponents in the games they lost last week and fewer expected goals in the game they won.
Shane Wright’s 19:54 of time on ice during the Minnesota game last Wednesday was a career high.
In the Kraken-Blackhawks game last Tuesday, it was the fifth time that both Matty Beniers and Shane Wright scored in the same game. They are 4-0-1 in those games.
This is the Andre Burakovsky I remember before he got hurt in February of 2023.
Congrats to the Wisconsin Badgers women’s team, who won an epic championship game to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State and Wisconsin have traded national titles for the last five years. Check out this rundown of this incredible game.
Last week, I applauded the Kraken penalty kill since the trade deadline after losing two of their top penalty killers in Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde. Since then, they have allowed three power-play goals over eight shorthanded opportunities for a penalty kill of 63 percent. I will take the blame for jinxing them.
The Kraken are six standings points behind where last year’s team was at this point in the season. The Kraken will need to earn 73 percent of the remaining points over the next 11 games to tie last season’s point total.
Something to keep an eye on in the Kraken prospect world: The Seattle Kraken have two players with expiring rights on June 1. Both Kaden Hammell and Andrei Loshko will need to be signed by that date; otherwise, they will become free agents and eligible to sign with any NHL team.
Shame! Shame! Shame! Last week, I mentioned that HV71 and Modo of the Swedish Hockey League were playing a best-of-5 series in the relegation series. Turns out it’s a best-of-7. After dropping the first two of the series, HV71 won the next three. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard and HV71 will now have two cracks at avoiding relegation.
On Monday, the WHL announced that the Penticton Vees will be the newest WHL team and that they will be accepting applications for an expansion franchise in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The Vees were a BCHL team this most recent season and will immediately join the WHL for 2025-26. The Chilliwack franchise is expected to join the league for the 2026-27 season.
The WHL also announced a new streaming partnership with Victory+. Games will be available for free through the platform, kicking off with the 2025 WHL playoffs this Friday.
The 2025 NCAA men’s hockey tournament bracket is set and begins Thursday. There are no Kraken prospects playing in this year’s tournament, but there are several high-end NHL prospects which will be fun to watch. All games are available across the ESPN family. Check start times and channels here.
The University of North Dakota fired their head coach, Brad Berry, on Sunday after 10 years with the program. I can’t help but wonder if former Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol could be a candidate to return to his alma mater and the school where he coached for 11 seasons.
Finally, I’ve had a lot of people ask me about Seattle Kraken season ticket renewals. Usually, season ticket holders would be a couple of months into their monthly installments for next season’s tickets by now. We haven’t heard much publicly from the team since Samantha Holloway sent an email to fans in January that implied changes were coming. I don’t know much more than what has already been circulating for months—that April is when season ticket holders should expect more information.
Goal of the week
There were a couple of Kraken prospect goals I liked this week, but when I saw this goal, I knew it was the one.
OH MY GOODNESS 🤯
Bryan Rust’s second of the period is a thing of beauty!
Tyson Jugnauth (POR/SEA) – The Kraken’s fourth-round pick from the 2022 NHL Draft finished his WHL regular season with 24 points over his last 20 games. Portland’s opening-round playoff series against Prince George kicks off Friday in a four-versus-five matchup. Don’t forget you can check out WHL playoff games on Victory+.
Semyon Vyazovoy (UFA/SEA) – The Kraken selected Vyazovoy in the sixth round of their first draft back in 2021. The backup goaltender for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL stopped 34 of 35 shots across two games this week to wind down the KHL regular season. Vyazovoy finished the season with a .938 save percentage over 28 games, which was second in the league. Goalies and Russian players often take a longer path to the NHL, but Vyazovoy seems to be tracking well at this point in his career.
Joel Hofer (STL) – The backup goalie in St. Louis and former Portland Winterhawk made 50 saves on 52 shots in his two starts and wins this week for the Blues. Those wins were big for St. Louis, as they are currently in the second wild-card spot.
The week ahead
The Kraken will finish off their string of road games (they’re practicing at home on Monday before flying out again) with a game in Calgary, where they can play spoiler to a desperate Flames team fighting for its playoff life. The Kraken are 2-1-0 against the Flames this season, with all games decided by one goal. All three games were played before the trade deadline, so this should be a challenging task—but who am I kidding, all games have been a challenge this season.
On Thursday, the Kraken will return home for three of their final five home games of the season. The first game of the homestand is against the Edmonton Oilers, against which the Kraken are just 2-11-1 in franchise history. It doesn’t get any easier on Saturday, when the Dallas Stars come to Seattle for a two-game series against the Kraken, with the second game on Monday, the 31st. The Kraken are 16-15-5 at home this season, and I find myself rooting for a .500-plus points percentage at home, but that might be a tough ask given the games remaining.
What say you? Are you still watching? What are you looking for down the final stretch?
