With the calendar year winding down, it felt like the perfect moment for a quick midseason check‑in on the 2025–26 Seattle Kraken. It’s been a wild couple of months with streaks, swings, and surprises, yet the Kraken somehow find themselves hovering right on the edge of the wild‑card race, depending on how you choose to sort the standings. So we gathered the Sound Of Hockey crew for another Kraken Roundtable to take stock of where things stand and where this season might be headed next.
What’s your overall perspective on how the team has performed so far this season?
John: It’s been okay. If you had told me before the season that they’d be floating around a wild‑card spot at this point, I would have taken that. The reason I say it’s only “okay,” though, is that they started the year relatively strong and raised expectations early.
Coming into the season, I just wanted to see competitive hockey, and they’ve delivered on that. They lead the league in one‑goal games and, with only a few exceptions, have had a legitimate shot at points almost every night. They’ve picked up wins against Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. One of their best performances of the year might have actually come in a loss to the league’s top team, the Colorado Avalanche.
And by the way, they’ve done all of this despite a glut of injuries to some of their top players. I’d really like to see how this team stacks up with a fully healthy roster.
Blaiz: Overall, I have been impressed with how the team has performed. When head coach Lane Lambert came in emphasizing improved defense, I wondered if it would turn into more of the same. From a standings perspective, the 1-9-1 stretch was rough, but many of those losses were competitive games where the Kraken came up short.
More recently, the Kraken have gone 4-0-1 and picked up nine of a possible 10 points. Even so, I thought they played stronger, more complete hockey during parts of Losing Streak Darren than in some of those wins. That gives me confidence the process is trending in the right direction, even when the results have not always followed.
Darren: I’d like to clarify that it was two separate named losing streaks, named by the National Losing Streak Service as Camille and Cynthia respectively. Never has the NLSS considered using “Darren.”
As for the Kraken, I too am in the “okay” territory, but man, if only they could have gotten a few more wins during that miserable stretch. Even if they had gone, say, 4-6-1 in those 11 games, they would be 19-11-7, good for 45 points and still second place in the Pacific Division.
That said, I’ve generally been very impressed with Lane Lambert and think he’s an excellent coach who tells it like it is. I am hopeful that the adversity of the losing stretch builds some character for the team and that the injury woes that have made things so much more difficult will be put to rest when Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour eventually return in January.
Curtis: I think the coaching staff has done a solid job implementing a system and instilling a play style that should keep the team competitive most nights—even as the team searches for consistent goal scoring. The staff has also shown a willingness and ability to adapt when the results haven’t been there, as exemplified by the changes to the penalty kill scheme.
On the player side, I’d say the goaltending has been better than I would have expected, the offseason skater additions have missed expectations as a group, the team’s young skaters have not yet taken a leap, and the veteran, incumbent skaters have been a little too injured to pick up all the slack. Night to night and week to week, the win-loss results have been a bit, let’s say, chaotic. On balance, though, the team is competitive around the mid-tier of a relatively weak Western Conference, which is about where I thought they would be.
From a team standpoint, what has been the biggest surprise positively or negatively of the season to this point?
Darren: I never expected the Kraken to score the lights out, but if I imagined them as a playoff contender coming into the season, it would have been with a few more goals going in. It’s bonkers how bad this team is at scoring–ranking 30th in the NHL at 2.57 goals for per game–and yet it still has a winning record and a pretty solid chance at clawing back into the postseason.
They’ve had a few guys get a little hotter lately, with Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen, and Chandler Stephenson all contributing. Hopefully Jared McCann can stay in the lineup as well, which should help on this front.
John: I’m really hoping, and fully expecting, that this will age poorly, but the penalty kill has been particularly ineffective so far this season. With the additions of Ryan Lindgren and Frederick Gaudreau, plus the defensive‑minded approach of Lane Lambert, we expected the PK to be one of the team’s strengths. That has not been the case. The Kraken currently rank 31st in penalty‑kill percentage at 71.4 percent.
There was an especially rough stretch in which they allowed seven power‑play goals on eight shorthanded opportunities across three games. That slump landed right in the middle of their first major tailspin of the season, a six‑game losing streak.
However… since that three‑game disaster, the penalty kill has actually been quite good. From that point forward, the Kraken have killed 85.7 percent of their shorthanded situations, the sixth‑best mark in the league since Dec. 7. Here is a look at how the penalty kill has performed over the season by looking at a five-game moving average.
Blaiz: Goaltending. It has not mattered who is in net, as the team in front of them is playing the same system. That consistency has allowed Philipp Grubauer to excel and arguably helped him post one of his strongest stretches in a Kraken uniform, posting a 6-3-1 record with a .917 save percentage.
Curtis: I agree that goaltending has been the biggest positive surprise, followed closely by solid success on the power play. The Kraken are 10th in the league in man-advantage conversion rate (20.7 percent). Improved tactics designed to pull defenses out of position and chemistry amongst the players has elevated an underskilled unit that has struggled to produce in the past.
What’s one area where you’d most like to see the Kraken improve?
John: Can I say health? I understand injuries are part of the game and every team has to deal with them, but the Kraken have been hit especially hard this season, and they just don’t have the depth to absorb those losses the way some other teams can. I’m dying to see how this group looks with a healthy lineup that includes Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, Kaapo Kakko, Vince Dunn, and Brandon Montour.
Darren: That’s it. Health.
Blaiz: I’ll take the low-hanging fruit and agree with Darren’s “surprise” from the previous question, goal scoring. It is hard to win games if you do not get on the board. Since the 9-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 4, the Kraken have played 12 games and gone 5-6-1. In that span, every game has been decided by a single goal when excluding empty-net goals.
Scoring first has also mattered. Seattle scored first in eight of those 12 games and went 5-2-1. They are 0-4 when they fail to open the scoring. The games have been competitive, but a little more offense would go a long way toward turning close losses into wins.
Curtis: There is no easy answer to this one, but one area I’d be most pleased to see a second-half step would be offensive production from the team’s young trio of Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and Berkly Catton. Between them they have only 10 goals in 98 games this season. Wright and Catton in particular seem to be fighting it when they have the puck in shooting positions.
Which player has surprised you the most this season — for better or for worse?
John: Unfortunately, Shane Wright hasn’t quite looked like the player we saw in the back half of last season. He was one of the guys I really expected to take a step this year, but he has just six goals through 37 games. Lately, he hasn’t looked like much of a threat.
Over the last two games, he’s been centering Berkly Catton and Jared McCann, a combination I like, but it will probably take some time for that line to build real chemistry.
Blaiz: Eeli Tolvanen. He is tied for the team lead with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) alongside Jordan Eberle. Some of that production has come as a result of injuries elsewhere in the lineup, but Tolvanen has made the most of the increased opportunity.
Over his first 10 games, Tolvanen averaged just under 15 minutes of ice time and produced 0.5 points per game. Over his most recent 10 games, his ice time has jumped to more than 19 minutes per game, and his production has climbed to 1.2 points per game. If that usage continues, he is on pace for a career-high 55 points.
Darren: Philipp Grubauer. I was fully on the buyout train over the summer and was shocked the team kept him around. Yet, I’ve eaten my words, because he’s been a massive part of the success the team has had this year and is putting up stellar numbers. He looks so confident and sharp every night, and we haven’t seen the questionable goals that plagued his first four seasons in Seattle.
Curtis: I’m with Darren on this one: Grubauer has been the biggest surprise for me. Pick whatever metric you want, the German netminder has completely re-written his story this season.
His .917 save percentage is, in some sense, a return to form. From the 2014-15 season through the 2020-21 season—his last before joining Seattle—Grubauer had a .916 save percentage or better every year. This is difficult to square with the player who never topped .900 in four seasons with Seattle. If Grubauer can keep this up, he’ll be a modest asset for the Kraken—whether on the ice or in a deal down the road.
Given how the Kraken are playing right now, how do you think they should approach the trade deadline: buy, sell, or stand pat? And why?
John: Stand pat. I’m not suggesting the team shouldn’t listen to any and all offers, but I do think there’s value in giving this group a real opportunity to make the playoffs. If they’re sitting right on the bubble at the deadline, they should hold steady. However, if an opportunity arises to add a player like Jordan Kyrou, someone who fills a clear need and has meaningful term left on his contract, the Kraken should absolutely jump at it.
Blaiz: The Kraken are only two points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand. They are firmly in the hunt, but I do not think this is a team that should be buying rental players at the deadline or trading away it’s future. There is still a need to build and develop, and short-term moves do not align with that path.
I agree with John that if the right opportunity presents itself, they should explore it. For now, the best approach is to stand pat. Selling would signal giving up on a team that has a legitimate chance to make the playoffs, and I have never been a fan of tanking. If this group has a chance to get in, they should be given that chance.
Darren: I’m not a full-fledged buyer, but I also need the team to get better moving forward. So, I’m looking for hockey trades that bring back good offensive players with term on their contracts. If those deals don’t present themselves, then I agree to stand pat. Give them a chance to make a run if they’re still in the playoff mix, but there’s no reason to trade away prospects if a playoff appearance looks unlikely.
Curtis: For me, it’s a mixed approach. I agree with all that they should be looking for a “hockey trade” to bring in a player packing offensive punch who could be with the team for a while. If, as John posited, the Blues get motivated to deal Kyrou, I would want the Kraken to be in on that conversation.
On the other hand, I don’t think the team will be bringing back all of its expiring veterans (Jamie Oleksiak, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Eeli Tolvanen). I’d expect the team to engage with these players to see if relatively modest contract extensions are possible. If not, I think seller trades should be on the table even if the team remains competitive through the Olympics break.
The Seattle Kraken came up just short on Monday, dropping a 3-2 decision in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks. Seattle was—without a doubt—the better team in this one, but while the Kraken generated oodles of offensive chances despite playing on tired legs, they only got two pucks behind goalie Kevin Lankinen.
Lankinen was outstanding with 37 saves through regulation and overtime and then stopped Freddy Gaudreau, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jordan Eberle in the shootout.
“We played a good hockey game,” coach Lane Lambert said. “We had some real good looks, real good chances to score in regulation, for that matter. Their goaltender played well, and if we keep playing that way, we’ll have success more often than not.”
Win Streak Caroline, we hardly knew ye.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-2 Kraken shootout loss to the Canucks.
Takeaway 1: Did a fight turn the tide?
In his two games since returning from his second injury hiatus of the season, Jared McCann has been firing the puck (almost) every chance he gets. In this one, he got an opportunity on a 4-on-3 power play and showed why the Kraken want him shooting.
Just four seconds after the face-off to start the rare numerical advantage, Vince Dunn and McCann played catch at the top of the zone, and the second time Dunn passed it to McCann, he one-timed a missile past Lankinen to open the scoring at 8:50 of the first.
MCCANN CAN! 🚨
4 seconds into a 4-on-3 for the #SeaKraken, Vince Dunn tees it up, and Jared McCann blasts it home.
But McCann was also involved in some extracurricular activity that may have ultimately cost the Kraken more than it helped them. After Conor Garland elbowed McCann in the face with a total cheap shot, McCann was seen barking at Garland on the bench and asking him to “go.” Indeed, the two dropped the gloves on their next time out and had a spirited bout.
“He kind of elbowed me on the one play there beforehand, so I asked him to go,” McCann said. “He said yeah, and that was the end of that.”
Said Lambert: “I think it just shows a lot about the character of Jared McCann. And Garland accepted. I thought it was hockey, and sometimes things happen, and I’ve got a lot of respect for Jared, again… He took care of it on his own, and sometimes you’ve got to do that.”
For a lot of reasons, I personally would prefer McCann never drop the gloves with anybody, but it is commendable that he’s willing to stand up for himself.
In the other team’s dressing room after the game, though, the Canucks players were raving about what the fight did for their morale, seeing the diminutive Garland hang in there with the bigger McCann. They had a terrible first period, but the fight seemed to spark some jump for them, and they scored to tie the game 1-1 just three seconds after the bout.
“Maybe we were a little slow in the start, but Garland definitely got us going,” said Elias Petterson (the forward, not the defenseman… having two players with the exact same name on one team should be illegal). “And obviously, we scored five or so seconds after, so yeah, really good on him.”
Takeaway 2: Fourth-line magic
I’ve absolutely loved Jacob Melanson’s game since he was recalled from the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Dec. 13. He fits like a glove on the NHL fourth line, bringing energy and physicality and backing down from nobody.
Against Vancouver, he bowled over public enemy Tyler Myers to the delight of Climate Pledge Arena and also set up Ryan Winterton’s goal that gave Seattle a 2-1 lead late in the first period.
After Elias Pettersson (the defenseman this time, not the forward) and Myers ran into each other, Melanson flew up the left flank and sent a cross-crease pass to a crashing Winterton, who redirected it over Lankinen’s skate. That gave Melanson his first NHL point and Joey Daccord his third assist of the season.
“I had a feeling it was coming across,” Winterton said. “Just some good speed by ‘Mel’ and great vision to see me. I kind of saw their D get tangled up there, so I thought we had a break, and I was lucky enough to get it.”
“It’s awesome to be able to have ‘Winnie’ score that goal,” Melanson said. “We got drafted together and also played in CV together for a few years, so I mean that’s a pretty cool memory to have.”
It’s worth noting, Winterton was a healthy scratch Sunday against the Flyers but drew back in Monday in place of Tye Kartye.
“They impact the game lately,” Lambert said of the fourth line. “They’re responsible, they’re quick, they’re physical. Obviously, a huge goal for us by Winterton. Melanson made a nice play on that. But they create energy for our hockey team, and they do it responsibly.”
Takeaway 3: A golden opportunity missed
After the Kraken swept a back-to-back last week for the first time since the 2022-23 season, they had a golden opportunity to do it again on Monday. They had plenty of great looks in the third period, all of which were thwarted by Lankinen, and they even had a second 4-on-3 power play at the end of overtime.
After scoring on the previous 4-on-3 in just six seconds, they were more measured in their approach the second time and, in the end, didn’t get Lankinen moving laterally enough to beat him on the late advantage.
“We probably could have created a couple of more [opportunities],” Lambert said. “They were able to clear the puck a couple of times, which takes some time off it, there’s no question about that. But certainly, there were a couple of passes that we felt like we had some empty-net opportunities.”
Alas, the Kraken failed to convert, and the Canucks goalie then stopped all three Seattle shooters in the shootout to improve to an astounding 17 for 17 on the season in that situation.
San Jose won on this night, so the Kraken dropped to two points out of the final wild card spot, though they still have two games in hand and a better points percentage than the Sharks.
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.
Believe it or not, the Seattle Kraken have stormed their way right back into the playoff picture. While still on the outside, they’ve climbed to within a single point of the final wild-card spot, currently held by the San Jose Sharks, who actually have a lower points percentage than Seattle. The Kraken reached that position thanks to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, stretching their season-long win streak to four games and giving themselves their first named win streak of the season.
By the way, we heard back from the National Win Streak Service, and although I was hopeful we could call it Win Streak Darren, they have informed us that this streak is called Win Streak Caroline. We will explain the thought process of the NWSS on the next Sound Of Hockey Podcast.
In this game, the Kraken once again leaned on outstanding goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, plus the offensive production of their three hottest hands: Jordan Eberle, Chandler Stephenson, and Eeli Tolvanen (who potted not one, but two empty-net goals).
Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-1 Kraken win over the Flyers.
Takeaway 1: Tolvanen, Eberle, and Stephenson are rolling
The lack of offensive production from the Kraken has been maddening for long stretches this season. The last few games haven’t been all that different in this area, but Seattle now has a few players who’ve gotten hot and are creating just enough offense to fuel the winning streak.
Eberle has four goals in his last three games, Tolvanen has points in six straight (3-7=10), and Stephenson has 12 points in 11 games (6-6=12), with his lone scoreless outing coming in Seattle’s 3-1 win at Anaheim on Dec. 22.
Eberle and Stephenson both scored pretty goals Sunday, with Stephenson’s coming directly off an outstanding play by Tolvanen.
On Eberle’s icebreaker at 3:48 of the second period, Matty Beniers—facing a 1-on-3 disadvantage at the blue line—drove low to buy time for Eberle and Kaapo Kakko to catch up. He then dished to Kakko in the right circle, and Kakko lofted a perfect saucer pass into Eberle’s wheelhouse. Eberle once again picked the top right corner.
O, CAPTAIN! 🫡 🚨
What a setup by Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko, and Jordan Eberle places his shot perfectly inside the post.
“We’re just finding ways to score,” Eberle said. “I think on that goal, Matty did a good job, driving in and finding Kaapo, and then he did a great job finding me.”
Clinging to a 1-0 lead deep into the third period, it felt like the next goal would decide the game—and Tolvanen and Stephenson made sure it did.
After a stretch of back-and-forth in Seattle’s zone, Adam Larsson settled the puck and sent a forehand lob up and over everyone to the far blue line. It was too far for Tolvanen to sprint onto, but he didn’t quit on the play. Dan Vladar misplayed the puck behind his net, and Tolvanen beat Travis Sanheim to it, hit the brakes, one-handed the puck off the back of the net—sending Sanheim crashing into the boards—and found Stephenson streaking down the slot. Stephenson buried it for a 2-0 lead.
STEVIE DOES IT! 🚨
What a play by Eeli Tolvanen to bank the puck off the back of the net to himself, then feed Chandler Stephenson cruising down Lenny Wilkens Way.
“The biggest thing about the goal for me, and he’s been doing it all year long, is [Tolvanen] got in on the forecheck,” coach Lane Lambert said. “He separated the puck from the man and made a heads-up play to Stephenson in the slot. But he’s moving his feet, and he’s heavy on the forecheck.”
While no Kraken player will sniff the top of the NHL scoring charts, Eberle is now up to 14 goals, Stephenson has 10, and Tolvanen leads the team with 18 assists. Tolvanen also paces the Kraken with 25 points (7-18=25), while Eberle (14-10=24) and Stephenson (10-14=24) are tied for second in scoring.
Takeaway 2: McCann and Dunn return
Jared McCann and Vince Dunn both returned to the lineup Sunday after injury-related absences of different lengths. Dunn missed just one game following a high hit by Ross Johnston in Anaheim, while McCann missed seven in his second extended absence of the season. It was only his 12th game of the campaign, which has been derailed by two separate lower-body injuries.
“It’s kind of tough,” McCann said. “Obviously, this is the first time in my career I’ve kind of gone through something like this. Mentally, it’s been tough, but I’ve got great teammates here who’ve been supportive with me, and I’m just trying to make it through a game at this point. So, I’m looking forward to the future.”
I liked McCann’s shooting mentality in this one—any time he found himself in a position to put the puck on net, he didn’t hesitate—but there were also some miscues between him and linemates Shane Wright and Berkly Catton.
“I thought we had some good chances,” McCann said. “Obviously, Cats made some good plays tonight; you can see the offense coming for him. And me and Wrighter are still trying to work with each other and create good offense.”
There were a few noticeable misfires, including a first-period 2-on-1 where Wright got handcuffed and couldn’t get a shot away. If that trio sticks together, expect the execution to improve in the coming games.
“I liked his performance,” Lambert said of McCann. “He adds an element that we need. I think that line becomes that much more dangerous right now. And I thought he did a lot of good things, thought he was good on the walls, made some heads-up plays, had some opportunities. So, obviously, he’s a key player for us, and it’s good to see him back.”
McCann finished with two shots on goal in 13:27 of ice time.
Takeaway 3: The PK (and Grubauer) came up huge
Grubauer earned first-star honors, frustrating Flyers shooters into just one late, largely inconsequential goal that spoiled his bid for his first shutout of the season. He finished with 31 saves on 32 shots and improved to 6-3-1, with a 2.44 goals-against average and .917 save percentage—stellar numbers from a goalie who had never previously topped .900 in a Kraken uniform.
“The numbers are always a reflection of how the team plays,” Grubauer said. “So without the team in front of us, we couldn’t do this, right? The way we played, the way we blocked shots, boxed out, let us see the puck, the way we worked back in our zone as a five-man unit. Without that, it wouldn’t be possible [to have these stats].”
Grubauer was especially impactful during Seattle’s three penalty kills—twice in the opening period and once in the second after Catton jumped on early, and the Kraken were nabbed for too many men.
While Grubauer made a few acrobatic saves during those kills, the penalty killers deserve a ton of credit for eliminating seam passes and applying pressure up top.
I’ve written about it several times now, but the formation change has completely transformed this penalty kill, which bottomed out during Losing Streak Camille. The new diamond setup still stretches when the puck goes high, but it puts two players across the slot instead of one, and those two have worked in tandem to erase passing lanes and force perimeter shots.
By the way, Lambert was not thrilled with that too-many-men penalty, and I ended his presser on a sour note by asking why it bothered him so much.
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.
The Kraken are preparing to return from a holiday hiatus, and they got things rolling again before the break.
On this episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, the guys give some highlights from the last week and change and discuss Mason Marchment getting traded.
Segbits include Goalie Gear Corner and Weekly One-Timers.
Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week, we have one more slim “holiday” update before returning with more standard columns next week. We’ll have actual updates from the World Junior Championship and a mid-season Kraken prospect ranking as we move into the new year. In the interim, we still have all the Kraken prospect content you’ve come to expect, including news from around the organization, weekly and season-to-date data updates, all-shifts videos, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, a preview of the week ahead, and more.
If you have a Seattle Kraken prospect–related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey. Happy New Year to all!
When and where to watch Kraken prospects at the 2026 WJC
As is tradition, the hockey world’s attention turns to the World Juniors on this Boxing Day. The tournament has added significance for the United States this year, with the team looking for its third straight title—and this time on home turf in Minnesota. The team will face stiff competition, particularly from Team Canada and Team Sweden, which look like equal or superior contenders for gold. With Team Finland and Team Czechia also serious competitors, there should be plenty of drama.
From a Kraken prospects perspective, the team will have four players participating: Kim Saarinen and Julius Miettinen for Finland, Loke Krantz for Sweden, and Jakub Fibigr for Czechia. As we noted last week, Jake O’Brien was one of the last cuts from Team Canada camp. Likewise, when Team USA announced its final cuts on Wednesday, Dec. 24, defenseman Blake Fiddler was among them. Berkly Catton returned from injury this past week, but the Kraken opted not to loan him to Canada for the tournament.
All of this clears the road for Kraken fans to be low-key, unofficial Team Finland fans yet again. (This feels like an annual tradition dating back to Nikke Kokko and Jani Nyman’s time at the tournament.)
The United States and Sweden headline pool play Group A. Canada, Czechia, and Finland are in Group B. Play starts at 10:00 am PT on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, when Sweden takes on Slovakia. A full schedule, with team games involving Kraken prospects highlighted, can be found below. Almost every game can be found on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
For the U.S. cord cutters out there, NHL Network is a frustrating channel to access because it is only available through online cable bundles. The most cost-effective method I’ve found to get NHL Network for the World Juniors is to sign up for a month of Sling’s “Select” plan and then add the sports package. The total comes out to about $35.00 for the month in the Seattle area, though it can vary slightly in other markets.
Anyone have predictions? I suspect this may be the year Canada breaks its “skid” and reclaims gold.
Notes on four more Kraken prospects
Jakub Fibigr | D | Team Czechia (WJC)
Former Thunderbird Radim Mrtka suffered an apparent injury in the first period of Czechia’s first pre-tournament game and did not return. Now, Mrtka was left off the list of players Czechia registered for the tournament. While most teams list eight defensemen, Czechia listed only six. I suspect the team will add another blueliner at some point, but the path is clear for Fibigr to play heavy top-four minutes at the WJC. A big opportunity awaits him.
Maxim Agafonov | D | Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
After getting a game of KHL action early in the season and playing most of the year at the second professional tier (VHL), 2025 fifth-rounder Maxim Agafonov has been moved down to the Russian junior league (MHL) in recent weeks. Agafonov is a skilled, puck-moving defenseman, but the offensive production has not been there this season against professionals. Whether he was overmatched or simply not getting the necessary opportunities to develop and deploy his offensive assets, a (temporary) move down may be for the best—even if it is a disappointment to the player.
Tyson Jugnauth | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Tyson Jugnauth has had a tale of two seasons so far. The Firebirds have relied on him to drive offense, and he has delivered. His 21 points are the most in the AHL among rookie blueliners—three more than the player with the second most. Defensively, the acclimation process has been difficult. His instincts and physicality both need to take significant steps for him to be a viable option for promotion.
In other news on the Firebirds blue line, Gustav Olofsson sounds primed to return this week after missing more than two months with an injury.
Jagger Firkus | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Jagger Firkus, 21, continues to be the essential offensive spark for the Firebirds. With two goals and three assists in two games last week, Firkus is your Sound Of Hockey Player of the Week. (This puts him alone in the lead for the “coveted” season-long honor, with three such weeks.)
Firkus leads the team and is tied for sixth in the AHL in total scoring points. That total is the most by any player 23 years old or younger. While there have been quiet games mixed in, it is now commonplace for Firkus to generate three or four high-danger looks for himself or a linemate each game. While there is still more that could be done, his board work has improved, particularly his ability to extract the puck and win one-on-one puck battles. His frame is, and will always be, slender, but he is finding a way to make it work for him—much like Matty Beniers has done at the NHL level. It’s starting to look more and more like a sheltered offensive winger role is in his future.
Kraken prospects data update
Loke Krantz did not play any club games in the last week because he was participating in Team Sweden camp ahead of the WJC, but even so, he was a strong contender for an unconventional Player of the Week. A relatively obscure and underaged player to begin the year, he was not on my radar for Team Sweden. Earning a role as an 18-year-old on a team with gold medal aspirations is one of the more impressive achievements by any player in the Kraken organization this year.
Nathan Villeneuve proved last year that he could physically control a junior game, and this year he’s proving he can dominate offensively as well. He is fifth in the OHL in points per game, an all-the-more impressive achievement on a subpar Sudbury team that has only two players—Villeneuve and Kieron Walton—in the top 90 in scoring rate.
Semyon Vyazovoi is earning the starter’s share of games for his KHL team and continues to deliver solid results. He has done everything he can to earn an NHL contract and a timeshare in Coachella Valley next season.
Beyond the stats, Nikke Kokko has a knack for winning—often making his best saves at the most important moments. He is 6-1-2 in his last nine starts.
We’ll give our Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week to the WJC matchup between Miettinen and Saarinen’s Team Finland and Fibigr’s Team Czechia at 12:30 pm PT on Monday, Dec. 29.
Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: William Håkansson
William Håkansson is a big-framed defenseman with shutdown, play-killing ability and a ton of pro experience for a draft-eligible player—having played parts of two seasons in Sweden’s top professional league (SHL) already. Corey Pronman of The Athletic had a mid-first-round grade on Håkansson in his most recent prospect ranking. Håkansson will represent Sweden at the WJC.
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
The Kraken closed out their four‑game road trip through Calgary and California with the kind of gritty, resilient win that was a staple of this team in the early stages of the season, edging the Kings 3–2 to complete the first three-game Golden State sweep in franchise history.
All three victories came in regulation against teams sitting above Seattle in the standings, a detail that matters a lot more than it sounds. And on top of that, the Kraken finally snapped their long‑running curse on the second half of back‑to‑backs, a streak that stretched all the way back to March 5, 2024. It wasn’t always pretty, and there were long stretches spent absorbing pressure, but Seattle’s structure held, their depth delivered, and they flew home for the holiday break with six massive points in their pocket.
Takeaway 1: No Dunn, no Montour, no problem
The Kraken walked into Los Angeles missing their top two defensemen and still found a way to clamp things down when it mattered. Vince Dunn’s late injury in Anaheim forced him out Tuesday, and with Brandon Montour already sidelined, Seattle needed someone to step into the void. Enter Ryker Evans.
Evans logged a season high 21:36 and carried 82 percent of the team’s power-play minutes. Evans always looks comfortable when taking an expanded role, and no game was probably bigger than Tuesday night. The team needed him to step up, and he delivered.
Seattle also got Berkly Catton back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 6. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he flashed the skill that makes him such an intriguing piece of the future. The little shake-and-go moves, the space creation, the confidence. Yes, there were turnovers. Yes, there was a penalty. But for a player jumping back in cold, it was an encouraging return.
And the fourth line? They were outstanding again. Tye Kartye, Ben Meyers, and Jacob Melanson continue to give Seattle honest, heavy minutes. Meyers’ goal stood up as the game winner, and he’s quietly become a reliable penalty-killing option. That line is earning every shift it gets.
Two weeks ago, the Kraken’s penalty kill was in freefall, giving up seven goals on eight opportunities over a brutal three-game stretch. Since then, the turnaround has been dramatic. Seattle has posted kill rates of 83.3 percent over the last eight games and 88.9 percent during the California swing, driven by a structural adjustment the team made earlier this month.
The power play has been just as impressive. With nine goals on their last 28 opportunities, Seattle is converting at 32.1 percent since Dec. 7, the third best mark in the NHL over that span.
Special teams were sinking this team earlier in the month. Now they’re helping to drag it back into relevance.
Takeaway 3: Just when we thought we were out, they pull us back in
Let’s be clear: the Kraken still have a long climb ahead if they want to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. But sweeping the California teams — all in regulation, all above Seattle in the standings — is a massive step in the right direction.
The underlying numbers won’t blow anyone away. The Kings carried long stretches of play, and Seattle spent plenty of time weathering pressure. But the Kraken defended the interior, kept L.A. to the outside, and found timely goals despite missing four key players.
Help is coming, too. Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz are inching closer to returns, and their presence should give this team a much needed offensive jolt.
Three straight regulation wins against division opponents is enough to make things interesting again.
Odds and Ends
Seattle scored first in all three games and trailed for just 1:19 across the entire 180 minute trip.
Tuesday marked the Kraken’s 27th one-goal game of the season (excluding empty netters), second only to the Kings.
Eeli Tolvanen extended his points streak to five games, equaling a career best he set back in 2022-23.
Jamie Oleksiak might have had his best game of the season. His defensive play led directly to the Ben Meyers goals, and he was stellar defensively.
Goaltending has been outstanding for the Kraken lately. Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord have really carried them through these three games.
And a quick nod to the Seattle Torrent, who held on for a tense one-goal win of their own against Montreal. For those of us running dual screens, those final 10 minutes were… not relaxing.
The Torrent recorded the franchise’s first win in exciting fashion, beating the New York Sirens 2-1 on Dec. 17. Following the game, many of Seattle’s stars were absent from practice, joining their countries for the international break. Most of them went to Edmonton and played in the final two games of the Rivalry Series. The remaining players stayed put and kept practicing hard. Coach Steve O’Rourke specifically called out the Torrent’s first-round draft pick Jenna Buglioni as having taken some steps given the extended practice opportunity.
Torrent vs. Charge Game Recap – 12.17
The team’s first game back after the break was a bottom-of-the-table clash, the seventh place Torrent taking on the eighth place Ottawa Charge. The Charge came to Seattle on a back-to-back after a 2-1 loss to Vancouver the day prior.
O’Rourke called both teams “snake bitten” at the pre-game press conference, saying that they both have the ability to score more, and haven’t shown it yet.
This was the first game back from injury for former Charge defender Aneta Tejralová, who was in Czechia playing with her national team during the break. O’Rourke said having her back in the lineup gave the locker room confidence and that she brought energy and fun to the ice every day.
Wanting to get rookie goalie Hannah Murphy more experience, O’Rourke tapped her as the starter for the second time. The Charge also started their rookie goalie, Sanni Ahola, for the first time.
Hannah Bilka takes a shot against the Charge. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Period 1
Murphy was put to the test early but stayed solid. Her team helped her out by making some good blocks. The Charge had most of the momentum in the first, but the Torrent had moments of good possession. Despite Ottawa’s 13 shots on goal to Seattle’s seven, the Torrent ended the period up 1-0. Julia Gosling netted a power-play goal on a beautiful cross-ice pass in the last 30 seconds.
Period 2
The Torrent came out strong in the second period and scored on an early power play. Alex Carpenter put up both of the period’s goals by providing a strong net-front presence. Momentum shifted as the period went on, though, and Seattle was lucky not to concede on a few dangerous chances at the end of the second.
Period 3
Lots of penalties came early in the third, with Seattle’s PK being tested often. The game stayed physical from start to finish, and Hannah Bilka scored her first ever goal in a Torrent jersey on the empty net. In the last minute of the game, Rebecca Leslie scored for the Charge, ruining Hannah Murphy’s clean sheet.
Post-Game Thoughts
Overall, the team seemed to be jelling in this one, making fewer mistakes and missed passes than in previous games.
Bottom-six center Mikyla Grant-Mentis stood out to me this game, making several shot blocks and playing hard against the boards. Second-line center Danielle Serdachny also stood out, coming up with some clutch shot blocks and drawing penalties throughout.
Torrent vs. Fleet Game Recap – 12.11
Boston came into Seattle with a single loss on their record. O’Rourke complimented their elite level of play, and emphasized that Seattle would have to work on keeping them away from the net front. He said they had been putting an emphasis on a strong box out and getting under sticks.
O’Rourke called out Lexie Adzija before the game, saying: “I make sure she’s our first penalty killer.” He said he thinks she has developed an identity here, and wasn’t sure she had that in Boston.
Hannah Bilka came into this one with her first ever back-to-back multi-point games in the PWHL. Coach pointed to her time with USA Hockey as a reason for her increased confidence. He said, “She is an elite winger picking up pucks off the wall,” and he said teams should fear when that line starts scoring.
When asked if the plan for the goalie situation was a 1A/1B with Schroeder and Murphy, he agreed. But he was also quick to put his trust in third goaltender CJ Jackson, saying he would be comfortable with them starting. O’Rourke said all three were amazing, and brought different skill sets, and gave credit to CJ “[they are] starting to make improvements…holding onto pucks.”
Corrine Schroeder in action against the Fleet. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Period 1
The game started with early chances on both ends. Boston struck first with a goal directly from a face-off. The Torrent had good possession at the start of the period and set a physical and scrappy tone. Seattle killed one penalty and then went to the power play twice. The Fleet also had the first jailbreak goal at CPA. Despite ending the period down 2-0, goalie Corinne Schroeder made some great saves for the Torrent, and the first ever Schroeder chants came after a huge stop on a Fleet shorthanded breakaway.
Period 2
Boston started the second period with momentum. The Torrent had some good chances, but Boston had better ones, and forced Schroeder to make multiple point-blank saves. Jenna Buglioni was checked into the boards and was down on the ice. Seattle’s continued issues clearing the zone worsened in the second.
Period 3
Schroeder continued to stand on her head for Seattle. The third was relatively sedate without many chances. Hilary Knight got the crowd on their feet when she sat down a Fleet skater in open ice, but Boston capitalized on the resulting power play. The fans, at least, had one thing to cheer for, as a late goal for the Torrent came from a beauty of a tip by Jessie Eldridge off a shot from Tejralová.
Postgame Thoughts
I think this game was the Torrent’s worst effort so far, with the only bright spot for Seattle being Schroeder’s performance. Despite the result, after the game she claimed to be having fun and was “in a flow state.” Hannah Bilka also stood out as playing tough and scrappy against her former team.
After the game the players praised the huge turnout (over 11,000) and the fans for giving them energy throughout the game, despite the poor performance.
The Torrent look to turn things around quickly with a game Tuesday against the second place Montreal Victoire.
The Seattle Kraken continued reconstructing some positive feelings in their locker room Monday with a 3-1 win over the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks, frustrating them into submission with stellar goaltending and opportunistic scoring.
Jordan Eberle scored twice, Freddy Gaudreau scored once, and Philipp Grubauer was outstanding to help Seattle to its second straight win on the heels of a miserable 1-9-1 run.
Coach Lane Lambert credited the fourth line of Tye Kartye, Ben Meyers, and Jacob Melanson for helping turn the tide of a game that was often dominated by Anaheim but remained anybody’s contest until very late.
“They turned it around for us in the third period,” Lambert said. “A couple of great shifts, a couple of big hits, got us emotionally involved. And I thought that between them and Philipp Grubauer, it’s probably the main reason why we won the game.”
So that was nice… but… the Kraken’s already long injured list apparently added yet another member on Monday.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-1 Kraken win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Takeaway #1: What a game for Grubi
It’s no coincidence that in these two straight wins over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and the Ducks on Monday, the Kraken have gotten stellar goaltending from Joey Daccord and Grubauer.
The German Gentleman was razor sharp against Anaheim, making the saves he was supposed to make while also coming up with some acrobatic stops that he had no business making. Lambert called Grubauer Seattle’s “best player” in the game.
In all, Grubauer stopped 39 of 40 shots, his highest total of the season.
“I mean, it’s not ideal [having that many shots],” Grubauer said. “Like in the second period, I don’t think we got too much going. And we sat back a little bit, so we definitely learned from that. But we stick together. Kartsy, obviously, huge hit, guys stepping up for each other, that’s huge, and we found a way to play it the right way in the last period there.”
Considering back-to-backs have been a massive challenge for this club over the last season and a half, getting a performance like this from Grubauer in the first of two games in two nights—with Joey ready to back the boys when they’re on tired legs Tuesday in Los Angeles—sets the team up for (potential) success.
Takeaway #2: A big night for Eberle
While the Kraken got caved in on most statistical metrics in this game, they won a classic bend-don’t-break type of contest. Freddy Gaudreau broke the ice at 4:49 of the second period with a power-play goal after Chandler Stephenson drove to the net and drew a penalty. With the puck pinballing around Lukas Dostal, Kaapo Kakko and Shane Wright both took whacks at it before it landed on Gaudreau’s stick, and he lofted it past the prone Ducks netminder for his second goal of the season.
After Mikael Granlund tied the game 1-1 at 15:40 of the second, captain Jordan Eberle took it from there.
Midway through the third period, Eberle struck for his first of two goals. Off a quickly developing 3-on-2 rush with his recently tweaked line alongside Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko, Kakko sent a rushed, fluttering chip pass to Beniers. Beniers made a spectacular play to bat it down and somehow corral it in time to slide it over to Eberle. Eberle delayed and got Dostal to drop down, then sniped it over his shoulder against the grain.
Eberle followed that up with an empty-netter at 19:24 of the third to seal the win.
Takeaway #3: Vince Dunn injured?
It is bonkers how many injuries this team has had this season. What started with injuries to key players like Stephenson, Kakko, and Ryker Evans in training camp has slowly evolved throughout the season, with important pieces going into and out of the lineup like there’s a revolving door into the injured ward.
It was announced Monday morning that one of Seattle’s top two offensive defensemen, Brandon Montour, would miss four weeks after hand surgery stemming from his fight in defense of the now-traded Mason Marchment. Montour joined McCann, Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, and Matt Murray on the shelf.
But would you believe me if I told you that Vince Dunn—Seattle’s other top offensive defenseman—may now be injured as well? He got blindsided in the second period and appeared to run face-first into Ross Johnston’s shoulder pad. After standing on the ice for a moment at the stoppage, Dunn flipped his lid. He kicked the door, broke his stick on the dasher, nearly took off the heads of Joey Daccord, equipment manager James Stuckey, and a random security guard, then threw a bag down the hallway and finally exited the game.
Vince Dunn left the game after this and did not return.
All-time meltdown from him before heading down the tunnel.
Add him to the injury list that already includes Jared McCann, Brandon Montour, Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, and Matt Murray. Crazy. #SeaKrakenpic.twitter.com/BXV31SWq6p
We wondered recently how the Kraken could survive without Montour. How can they survive without Dunn or Montour?
Bonus Takeaway: The Kraken are 2-0-0 since Mason Marchment was traded
Since the hockey world is abuzz with Marchment’s hot start with the Columbus Blue Jackets—three goals in his first two games since the trade—we’ll simply note that Seattle has won both of its games since the deal.
One side benefit has been Kakko elevating onto the top line. Kakko had been working well with Shane Wright and Jani Nyman, but he looks even better alongside Beniers and Eberle.
“[Kaapo is] working, he makes plays, he holds onto pucks,” Lambert said. “It’s a good spot for him. I hadn’t seen him in that spot prior to a couple games ago, and it’s been a good change for him to get up there and those guys to have him there.”
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.
