With the NHL Trade Deadline behind us and a zero percent chance of the Seattle Kraken making the postseason, the question is: How do the Kraken get better for next year? After the trade deadline, general manager Ron Francis appeared on the Kraken Hockey Network pregame show on March 9 and outlined how NHL teams can acquire players, saying, “One is draft and develop. One is to trade for them. One is the free agent market and one is offer sheets.”
Watch the full interview here:
My ears perked up when I heard Francis mention offer sheets. With the NHL salary cap rising over the next three years—$95.5 million in 2025-26, $104 million in 2026-27, and $113.5 million in 2027-28—teams will have extra money to make bold moves. Historically, offer sheets are rare, but the cap increase could lead to them becoming a more frequently used strategy.
It has long felt like there was an unwritten rule among GMs to avoid offer sheets, but the tides may be shifting. With the additional cap space, this could be a viable way for the Kraken to introduce new talent to the team.
Since their introduction in 1986, only 44 offer sheets have been accepted by RFAs. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), only six offer sheets have been signed in its 12-year span. Could a few more be signed this offseason?
What is an offer sheet in the NHL?
An offer sheet is a contract offered to a restricted free agent (RFA) by a team other than his current club. It is essentially a competitive offer made directly to a player whose rights are still held by another team. If the player signs the offer, his original team has seven days to match the terms and retain him or let him go and receive draft picks as compensation.
Below is an overview of the specifics that make offer sheets interesting, followed by some thoughts on how they could play a role for the Kraken and across the NHL this offseason.
Offer sheet details
Requirements
Offer sheets can only be presented to Group 2 RFAs who have received a qualifying offer. A Group 2 RFA is a player who has previously signed an NHL contract, is under 27 years old, and has fewer than seven accrued NHL seasons.
Group 4 RFAs—players drafted but never signed by their original team—are not eligible to receive offer sheets.
If an RFA files for arbitration, they can sign an offer sheet before the arbitrator’s decision but not afterward. Once an RFA signs a new contract or accepts a qualifying offer, they are no longer eligible for an offer sheet.
Timing
Offer sheets can only be extended between July 1 and December 1.
Once an RFA signs an offer sheet, his original team has seven days to match or decline the offer.
Compensation picks
If a team successfully signs an RFA to an offer sheet, and the original team does not match, the signing team must provide draft pick compensation based on the player’s average annual value (AAV). Below is the 2024 compensation structure:
The AAV thresholds will increase for the upcoming offseason, typically announced in early June. The compensatory draft picks must be a team’s own picks, meaning draft picks acquired via trade that aren’t originally theirs cannot be used for compensation.
AAV calculations
For offer sheets, AAV is calculated slightly differently than for salary cap purposes. While a player can sign a deal for up to seven years, for compensation purposes, the AAV is capped at a five-year maximum. For example, a seven-year, $35 million deal would have a $5 million cap hit, but for compensation, the AAV would be calculated as $7 million ($35M/5), requiring a first-, second-, and third-round pick based on the 2024 compensation table.
Kraken potential involvement
The Kraken have around $20 million in cap space for next season and hold 12 draft picks in the first three rounds over the next three years. Francis has hinted at using these assets to improve the roster, potentially through trades—or maybe even an offer sheet.
The future of goaltender Philipp Grubauer remains uncertain, with a buyout becoming increasingly likely. If the Kraken are in search of a backup goalie, RFAs who could be acquired via offer sheet include:
Stats current as of March 17
On the forward front, intriguing RFAs with offensive potential include:
Stats current as of March 17
Offensive defensemen like Evan Bouchard and Bowen Byram could also be stolen away via offer sheets, but given the Kraken’s solid defensive core, a major move in this area seems unlikely.
On the other side of the coin, other teams could sign Kraken RFAs to offer sheets to force their hand. Last week we set expectations for RFAs and while most offer sheets presented to Kaapo Kakko or Ryker Evans would likely be matched, they could create significant headaches for Seattle’s front office. If the Kraken prefer a specific term length, an offer sheet could disrupt those plans, forcing them into either overcommitting or losing the player. Kakko, in particular, is one year away from unrestricted free agency and could leverage an offer sheet to push for a one-year deal.
Offer sheets around the NHL
Only 13 teams currently hold all their own draft picks in 2026, making them eligible to tender an offer sheet at any tier. Of these, 11 are outside the playoff picture as of March 18. The two playoff teams, Los Angeles and New Jersey, are not considered Stanley Cup favorites, but if they have a deep playoff run, could decide the later-round picks would be better spent via an offer sheet.
One of the biggest potential targets is Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. A team offering Bouchard an AAV of $10-11 million would put Edmonton in a tough spot, potentially forcing them to choose between matching or losing their top defenseman.
Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs is another interesting case. At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, he’s a big-bodied winger who can score. With John Tavares and Mitch Marner entering free agency, Toronto has some holes to fill and could have a tough decision become even tougher if Knies signs an offer sheet. Knies does come with a bit of risk because his shooting percentage is unsustainably high at 21.2 percent, and he also benefits from playing with two superstars in Marner and Auston Matthews on his line.
Examples of offer sheets
Let’s review two recent examples of offer sheets: Philip Broberg in 2024 and Sebastian Aho in 2019. These two cases illustrate the different strategies behind offer sheets. St. Louis used a well-calculated gamble to acquire an unproven but promising defenseman, while Montreal aimed high but ultimately failed to pry away a franchise player. Offer sheets remain a rare but fascinating tool for teams looking to add talent.
St. Louis and Edmonton
Philip Broberg was a first-round pick in 2019 (eighth overall) by the Edmonton Oilers. Since being drafted, he split time between the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and the Oilers, never quite securing a full-time NHL role. However, in 2023-24, Broberg took a significant step forward, posting 38 points (five goals, 33 assists) in 49 AHL games. He also appeared in 10 playoff games for Edmonton, positioning himself to make the Oilers’ roster for the 2024-25 season.
Then came the St. Louis Blues, who signed Broberg to a two-year offer sheet worth $4.58 million per year—well above his expected market value. As an unproven NHL defenseman, Broberg was likely looking at an offer in the $1-2 million range from Edmonton. St. Louis structured the deal strategically, staying just below the threshold that would have required a first- and third-round pick as compensation. Instead, by keeping the contract within the second-round pick range, the Blues forced the Oilers into a tough spot. Already in a tight cap situation, Edmonton chose not to match, reluctantly accepting the second-round pick. While St. Louis initially overpaid, Broberg has rewarded them with a strong first season, logging 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) while averaging 20:16 of ice time per game.
Montreal and Carolina
Sebastian Aho’s offer sheet in 2019 was a different case entirely. Unlike Broberg, Aho was an established NHL star, coming off an 83-point (30 goals, 53 assists) season. The Montreal Canadiens saw an opportunity and extended a five-year, $8.46 million AAV offer sheet to the young center. At the time, the NHL salary cap was $80 million, meaning Aho’s contract accounted for 10.5 percent of the cap—a substantial deal in 2019. The offer was enough to tempt Aho into signing, but Montreal’s plan ultimately failed. Carolina didn’t even wait a full day before matching the offer sheet, ensuring they kept their star player.
The deal Aho signed in 2019 expired after the 2023-24 season, and he has since earned a well-deserved pay raise, signing an eight-year extension worth $9.75 million per year. Adding to the intrigue, Carolina seemed miffed that Montreal had offer-sheeted one of their players. Two years later, the Hurricanes retaliated by signing Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens to an offer sheet—one that included a signing bonus of exactly $20, a nod to Aho’s jersey number.
Final thoughts
Will offer sheets rise from the deep to become a legitimate strategy, or will GMs continue to avoid them? If the trend picks up, the 2026 offseason could be fascinating with players like Connor Bedard and Jason Robertson set to become RFAs.
Teams worried about losing RFAs to offer sheets can avoid the risk by signing their players to extensions before July 1. Ultimately, it’s always up to the original team whether to match the offer and retain the player or take the compensation and move on, but an offer sheet from another team can put a team into a pickle by forcing it to pay a player more than it was anticipating.
What do you think? Will offer sheets increase as the cap rises? Are there any RFAs you hope the Kraken target? And at what compensation level would you let Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Evans, or Tye Kartye walk? Let us know in the comments!
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 got off to a slow start on Tuesday and spotted the Chicago Blackhawks a two-goal lead. But as we’ve seen many times this season, they woke up, tilted the ice in the second period. This time, their poor opponent had no answer once things got rolling downhill, and Seattle glided through to an easy 6-2 win.
Lots of players had impressive performances statistically, with three points for Adam Larsson and two each for Shane Wright, Andre Burakovsky, and Matty Beniers, plus goals from Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle.
Here are Three Takeaways from a convincing 6-2 Kraken win over the Blackhawks.
Takeaway #1: Big night for the Big Cat
Though not known for his offensive prowess, Adam Larsson occasionally contributes a couple of points here and there. On this night, he came through in a big way with a critical goal at a key juncture in the game and later added two primary assists—one on Matty Beniers’ goal that made it 4-2 at 12:53 of the second period and the other on Shane Wright’s second goal of the night to make it 6-2 at 6:55 of the third.
It was the second three-point game of the season for the Big Cat, following a three-assist night in a 5-2 win at the New York Islanders on Dec. 5.
Larsson’s goal was the turning point in this game. Seattle had just fallen behind 2-0 at 17:13 of the first when Tyler Bertuzzi tipped Alex Vlasic’s wrist shot past Joey Daccord. But Larsson struck right back just 31 seconds later, showing good offensive instincts by recognizing a soft spot in the right circle and sneaking down from the blue line just as Jaden Schwartz successfully forechecked and jarred the puck loose to Beniers at the goal line.
Beniers laid a perfect pass in Larsson’s wheelhouse, and the defenseman ripped it home.
THE BIG CAT ANSWERS! 🦁
31 seconds after Tyler Bertuzzi made it 2-0 Blackhawks, Matty Beniers sets up Adam Larsson.
The goal seemed to settle things down for the Kraken, who didn’t look particularly sharp for much of the first period. They went on to score four goals in the second period and cruised to an easy victory.
Takeaway #2: Wright as rain
Shane Wright also had a big night for Seattle, scoring goals No. 16 and 17 on the season. Remember, he’s been in a bit of a weird spot since Jani Nyman got recalled, playing the majority of his shifts on what Dan Bylsma refuses to call the team’s fourth line (but… it is).
Even so, Wright got plenty of ice time in this one with 16:54 TOI and still managed to score one of his tallies while out with that line of Mikey Eyssimont, Wright, and John Hayden. Eyssimont made some fantastic plays to create that goal—first throwing a reverse hit, then cutting to the slot and getting two point-blank looks at Spencer Knight before Wright tapped in Eyssimont’s second rebound.
WRIGHT AS RAIN! ☔️ 🚨
Heckuva sequence by Mikey Eyssimont to create an easy tap-in for Shane Wright.
Five unanswered goals for the #SeaKraken since they fell behind 2-0.
Wright’s second goal came off a pretty give-and-go with Larsson, and that one happened with Jared McCann and Andre Burakovsky as his temporary linemates.
WRIGHT AS RAIN x 2! ☔️ 🚨
Nice little give-and-go play with Adam Larsson, and Shane Wright gets his second of the night. Three points for the Big Cat tonight.
It put him into a three-way tie for the team’s goal-scoring lead, behind Eeli Tolvanen (21) and Jaden Schwartz (19) but level with McCann and Beniers, who both also potted their 17th goals in this game.
I still don’t think it’s ideal to have Wright playing most of his shifts in that spot with Eyssimont and Tye Kartye or Hayden, but I know it’s temporary. Coaches are hesitant to change lineups that are working, and although I don’t think Bylsma expected to be rolling with Wright on that line for as long as he has, the team has looked very good since Jani Nyman arrived.
So, until the Kraken have a stumble, I expect Wright to continue playing a similar role. Hey, he’s making the most of it.
Takeaway #3: Taking care of business
Seeing the Kraken play the way they have since the NHL Trade Deadline is both encouraging and disappointing at the same time. It’s disappointing because there were so many games like this earlier in the year when it felt like Seattle just had to “take care of business” against lesser teams in what felt like must-win games, yet they’d come out and lay an egg (think about that dreadful stretch around Thanksgiving when they went 1-3 in two home-and-home series against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks).
That said, it remains way more fun to watch the team win games and start to believe in itself—a mindset that can serve as a foundation for a more successful season in 2025-26. This version of the Kraken that we’ve been seeing lately is now 4-1-1 in six games since the deadline, has won its league-leading ninth game after trailing by two or more goals, and—although it was facing a horrendous defensive team—looked dominant in the second and third periods on Tuesday.
Yes, it would have been nice to see the team reach this level earlier in the season, but it is still enjoyable to see it, even now.
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.
The Seattle Kraken finished their three-game homestand with two wins and an overtime loss to the best team in the league. The first game of the week, against the Montreal Canadiens, was one of the most memorable of the season. Fans witnessed the Kraken rally from a two-goal deficit, Jani Nyman’s first NHL goal, and an unforgettable overtime winner that will be seared into their memories.
It was probably the loudest I’ve heard Climate Pledge Arena in some time. It was a nice reminder of why I still love going to the games, even if playoff hockey isn’t in the cards this season.
The Jani Nyman experience
We’ve been talking about Jani Nyman all season as one of the Kraken’s most exciting prospects. He’s a ‘big man’ with a wicked shot that could be exactly what the Kraken need. After a relatively slow start to the season in Coachella Valley, Jani has scored goals consistently for the Firebirds. When he got called up early last week, there was a lot of anticipation over whether he could showcase his skill in the NHL.
Often, players take significant time adjusting to the NHL’s speed and size — we’ve seen it before with Ryan Winterton, Logan Morrison, and even Shane Wright. But Nyman wasted no time, scoring a beauty of a power-play goal from a gorgeous feed by Jordan Eberle in his first NHL game. He followed that up with another power-play goal on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. As mentioned on the Kraken Hockey Network, “Li’l Jani” became the second Kraken player to score a goal in two of his first three games, with Matty Beniers being the other.
Folks. Jani Nyman's First NHL Goal. It's a beauty set up by the captain (his third primary helper of the game) #SeaKraken
Pessimists might point out that both of his goals came on the power play, but it’s more than just the goals that should excite Kraken fans. Nyman looks like he belongs in the NHL, consistently putting himself in good spots to shoot and battling for pucks without hesitation. It’s early, but you have to like what you’ve seen from him in his first three NHL games. And let’s not forget — he’s still just 20 years old.
Checking in on the Swedish Hockey League
The Swedish Hockey League kicked off its postseason over the weekend, with two Kraken prospects still competing. Unsigned sixth-round draft pick from 2023, Zeb Forsfjäll, and Skellefteå AIK are taking on Färjestad BK in a No. 4 versus No. 5 seed matchup. Meanwhile, Oscar Fisker-Mølgaard and HV71 are once again battling in the relegation round against Modo. Unfortunately, HV71 is already down 0-2 in their best-of-5 series and will need to win three in a row if they are going to avoid being relegated.
Mølgaard had a solid regular season in a league where scoring is hard to come by, tallying 19 points in 38 games with a plus/minus of plus-six on a struggling team. At just 20 years old, he’s considered a strong two-way center and is expected to join the Coachella Valley Firebirds for a limited stint this season once his HV71 campaign concludes. The SHL has provided Mølgaard with an excellent development path, playing in a level of hockey that, outside the AHL, is the most similar to the NHL. He’s projected to play in Coachella Valley next season and is likely a season or two away from being NHL-ready.
Other musings
The Kraken have lost all three games against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets by a margin of one goal. Two of those games were overtime losses, while the other ended with Winnipeg scoring the game-winner with just 27 seconds remaining.
Across all three games against the Winnipeg Jets, the Kraken only trailed for 12 percent of the total time — the lowest percentage they’ve trailed against any Western Conference opponent this season.
To put that 12 percent trailing figure into context, the Kraken have trailed in 42 percent of their total game time this season. The only team with a higher trailing percentage is the San Jose Sharks.
After Brandon Montour’s brilliant game-winning goal against the Canadiens on Thursday, I spent the entire drive home talking about it being a set play. For the next 24 hours or so there was a lot of discussion about it on several platforms. I really loved how Troy Smith discussed it on the Sheet the next day. Alison also got some additional context here.
Eeli Tolvanen has stepped up as one of the new penalty killers in the absence of Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev. While he was used sparingly on the penalty kill over the past few seasons, it’s not a role he’s been asked to play much throughout his career.
Since two of their top penalty killers (Gourde and Tanev) last played on March 4, the Kraken’s penalty kill has operated at a 92.3 percent success rate, tied for second-best in the league.
No one should be too concerned about Shane Wright’s current deployment as the “fourth-line center.” It’s a strategic move to provide Jani Nyman with experienced players around him. Jared McCann was moved to center for Nyman and Burakovsky, which pushed Wright to the fourth line. This setup could also be an opportunity for Wright to work on his two-way game. He’s still getting power-play time and was on the ice for overtime.
Jani Nyman had just two goals in his first 10 games with Coachella Valley. However, in his last 10 games with the Firebirds before being called up, he scored eight goals.
The Kraken rank second in the league in the percentage of team goals scored by defensemen, with 20.8 percent of their goals coming from the blue line. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is still up for debate.
As mentioned above, HV71 is facing Modo in the relegation series. Former Kraken and Seattle Thunderbird Alexander True is part of that Modo team.
Chart of the week
If there’s one thing I’ve loved about this season’s team, it’s their refusal to quit. I’ve probably mentioned this a couple of times this year, but last Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, the Kraken once again rallied from a two-goal deficit. They lead the league in wins after being down by two goals.
Goal of the week
There were lots of fun goals to choose from this week, but let’s give it up for Jani’s first NHL goal. For this one, we get the full clip, including Nyman’s parents’ reaction.
Here's a longer cut of Nyman's first goal… what a moment to be able to share! #SEAKraken
Jordan Eberle (SEA) – The Kraken captain has recorded one goal and six assists over his last four games, including a three-assist performance against the Montreal Canadiens last Wednesday.
Eeli Tolvanen (SEA) – Tolvanen scored three goals over the last three games and leads the Kraken in goals this season with 21, which also marks a career high for a single season.
Brandon Montour (SEA) – Montour has tallied three goals and three assists over his last three games. He also set a Seattle Kraken single-season record for goals by a defenseman, with 16 goals on the season, matching his career high. He was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week.
The week ahead
The Kraken have three road games over the next eight days, starting with a back-to-back against the Blackhawks and Wild on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a Saturday matchup at the Edmonton Oilers.
The Blackhawks have struggled all season, holding the second-worst record in the league. However, the Kraken have already lost to the Blackhawks once this season, so it’s unwise to assume they’ll be an easy opponent.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have been struggling lately, going 3-6-1 over their last 10 games and averaging just 1.6 goals per game during that stretch. The Kraken will be on the second night of a back-to-back, though, and they are currently 0-10-0 in such situations this season.
And Edmonton…let’s just worry about Edmonton later.
As we have declared on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, loser points are no longer helpful for the Seattle Kraken, who are firmly out of contention. We’re fine with wins, and we’re fine with regulation losses; wins bring good feelings and help build a winning culture for next season, while regulation losses improve Seattle’s chances of winning the draft lottery. Loser points do neither of those things.
Still, the Kraken deserve commendation for their effort on Sunday, going toe-to-toe with the NHL’s best team. It was their fifth straight game since the NHL Trade Deadline in which one could argue they delivered a strong performance.
With the overtime loss, the Kraken ended the season series 0-1-2 against Winnipeg. “They’re the best team in the league with their record, and each one of the games we’ve played them [this season], two in overtime and one with a goal [against] in the last minute, and they beat us with that,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “They’re a benchmark team right now, and… we’re right there with them.”
Here are three takeaways from a hard-fought 3-2 Kraken overtime loss to the Jets.
Takeaway #1: Jani Nyman strikes again
Jani Nyman may have legitimately set himself up for a full-time Kraken roster spot next season with how he has performed in his first NHL stint. He became the second Seattle player ever to score in two of his first three games (Matty Beniers was the first) after another pretty power-play dish by Jordan Eberle, who also assisted on Nyman’s first goal in his NHL debut.
HELLO, NYMAN! 🚨
Just like on his first career goal, it’s a PPG set up by Eberle.
Nyman also picked off a Dylan DeMelo pass at the midway point of the third period and just missed scoring what could have been a critical go-ahead goal.
“We’ve clearly got a good picture of what he can do and what he can be,” Bylsma said. “It’s not just the shot on the power play that we’ve seen a couple times. He had some good time in the offensive zone with the puck, getting over it, making plays. His line had another real good shift there in the second, maybe our best in the second, with chances in the offensive zone. So really good to see from him in another game.”
Nyman’s lethal shot got Seattle off on the right foot with a 1-0 lead at 9:58 of the first period, and Mikey Eyssimont followed that up by looking off Tye Kartye on a 2-on-1 and slipping a hard shot through Eric Comrie’s five-hole at 15:23.
Despite the goals, I would still guess Nyman’s call-up won’t last too much longer. This was always meant to be a short stint to reward him for an outstanding AHL season and see if he’s getting close to ready for the next level. I think he earned himself a couple extra games with his performances, and as Seattle heads out on a road trip, it may make sense to return Nyman to Coachella Valley now, where he can continue helping the Firebirds on their march toward the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Takeaway #2: Another tough night for Ryker Evans
When the Seattle Kraken faced the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, they also had a two-goal lead in the second period. The gap was narrowed with a power-play goal by Patrik Laine, but then Alex Newhook and Juraj Slafkovsky each scored three minutes apart to give Montreal the lead. On both of those goals, Ryker Evans could have done things differently to help prevent the Canadiens from scoring.
Evans was then a healthy scratch against the Utah Hockey Club, and Bylsma said after morning skate on Sunday that he “didn’t think [the Montreal game] was the strongest game from Ryker,” which explained why he didn’t play on Friday.
The 23-year-old defenseman was back in the lineup Sunday and had the primary assist on Eyssimont’s goal. But he also appeared to be the one who lost his check on Cole Perfetti when he found a rebound and banged it into an open net behind Joey Daccord with just 17 seconds left in the first period, a critical goal to allow heading into the first intermission.
D’oh!
Bad time to give up a goal at the very end of an otherwise fantastic 1st period.
Perfetti bangs home a rebound to get the Jets on the board.
Evans also shot into a block, then didn’t retreat fast enough to mark the very dangerous Kyle Connor, as the Jets star scorer saw an opportunity and flew the zone. Connor raced in on a breakaway and tied the game at 11:42 of the second.
When asked post-game about Evans’ performance, Bylsma said, “I want to reserve comment on that one,” before giving several comments about it. “Like for every player, there’s some plays in the game that you do well, and some plays you want back.”
Evans is a young, still-developing player in his first full NHL season. It is normal to go through growing pains, as well as have challenging stretches of games that can rattle the confidence. He’ll find that confidence again soon.
Takeaway #3: Brandon Tanev brings shenanigans in return
Brandon Tanev made his return to Climate Pledge Arena just nine days after being traded to the Jets at the NHL Trade Deadline. Always a hard-nosed player, Tanev seemed extra intent on making his presence known physically in this one and even got himself into some extracurricular activities with some of his former teammates.
Six minutes into the game, Tanev took a big run at Shane Wright and sent him flying headfirst into the boards. Tye Kartye went right after Tanev, and lots of pushing, shoving, and punching ensued, though nobody ever dropped the gloves.
Whoa! 🤯 Brandon Tanev with a questionable hit on Shane Wright, and Tye Kartye goes RIGHT AFTER Tanev.
Oddly, after quickly making himself the villain for several members of the home crowd, Tanev was then honored by the Kraken and welcomed back with a video tribute that got a nice ovation.
Bylsma said he was unsurprised by Tanev making a heavy hit on Wright. “I think that’s what Brandon provided the last four years is that energy and speed, physicality, and tenacity. And so I think we all expected it, because that’s what he brings each and every night to his game, that’s what makes him an effective player.”
The Kraken coach added that he liked the way his players were immediately “sticking their jerseys together” to stand up to Tanev but also gave some advice to Wright for the next time Tanev is on the ice with the opposing team: “Heads up, Wrighter… He probably should have heard me yelling.”
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.
“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. Well, usually it’s weekly. We missed last week for the trade deadline, but return with an update on Ty Nelson’s progress in Coachella Valley, plus news and notes from around the organization over the last two weeks and a preview of the week ahead. (Note that this update does not include data from the games on Friday, Mar. 14.)
As always, if you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey. Let’s dive in.
Ty Nelson is gaining traction in Coachella Valley
Seattle Kraken defense prospect Ty Nelson has heard it his entire career. He’s too short. His game is too limited to find success at the higher levels.
But Nelson believes he has the skill and mindset to succeed.
“Throughout my whole life, I’ve never been the tallest kid, but I’ve been on the stockier side,” Nelson told Judd Spicer on a recent episode of The Fire and Ice Podcast. “And so, you know what, if I’m going to a corner with a guy that’s 5-foot-2, or I’m going into the corner with a guy that’s 6-foot-7, I’m going in there with the same mindset that I’m going to do anything to get you out of my way to get that puck.”
“That’s just the way that I’ve played hockey my whole life,” Nelson continued. “I’ve had that outlook on life, you know what I mean? You can’t tell me I can’t do something because I’m too small… I’m not…. I’ll prove you wrong…. You can’t limit me because I’m the shorter guy.”
That mindset has helped Nelson navigate what he admits was a difficult transition “trying to figure out the pace and speed of the [AHL].” Since that initial hurdle, he notes that this rookie AHL season has been about “becoming the best version of myself that I can.”
For Nelson, that growth has manifested most in two areas of his game. First, he points to the nuances and finer points of defending at the professional level. “Coach Stu [Bickel] [and I] have been doing a lot of work on that, and it’s not so much even just like big things. It was just like little things about stick positioning and where you [put your stick] in certain situations.”
Second, he points to his puck possession. “I feel like just my confidence with the puck has been a lot better,” Nelson told Spicer. “I love to play in the offensive zone and make things happen… That’s something that I really felt like I’ve tried to dial up a notch—my confidence with the puck in making smart plays and making the right plays when they’re there.”
When comparing Nelson’s early season work to his more recent games, I tend to think Nelson’s self evaluation is spot on. This is encouraging in itself since it indicates a strong sense for the game.
Nelson’s still playing a relatively sheltered 5-on-5 role, often alongside a veteran like Maxim Lajoie and without tough matchup assignments. He also doesn’t have a regular special teams role, which leaves his ice time around 16 or 17 minutes per night. But this focused assignment has allowed Nelson to hone his defensive game, a necessary step if he’s going to earn an NHL role down the road. As Nelson said, he’s increasingly pairing his physicality at the net front and in the corners with more skilled defensive plays.
On the offensive end, he’s confidently holding the puck and defeating pressure with possession or considered passes. His early season rushed and scattered passes are less frequent now.
Similarly encouraging is Nelson’s dependability and durability. Already facing questions about his size, and coming off a season in which Nelson suffered a scary head injury, it is notable that he is the only rookie (and one of only two players total) to play in every game for the Firebirds this season. That is a great indicator of the staff’s confidence in him and his ability to withstand professional physicality.
If you’ve ever heard Nelson give an interview, it’s hard not to pull for him. He has an infectious personality and clear traits to be a leader and positive locker room presence for this team for years to come. The question was: Would his game hit a ceiling? There’s no evidence of that so far at the AHL level. And we’re not betting against him in the seasons ahead either.
Notes on three Kraken prospects
Julius Miettinen | F | Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Julius Miettinen celebrated his return to the Everett lineup last Sunday night with a goal. Miettinen had missed more than two months of play following a lower-body injury suffered at the World Juniors. Now he’ll take on a key role for the U.S. Division-champion Everett Silvertips as they look to make a run in the WHL playoffs. The burden will be even heavier following the news that teammate (and 2025 draft prospect) Carter Bear is likely out for the remainder of the season.
Nathan Villeneuve | F | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Nathan Villeneuve’s scoring rate continued its upward climb in the last two weeks. Villeneuve was averaging exactly one point per game when the calendar flipped over to 2025. Since then, his production sits at a much more impressive 1.4 points per game. For context, his 2025 scoring rate would rank 20th in the OHL if extended to the entire season, just slightly behind fellow Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf. Overall, his 33 goals put him 17th in the league in goal scoring. His two goals and nine assists in six games since our last update earns him one of our two Sound Of Hockey Prospect(s) of the Week(s).
Ollie Josephson | F | Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Josephson is not known for his scoring. Instead, his sound defense, speed, and transition skill drive his profile. Even so, Josephson had one of the more impressive prospect performances of the season on Tuesday, Mar. 11, when he had three goals and two assists in a 6-4 Rebels win. Nearly as impressive, he emerged from this relatively close game with a plus-five plus-minus. He’ll look to build on that performance down the home stretch of the season. With 11 points in seven games overall since our last update, he’s your (other) Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week(s).
Kraken prospects data update
Jani Nyman continued to score in the days leading up to his Kraken recall and debut, with three goals in three games.
Rehkopf, Villeneuve, and unsigned Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko all rank within the top-20 in the OHL in goal scoring.
The Kraken reassigned Victor Östman from the ECHL to the AHL with Ales Stezka nursing a day-to-day injury. Östman made his AHL debut last Wednesday, Mar. 5, and earned a win. (He also started and played well on Friday, Mar. 14, after this data was gathered.)
Semyon Vyazovoy continues to impress when given the opportunity in goal in the KHL, but he continues to operate as the lower-playing-time half of a tandem.
2024-25 Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
Berkly Catton: 3
Clarke Caswell: 2
Tyson Jugnauth: 2
Nathan Villeneuve: 2
Alexis Bernier: 1
Justin Janicke: 1
Ollie Josephson: 1
Andrei Loshko: 1
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard: 1
Victor Östman: 1
Caden Price: 1
Carson Rehkopf: 1
Jani Nyman: 1
Kim Saarinen: 1
Ryan Winterton: 1
Semyon Vyazovoy: 1
Previewing the week ahead
College hockey regular seasons have ended, though a few Kraken prospects playing in the NCAA ranks are still alive in conference championships.
Berkly Catton and the Spokane Chiefs take on Julius Miettinen and the Everett Silvertips on Sunday in Spokane.
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.
Friday night, the Seattle Kraken celebrated Women in Hockey Night, and the boys honored the occasion with a 4-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club. The fans at Climate Pledge Arena were still riding the high from Seattle’s thrilling comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday and brought the energy to help will the team to another comeback triumph. This is the 18th come-from-behind win for the Kraken this season. Here are Three Takeaways.
Takeaway #1: Grubauer stands tall
This was Philipp Grubauer’s first game back in front of the home crowd since being waived and sent down to Coachella Valley, and the “Gruuuuuuuu” chants were heard throughout the night. Grubauer secured his second win in as many starts, delivering a performance that silenced critics who claim he never makes the big save or steals a game. On this night, he stole the game from Utah, making several key stops to keep the Kraken within striking distance and later preserving the lead.
They might have handed out the save of the game too early—because Gru just delivered a beauty! 🚫🔥 #SeaKraken hold onto their 3-2 lead with 6:48 remaining! pic.twitter.com/8FAJEZaEJI
Grubauer described his time in Coachella Valley as a chance to find his rhythm, saying, “[It’s about] reading the game. There are different situations against different teams, each with unique tendencies, and just seeing those game situations better.”
With a .939 save percentage over his last two starts, the German Gentleman has clearly found that rhythm. He was awarded the first star of the night and also earned the Kraken belt.
Takeaway #2: Bend, don’t break
Seattle got off to a dream start, with Eeli Tolvanen scoring his 20th goal of the season just 51 seconds into the game. But the momentum slowed after the opening 10 minutes, and Utah capitalized, with Nick Schmaltz tying the game before the first intermission. The sluggishness continued into the second period, and after a turnover in the neutral zone, Utah had a 3-on-2 rush that ended with Kevin Stenlund scoring into an open net to take a 2-1 lead at 7:35 of the second.
At that point, the Kraken could have folded, but instead, they dug in. A momentum-shifting hit from Jared McCann helped spark the comeback:
McCann delivers a big open-ice hit! 💥 Keller briefly considers dropping the gloves but wisely thinks better of it. Maybe this is the spark the #SeaKraken need! pic.twitter.com/Gfuvaxy2It
That hit energized the crowd again, and before the period was over, a lucky bounce off Brandon Montour’s skate found the back of the net to tie the game 2-2.
Head coach Dan Bylsma described the third period as “chaotic.” Grubauer continued to stand tall, and after a disallowed goal for Jaden Schwartz, Kaapo Kakko finally gave Seattle a 3-2 lead with a wraparound goal off a defensive miscue behind the net.
The Choco Taco delivers! 🌮🔥 Kakko buries a slick wrap-around goal off a turnover behind the net, giving the #SeaKraken a 3-2 lead! That’s his 11th of the season! pic.twitter.com/7uPW0iOdU7
The Kraken never looked back, with Tolvanen adding an empty-netter to seal the 4-2 win.
Takeaway #3: Montour, Tolvanen, and Eberle playing well
Outside of the second period, several Kraken players had strong performances, whether it was generating offense, killing penalties, or delivering key hits. Three players stood out, though: Brandon Montour, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jordan Eberle.
Eberle, the Kraken captain, notched two assists, extending his scoring streak to three games. He now has six points (one goal, five assists) over that span, with all five of his assists being primary helpers. Despite hearing he would need time to get his legs back, Eberle looks back to form after returning from his serious pelvis injury. This three-game stretch is his most productive of the season.
Montour scored his 16th goal of the season, tying his career high, and he now has five points in two games (three goals, two assists). He is currently on pace for 46 points, which would be the second-best total of his career. The smooth-skating defenseman jumped into the play and got rewarded when an Eberle pass deflected off his skate and into the net. Alison Lukan said it best, “They don’t ask ‘how?’ They ask ‘how many?'”
Tolvanen, meanwhile, has caught fire, scoring three goals in the last two games to give him the first 20-goal season of his career. His goals on Friday night were his 20th and 21st of the season, and Bylsma praised him postgame, saying, “He’s got 14 more [games] to go. I think he can get to 25 [goals], and that would be an exceptional season for him.”
What’s next for the Kraken?
Seattle faces a tough test in its next game, as the league-leading Winnipeg Jets come to town on March 16. The matchup will also mark Brandon Tanev’s return to Seattle since being traded on March 7. The Kraken are 0-1-1 against the Jets this season, with both losses coming in tightly contested one-goal games. Expect another hard-fought battle, as the Kraken look to continue their stretch of positive play since the trade deadline.
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.
At the end of February, we reviewed the unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Now that the dust has settled from the trade deadline, we’ll shift our focus to the Seattle Kraken players set to become restricted free agents (RFAs) after this season.
A critical factor affecting contract negotiations is the NHL salary cap increasing 29 percent over the next three years to $113.5 million by the 2027-28 season. For the 2025-26 season, the cap will increase to $95.5 million. This increase complicates direct dollar-for-dollar contract comparisons. Therefore, I’ll include cap hit percentages to better contextualize contract values.
Kaapo Kakko
Target: Five years at $6 million (approximately six percent of the cap)
Let’s start with the player on everyone’s mind—Kaapo Kakko (whom I’ve playfully nicknamed “Choco Taco” and hope it sticks). This is Kakko’s sixth NHL season, and his current career-best offensive output is 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists) during the 2022-23 season. The Finnish native entered the league with significant expectations as the second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and has been an NHL regular ever since.
Since arriving in Seattle, Kakko has injected noticeable energy into the top line. He has contributed 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in just 33 games, which projects to roughly 55 points over a full season—which would be a new career high.
Including his earlier time with the New York Rangers this season and with 16 Kraken games remaining, Kakko is on pace for 47 points, which puts him on pace for a new career best.
The big-bodied winger excels at controlling the puck along the boards and driving into the offensive zone and isn’t shy about battling in front of the net. Notably, Kakko’s ice time has increased significantly, rising from 13:17 per game with the Rangers to 17:33 with the Kraken.
This increased ice time has boosted his points per 60 minutes (P/60) from 2.11 in New York to 2.28 in Seattle, ranking him fourth on the team behind Jared McCann (2.37), Jordan Eberle (2.49), and Shane Wright (2.65) as of March 12 for Kraken players with a minimum of 10 games played.
Despite these positives, Kakko remains somewhat unproven given he’s only played 33 games in a Kraken jersey. With only one 82-game season under his belt and being on pace for 79 this season, consistency remain a question. At just 24 years old, Kakko still has plenty of room for growth.
Comparable contracts
Comparable contracts for RFAs who signed through their early UFA years without hitting the 60-point threshold include:
Adrian Kempe: Four years, $5.5 million average annual value (6.7 percent of an $82.5 million cap)
Jared McCann: Five years, $5 million AAV (6.1 percent of an $82.5 million cap)
Pavel Zacha: One-year “prove-it” contract at $3.5 million AAV (4.2 percent of an $83.5 million cap)
Eeli Tolvanen: Two years, $3.475 million AAV (3.9 percent of an $88 million cap)
Martin Necas: Two years, $6.5 million AAV (7.4 percent of an $88 million cap)
Prediction
An eight-year deal remains possible, but given Kakko’s track record, a contract similar to Jared McCann’s five-year term seems more likely. A five-year contract between $5.75 million and $6.25 million annually (about six percent of next year’s projected $95.5 million cap) would be logical.
This length would provide Kakko with financial security, earning roughly $30 million, while still allowing him to sign another NHL contract at age 29. While $6 million might initially feel high, it’s consistent with comparable contracts, largely due to the anticipated salary cap increase. A five-year term would also reflect the Kraken paying for Kakko’s projected performance improvements.
Kakko holds arbitration rights, but his modest production to date likely gives the Kraken leverage, potentially leading to a salary lower than this projection. Alternatively, Kakko could choose to bet on himself with a shorter one- or two-year deal at a lower AAV, recognizing the cap will increase significantly—to $104 million by 2026-27 and $113.5 million by 2027-28. A shorter term would let Kakko hit the open market as a UFA as early as next year.
If he pursues a shorter contract, Pavel Zacha and Eeli Tolvanen contracts represent lower-end comparables, though Kakko would command a higher AAV. Expect a short-term contract to fall between five percent and 5.5 percent of the cap, roughly $4.75 million to $5.25 million annually.
This approach would benefit both sides, allowing Kakko to showcase his growth while enabling Seattle to assess his long-term fit and manage risk.
Ryker Evans
Target: Two years at $2.25-$2.75 million (approximately 2.8 percent of the cap)
Ryker Evans is completing his first full NHL season and has solidified himself as a versatile asset. Primarily a third-pairing defenseman with Josh Mahura, Evans frequently steps into higher roles when injuries arise.
He also shows promise quarterbacking the power play, though his opportunities are limited due to being behind Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour in the depth chart.
Evans averages significant ice time at 19:33 per game, notable for a third-pairing defenseman, highlighting the trust placed in him by the coaching staff.
Drafted as Seattle’s second-ever pick at 35th overall in 2021, Evans has justified the Kraken’s selection as an over-ager. Evans has four years of RFA status remaining and is not arbitration eligible, making a bridge contract of one to three years most likely.
Comparable contracts
Comparable contracts for RFA defensemen signed immediately following their entry-level contracts (ELCs), with similar performance levels and expiring during RFA years include:
Martin Fehervary: Three years, $2.675 million AAV (3.2 percent of an $83.5 million cap)
Nicolas Hague: Three years, $2.294 million AAV (2.8 percent of an $82.5 million cap)
Vince Dunn: One year at $1.875 million (2.3 percent of an $81.5 million cap)
Evans’ offensive skill set is similar to Dunn’s, as both are puck-moving defensemen who can quarterback a power play. Evans also contributes on the penalty kill. With the Kraken’s top-four defensemen seemingly locked in for next year, Evans is set to continue developing as the fifth defenseman. He could be preparing for a larger role once Jamie Oleksiak’s contract expires after the 2025-26 season.
Prediction
It feels likely that Evans will sign a bridge deal in the $2.25-$2.75 million range for one to three years, representing 2.5-2.75 percent of the salary cap. If the term were extended to four years, taking him to UFA status, his AAV would increase accordingly. In this scenario, former Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen’s two-year, $2.7 million AAV contract becomes a more relevant comparison.
Borgen’s deal accounted for 3.2 percent of the cap, and Evans’ AAV would likely rise similarly. A four-year contract would likely push his salary into the $3-$3.5 million range, as the Kraken would be paying for additional control over his prime years.
Tye Kartye
Target: Two years at $1.3-$1.5 million (approximately 1.3 percent of the cap)
Tye Kartye joined the Kraken as an undrafted free agent, signing an ELC before the 2022-23 season. After spending one year with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, he made an immediate impression during Seattle’s 2023 playoff run when he was called up after Jared McCann was injured by Cale Makar (booooo!).
Primarily utilized in a fourth-line role during his first two seasons with Seattle, there was optimism he’d elevate his offensive game this year, but that has yet to fully materialize. After a solid rookie season with 11 goals and 20 points, Kartye’s production slowed this season, with only eight points in 52 games.
To reignite his game, he had a brief, successful conditioning stint in Coachella Valley, tallying four points (two goals, two assists) in three games. The stint appeared beneficial, as Kartye scored his first Kraken goal in over three months in his first game back.
Kartye’s physical style is a significant asset to his game. He ranks second on the Kraken with 154 hits, trailing only Tolvanen (202). However, when normalized by ice time, Kartye leads the team (minimum 10 games played) with an impressive 18.30 hits per 60 minutes, well ahead of Tolvanen’s 13.17. Kartye consistently brings energy and physicality, making him a fan favorite.
Comparable contracts
Alexei Toropchenko: Two years, $1.25 million AAV (1.5 percent of an $83.5 million cap)
Carl Grundstrom: Two years, $1.3 million AAV (1.5 percent of an $82.5 million cap)
Michael Pezzetta: Two years, $812,500 AAV (1 percent of an $83.5 million cap)
As an RFA, Kartye’s qualifying offer from the Kraken must be at least 105 percent of his current base salary ($775k), equating to a minimum offer of $813,750. Given his contributions, Seattle is likely to offer above this threshold.
Prediction
Kartye turns 24 on April 30, meaning he still has three years of RFA eligibility remaining. Expect the Kraken to provide a moderate raise, resulting in a two-year deal worth around $1.3-$1.5 million annually.
This contract would allow Kartye the opportunity to further develop his offensive potential and provide Seattle a cost-effective, reliable fourth-line player. The ultimate hope is that Kartye evolves into a consistent middle-six winger capable of contributing offensively before negotiating his next contract.
Mikey Eyssimont
Target: One-year extension at $850K-$975K
Though it’s a small sample size of just four games, Mikey Eyssimont has made his presence felt on the Kraken’s fourth line, even chipping in a goal. Eyssimont is a fast skater who consistently gets the puck to the net. Initially viewed as a minor piece in the trade with Tampa Bay, Eyssimont could become an affordable depth option for next season.
With 16 games remaining, the Kraken will use this period to further evaluate Eyssimont’s fit within their system. If his solid play continues, general manager Ron Francis could extend Eyssimont for one year with a modest raise, likely between $850K and $975K. It is possible a second year of term would be required to get the deal done.
A solid group of RFAs
With three pending RFAs this offseason, I anticipate the Kraken will make efforts to retain each player. Given the substantial salary cap increase of $25.5 million expected over the next three years, early negotiations may help the Kraken avoid potential offer sheets, which teams can submit starting July 1. While it’s unlikely another team presents an offer sheet that Seattle wouldn’t match, it’s a scenario worth preparing for.
What do you think the Kraken should do with their RFAs? Would you offer more or less money than what I’ve predicted here, or is there anyone you’d let walk?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
In a season that has brought some not-so-fun nights at Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Kraken managed to give their home fans a very fun night Wednesday. The Kraken rallied back from a two-goal deficit, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to send the game to overtime, and then secured a game-winner just four seconds into the extra frame courtesy of a dazzling set play between Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour.
Seattle got a few monstrous individual performances from players like Montour and Jordan Eberle, plus a magical strike from Jani Nyman in his NHL debut and some late-game Matty Magic to equalize.
The Kraken came out flying in the first but only capitalized for one goal while also ringing three shots off the post. Montreal took control in the second and scored four straight goals, but Seattle showed its resiliency once again and earned a thrilling comeback victory.
“It was a really good first period, and they get the power-play goal, and they get the 4-on-4 goal, kind of special parts of the game, and then get up in the game,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “And I think going into the third, our mindset was, we thought there was enough there for us to come back in the game.”
Here are Three Takeaways from a memorable 5-4 Kraken overtime win over the Canadiens.
Takeaway #1: What a night for Montour
I’m starting with Montour’s performance, although Nyman was arguably the bigger story. Don’t worry, we’ll get to him in Takeaway #2.
Remember, Montour had his first-ever hat trick against Montreal when Seattle hung eight goals on the Habs in their barn back on Oct. 29. On Wednesday, he again was the top statistical performer, notching a whopping four points (2-2—4).
On why he’s had so much success against that particular team, Montour said, “It’s just shooting the puck, really… Guys are finding me in the right areas, and [we have good] net front. It’s nice to see a couple go through.”
Montour was everywhere in this game and got rewarded with both the game’s first and last goals.
On the first goal, 4:54 into the first period, Jordan Eberle notched his first of three assists by jumping to knock down Jakub Dobes’ rim-around clearing attempt. He found Montour streaking in and laid it out for him to skate in, pick his spot, and rip it past the Habs netminder.
BRANDON BOMB-TOUR! 💣 🚨
Good forecheck by Jordan Eberle, who jumps to cut off the rim-around, then finds Montour.
The last goal was the special one. As the teams lined up for the extra frame’s opening draw, the Canadiens positioned three players across the red line rather than keeping one back at the top of the circle for defense. Montour lined up on the right wing opposite rookie phenom Lane Hutson, who lamented after the game that he had “missed his check.”
Stephenson won the puck directly forward, and with the pre-determined play in place between the two players, Montour jumped past Hutson and was off to the races. He ripped a snap shot over Dobes’ glove and sent the fans home happy while also tying the all-time NHL record for the fastest goal ever to start a period.
“That was Chandler, to be honest. He came up with it,” Montour said. “I told Chandler just to make sure he was staying back, just in case anything went south. I saw he bumped it up, and we went for it, so it was nice to see.”
Bylsma called the play “brilliant.”
The goal was Montour’s 15th of the season, setting a new franchise record for goals in a season by a defenseman.
“Monty’s kind of one of the spearheads for how we want to play,” Bylsma said. “Play fast and quick and with some moxie and some jam, and he’s the type of player that just has the big-time, big-play ability for your team. Obviously [you see that] with four points tonight.”
Takeaway #2: A special debut for Jani Nyman
Sometimes, when a young player makes his NHL debut, you see nerves and tentativeness. We never once saw that from Li’l Jani Nyman in this game. On the contrary, on his very first shift, he threw his big body around to win a puck battle in the defensive zone and start a breakout, then went straight to the top of the blue paint in the offensive zone, where he could be seen on many occasions throughout the game.
On Seattle’s first power play, Nyman got his first chance to let his lethal one-timer fly at the NHL level and nearly dented the post behind Dobes.
[PING!] Li’l Jani with an absolute laser beam off the post.
On his next great power-play look, which didn’t come until 10:53 of the third with Seattle trailing 4-2, Nyman didn’t miss. Eberle gained the zone and took the puck deep before banking it off the boards to Montour at the point. Montour sent it right back to Eberle, and that little back-and-forth exchange, which seemed inconsequential in the moment, created just enough time for Nyman to get himself lost in the slot.
Eberle slid a cheeky little dish into Nyman’s wheelhouse, and he ripped a snapper past Dobes.
LI’L JANI NYMAN SCORES HIS FIRST NHL GOAL AND HIS PARENTS ARE LOVING IT! ❤️ 🚨
Great setup by Eberle for his third assist of the game, great finish by Nyman.
“It’s an amazing pass,” Nyman said. “It’s easy work doing the score. It’s almost an empty netter.”
Nyman became the first Kraken draft pick to score in his NHL debut (Beniers had an assist in his first game, then scored goals in his second and third games). His parents had flown in from Finland for the game, too, making for some beautiful reactions after he scored.
“The message to him is go out and leave no doubt about what kind of player you are and what you’re good at,” Bylsma said. “And I think he did a good job of showing that tonight.”
Bylsma then flipped the script in his presser, asking me what I thought of Nyman’s performance. I said, “I thought he played pretty well.”
Takeaway #3: Interesting lineup
**Author’s note: Before I get into this Takeaway, let it be known that I do not care how much ice time any player gets, including Shane Wright. I trust the Kraken know how to deploy him and have shown they know what they’re doing with his development. That said, there was a funny interaction related to his ice time after the game, so I’m sharing it.**
Seattle didn’t run full line rushes in practice Tuesday and held an optional morning skate Wednesday, so I wasn’t sure how they’d line up in this game. We knew Nyman was in, and we also knew Bylsma wanted to put him in a position to succeed, meaning a top-nine spot.
So, who would be bumped down to the fourth line?
Surprisingly, it was Shane Wright, who has been one of Seattle’s best offensive players since December. When we tweeted the lineup, fans freaked out about Wright on the fourth line, so I asked Bylsma about the thought process behind it.
“With Jani going into the lineup, we went with four centermen, with Canner in the middle of the rink,” Bylsma said.
Fair enough.
But then he added: “So you’re the only person labeling it as the fourth line.”
Whoa! Whoa! First of all, I am definitely NOT the only person labeling it the fourth line, but it definitely is a fourth line that played fourth-line minutes (Wright had the most ice time of the trio with just 10:40). Second of all, I only asked the question because fans seemed to be fired up about it on social media, and I wanted to give Bylsma a chance to explain why that happened in this game.
Now, having said all that, I know Bylsma was (mostly) joking with his potshot at me, and I probably deserved it to some degree for asking a lineup question after a thrilling win. Plus, to further stuff me in that locker, the team looked mostly very good in this game and came away with a thrilling victory.
So, I guess you could say the lineup worked? Either way, no need to call security, I will show myself out.
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.
