Everywhere I go, people keep asking me the same thing: “So, are the Kraken going to be any good this year?” My answer? Better than the “experts” think.
Now, let’s not get carried away, I’m not penciling them in for a Stanley Cup parade just yet. But I do believe this team will be noticeably better, way more competitive, and a lot more fun to watch than last season’s version. The front office didn’t make any headline-grabbing splashes this summer, but they made subtle moves that improved the roster while leaving room for young players to step in. Combine that with a healthier lineup, a new coaching voice, and a few kids ready to pop, and you’ve got reasons to be optimistic.
Here are five reasons I think Kraken hockey is going to be a lot more fun this season.
Better than the results of last season
The Kraken weren’t nearly as bad as their record suggested. One of my favorite “sneaky” stats to look at is goal differential without empty-netters. Historically, teams hovering between zero and plus-five in that category have about a 50 percent chance of making the playoffs.
Last year, the Kraken finished at -11 in that stat, which is not good, but not bottom-of-the-league bad either. That put them 19th overall in this metric, while their actual spot in the standings was 27th. Translation: they played closer to a middle-of-the-pack team than the record showed. Close some gaps defensively, turn a handful of one-goal losses into wins, and you’ve got a much more competitive season ahead.
A new coach, a new mindset
It’s no secret the Kraken were way too easy to score on last season. Enter Lane Lambert, who replaces Dan Bylsma behind the bench. Lambert’s reputation leans defensive, and that’s exactly the kind of adjustment this team needed. Whether you call it the “new coach bump” or simply a philosophical shift, a more structured, defense-first approach should chip away at that goal differential problem right away.
Starting healthier and deeper than before
Injuries don’t get talked about enough when people assess the Kraken’s struggles last year. Jordan Eberle was off to one of the best starts of his career before missing 39 games. Vince Dunn, arguably the team’s most important defenseman, missed 20. And the real problem wasn’t just losing stars, it was the massive drop-off to their replacements.
This season, the Kraken are better positioned to absorb those inevitable injuries. The depth chart has more NHL-ready rookies and supporting players that appear ready to jump up from Coachella Valley without the same production cliff we saw last year. Jani Nyman, Ryan Winterton, Logan Morrison, Ville Ottavainen, and a whole host of others have significant pro experience now, and if they don’t make the Opening Night roster, they should be able to slide in and be more impactful than in past call-ups.
Complimentary new pieces
No, the Kraken didn’t dominate the offseason headlines, but their moves were strategic. Mason Marchment brings a net-front presence the team has lacked since its inception. Frederick Gaudreau is a right-shot center who kills penalties, chips in offense, and happens to be excellent in the shootout (hey, that might even swing a game or two).
On the back end, Ryan Lindgren adds depth and grit to the blue line, while also giving the Kraken penalty kill a lift. None of these moves are splashy, but together they round out a roster that already had a solid foundation.
The kids are coming
This is the most exciting part. Shane Wright proved last year that he’s ready to be a real contributor. After a slow start and a short stint as a healthy scratch, he turned it on, finishing with 42 points in 61 games, a .7 points-per-game pace. If that’s his baseline, Year 2 could be a lot of fun.
Matty Beniers, meanwhile, hasn’t matched the offensive pace of his Calder season, but the talent is undeniable. Expect a motivated Beniers to take another step.
And then there’s the rookie watch. Berkly Catton, the Kraken’s 2024 first-round pick, has already proven everything he can at the junior level with 92 goals and 133 assists in his last 125 WHL games. He has the skill set to be a game-changer and will get every opportunity to stick with the big club. Jani Nyman might not start the season in Seattle, but after a strong cameo last spring, I’d bet on him playing significant NHL minutes before the year is out.
This Kraken team isn’t a Stanley Cup contender, and that’s fine. What they are is a team with an outside shot at the playoffs, a chance to be competitive deep into March, and, most importantly, a roster that’s a lot more fun to watch than last year’s.
If the top players stay healthy, if the defense tightens up, and if the kids keep progressing, Seattle could be playing meaningful hockey when it matters most. At the very least, fans should buckle up for a season with more goals, more growth, and more hope for the future.
The ice is down, training camps are underway, and anticipation is building across the Western Hockey League. With the addition of the Penticton Vees, 23 teams now enter the 2025–26 season with hope, hunger, and high expectations.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the Puget Sound area, where both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips have big aspirations—and even bigger spotlights—heading into the fall.
T-Birds vs. Tips rivalry should heat up
Last season’s battles between Seattle and Everett were tighter and more intense than they’ve been in recent years.
Yes, Everett (49–15–3–1 in 2024–25) owned the season series by winning six of eight—and the playoff series—but when Seattle (32–33–2–1) found its stride in the second half of the year, it felt like Everett got the brunt of their surge.
Don’t be surprised if this rivalry reaches another level in 2025–26, especially with what feels like more even rosters. Speaking of which…
Time ticking in Everett: DuPont’s second act
It’s Year 2 of the Landon DuPont Era in Everett—and the clock is already ticking on his junior career. DuPont dazzled in his first WHL season, living up to the hype by winning the 2025 CHL Rookie of the Year Award. His poise and talent are undeniable, but Everett knows these are the years they have to capitalize on his elite talent.
This year’s team should be on par with recent rosters. The key now is injury management. There’s still a lingering “what if” since Carter Bear’s draft year last season—he was lighting up the scoresheet before a torn Achilles cut his season short, though he was still drafted No. 13 overall by the Detroit Red Wings. Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen also missed time after getting hurt at the World Junior Championship with Finland. Injuries have been a theme in Everett.
Although they did finish with the best regular-season record in 2024–25, the Tips were knocked out in Round 2—again—by their rivals, the Portland Winterhawks—again.
With more roster consistency and health, maybe this can finally be the year head coach Steve Hamilton’s group breaks through and goes on a deeper playoff run.
I had the chance to check out Tips training camp on Friday afternoon, which fielded an intensely competitive atmosphere. Returning players like Cole Temple and Lukas Kaplan were names that made their presence known.
Also, keep an eye on some of the young emerging talent like ‘09 forward Mirco Dufour or ‘08 defenseman Cameron Dillard.
Braeden Cootes: The face of the Seattle franchise
While it may be less than ideal for Seattle hockey fans to watch a Canucks first-rounder blossom here, I just can’t get enough of Braeden Cootes.
Still the youngest active captain in the WHL, even after a full year, the 18-year-old led the T-Birds in assists and points in 2024–25. His two-way game and leadership make him a cornerstone piece to watch for the T-Birds this year.
“He’s got the high hockey IQ, the 200-foot game, really cares about his own end, and the intangibles you need,” said head coach Matt O’Dette. “These NHL teams want guys who can win games in crunch time — and he’s that guy.”
T-Bird time: Seattle poised for a surge
Finally, it looks like the pendulum is swinging in the right direction in Kent.
After spending the early months of last season well beneath the .500 threshold and in last place in the Western Conference, looking like they were on their way to another dud of a season, the T-Birds surged in the second half and jumped three spots to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
With the talents of Cootes, Radim Mrtka, and Ashton Cumby coming off being drafted into the NHL, along with depth forwards like Antonio Martorana and Matej Pekar looking to take the next step, it sure does look like a strong year is in store at accesso ShoWare Center.
Kelowna to host the Memorial Cup
The 2026 Memorial Cup will be hosted by Kelowna, adding even more urgency for WHL contenders—especially those in the Western Conference. Could a Puget Sound team make the trip? And if so, would that team have a chance to win it all?
This WHL season feels wide open, especially with the likes of generational talent Gavin McKenna leaving Medicine Hat and taking his talents to the NCAA and Penn State. There’s no obvious frontrunner now, and both Seattle and Everett are stocked with talent and motivation.
Whether it’s the leadership of Cootes, the brilliance of DuPont, or the rising stars across both teams, there’s plenty of reason for hockey fans in the Sound to be excited. It will all be made even more exciting now that you can watch every game for free on Victory Plus.
Strap in—it’s going to be a fun season.
Header Photo Courtesy of Brian Liesse and the Seattle Thunderbirds
Welcome to Week 2 of Friday Film Room. In this recurring series, we provide new gameplay video of three players in the Kraken organization and analyze recent trends or progress in their play. Our goal is to cover as many players as possible as we proceed through the year—including those that aren’t always front and center in prospect reports. If you have questions or Film Room requests, don’t hesitate to reach out below or on social media @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.
Lukas Dragicevic | Defense | 20 years old | 2023 second-round pick (signed)
Video: All Shifts | Prince Albert Raiders vs. Edmonton Oil Kings (OHL) | Apr. 1, 2025
Notes: Dragicevic has put up rare offensive numbers as a junior hockey blueliner. Among all WHL defensemen since the turn of the century, Dragicevic’s 227 total regular-season points are sixth-most, just behind NHL players Tyson Barrie and Ty Smith.
The offensive package isn’t flashy, but Dragicevic has all of the tools to create points from the blue line in the offensive zone. His offensive vision and passing are strong attributes. He can manipulate the puck to create shooting lanes and rebounds for his teammates. And he has the feel to take open ice and tight-area handling skill to defeat challenges. To top it off, he does it all from a projectable 6-foot-2, 196-pound frame.
His skating will likely need to take a significant step forward if he is going to maintain his play style into the pro ranks moving forward, but his offense projects as NHL-worthy.
Why then has Dragicevic never earned national prospect reputation? The answer lies in his defensive instincts, which look inconsistent or worse, depending on your viewing. He flashed a broader range of defensive tools this past year, but when I watch him, I often leave perplexed by his play-to-play judgment and concerned that his defense is not going to work at professional levels.
In defensive transition, he’s not particularly effective disrupting plays at the blue line or breaking opponent momentum when he is skating backwards. It tends to be tentative and overly conservative. Even when he’s making the right reads, the results are inconsistent.
In the defensive zone, he is often either chasing the play around the exterior or deadening his feet in the crease and passively covering the middle of the ice. Either way, there’s too much puck watching and not enough anticipation. He concedes too much space for junior-level competition to make plays. He has the strength to win his share of puck battles in the open ice or along the boards if he committed to it, but he is often a step slow to engage, conceding advantages to the opposition.
His breakout passes are a strong aspect of his in-zone defensive play. For example, early in the first period in the game above, he recovers a dump-in, draws in the defense, and reverses the puck to his teammate for a clean, efficient breakout.
Overall, it could be that Dragicevic has not received the instruction and reps—both technically and schematically—that he needs. Remember, he’s only been playing defense for a few seasons after transitioning from forward. It’s possible that he takes big strides as he moves into the well-coached professional environment in Coachella Valley this season. If so, these concerns could eventually be a thing of the past. (Defensive skill can come later in a player’s development.) Even just a steady progression could yield a player capable of a sheltered, third-pair and second-unit power-play NHL role. That said, he may have fallen behind the older and smaller Tyson Jugnauth on the organization’s depth chart for that kind of role.
More on Dragicevic: Check out our interview with Lukas Dragicevic from 2024 training camp.
2025-26 season outlook: Competing for time for Coachella Valley (AHL).
System rank: No. 18 (No. 5 defenseman)
Peak projection (50th percentile outcome): NHL cup of coffee (ETA: 2027-28)
Justin Janicke | Forward | 22 years old | 2021 seventh-round pick (rights expired)
Video: All Shifts | Notre Dame Univ. vs. Univ. of Wisconsin (NCAA) | Nov. 1, 2024
Notes: Justin Janicke is a just a solid, dependable player in all aspects. He can be trusted to do the right thing in all three zones, no matter the personnel or game clock situation. He was a leader at Notre Dame by his senior year, and that maturity comes across in talking with him. He seems a like a “glue” type in a dressing room that any team should be happy to have in the organization.
His skills top out in the average range. His shot is solid, including manipulation skills pre-shot to deceive the goaltender. His skating is solid, and he plays with adequate strength. He has good vision with the puck on his stick, but he’s not a volume scorer or creator. He’s more of a complimentary type who will do the little things like net drives, clear outs, screens, and cycles to create offense. He’s defensively responsible and doesn’t cheat that aspect.
By pro standards, he is a bit undersized and is likely limited to the wing. Lacking a dynamic skill or carrying trait, it is hard to project the additional development that will be necessary to achieve an NHL career. If he does get there, it will be through sheer force of will. Players in his category—needing four NCAA years to achieve top-end amateur production—rarely become long-term or impact professionals. That said, there is a lot to like in the way Janicke goes about his business.
2025-26 season outlook: ECHL lineup regular with some games at the AHL level
System Rank: Outside top 20
Peak Projection (50th percentile outcome): Middle-six AHL player (ETA: 2027-28)
Karl Annborn | Defenseman | 18 years old | 2025 seventh-round pick (unsigned)
Video: All Shots Against | Sweden U20 vs. Switzerland U20 | Aug. 28, 2025
Notes: It seems the Swedish national team is higher on Karl Annborn than NHL draft scouts. Rewind to a year ago, and the defenseman was skating in a top-four and power-play quarterback role for the Sweden under-20 team—as a 17-year-old. Granted, that was in an August tournament bypassed by some of the top U20 players, but it was an impressive achievement nonetheless. Ultimately, Annborn fell a bit in the draft to the perception that his play had plateaued, but it is notable to me the national team confidence in him has not waned. As recently as Thursday, he was getting high-level U20 development opportunities on the international stage, and he never looks overmatched or out of place.
Another reason Annborn may have slid in the draft is the perceived lack of a standout, dynamic element. His size, skating, physicality, and skill level all check in as solid and pro-projectable at this stage, but there is not an obvious carrying trait as there is with some of Seattle’s more notable defensive prospects like Blake Fiddler (size and athleticism) or Dragicevic (offensive skill level). I like what I’ve seen from Annborn with the puck on his stick breaking out from the defensive zone and along the blue line in the offensive zone. While there may not be high-end creativity, he shows the ability to make efficient, sound plays.
Annborn has a long development runway ahead of him in the Swedish league, and there is plenty of reason to think he has a North American pro future if his skill level and production can continue to progress.
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.
It’s official! Sound Of Hockey Fest is back! This will be the second time SOH hosts this event, and it will be held on Oct. 4 at Reuben’s Brews Barrel House. Block your calendars! More info coming soon…
On this episode, the guys express their distrust for AI. However, despite poor info from said AI, the guys manufacture some interesting Kraken conversation this week.
As the offseason winds down for the Seattle Kraken, they look to the 2025-26 season with hopes for massive improvement in a particular area; because they literally couldn’t have gotten worse in this area last season. The Kraken went winless (and even pointless) in the second leg of back-to-back games in 2024-25, finishing 0-12-0 in that scenario.
Going 0-12 was enough to raise questions, prompting president of hockey operations Ron Francis to address the issue in his end-of-season press conference.
“So [losing all back-to-back games] was a question that we struggled with finding an answer to, and asking the players, there really wasn’t a simple solution to it. We’ve got to find a way to be better in back-to-back games.
“I mean, 0-12, if you go .500, which is probably the norm, that’s 12 points and puts us in a different position at the trade deadline. So that’s something we need to address, especially with the schedule again probably being even more condensed next year. Our mindset right out of the gate has to be much better in that second game of back-to-backs,”
Francis suggested .500 is the norm, but the 2024-25 season league average was .472. A break-even target would actually be better than the league average, which is worth keeping in mind as we look for trends that explain the slide and where improvement could come.
Game-level team data was sourced from MoneyPuckand compared Seattle’s results to the rest of the league. Unless otherwise noted, data reflects the 2024-25 season and is split into buckets based on how much rest the team had between games: zero days of rest (second leg of a back-to-back), one day, and two or more days of rest.
What counts as a back-to-back game?
A back-to-back is simple: games on consecutive days. Most NHL games have at least one day of rest between them. Because goalies usually need a day’s rest between starts, teams often start the backup in one of the two legs. Less rest plus a backup frequently leads to lower league-wide performance in the second game.
If you remove those back-to-back games, Seattle would have finished the season 35-29-6. That’s a .543 points percentage — likely still short of the playoffs — but it shows how costly those nights became.
Days of rest
First, the obvious trend: as rest decreases, points percentage drops. The rest of the league follows this curve cleanly. The Kraken are different — they actually posted their best points percentage on one day of rest, with two-plus days still solid but slipping to second-best. The alarming part remains the zero points in the second leg of back-to-backs.
To get a wider view of how rest impacts success across the NHL, we expanded the scope back to 2008-09 and found that the pattern holds. More rest yields more regulation wins across the NHL. Since the Kraken have only been around for four years, their data below covers the lifetime of the franchise.
Kraken back-to-backs
Through four seasons, Seattle has struggled in the second leg of back-to-backs, going 11-29 overall. The lone bright spot came in 2022-23, when the Kraken went 5-3 in second legs. In the other three seasons they combined for six wins — three in 2021-22, three in 2023-24, and none in 2024-25. They track closer to the rest-of-league (ROL) point percentage averages with one or two days of rest, but the second leg remains a clear weakness.
Offense
So what is causing the Kraken to lose so much more frequently in the second of back-to-backs than the rest of the league? Well, if a team loses 12 straight in that situation, then offense is certainly part of it. Seattle averaged just 1.33 goals per game in those second legs.
In the first of two charts above, the Kraken’s expected goals gap is striking. Expected goals being almost double the actual goals scored in the second of back-to-backs suggests more offense was available, yet scoring lagged by 1.25 goals per game — nearly seven times the ROL delta. As with points percentage, goals track along with rest: more rest, more goals. However, Seattle’s drop is sharper than the rest of the league.
Shot quality is part of the puzzle too. In back-to-back games, low-danger shots go up, while medium- and high-danger shots go down. The Kraken got pucks on net, but from easy-to-save areas. Opposing goalies posted a .952 save percentage in those games.
Corsi adds nuance: it measures shot attempts as a percentage and can sometimes be viewed as an indicator of puck possession. Over 50 percent means your team out-attempted the opponent. Oddly, Seattle’s only above-50 Corsi split was back-to-back games at 51.2 percent. With one day of rest it was 47.1 percent, and with two-plus days, it was 49 percent. For the rest of the league, the metric improves with rest (back-to-back = 48.2 percent, one day = 50.1 percent, two-plus = 51.1 percent). So the Kraken pushed volume on tired legs, but the quality of their chances sagged.
Defense
Where do opponents’ chances and goals come from against Seattle in back-to-back games?
Low-danger attempts were down with less rest, but low-danger goals were up. The ROL averaged 1.15 low-danger goals against per game; Seattle allowed far more (1.83) on fewer low-danger shots.
Medium-danger attempts and goals both rose in back-to-backs. The jump in goals outpaced the jump in shots.
High-danger attempts and goals dipped, which hints at a defensive focus on the slot in that second leg. That’s good in theory, but it may open seams for medium-danger looks, which teams gladly take.
Goaltending likely plays into the low- and medium-danger spikes. We’ll get to that next. The high-danger dip suggests the structure isn’t broken, but the trade-offs are costly.
Goalies
Kraken goalies posted an .867 save percentage in second legs — a glaring weakness the team must address if they want those games to turn into wins. Philipp Grubauer started six of the games, Joey Daccord five, and Ales Stezka one. Grubauer’s numbers were still bad but slightly better than Daccord’s — with a higher save percentage, lower goals-against average, and fewer low-danger goals allowed per game, closer to the ROL average of 1.15. Daccord, meanwhile, gave up 2.6 low-danger goals per game. Stezka’s lone appearance produced better numbers across the board, but the sample size is too small to draw conclusions.
Allowing low‑danger goals can sap a team’s momentum, and when combined with rising medium‑danger chances against, it’s easy to see how a team with limited scoring punch ended up losing all 12 of its back‑to‑backs.
Travel
When starting this research, I expected travel to be a driver. The Kraken did travel more than league average, but not by much. A roughly 50-mile gap in average trip length isn’t decisive. They had nine road back-to-back games and three at home. The average trip was actually longer before the home back-to-back games (about 424.9 miles) than before the road back-to-back games (about 359.7), when NHL schedulers try to lump road games in cities that are close to each other.
Discipline, blocks, and hits
Penalties, blocked shots, and hits all climbed in back-to-back games. With rest days, Seattle typically stayed below the ROL average in penalties taken — a positive trend. In back-to-back games, though, they took nearly a full extra minor penalty. That puts opponents on the power play more often, giving them another edge on nights when 5‑on‑5 play is already a challenge.
Scoring first matters, too. Seattle allowed the first goal in 10 of 12 second legs (83.3 percent). The rest of the league gets scored on first in 52.6 percent of back-to-back games. That early hole forces chase mode and feeds more penalties.
The Kraken must improve in back-to-backs
Seattle did manage an 8-4 record in the first leg of back-to-backs, showing they can handle the front half of the challenge. The issue is carrying that level of play into the second leg, where cleanup is needed on both sides of the puck.
Overall, the keys to winning back-to-back games are no different than on any other game night; they need to get the puck into the high-danger scoring areas and generate chances while the defense limits the opposing team’s chances in those dangerous areas. Being more disciplined with the penalties could be an easily implemented improvement. Starting on time and getting a higher percentage of first goals will also help. The Kraken can’t ease into the game and hope it goes their way.
Goalies all took a step back in the second leg of back-to-back games, and the team will need to figure out if this is due to a strategy change or tired players. While the team has played on back-to-back nights, the goalie is coming off a rest day and should be good to go.
Back-to-backs won’t vanish — Seattle has 13 on the schedule this upcoming season. The focus now must be on turning that zero‑point bucket into a break‑even one. For a bubble team, that could be the difference between April tee times and playoff gates.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
The Seattle Kraken wrapped up the 2024–25 season in 27th place. Not great! But while we’ve already highlighted some silver linings from this past season, it might be even more important to look at the other side: the subtle, micro-level areas where Seattle struggled. These aren’t always the headline stats, but they’re the kind of details that can influence the outcome of a season.
Today, we’re digging into a few of those micro-opportunities. We will cover things like face-offs, overtime games, outcomes when trailing first, and back-to-back games. None of these categories alone can explain Seattle’s struggles, but together they paint a picture of where the Kraken left points on the table and where improvements could show up next season.
Face-offs
Definition: Nobody really needs a primer on face-offs, but it’s worth pointing out that this is a flawed stat. The more important measure would be possession after a face-off, but the NHL doesn’t provide this publicly. That said, face-off wins and losses are still a leading indicator for possession, so we’re going to use them until better data becomes available.
What the data shows
The Kraken finished 24th in the league in face-off win percentage at 48.6 percent. While they’ve never been a strong face-off team, this was actually the highest win rate in their brief franchise history.
Outlook
The Kraken leaned heavily on left-shot Chandler Stephenson in the circle last season. He led the team in both total draws and win percentage, and he was deployed at an especially high rate during the penalty kill, where he took nearly 50 percent of Seattle’s shorthanded face-offs, regardless of whether it was his strong or weak side. This is where the addition of right-shot center Frédérick Gaudreau should give Lane Lambert more flexibility, particularly on defensive-zone PK draws.
I don’t think Seattle’s success rate will suddenly jump above 50 percent, but in key situations, they should see improvement, and that could indirectly help reduce goals against. We could see some improvement from Shane Wright and Matty Beniers in the circle, as well, which could improve Seattle’s face-off abilities.
Overtime games
Definition: This one might feel a little odd to track, but forcing games into overtime is an easy way to add points in the standings. Of course, it’s easier said than done.
What the data shows
Seattle tied for 27th with just 13 overtime games played. The league median was 17, which, at a minimum, would have meant four more points in the standings. With the Kraken’s OT winning percentage sitting at 54 percent, those extra games could reasonably have netted another two points.
Outlook
I don’t think Lambert has a “strategy” to push games into overtime, but his coaching style may lead to more tight, low-event hockey. That should naturally result in more one-goal games that bleed into extra time. During his tenure with the Islanders, 24.4 percent of games went to OT compared to just 15.8 percent for the Kraken in 2024–25. That’s a big difference.
Trailing first
Definition: Any time the opponent scores the first goal of the game.
What the data shows
The Kraken trailed first in 57 percent of their games, their highest rate since the inaugural season. Last season, teams that gave up the first goal only came back to win 34.3 percent of the time
Outlook
This is another category where Lambert’s structure could help. From 2021–22 through 2024–25, the Islanders played 328 games. In the 127 games Lambert coached, his team allowed the first goal 46.5 percent of the time. In the games he didn’t coach, that number jumped to 54.2 percent. That’s a meaningful gap in an area that could help Seattle fetch a few more points.
Wins in back-to-back games
Definition: Games won when playing on consecutive nights.
What the data shows
This was a sore spot all year and one I brought up often. The Kraken have never been great in back-to-backs, but in their inaugural season, they managed three wins when playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Last year? They won ZERO games when playing on the second night of a back-to-back and didn’t even manage a single point in this scenario, going 0-12-0.
Seattle’s problems went beyond goaltending, though Philipp Grubauer’s numbers didn’t help. He started six of the 12 back-to-back games, but the team averaged just 1.3 goals scored in those situations, dead last in the league.
Outlook
Lambert made it a point in his introductory press conference that back-to-backs were an area Seattle will improve in. “That’s going to change because of the structure and the detail.” Because honestly… it can’t get worse, right? …Right?!?!
Hope for improvement?
When you finish 27th in the standings, it’s easy to get bogged down by the negatives. But zooming in on these micro-level areas shows exactly how thin the margins can be in the NHL. A few more face-off wins, a handful of extra overtime appearances, stronger starts, and better results in back-to-backs, and those little improvements could easily swing a season by six to 10 points in the standings.
These aren’t the major items that the Kraken can change to become a potential playoff team, but it’s clear these are opportunities the Kraken can tighten up. If Lambert’s systems help move the needle in these subtle areas, and if Seattle maintains the things they did do well, then maybe next season we’re talking about meaningful games in March, instead of more micro-opportunities left on the table.
Welcome to a new recurring column here at Sound Of Hockey—Friday Film Room. In these posts we’ll pass along new gameplay video of three players in the Kraken organization and analyze recent trends or progress in their play. Our goal will be to cover as many players as possible as we proceed through the year. If you have questions or Film Room requests, don’t hesitate to reach out below or on social media @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.
Blake Fiddler | Defense | 18 years old | 2025 second-round pick (unsigned)
Video: All Shifts | Edmonton Oil Kings vs. Prince Albert Raiders (OHL) | Apr. 1, 2025
Notes: Fiddler has rare mobility and creativity for a sturdy, 6-foot-4, young-for-his-draft, right-shot defenseman. From blue-line denials, breakouts, and transition rush patterns, to offensive-zone roving and net drives, he strives for plays that many junior defensemen would never consider, much less attempt. The results aren’t always there for Fiddler, but he’s attempting plays that should translate to the pro game rather than resting on junior hockey skills.
Fiddler is aggressive trying to deny space at the blue line and above the dots. He’s very active whenever he is able to diagnose and move forward in all three zones. The other side of the token is he needs to be more scheme sound and develop his four-way mobility because he won’t be able to succeed in attack mode 100 percent of the time at the next level. He needs to develop his more “conservative” defensive skillset and get a better overall feel for when to ratchet up and ratchet down the aggression.
Fiddler’s offensive play-driving ability is substantial even if it hasn’t shown up in points at the junior level. There’s no concern he’ll be unplayable offensively at the NHL level. (For more, check out our coverage of Fiddler’s play at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase.)
System rank: No. 5 (No. 1 defenseman)
Projection: Bottom-four NHL defenseman (ETA: 2028-29)
Zaccharya Wisdom | Forward | 21 years old | 2023 seventh-round pick (unsigned)
Video: All Shifts | Colorado College vs. Providence College (NCAA) | Dec. 6, 2024
Notes: Wisdom presents as a selfless, team-first player on tape—seemingly willing to plug into any role the team needs. He won’t put the team in a bad position with selfish plays or changes. He is an active forechecker who is willing to engage the physical game. His goals almost all come at the net front, where he is willing to do the dirty work to win positioning and connect on tips and rebounds, and he can win contested puck battles along the boards. He has solid-average speed in transition but does his best work off the puck, driving to a spot or creating space for a puck transporter.
Wisdom doesn’t generate much offense on his own. He won’t possess the puck for longer than a moment before cycling it on. He doesn’t shoot from outside the blue paint often, and he is relatively basic in his passing and playmaking. All of this amounts to an offensive profile that is probably too deferential for his skill level. His production trended up toward the end of his 2024-25 season with 11 points in his final 10 games.
He has skated in a bottom-six role in college and plays net-front on the power play. The role has limited his ability to tap into any latent offensive creativity. At this point, his most likely path into the professional ranks is in a grinding, forechecking, bottom-line role.
He is transferring to play at Western Michigan University this upcoming season, which is a step up from Colorado College. He won’t get more offensive opportunities there, so the hope is likely that his production and overall impact will rise with more talent around him.
System Rank: Outside top 20
Projection: AHL contract (ETA: 2027-28).
Semyon Vyazovoi | Goalie | 22 years old | 2021 sixth-round pick (unsigned)
Video: All Shots Against | Toros Neftekamsk vs. Molot Perm (VHL) | Feb. 3, 2025
Notes: Vyazovoi is a technically sound goaltender with solid size, physicality, and athleticism for the position. In the viewings I’ve had, he doesn’t present as the most dynamic goaltender in his reactions or post-to-post moves. His edgework may be a tick below average, and east-west ice reversals could give him problems.
Heads up on a shooter, Vyazovoi is not going to bite on fakes and is very solid covering as much of the net as possible. He is constantly scanning the defensive zone and has good overall awareness of puck and player positioning. He controls rebounds well.
His puckhandling and re-directions are solid but still in need of development. In my viewings, he was only adequate tracking the puck from the perimeter, conceding a couple goals on long-distance shots. He needs work on his deflection reactivity.
All that said, he has had some stellar statistics playing in Russia.
System Rank: No. 15 (No. 2 goaltender)
Projection: NHL entry-level contract & AHL tandem goalie (ETA: 2026-27) | Bubble NHL tandem or backup goalie (ETA: 2028-29)
Curtis Isacke
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 guys have heavy hearts on this episode, as they remember their good buddy, Dave Mosbach, who passed away earlier this week after a battle with cancer.
After giving some thoughts on what Dave meant to the hockey community, Darren goes into goalie therapy. Eventually, the episode shifts to a fantastic interview featuring Team USA star and PWHL Seattle defenseman Cayla Barnes.
Plus, plenty of Kraken talk, Goalie Gear Corner, and much more.
A recent story from Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic gained traction locally when it cast doubt on the performance of the Seattle Kraken front office in free agency. Luszczyszyn analyzed unrestricted free agent contracts from the last five years against the player’s “expected value” as of the time of signing under his player performance model. While Luszczyszyn’s goal was to understand whether teams in states without state income tax had an advantage, he noted that Seattle ranked last (tied with Anaheim) in contract dollars relative to value in his sample.
As Luszczyszyn concedes, his model is “not the [sole] arbiter of truth,” but his analysis raises a number of questions. How do free agency decisions get made? And how have the Kraken measured up against expectations? Are there other ways we can or should be looking at the issue if our goal is to understand Seattle’s performance signing unrestricted free agents on the market?
That’s our topic for today. With contract data from PuckPediaand contract projections from Evolving Hockey, I can offer a few more data points to consider. Let’s get to it.
The most dangerous day on the calendar
July 1 is a chaotic day for NHL front offices. The restriction on contacting free agents from other teams is lifted at noon Eastern Time, and within hours, a large majority of the “best available” free agents have signed a contract.
It is a frenzied end to an arduous process. In the months leading up to free agency, teams spend countless hours valuing players and identifying targets, culminating in June pro scouting meetings where an offseason plan is set. All of that work is deployed on July 1.
“I’ve always said the two most dangerous days are trade deadline day and free agency day,” Seattle Kraken president of hockey ops Ron Francis has often refrained, because “it’s easy to overpay for players” at those times. This is a common sentiment around the league. Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has called July 1 a day where “you can get yourself in big trouble.”
Why is this? What actually happens during those fleeting hours on free agency day? Kraken general manager Jason Botterill gave a glimpse behind the curtain to Seattle Kraken season ticket holders during a July 3 breakfast before the final day of the 2025 Kraken Development Camp.
Shortly after noon, teams contact player agents with a fully realized offer, along with a pitch about why the team and market is a good fit for the player. In a competitive situation, the agent is compiling multiple offers and helping the player decide between them. It is relatively rare that a negotiation on core term or value elements happens on July 1 because there is not time to do it. The agent may come back with a minor counteroffer around the margins relating to signing bonuses, cash flow, or the like, but July 1 deals often resemble the team’s initial proposal.
This puts a lot of stress not only on the team’s internal player valuations—we think this forward is “worth” X—but also its market analysis—this player is one of the only top-six centers available, and we think he’ll get a competitive offer from team Y or Z. Teams are making big decisions, in a hard-cap environment, based on imperfect information—hence the danger.
Methods of analyzing performance in free agency
Through five free agency periods, how have the Seattle Kraken performed in their unrestricted free agent contracts? Has the team beaten or fallen behind its competitors? We could strive for answers a few ways.
Return on investment approach. One approach would be to consider the return on investment. With the benefit of hindsight, how have the players the Kraken signed performed relative to the contracts given to them? This could be judged by various standard or advanced metrics measuring player performance.
This is a worthy inquiry, but it is probably premature to reach any conclusions for the Kraken using this method given that the final analysis remains open on several deals the Kraken signed before the team ever took the ice, including Philipp Grubauer, Jamie Olekisak, and Jaden Schwartz. Perhaps we can return to this approach a few years down the road.
Projected performance approach. Another approach would be to compare the contracts the team handed out versus a projection of player value over the term of the contract at the time the contract was signed. This approach is unconcerned with actual performance and escapes any accusation of hindsight bias by using only the information that was available as of signing. This was Luszczyszyn’s approach, using his model. Again, Luszczyszyn’s model is not the only one. One could use other methods of projecting player value using standard or advanced metrics or alternative player valuation models.
Market approach. As we discussed above, though, player value is only half of the player acquisition story. What if we wanted to understand how the player contract measured up against market expectations at the time it was signed? One could do this by comparing the contracts the Kraken handed out against contemporaneous projections of player market value.
This is a complex task that involves developing an accurate understanding of how to predict market value. Fortunately for us, Evolving Hockey has developed such a contract projection system that has proven quite accurate over time.
I would recommend giving Evolving Hockey‘s contract projection explainer a read. In short, the model uses inputs including position, age, contract status, draft round, years since draft, time on ice, goals, primary assists, individual shot attempts, individual expected goals, giveaways, takeways, on-ice 5-on-5 goal differential, and on-ice 5-on-5 shot attempt differential, among others, to create value projections based on various potential term lengths. The model yields a “projected” contract by estimating the contract term first and then linking it to the AAV the model projects for that term.
For example, Evolving Hockey’s contract tool projected a four-year contract for defenseman Ryan Lindgren in free agency this offseason with a further projection of $4.841 million average annual value. Ultimately, Lindgren signed a four-year contract with a $4.5 million average annual value in Seattle. Regardless of what a specific projection system may predict Lindgren’s future value—whether Luszczyszyn’s or any other—we can say that Lindgren’s contract was roughly in line with what the expected market was for him.
Using Evolving Hockey’s projections plus contract information compiled by PuckPedia, we can generalize from this individual example to every unrestricted free agent signing during the summer free agency period over the last five years—i.e., since the Kraken have been in existence—to determine which contracts and teams have gone over or under market expectation. How does Seattle fare?
Kraken contracts versus market expectation
While Luszczyszyn’s projected-value approach disliked Seattle’s contracts, our market-oriented analysis tells a slightly different story. On a per-year basis—which is how Luszczyszyn reported his results—Seattle’s contracts came in better than expectation: approximately $160,000 lower than predicted by Evolving Hockey’s model.
(It’s worth noting that for reasons explained shortly, goalies are not included here. If Philipp Grubauer’s six-year, $35.4 million deal were part of it, the Kraken may have poorer contract performance metrics.)
In terms of total contract value paid, however, Seattle does come in above the predicted level. The contracts averaged $1.15 million total value above expectation. This is because three of the more overvalued contracts based on Evolving Hockey’s model (Brandon Montour, Chandler Stephenson, and Jaden Schwartz) were also significantly longer-term deals than projected.
Where does Seattle stack up versus the rest of the league? In terms of annual contract value surplus, the Kraken rank 14th in the NHL over the last five years. In terms of total contract value, Seattle ranks 27th.
Remarkably, Anaheim’s contracts, which were tied for last in Luszczyszyn’s projected annual value analysis, come out middle of the pack in this look on an annual basis and best in the league on a total surplus value basis.
Market analysis methodology
For this exercise, I compiled a list of all unrestricted free agent skater contracts signed between June and September over the last five summer signing periods valued at $1 million average annual value or greater. I believe this mostly replicates Luszczyszyn’s sample, though he didn’t specify whether he included unrestricted free agents re-signing with their own team before reaching free agency.
I included signings in June because by that point these players understand their market value (ahem) even if they are not technically a free agent. It was also necessary to capture many significant signings, including the Mitch Marner signing this offseason.
I excluded contract extensions—deals that would begin a full season out—since those are not true unrestricted free agent signings. Goalies weren’t included because Evolving Hockey does not create projections for them. (Luszczyszyn’s analysis didn’t include goalies either.) And, finally, I excluded low-value contracts below $1 million because the question of “value” disappears for marginal players whose contracts can be buried in the AHL without payroll or cap consequence. (Luszczyszyn also excluded these low-value deals.)
Conclusions, caveats, and context (plus taxes)
Looking at Seattle’s contracts chronologically (as displayed in Table 1 above), we see that the Kraken have generally met or out-performed market expectations, with just a few exceptions. While Seattle signed a few “above-market” contracts in its inaugural year, this makes sense when factoring in that the team likely needed to pay a premium to attract veteran talent to a new franchise. Beyond that, only the 2024 signings of Montour and Stephenson stand out negatively based on Evolving Hockey’s market value model. And there is plenty of context to put around those signings—Seattle had a surplus of cap space, a deficit of talent, and immense pressure to compete as a new franchise looking solidify its fanbase and season-ticket renewals under the specter of the NBA’s return to city.
Even omitting that important context, Seattle’s five-year market performance (as displayed in Table 2 above) is very similar to that of the well-regarded Tampa Bay Lightning, both on an annual and total-value basis. Returning to Luszczyszyn’s original prompt, this is particularly notable because the Lightning’s home state of Florida is income tax free, just like Washington State.
Any approach has its limitations, and this one is no different. Looking at Seattle’s deals with hindsight, it’s easy to say that the “best” market value contract (Andre Burakovsky) was a debacle, while the “worst” market value contract (Montour) had a strong first year. Again, this market study is not attempting to measure return on investment. That’s a different analysis—one we may undertake in a few years.
Finally, a few caveats before we close this out. First, Evolving Hockey missed about a dozen projections league-wide over the five-year stretch. I don’t think those contracts would have significantly influenced the results here because each of the contracts were relatively minor.
Second, the five-year sample is quite small. There’s no way around that; individual outlier contracts can easily skew a team’s standing in this study.
Finally, as mentioned above, this study does not account for goalie contracts. Philipp Grubauer’s contract remains one of the largest in Kraken franchise history, and it was met with mixed reception at the time it was signed. That contract is part of Seattle’s history of signing free agents, even if it doesn’t factor into the numbers here.
Curtis Isacke
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.
This article is both my introduction to SoundOfHockey.com and an introduction to PWHL Seattle to the uninitiated fan. But also, I wanted this article to be a metaphorical lighting of the beacons to call you to my cause. Professional women’s hockey is coming to Seattle, and you should be a fan.
Here are six reasons why you should care about the PWHL coming to Seattle this season.
1. Rule changes make the game (even more) fun
The PWHL has implemented some rule changes that many NHL fans find appealing. In my opinion, the changes work. Games are quicker paced, there is a ton of scoring (over five goals scored per game), and it gives the game a slightly different look for both veteran fans and newbies alike. Some new fans may not know, but the women’s game has oft pioneered rule changes that end up getting adopted by the rest of hockey.
Here are a few of the differences in the PWHL from the hockey that you may have been watching:
Standings point system:
3 points – Regulation Win
2 points – OT or Shootout Win
1 point – OT or Shootout Loss
0 points – Regulation Loss
Playoffs: The top four teams of the regular season make it to the postseason. High seeds get to choose their opponent in the first round, which makes for some exciting upsets and motivated underdogs.
No tanking: There are also rules in place to stop teams from tanking for higher draft picks. Once a team is eliminated from playoff contention, they begin earning “Draft Order Points” to determine how high they will pick. That way, they aren’t incentivized to lose games late in the season.
Jailbreak goal: Players on minor penalties are released from the box if their team scores short-handed.
2. A chance to support out queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming athletes
I probably don’t have to tell you that women’s sports are at the center of a giant culture war. Queer athletes, trans athletes, and even straight, cisgender, women who do not fit society’s expectations of what a female athlete should look like are being pressured out of sports at every level.
One of PWHL Seattle’s acquisitions, goaltender Carly (CJ) Jackson is non-binary and uses they and she pronouns. “Hockey has been a place where pretty consistently I’ve felt most like myself,” Jackson said in this Toronto Star article. Now’s the time for you to root for a team and a league that has chosen the path of inclusion over exclusion and hate.
3. You like physicality? We’ve got physicality… You like personality? We’ve got personality
Physicality and personality both presented beautifully in this mic’d-up segment with new PWHL Seattle forward, Lexie Adzija, in which she can be seen looking for her mama, hyping the skill of teammate Hilary Knight, leveling opponents, and just hoping “both teams have fun.”
4. The PWHL Seattle roster is legitimately stacked
Seattle could be very good in its inaugural season. First and foremost, we have Captain America, A.K.A. Hilary Knight, who, by many metrics, is the best… period. She certainly is the GOAT of the IIHF World Championship, where she has won 14 medals. That’s more than anyone. Ever. Man or woman. I feel I shouldn’t have to say more, but I will.
Hilary Knight stickhandles for the Boston Fleet in a Takeover Tour game against the Montreal Victoire in Seattle. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a skilled player who maybe hasn’t had the chance she deserved (a comeback queen, if you will), give Alex Carpenter a try.
Interested in young talent? Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes would like a word.
A goalie trio of lovable weirdos? We got it!
The team even has two players from Minnesota! For those interested in the #Minnutiae.
Because the PWHL is a much smaller league than the NHL, teams have incredible depth in skill. And because the players haven’t been media trained since they were 16 years old like many male pros who rose through junior hockey ranks, they let their personalities show.
I wish I could tell you now about everyone’s weird superstitions, hockey histories, and our new goalie’s life growing up on an egg farm in a town with a population of 339, but there isn’t time in this article.
Have no fear, though. In the coming weeks and months, I endeavor to profile the staff and athletes who will make up our team, so you can figure out who you want to watch closely going into the inaugural season. PWHL Seattle can and will be competitive right away.
5. The community is brand new, and there is a low barrier to entry
You can be a part of building something new, positive, and great here in Seattle. Women’s sports are having their moment in America and the world at large. If you are a Kraken fan, maybe you know a thing or two about being a fan of a team from Day 1 and the excitement and community that builds organically around the team.
If you are new to sports, great! This is a brand-new team, so you can learn along with a bunch of other new fans.
If you are new to Seattle, great! Sports fandom is an excellent way to meet people and be more involved in the community.
Women’s sports fans form a small, tightly knit, and supportive group. At the PWHL Takeover game last year, I received a friendship bracelet made by a complete stranger who made a ton of them and was giving them out purely for the love of the game, bringing joy to fellow fans.
You can have a hand in how PWHL Seattle establishes itself. You can, and will, make friends, dress in wacky outfits, and make fun signs.
Plus, all games are FREE to watch on YouTube. Incredible.
6. Growing the game is important… Be a part of showing that hockey is for everyone
Look, I know Seattle sports culture. I have lived my entire life in Seattle. I have seen how this city can embrace expansion teams like the Sounders, Kraken, and Reign. I also know that there are so many other cool things to spend your time and money on as a Seattle sports fan (the Mariners are good this season?????!!!!!!).
To make things a little personal, growing up as a girl who was also a jock in Seattle in the ’90s wasn’t always easy. I wanted to be physical, play a game that pushed the boundaries. Heck, I was pissed when I discovered the boy’s lacrosse team got to whap each other with sticks, and I was forced to run around in a skirt and goggles. I didn’t see where my future possibly could be because there were no role models. Being a woman and being strong, competitive, and physical didn’t exist into adulthood, and it certainly wasn’t a career option. But enjoy your youth wrestling and playing water polo, kid. I can’t turn back the clock for me, but let’s lift up this team and these athletes for the kids who now have a chance to see what their full potential could be.
These six reasons are why, dear reader, it is crucial that you join me in my fandom. Knowing the audience at Sound Of Hockey, many of you are on board and have been since the beginning, and we are already making big waves. We had thousands of people sign up to be on the waiting list for season tickets. Every hockey fan I know who is a woman, queer, or has a daughter is already all in on PWHL Seattle. But we need you too! We need everyone to turn the tide and make this community a success. So, get excited about stupid name speculation, get to know the athletes, go watch a practice. It’s fun, it’s revolutionary, and hey, you might even enjoy yourself.
