News Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: Is there reason for concern?

The Seattle Kraken managed two out of four possible points in a light week on the schedule. If you had told me that the Seattle Kraken would come away with two points from games against the red-hot Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers, I would have been happy. Still, something about these two games left me a little concerned.

Generating offense​

We knew this team would look different this season, with a greater focus on structure and a more defensive mindset. Naturally, that means some offensive output would have to take a hit. Gone are the risky offensive-zone pinches or dicey forechecks that might lead to an odd-man advantage the other way.

So far, it’s working. This Kraken team continues to enjoy the best start in franchise history, and as of Monday morning, they’re sitting in a Wild Card spot with a 5-2-4 record.

That said, they’ve struggled to generate much offense. Seattle is averaging 2.73 goals per game, down 0.26 from last season, which ranks 24th in the NHL. It’s hard to call that an “issue,” given their record, but it’s at least an area for improvement.

A big driver behind the lower scoring rate appears to be a lack of shot volume. The Kraken are averaging the fewest shots on goal per game in team history and currently sit dead last in the league in that category.

In a vacuum, that trend is concerning, but given their record, it may just be the cost of winning with this system. It’s also worth noting that Jared McCann has now missed six straight games, and his return could certainly help spark the offense.

Other musings​

• One thing I worried about early this season was whether this team could come back from multi-goal deficits with such a defense-first approach. While it didn’t end in victory, the Kraken erased a three-goal deficit in the third period against Montreal, proof that they can still come back. I was pleasantly surprised.
• Saturday’s 13 shots on goal against the Rangers marked the lowest total in a game in franchise history.
• The Rangers’ top line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and J.T. Miller dominated on Saturday. They didn’t get on the scoresheet, but they combined for 11 of New York’s 25 shots in regulation and seemed to play all their shifts in the offensive zone.
• One area that still needs work for Seattle is the penalty kill. The good news: the Kraken killed all three of their penalties on Saturday. The bad news: they gave up a season-high nine shots against while doing it.
• Saturday also marked the sixth overtime game of the season. The Kraken only had 13 all of last year. They’re now 2-0-4 in games that reach overtime.

• The San Jose Sharks have also played six overtime games this season, and they will visit Seattle on Wednesday.
• It was great to see Kaapo Kakko back in the lineup on Saturday, though it’ll take some time for him to look like the Kakko we saw late last season. He played most of the game alongside Shane Wright and Mason Marchment, but about halfway through the third, he ended up playing a few shifts with Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle.
• One thing that could help Seattle’s scoring woes: getting Eeli Tolvanen going. He has yet to score this season. At this same point last year, he had four goals.
• Joey Daccord started his ninth game of the season. I’ve been a little concerned about him being overworked, but there are actually 14 goalies league-wide with nine or more starts, and the schedule has allowed him time to recuperate between games, so maybe I shouldn’t worry (yet).
• Berkly Catton had just two shifts and 1:17 of ice time in the third period on Saturday. I think he’s shown he can play in the NHL, but once the roster is fully healthy, I’m not sure he gives them the best chance to win every night.
• In case you missed it, Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien was named the OHL Player of the Month for October after posting seven goals and 19 assists in 12 games for the Brantford Bulldogs. He’s already added six more points in two games to start November.

Jake O’Brien was unstoppable this weekend!

The @SeattleKraken prospect tallied 8 points this weekend, earning him the @cogeco #OHLPOTW honours.

DETAILS : https://t.co/4A1oSkD2Y3@BulldogsOHL | @Flohockey pic.twitter.com/KiFDfNIRrA

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) October 13, 2025

Goal of the week​

Nice goal by former Kraken Andre Burakovsky

ANDRE BURAKOVSKY GOES THROUGH HIS LEGS *AND* THE DEFENDER’S FOR THIS GOAL

WHAT. A. GOAL. pic.twitter.com/fLdUOjWY49

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 31, 2025

Player performances​

Brandon Montour (SEA) – Monty had three goals and one assist in two games this week. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say the Kraken might have come away empty-handed without him.

Julius Miettinen (EVT/SEA) – The big Finnish prospect is off to a strong start with the Everett Silvertips, posting two goals and three assists over the weekend.

Connor Bedard (CHI) – The 2023 first-overall pick had three goals and four assists in his last three games. He enters Monday’s matchup against Seattle riding a four-game point streak.

The week ahead​

The Kraken play four games this week, Monday vs. Chicago, Wednesday vs. San Jose, then a dreaded back-to-back road set on Saturday and Sunday against St. Louis and Dallas, respectively.

The Blackhawks and Sharks won’t be easy matchups; both have been playing well lately. Chicago (5-4-3) has been hovering around the wild card bubble, and Monday marks Burakovsky’s first game back in Seattle since being traded to the Blackhawks this summer. Burky is off to his best start since his first season with the Kraken in 2022–23.

I’m especially curious to see how Seattle matches up against San Jose. The Sharks are full of young talent but have struggled defensively, allowing four goals per game, second most in the NHL. Can the Kraken take advantage of that?

It’s still a bit early to throw around “must-win” talk, but this week presents a real opportunity to bank some points. Five out of eight would be solid; six would be outstanding.

And finally…​

It’s still early, but the Kraken are above .500 and in a wild card position, and that’s something to be happy about. That said, I’d be lying if I said the lack of offensive production over the last two games doesn’t concern me a little. Based on this week’s matchups, we should get a much clearer picture of whether that concern is warranted.

Are you worried about the offense, or do you think this is just how winning hockey looks with the current roster under Lambert?

The post Monday Musings: Is there reason for concern? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/03/lack-of-offense-a-cause-for-concern/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three takeaways – Kraken move into first place in Pacific Division with win over Blackhawks

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Monday night. The win pushed Seattle into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with 16 points.

It was Andre Burakovsky’s first trip back to Seattle since being traded to Chicago during the offseason. The move has worked out well for Burakovsky so far—he scored the Blackhawks’ lone goal and now has 10 points this season (five goals, five assists).

But even with Burakovsky’s goal that temporarily closed the gap to 2-1, Jamie Oleksiak opened the scoring in the second period, and the Kraken really never looked back.

Matty Beniers scored on the power play, and captain Jordan Eberle added an insurance goal to put the game out of reach. Beniers and Eberle assisted on each other’s goals, giving both two-point nights. Eberle now leads Seattle with five goals, while Eeli Tolvanen picked up an assist to extend his point streak to three games. Tolvanen has four assists through the first 12 games but has yet to find the back of the net.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-1 Kraken win over the Blackhawks.

Takeaway #1 – Offense!​

After a lackluster offensive effort against the Rangers on Saturday, when Seattle recorded a franchise-worst 13 shots on goal, the message was clear: get pucks on net. Head coach Lane Lambert shuffled his lines before facing Chicago.

Tolvanen moved up alongside Beniers and Eberle. Kaapo Kakko joined Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz. Jani Nyman, scratched against the Rangers, rejoined the lineup with Shane Wright and Mason Marchment. Berkly Catton centered the fourth line between Tye Kartye and Ryan Winterton.

Based on the morning skate, it didn’t appear Catton would play, but the coaching staff opted to give him a look at center. The fourth line stood out with its energy, though Catton logged a team-low 7:07 of ice time.

Seattle started with urgency, firing eight shots in the first eight minutes. They slowed down after that and finished with 24 total shots. Still, it was encouraging to see the coaching staff identify a problem from the previous game and make changes that delivered results.

As John Barr noted in Monday Musings, the Kraken are averaging 23.9 shots per game—right on par with this performance, though there’s still room for improvement. Interestingly, Seattle had just five shots in the second period but scored twice.

Takeaway #2 – Special teams​

Seattle excelled on both sides of special teams in this game. The Kraken successfully killed all three penalties, maintaining their strong defensive effort. Seattle has now gone two straight games without allowing a power-play goal. Chicago generated some chances, but the Kraken stayed active with their sticks, blocked shots, and leaned on a steady Joey Daccord in net.

In John Barr’s new 10 for 10 series, he noted Seattle’s penalty kill sat at 64 percent through 10 games. After two perfect games, that number is up to 71 percent—still not great, but trending in the right direction.

It only took eight seconds for the Kraken to convert on their first power-play attempt, and they were 1-for-2 on the night.

Beniers wastes no time! ️
Buries it on the powerplay with helpers from Captain Eberle and Tolvanen. #SeaKraken up 2-0! pic.twitter.com/304o2NnhmM

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 4, 2025

This goal was fun to watch. All five skaters touched the puck before Beniers buried it. Stephenson tied up his man on the draw, Beniers supported and moved it to Vince Dunn, who slid it over to Tolvanen for the shot. Eberle corralled the rebound and appeared to drift behind the net before sending a perfect backhand pass to Beniers in the slot, who fired it home. A thing of beauty.

After the game, Beniers said of Eberle’s pass: “You know, it’s funny, I knew it was coming. No doubt in my mind. That’s just the type of player [Eberle] is.”

Takeaway #3 – Joey! Joey! Joey!​

It was a bit unexpected that Daccord wasn’t among the three stars of the night. He posted a .967 save percentage and allowed just one goal, saving 2.52 goals above expected per MoneyPuck. Connor Bedard led the rush on Chicago’s lone tally, getting around Adam Larsson to the puck along the boards and feeding Burakovsky for a quick five-hole finish.

What made Daccord’s outing so impressive was his calm positioning. He didn’t need to make any highlight-reel saves because he was square to the puck all night. When a goalie doesn’t need to scramble, it usually means he’s in full control.

With Chicago’s net empty, Daccord twice attempted a goalie goal to the delight of the Climate Pledge Arena crowd. His first shot had a real chance but was stopped by defenseman Artyom Levshunov. Fans erupted into a “Joey! Joey! Joey!” chant, encouraging him to try again. His second attempt missed the mark, but the crowd loved every moment. Seattle fans will have to wait a little longer for the elusive goalie goal.

Joey wanted in on the scoring — took two shots at the empty net, but not tonight#SeaKraken win it 3-1!!! pic.twitter.com/oCaL9uUN9x

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 4, 2025

Strong response​

This was a strong response to Saturday’s low-shot game. Chicago started backup goaltender Arvid Soderblom, so this was a matchup the Kraken should win—and they did. Next up, Seattle faces the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 5 to close out the homestand.

The post Three takeaways – Kraken move into first place in Pacific Division with win over Blackhawks appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/0...in-pacific-division-with-win-over-blackhawks/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Blackhawks – Nov 3rd

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Blackhawks – Nov 3rd appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/03/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-blackhawks-nov-3rd/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken wrap up homestand with 6-1 loss to the Sharks

The Seattle Kraken wrapped up their five-game homestand with a frustrating 6-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. Seattle finished with a 2-1-2 record during these five games, earning points in four of five for a total of six. But this matchup had all the makings of a trap game, and the Kraken fell right into it, coming away with their first home regulation loss of the season in ugly fashion.

San Jose has a talented young core and a goalie that was drafted in the first round in 2020. The Sharks can score, as Seattle learned the hard way—they’re now tied for second in the Western Conference in goals scored at 48.

Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring on San Jose’s first shot of the night. Jaden Schwartz lost a battle on the boards, and Tyler Toffoli jumped on the loose puck, feeding a wide-open Celebrini, who made no mistake. The Kraken responded with strong pressure in the first period, outshooting the Sharks 10-6 and tying the game 1-1 (more on that later). But just two minutes after that, former Kraken Alexander Wennberg found Ethan Cardwell, who one-timed the puck past Joey Daccord. From there, the Sharks never looked back, piling on four more goals.

Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov was outstanding, stopping 28 of 29 shots. He earned his third win of the season and is now 3-1 in his last four games.

Takeaway #1 – Winter is here​

Ryan Winterton scored his first NHL goal on Wednesday night in his 34th career game. It felt like it was only a matter of time, but winter has officially arrived.

#SeaKraken GOAL! WINTER IS HERE!

Ryan Winterton has a prime breakaway chance that is saved, but he gets the puck back in the slot and makes no mistake the second time.

First NHL goal for Ryan Winterton!

Game tied 1-1. pic.twitter.com/1uj2OUoDCX

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 6, 2025

Just before his goal, Winterton nearly converted on a partial breakaway, but Askarov turned him aside. Moments later, he found open ice in the slot, corralled a deflected shot from Ryan Lindgren that bounced off Wennberg, and ripped it into the top right corner.

It was great to see Winterton get his first, even if it came in a blowout loss. Now that the monkey’s off his back, hopefully the goals start coming more frequently for a young player who seems to be proving himself as a full-time NHLer.

Takeaway #2 – Unraveled in the deep​

Winterton’s goal tied the game 1-1, and it felt like the ice was tilted in Seattle’s favor for much of the first period. The team looked composed and confident—but that quickly unraveled as the Sharks regained control.

The Kraken struggled to make crisp passes in any zone, leading to turnovers and killing offensive pressure in the second and third periods. Lane Lambert didn’t mince words after the game: “I didn’t like our game. I didn’t like the way we played. I thought we were too loose, and we did not play to our identity tonight.”

Nothing went right, including goaltending. Daccord was pulled after allowing five goals, and Matt Murray entered in relief—only to give up a goal 30 seconds later when Toffoli scored on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box. Both Kraken goalies allowed goals on the first shot they faced.

Takeaway #3 – Power outage on the man advantage​

After scoring a power-play goal in each of the previous three games, the Kraken went 0-for-6 on the man advantage. Worse, they gave up a shorthanded goal when Vince Dunn was stripped by Collin Graf. Daccord made the initial save, but Graf recovered the puck and fed Ty Dellandrea, who buried it. That goal made it 5-1 and ended Daccord’s night. The tally wasn’t on him, but at that point, the team needed a change.

5-1 San Jose. Shorthanded goal at 3:24 in the third period.

Colin Graf strips Vince Dunn at the point and gets a breakaway chance. Joey Daccord saves the initial chance but Ty Dellandrea collects the rebound and scores.

Matt Murray takes over in net and makes his home debut. pic.twitter.com/YC7cXKRguu

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 6, 2025

Seattle generated 13 shots on the power play, but in the end, the Kraken got Askaroved. The Kraken also missed the net eight times.

When you have open looks, the puck needs to get to the net. Missing the net and sending the puck off the glass and out of the zone kills momentum and resets the penalty kill for the opposition. We saw this far too many times on Wednesday.

On to the next​

If you asked me which opponent at the start of this homestand looked most beatable, the Sharks would have been at the top of the list. Instead, they handed Seattle its only regulation loss of the stretch. While two more points from this one would have been nice, earning six points over five games is a decent result. The Kraken need to learn from this loss and quickly turn the page.

Seattle will now have Thursday and Friday to regroup before heading out on the road to face the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. That kicks off a short two-game trip, which concludes Sunday in Dallas for Seattle’s second back-to-back set of the season.

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.

Read more from Blaiz

The post Three Takeaways – Kraken wrap up homestand with 6-1 loss to the Sharks appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/0...en-wrap-up-homestand-with-loss-to-the-sharks/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The Seattle Torrent Has Arrived

On an appropriately wet and dreary morning, PWHL Seattle invited some season ticket holders to the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPoP) for their team name and logo reveal. Due to an apparent IT snafu, both the name and logo were leaked prior to the event, but that didn’t put a damper on the excitement from fans. There were a surprising number of them, many already with jerseys, who showed up for the team early on a weekday morning.

The Big Reveal​

The wait is over, PWHL Seattle is dead, long live the Seattle Torrent. Alison Lukan was on hand to announce the new team name, and was joined on stage by general manager Meghan Turner, head coach Steve O’Rourke and most of the players (except those currently in Cleveland with Team Canada and Team USA for the rivalry series).

O’Rourke and Turner weren’t shy about their anticipation for the season. Even without any formal practices, the team already is building an identity. “We’re looking to be a positive force on the ice'” said O’Rourke, “it starts with the coaching staff connecting to the players , and the players to each other and that’s when you start to see the force come together.” He wants the fans to feel that force, both when the team takes the ice and when they are out in the community.

These are exciting times, Turner admitted she hasn’t been sleeping and O’Rourke already fired up about a potential rivalry with Vancouver, telling Lukan, “There’s no getting around it. We came in together, we’re gonna be judged together, so the rivalry’s on.” Over 150 Seattle fans are already planning to attend the season opener in Vancouver, which had both leaders waxing poetic about the incredible support the team has already received from the community. O’Rourke pointed to the amazing atmosphere created by Sounders fans who travel when the team plays in Vancouver, and is eager to build on that tradition.

Turner is also looking forward the home opener on November 28th. “We’re ready to go,” she said, “we want teams to come in to Climate Pledge and be a little nervous about stepping on the ice.” She told the crowd that “the fans mean everything to us…and if the Takeover Tour was any indication, Climate Pledge is going to be buzzing.”

The name and logo were made official with a hype video highlighting the area’s natural beauty, the unstoppable nature of water, the intensity of the players, and how these elements will come together to build the teams identity. Hilary Knight also sent a video in her Team USA uniform and shared her thoughts on the branding. She (and Alison) also encouraged folks to tune in to the first game of the rivalry series today at 4:00pm on the NHL Network (or at Rough and Tumble Pub).

Goalie Corrine Schroeder took to the podium next, seeming nervous, but also maybe excited to be speaking to the crowd. She praised fans enthusiasm since day one, and the teams eagerness to become a part of the incredible Seattle sports community.

Team Reactions​

What was Schroeder’s first impression of the logo? She loved it, and thought it fitting, both in the literal sense, with all the waterways and rain the area, but also was fitting in terms of team identity. “That’s what we want to be like,” she said “we want to be relentless, we want to be unpredictable, we really want to be a powerhouse.”

First-round Torrent draft pick Jenna Buglioni also weighed in, excited that the branding fit with other sports teams in Seattle. She was eager for the Torrent to “carve our path” in the rich history of Seattle sports. She also enjoyed the iconic S, saying it goes well with the “brother team” in the Seattle Kraken.

GM Meghan Turner admitted she had known the team name for a few months, and it was a hard secret to keep. She thought the name was fitting, bringing together power and momentum. “It’s relentless” she said, “and I think it will play in to how we expect to step on the ice”. Turner shouted out the league for the creation of the branding but admitted that “it’s our job to bring it to life and to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, and we are really excited to do so.”

Team gear is available now for purchase at the Seattle Center Armory and online. The Torrent will take to the ice for their first ever practice next week on November 11th at Kraken Community Iceplex.

Reactions from fans online seem to be mixed. Personally, it’s growing on me, especially after all the talk of powerful waterways and forces of nature. Let me know, what do you think of the team name and logo?

The post The Seattle Torrent Has Arrived appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/06/seattle-torrent-name-and-logo-reveal/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Sharks – Nov 5th

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Sharks – Nov 5th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/05/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-sharks-nov-5th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Caden Price looks the part in pro debut

“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we’ll highlight Caden Price’s solid AHL debut in Coachella Valley, breaking down his many strengths, and identifying areas for further development as he gets acquainted with the professional game. This week’s update will be a little shorter than usual due to some travel involving this Sound Of Hockey intern, but we’ll still pass along video and data from around the Kraken system, as always.

If you have a Kraken prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey. Let’s dive in.

Analyzing Caden Price’s pro debut​

Caden Price has played in just nine professional games, all this season, with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. But he has already shown a broad base of skills that could be the foundation of a successful NHL career.

He’s an excellent athlete, who excelled in fitness training at Kraken rookie camp. This translates into his skating, which is equal parts agile and powerful. There are always gains that can be made, but his smooth skating is a solid building block for him. Defensively, he can win races to break a forecheck and cut off attack angles. With the puck on his stick, he’s an asset transporting through center ice and into the offensive zone, particularly in reduced manpower scenarios.

Similarly, while he can continue to get stronger, he doesn’t look outmatched physically so far. He can make plays with his body and strength when needed.

Price also flashes very good two-way stick skills. Defensively, he’s active trying to disrupt rushers at the blue line. Offensively, he’s able to carry the puck deep into the offensive zone with forward-like feel. On his first shift in the video below, he roves deep into the offensive zone, wins a puck battle with physicality behind the net, and then holds just long enough to find an open teammate net front for a one-timer goal. It’s a very good sequence for Price.

On the negative side, he needs to bring down the frequency of his mistakes. His breakouts can be skillful one moment and then hesitant or confounding the next. He doesn’t always make the best reads off the puck or make the right decisions with it, which raises some questions about his instincts and ice vision.

I do think he can make strides with more repetitions, though. The discrete skills are there to succeed. He just needs to coalesce them all. By the end of this season and early next, we may see a much steadier player. If so, we’ll be looking at a likely NHLer.

Notes on four more Kraken prospects​

Ollie Josephson | F | Freshman | Univ. of North Dakota (NCAA)​

Ollie Josephson scored two goals and added two assists in two games for the University of North Dakota last week. Josephson has not been known for his offensive counting stats, even in junior hockey, so it is good to see some offensive finish showing up against this older, stronger level of competition. The performance makes Josephson our Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week.

Nikke Kokko | G | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Kokko returned to the lineup on Wednesday, Nov. 5, and earned the win over the Colorado Eagles. He had missed 11 days with a lower-body injury suffered during the Firebirds’ Oct. 24 game against the Calgary Wranglers. Though the raw numbers weren’t very strong for Kokko in his return (he allowed five goals on 24 shots), he should be helpful for a Firebirds team that is looking to improve its early-season defensive production. Through nine games, the Firebirds have given up almost 3.9 goals per game, which tied for second most in the AHL.

Ty Nelson | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Nelson also returned from a multi-week injury on Wednesday, Nov. 5, against the Eagles. Nelson has been a stalwart, steadying presence on the blue line for the Firebirds since early last season. He’s another piece, along with Kokko, that will be crucial to righting the ship defensively.

J.R. Avon | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Speaking of the Nov. 5 game, J.R. Avon scored the game-winning shootout goal for the Firebirds that night. His success reminded me of my conversation with him back in camp. When I asked him to highlight areas where he feels he can make a difference on the ice, he noted his speed and also his shootout skills. Check and check, so far, for Avon.

In better news, the Coachella Valley Firebirds win 6-5 in a shootout, with a goal from J.R. Avon the decisive shootout score. pic.twitter.com/nDmnedeABD

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 6, 2025

Kraken prospects data update​

Julius Miettinen had two goals and added an assist in Everett’s only game over the last seven days. The Silvertips will be more active over the next seven, with four games scheduled before our next update.

Jake O’Brien leads the OHL in total points and points per game (among those with at least five games played). His 25 assists are also tops in that league.

Semyon Vyazovoi, 22, remains scalding hot. He has won his last six starts in a row and is now just .03 points off the KHL save percentage lead. He leads all under-25 KHL goalies in save percentage by a wide margin.

With Kokko back, Jack LaFontaine has returned to the Kansas City Mavericks. Victor Ostman started every game while Kokko was out.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Kim Saarinen, Julius Miettinen

1: Jake O’Brien, Semyon Vyazovoi, Nathan Villeneuve, Ollie Josephson

Previewing the week ahead​

The Deep Sea Hockey Games of the Week pit Kraken prospects Clarke Caswell and Zaccharya Wisdom against each other on both Friday and Saturday.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Mathis Preston​

Spokane Chief Mathis Preston is the highest-regarded U.S. Division WHL player eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. Most public draft analysts project him as a top-10 pick. He has six goals and eight assists through Spokane’s first 15 games this year.

Recent prospect updates​

October 31, 2025: College hockey seasons under way for Kraken prospects

October 25, 2005: Mølgaard is an all-situations contributor as an AHL rookie

October 17, 2025: Tyson Jugnauth earns important role with the Firebirds

October 10, 2025: Firebirds drop the puck on the 2025-26 season

October 3, 2025: Catton makes his case for the NHL Roster

September 26, 2025: Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in

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.

Read more from Curtis

The post Down on the Farm – Caden Price looks the part in pro debut appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/07/down-on-the-farm-caden-price-looks-the-part-in-pro-debut/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three takeaways – Kraken split weekend games versus Blues and Stars

The Seattle Kraken took a quick back‑to‑back trip: St. Louis on Saturday and Dallas on Sunday. Joey Daccord went on injured reserve (IR) with an upper‑body injury before the trip and did not travel. By rule, he will miss at least seven days. That meant both Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray would start.

Saturday: Comeback in St. Louis​

The Blues have struggled defensively and have allowed an NHL‑worst 63 goals. Seattle started fast and controlled play early. Then a risky pass through the slot by Ryan Winterton was picked off and buried by Dylan Holloway. A sloppy line change led to a too‑many‑men penalty. On the ensuing Blues powerplay, a pass attempt deflected off Adam Larsson and in. St. Louis led 2‑0.

Seattle answered in the second. Ryker Evans and Eeli Tolvanen scored their first goals of the season to tie it 2‑2. It was also Evans’ first game this season. The Kraken pushed after the equalizer and carried momentum. It felt like the go‑ahead goal was coming.

Instead, Jordan Kyrou pounced after a crease scramble and lifted the puck over a sprawling Grubauer. St. Louis led 3‑2 in the third.

It stayed that way until the final second. With Grubauer pulled, Chandler Stephenson scored with 0.5 on the clock. The league initiated a review after Jordan Eberle’s skate contacted Joel Hofer’s stick in the crease. Officials ruled no goalie interference. To overtime they went.

Seattle won the opening draw and held the puck throughout OT. Shane Wright took the first shot and buried it. The Kraken snatched two points. It was Wright’s first career overtime winner.

Sunday: Close loss in Dallas​

Murray drew the start and was sharp, stopping 22 of 24 shots. Jaden Schwartz tipped an Adam Larsson shot to give Seattle a 1‑0 lead. Dallas answered 1:09 later on the powerplay. Wyatt Johnston pulled the puck across the crease and backhanded it in. The goal took some wind from Seattle’s sails.

Dallas controlled most of the first. With under a minute left, Tyler Seguin settled a bouncing puck, slipped past Ryan Lindgren, and tucked it under a sprawling Murray for a 2-1 lead.

Seattle did not fold. The Kraken pushed hard in the second and third, outshooting Dallas 24‑14 over the final 40. They generated several grade‑A chances, but Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith turned them aside.

Seattle remains winless in the second game of back‑to‑backs over their last 15. This one felt different. The Kraken skated well and delivered a quality effort against a contending team. It goes down as a loss, but play like that will win more than it loses.

Seattle remains winless in the second game of its last 15 back‑to‑back sets. This one felt different. The Kraken skated well and delivered a quality effort against a contending team. It goes down as a loss, but play like that will win more than it loses.

Takeaway #1 – Berkly Catton hits 10 games​

Ten NHL games is a key marker for CHL‑eligible players. If a player is returned before that 10th game, the entry‑level contract slides, preserving three full years. With the game against the Stars on Sunday, Catton has now played 10 games, so this season will count as the first year of his deal. It’s a positive sign he could stay with the Kraken all season, but nothing is guaranteed.

The next marker is 40 games on the NHL roster, which accrues an NHL season. Accrued seasons determine when a player reaches unrestricted free agency (UFA). If Catton is on the roster for 40 games, even without playing, he would be UFA‑eligible at age 25. If not, he hits UFA at 26.

Catton has three assists through 10 games and looks more comfortable each night. The coaching staff is managing his minutes to set him up for success. He logged 10:05 in St. Louis and 8:48 in Dallas. Trust the process. His development is trending well.

Takeaway #2 – Goalies giving Seattle a chance​

Head coach Lane Lambert’s group is building around structure and defense. That helps the goaltenders do their jobs. Both netminders gave Seattle a real shot to win this weekend.

Grubauer’s win required late heroics, but those moments only mattered because the “German Gentleman” kept it within one in the third. Murray allowed two in Dallas and kept Seattle one bounce from a tie.

Last season, the Kraken often looked different with Grubauer in net, and not in a good way. With Daccord on IR, it was fair to wonder if the structure might crack. It didn’t. The group stayed connected, limited breakdowns, and remained competitive in both games.

Takeaway #3 – In it until the end​

The loss to San Jose felt like an early-season low point, just 16 games in. Seattle responded with two committed efforts. The Kraken put 61 shots on net over the weekend, up from the season 23.9‑per‑game average noted in Monday Musings. They chased in both games yet kept applying pressure while staying sound defensively.

That push earned the win in St. Louis. You could argue the performance in Dallas was even better, even if the result wasn’t. The effort is what matters here. If they keep this up, the wins will follow.

Wrapping up​

A win in the second leg at Dallas would have snapped an ugly streak. Still, a weekend split on the road carries plenty of positives. Seattle now returns home for a three‑game homestand, starting with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

The post Three takeaways – Kraken split weekend games versus Blues and Stars appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/0...n-split-weekend-games-versus-blues-and-stars/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: The Kraken roller coaster

The Seattle Kraken went full emotional roller coaster mode this week. It started with a convincing, though not exactly dominant, win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Businesslike, efficient, and enough to keep the good vibes rolling. The Kraken had a two-goal lead and looked in control the entire game.

Then Thursday happened.

In what was easily the worst loss of the season, the Kraken laid a giant, smelly egg against the San Jose Sharks, getting thumped 6–1 at home by what was, at the time, the third-worst team in the league. It wasn’t just the score, it was the way it happened; mistakes up and down the lineup, lifeless stretches of play, and the kind of performance that makes you question everything. I know this because I did. Walking out of the arena, I found myself wondering: is this team actually good? Sure, every team gets blown out now and then, but when it’s my team getting blown out, I naturally take it personally.

And then came Saturday.

News broke in the morning that Joey Daccord was heading to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, an unexpected twist considering he was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. That meant Philipp Grubauer would get the nod against the St. Louis Blues. The early going was not promising. The Kraken looked sharp for the first five minutes, but a brutal turnover led to a Dylan Holloway goal, and five minutes later, a deflection off Adam Larsson’s stick on a penalty kill made it 2–0 Blues.

But this time, the Kraken pushed back. They clawed their way back to tie it in the second, showed some actual fight, and then, after falling behind again in the third, delivered one of the most dramatic comebacks in franchise history. Chandler Stephenson tied it with two seconds left in regulation, and Shane Wright sealed it in overtime with a slick finish off a beautiful drop pass from Eeli Tolvanen.

we know that’s wright ‍ pic.twitter.com/kE94Q4B0QT

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 9, 2025

Less than 24 hours later, the Kraken were back at it, facing the Dallas Stars on the second night of a back-to-back. Despite the quick turnaround, they brought the kind of compete level that’s become a hallmark of this year’s squad. Seattle outshot Dallas 31–24 and controlled long stretches of play, but couldn’t quite solve Casey DeSmith enough to tilt the scoreboard. A 2–1 loss stings, especially after Saturday’s emotional high, but the effort was there. And in a week defined by swings, this one at least ended with a fight.

Resilience on display?​

One of the few endearing traits of last season’s Kraken squad was its knack for clawing back from two-goal deficits to steal wins, something they did nine times last season. Primarily because of a lack of opportunity, this season’s group hadn’t shown that same capability, until Saturday.

There were hints of it earlier in the season, like the gutsy third-period rally against Montreal that forced overtime, even if it ended in a loss. But Saturday’s comeback against St. Louis felt different. It was gritty, dramatic, and decisive. For the first time this season, the Kraken didn’t just push back, they finished the job.

As a fan, it’s reassuring to know this team still has that gear. It’s the kind of team that refuses to fold, even when the odds tilt hard the other way.

19-year-old Berkly Catton plays game No. 10​

Berkly Catton officially hit the 10-game mark on Sunday, triggering him burning his first year of his entry-level contract. That’s a significant milestone, but it doesn’t necessarily lock him into the Kraken lineup for the rest of the season. Catton continues to flash the high-end skill that made him a top-10 pick, but he’s also shown the kind of youthful inconsistency that becomes costly when the margins are razor thin.

It’s worth remembering that burning a year of the ELC doesn’t guarantee a full NHL season. Daniel Sprong played 18 games for Pittsburgh in 2015–16 before being sent back to junior in December. Others have done that, but Sprong jumped to mind for some reason. With Jared McCann’s return looming, and assuming the injury bug doesn’t bite again, it’s fair to wonder if the Kraken might consider a similar path for Catton. Development isn’t linear, and sometimes the best move is the one that sets a player up for long-term success.

Kraken penalty kill challenges​

The Kraken’s penalty kill has been a sore spot for much of the season, and the numbers don’t sugarcoat it. Seattle currently sits 30th in the league in PK percentage. But over the last five games, there’s been a noticeable uptick in execution and structure. Yes, they’ve still allowed a power-play goal in each of the last three outings, but the overall kill rate and pressure on entries have looked sharper. For a unit that’s struggled, even marginal improvement feels like a step in the right direction.

Help may be on the horizon, too. Freddy Gaudreau, who was logging the most shorthanded minutes among Kraken forwards before landing on IR, is skating again and approaching the four-week mark of his original four-to-six-week recovery timeline. His return would be a welcome boost to a penalty kill group still trying to find its rhythm. If the Kraken can pair Gaudreau’s defensive instincts with the recent signs of progress, they might finally start digging out of the PK basement.

Other musings​

• Saturday night’s comeback win was the first time this season that the Kraken trailed at any point in a game and won. They also never led in the game.
• With his first NHL goal on Wednesday night against the Sharks, Ryan Winterton became the 50th player to score in Kraken history. He is the eighth player to record his first NHL goal as a member of the Seattle Kraken. Can you name the other seven?
• Eeli Tolvanen scored his first goal of the season off a rebound. That was the Kraken’s seventh rebound goal of the season. They rank third in the league in this category. Not sure how much weight this stat carries, but they were near the bottom last season. It’s another example of subtle, incremental improvement we are seeing this season.

first goal of the season? was just a matter of time. pic.twitter.com/zRmrWg0jve

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 9, 2025

• Faceoff possession was something the Kraken struggled with early in the season, but there has been some progress made in that part of the game. The Kraken had two faceoff goals over the weekend, which puts them at the top third of the league in this stat.
• With just one start each over the first 30 days of the season, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see either Philipp Grubauer or Matt Murray show signs of rust. Instead, both stepped up when called upon, delivering solid performances that gave the Kraken a chance to win both games.
• Saturday night marked the Kraken’s seventh overtime game of the season, tied with Montreal for the most.
• The Kraken are tied for second in points in the Pacific Division with 18. As strong a start as it’s been, they’re just two points ahead of seventh-place Edmonton. This division is tight.
• One team I’ve watched a lot lately is the Anaheim Ducks. They lead the Pacific in points and are the league leaders with 4.1 goals per game.
• The Kraken are now 0–2–0 on the season in the second game of back-to-backs. They were 0–12–0 in those games last season. Their next chance comes in a few weeks against the New York Islanders.
• Seattle Torrent forward Hilary Knight had a hat trick in Game 2 of the Rivalry Series between the USA and Canada. The Torrent were well represented in these two games with five players on Team USA and two on Team Canada. The U.S. won the first two games and will re-engage in early December.
• The Torrent open training camp on Tuesday and will head to Vancouver for two preseason games against the Vancouver Goldeneyes this coming weekend.
• Trivia answer: Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, Tye Kartye, Jani Nyman, Ryker Evans, Kole Lind, and Will Borgen scored their first NHL goals with the Kraken.

Goal of the Week​

Easy one this week.

.5 seconds on the clock?! yeah, stevie’s got it pic.twitter.com/hfAFvLFPed

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 9, 2025

Player Performances​

Marcus Johansson (MIN) – The former Kraken forward played his 1,000th NHL game on Sunday with the Minnesota Wild against Calgary. He only played 51 games with Seattle in 2021–22 but was a steady, reliable presence on a team not known for its steadiness.

Andre Burakovsky (CHI) – Another former Kraken is off to a great start with Chicago: seven goals and seven assists in 15 games.

Jagger Firkus (CVF/SEA) – Firkus is thriving in his second pro season with Coachella Valley, tallying 11 points in 11 games.

The week ahead​

The Kraken return to Climate Pledge Arena for a three-game homestand, and while home ice is always welcome, the schedule offers little breathing room.

• Tuesday: Columbus Blue Jackets. Don’t let their record fool you, Columbus is a young and exciting team that plays with pace. They’ll be on the second night of a back-to-back, but they’re more dangerous than the standings suggest.
• Thursday: Winnipeg Jets. Always a handful and likely still salty about the Kraken’s win in Manitoba earlier this season. Expect a heavy, structured game we have come to expect from the Jets.
• Saturday: San Jose Sharks return to Seattle riding a 7–2–1 stretch and fresh off a 6–1 dismantling of the Kraken just last week. That one stung, and you can bet the Kraken haven’t forgotten.

With key players still sidelined, grabbing three of six possible points would be a respectable outcome. But if they can swipe a little extra before heading out on a four-game road trip, it could go a long way toward keeping this early-season success rolling.

So, how are we feeling after all that? From despair to delirium and everything in between, this week had it all. Drop your thoughts, reactions, or emotional damage assessments below.

The post Monday Musings: The Kraken roller coaster appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/10/monday-musings-the-kraken-roller-coaster/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken fall to the Blue Jackets in a shootout 2-1

The Seattle Kraken came away with another point in a shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Normally, I’m happy taking a point and moving on to the next game, but this one felt deflating. Columbus was playing the second leg of a back-to-back and had lost to Edmonton on Monday night. The Blue Jackets were about a minute away from victory when the Oilers tied the game with a shorthanded goal. To make matters worse for them, the Blue Jackets have been battling a flu bug, and it’s suspected that Jet Greaves started both games due to the illness circulating through the team.

This was a tired opponent and a good opportunity for Seattle to grab two points. The Kraken played a solid game and did everything right, except score more than one goal. Ryan Winterton opened the scoring in the first period, and the Kraken held a 1-0 lead until late in the second when Columbus earned a two-man advantage. Adam Fantilli capitalized on the 5-on-3 to tie it 1-1. Columbus stayed disciplined, taking only two penalties, while Seattle’s power play again came up empty. The game went to a shootout, where the Kraken fell in the fourth round on a goal by Charlie Coyle.

Statistics provided by moneypuck.

Takeway #1 – Murray looks solid​

Matt Murray started his second straight game and looked even better than he did against Dallas, stopping 33 of 34 shots for a .971 save percentage. He looked calm and composed throughout, with his positioning spot on. It took a two-man advantage for Columbus to beat him, a scramble in front that ended with Fantilli burying a cross-ice pass into an open net. Even then, Murray nearly made the stop, getting a glove on it before it trickled in.

Lambert had two things to talk about in the post game presser.

Lack of scoring – "We've got to find a way to score. Like, when we have opportunities, we've got to bury them."

Matt Murray – "Yeah, he's really good. Just a big body who plays his angles very well, and I thought he… pic.twitter.com/REIsUkiL7g

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 12, 2025

As head coach Lane Lambert described: Murray played his angles well and used his size effectively, making it tough for Columbus to score. He saved 2.98 goals above expected, an impressive mark for the goaltender.

Takeaway #2 – Kartye, Meyers and Winterton​

The fourth line generated the most offensive pressure. While listed as the fourth unit, they logged more even-strength minutes than the Berkly Catton, Shane Wright, and Eeli Tolvanen line. Their goal came off a slick backhand pass from Ben Meyers to Winterton, who snapped it home.

Sweet dish from Ben Meyers to Ryan Winterton, who buries his second goal of the season. #SeaKraken 1-0 pic.twitter.com/yfOvJMq64O

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 12, 2025

Every time they hit the ice, they generated offense and kept pressure on the Blue Jackets. According to MoneyPuck.com, they had 10 shots on goal, the most of any Kraken line. They were fun to watch and kept the home crowd engaged.

With Freddie Gaudreau now skating again, decisions will need to be made if Meyers continues to perform like this.

Takeaway #3 – Lack of scoring​

For the second straight game, the Kraken scored just one goal. The good news: even with limited offense, the game was tied and they earned a point. That highlights how strong their defensive structure has been, no matter who’s in net.

Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers, and Kaapo Kakko led all forward lines in ice time, but the results weren’t there. They posted the lowest expected goals (0.143) and the highest expected goals against (1.129) of any Kraken line, far from ideal for a top unit.

Kakko, meanwhile, has yet to register a single point through six games. To be fair, Lambert has shuffled him around the top nine to find chemistry, but nothing has clicked yet. He hasn’t stayed on a line long enough to build consistency, but Seattle needs him to start producing for sustained success.

Wrapping up​

I started this piece slightly deflated, but by the end the Kraken’s effort reminded me there’s still plenty to build on. They still earned a point, and now it’s time to move forward with optimism. The Winnipeg Jets visit on Thursday, Nov. 13. Seattle shutout the Jets in their first meeting this season, so expect Winnipeg to come motivated.

nhl.com standings

The Kraken currently sit third in the Pacific Division, ahead of both the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers. The standings are tightening up, with the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks outperforming preseason expectations and adding a fun twist to the Pacific Division race as new faces mix in at the top.

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.

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Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/1...n-fall-to-the-blue-jackets-in-a-shootout-2-1/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

An early-season look at Seattle Kraken team-level and player-level data

Believe it or not, the Seattle Kraken are through approximately 20 percent of their schedule already. By raw standings points, the Kraken are just barely outside the playoff picture, with 19 points through 16 games. By points percentage, the Kraken are barely in, fractionally ahead of several other teams. However you slice it, every game and point matters, and most Kraken fans are (and should be) watching Kraken hockey with winning in mind.

Thus, inquiring minds likely want to know if the Kraken’s early-season performance is a harbinger of a playoff contender or just a mirage? Have individual players elevated? Can we point to specific areas of strength? Or are there are worrying trends or trouble spots? All of these questions circle the core issue: Is Seattle’s early-season success sustainable?

Team success is a nuanced issue that depends on many factors that cannot be quantified, particularly over such a limited sample. In a sport dependent on effort level and buy-in spanning a lengthy physical grind, I tend to believe early-season results have a positive feedback effect independent of skill level or scheme. When you add in a staff that demands structure, monitors the details, and makes adjustments, there is ample reason for optimism.

Team and player-level data can provide us a bit more context and trigger further thought and inquiry in addressing any of the questions above. That is the goal of today’s exercise, rather than a deep dive into any particular area. Any one chart below could be an entire article.

A caveat and a limitation on using early-season numbers​

The sample size we’re dealing with is small. Some recent research from Neil Pierre-Louis suggests 400 shot attempt events (which equates to approximately 15 games) is around the area where the reliability and predictability of basic public shot data gets close to its zenith. (That is, it’s never perfectly predictive; far from it. But it doesn’t get much better with bigger samples.) 16 games into the Kraken season, we’re in that neighborhood at the team level.

On the other hand, obviously, the player-level data is more limited. This is important to keep in mind when considering Player X’s on-ice shot quality impacts, for example. There’s still a good deal of noise to be sorted through. Analytics outfits like Evolving Hockey tend to publish their player models only after accruing 15 to 20 games worth of data, so it’s not unfairly early to start looking at these individual numbers. We just need to guard against sweeping conclusions.

That said, there is one area where I do think it is too early for the data to illuminate conversation: Special teams. After 10 games, we discussed on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast how the Kraken were by several metrics the worst-performing penalty-kill unit in the league while also being one of the best teams (if not the best team) at suppressing opponent shot quality. Since that time, both figures have moved closer to the middle of the spectrum.

Given the sample sizes involved, I omitted penalty-kill and power-play numbers from this snapshot. For now, it’s likely enough to say that there is room to be encouraged by improvements on special teams. Let’s put a pin in that.

Ok, with all of that out of the way, let’s dive in. All data was collected the morning of Nov. 12, 2025, so it does not include any games since that time. Unless otherwise noted below, the data is from Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey, or NHL Edge.

Seattle Kraken team-level data​

The Kraken are playing a low-event breed of hockey at 5-on-5, scoring the fewest goals per 60 minutes and conceding the third fewest goals against per 60.

Graphically, you can find Seattle on the top left corner of the chart below. Pucks aren’t going into the net for either team in standard gameplay situations. This is not necessarily unexpected given the historical character of Lane Lambert’s teams, the talking points when Lambert was hired, and the historical strength of this Kraken core as being sound defensively.

One factor that can elevate an otherwise average team is a hot run of finishing shot attempts and saving shots on goal by the opponents. This is often called “PDO” in hockey circles, though I don’t believe it is actually an acronym for anything. PDO is the sum of a team’s shooting percentage and save percentage. If the number is significantly above or below 1.00, it raises questions about whether there is luck involved or something more sustainable happening. Seattle’s early-season PDO comes in near that average, though notably with strong goaltending results and a weaker shooting percentage.

Could the lower shooting percentage be related to a team struggling to create quality chances? When looking at the Kraken’s 5-on-5 expected goals data from Evolving Hockey, we do see a team struggling to produce offense—perhaps more so than any other team in the league.

(For those requiring a bit more explanation, expected goals—or “xG”—is a metric that estimates the likelihood of a shot attempt resulting in a goal. Public models are based primarily on shot location and type. Proprietary models used by teams often have more pre-shot information, including passes or the presence of a net-front screen. Those private models seem to be similarly pessimistic about the Kraken’s 5-on-5 shot production, though.)

Defense is the area where we see the biggest contrast between actual and “expected” results. As we see in the chart above, Evolving Hockey has the Kraken closer to league average defensively, whereas the actual results have been quite strong.

When paired with the low expected-goals-for number for Seattle, Evolving Hockey has the Kraken with the lowest expected-goals-for percentage in the league at 5-on-5. (Expected goals for percentage—or xGF %—compares a team’s total “xG for” with “xG against.” For example, if a team has taken three shots worth .1 xG total and given up one shot worth .05 xG, the team’s xGF% is calculated .1/(.1+.05) = 67%.) The actual results are significantly better and closer to average.

When looking at “all situations” goal scoring share and shot quality share, the picture is better for Seattle. This look includes goals and shot events from special teams with all other even-strength scenarios. While we’ll continue to hold off on specific commentary on special teams in isolation, it must be noted that the overall offensive picture is not nearly as bleak as the 5-on-5 shot quality and scoring numbers suggest.

Seattle Kraken player-level data​

For the remainder of this post, we’ll be examining player-level data at “even strength,” rather than “5-on-5.” NHL Edge, the NHL’s public source for player and puck tracking data, provides “even strength” information, rather than “5-on-5.” So, to keep the data consistent across the various sources, I used “even strength” for everything. All this means is that the numbers from here on include data from 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 situations.

Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, and Shane Wright have paced the team in scoring production at even strength. Matty Beniers doesn’t have a goal yet, but does have five primary assists, which leads the team. While injuries have played into this in some cases, it’s notable that Eeli Tolvanen, Kaapo Kakko, Berkly Catton, and Freddy Gaudreau have not yet scored at even strength.

A recent note from hockey analytics personality JFresh had me curious to look into the difficulty of the assignments each Kraken player is facing. This can be measured by the strength of the competition the skater faces as well as the player’s deployment context (i.e., more time starting in the defensive zone).

As one might suspect, the team’s fourth-line centers (Freddy Gaudreau and Ben Meyers) have started in the defensive zone quite often. However, no player has faced a more difficult combination of defensive-zone starts and competition than Chandler Stephenson.

(Note that the size of the player’s image in the remaining charts correlates to total even-strength time on ice. This is important context. While Meyers and Gaudreau have started in the defensive zone more often on a rate basis, they have been out there much less overall than Stephenson.)

In terms of offensive zone starts for Seattle’s forwards, Stephenson and the fourth-liners start in the offensive zone the least frequently. On the blue line, we see that Jamie Oleksiak gets more defensive-zone starts and fewer offensive-zone starts (on a rate basis) than any other defenseman.

What happens then? NHL Edge gives us data on how much time each player spends in each of the three “zones”: offensive, neutral, and defensive. We can compare a player’s starts against where on the ice he actually plays to see whether he is driving play toward the opponent’s net—or failing to do that and stuck playing defense.

With assignment difficulty in mind, how are Seattle’s skaters producing offensively? One fact is obvious: The recent injury-related absence of Jared McCann is keenly felt.

Indeed, McCann breaks the graphic on individual goal scoring and shot quality production. Without McCann in the lineup, Seattle has been leaning heavily on Eberle, Schwartz, and Shane Wright to carry the load. Despite some early questions about Ryan Winterton’s offense, it is notable to see him among the team’s more productive forwards at this point too. We will have to see what happens as the sample size gets bigger. Obviously, more is needed from the likes of Kakko, Tolvanen, and Catton (if he sticks in the lineup).

Several Kraken players, including notably Beniers, Branon Montour, and Oleksiak (despite his difficult assignments) have been on the ice for more goals scored than given up at even strength. Only McCann and Meyers (in limited samples) have been on the ice for more shot quality for than against. Stephenson (in difficult assignments) and Kakko (in a limited sample) have seen poor actual and expected results while on the ice.

Any areas for follow-up or additional questions? Let us know in the comments below.

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.

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The post An early-season look at Seattle Kraken team-level and player-level data appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/1...at-seattle-kraken-team-and-player-level-data/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kakko scores, then gets hurt again in 5-3 Kraken win over Jets

Fall behind, tie it up, fall behind, tie it up, fall behind, tie it up… Go ahead, seal the deal. That was the cadence of scoring in a 5-3 Seattle Kraken win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, as they overcame a couple of costly mistakes and glided back into third place in the Pacific Division.

“We were playing well, other than those [mistake] situations,” coach Lane Lambert said. “I felt like we were playing well, I thought we had our energy, I thought our compete level was high against a very good hockey team.”

Vince Dunn had a big night with a goal and two assists, Jordan Eberle scored twice, and Kaapo Kakko finally broke through for his first point and goal of the season… only to go back on the shelf with a new lower-body injury on the next shift.

An 8-4-5 record and 21 points looks a lot better than what could have easily been a 7-5-5 record and 19 points. Here are Three Takeaways from an impressive 5-3 Kraken win over the Jets.

Takeaway #1: Poor Kaapo​

It had been becoming an unfortunate storyline that Kaapo Kakko returned to the lineup after missing 11 games with a broken hand, only to be held pointless for six. The Kraken really needed him to start producing. He got the monkey off his back Thursday after a beautiful play in which Dunn ran over Mark Scheifele to dish it to Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz then shot it at Kakko’s stick, and the puck caromed neatly over Connor Hellebuyck’s shoulder, tying the game 1-1 at 15:15 of the first period.

KAAPO!

Great play by Vince Dunn, who takes… er… THROWS a hit to make the play to Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz shoots for Kakko's stick, and Kakko gets off the schneid.

Go to the net, kids!

1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/l9kpigY7Pm

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

The Kakko storyline became more unfortunate, though, when he played one more 18-second shift after scoring, took an awkward fall, hunched over on the bench for a while, and finally went down the tunnel and exited the game.

“I feel bad for him,” Seattle coach Lane Lambert said. “It was a beautiful goal he scored, and we need him, so it certainly is not a great thing.”

Lambert said he did not have an update on Kakko.

Here’s where the injury happens. It’s not anything obvious, but Kakko falls awkwardly, and you can tell he’s immediately in some discomfort.

Pretty good period by the #SeaKraken, who conceded a goal, but got it back for a 1-1 tie.

Kakko scored the goal, his first of the season, but then he disappeared from the bench one 18-second shift later.

Here's Kakko's last shift of the period. Looked like the fall stung him. pic.twitter.com/pKUXhYqSOV

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

The timing of the injury stinks for a lot of reasons. For Kakko, the reasons are obvious, but for the Kraken, they’re just starting to inch toward good health; Ryker Evans is back, and a Freddy Gaudreau return appears imminent. Kakko’s return to the lineup two weeks ago felt like a long time coming and the first big step in that process.

Here’s hoping this is just a blip, and Seattle will continue marching toward a full lineup.

Takeaway #2: Overcoming bad mistakes​

The Kraken made some uncharacteristic defensive lapses in this game. On the first goal against, they had three players back, as they almost always seem to do. Dunn and Adam Larsson were there, as was Ben Meyers, with Tye Kartye backtracking effectively. Dunn and Meyers got crossed up for a brief moment, though, and before they could recombobulate, Alex Iafallo had fought through Larsson’s check, and Adam Lowry had found him with a perfect pass for a tap-in.

1-0 #gojetsgo, who made that one look very easy. #SeaKraken had players back, but they seemed to get crossed up.

Alex Iafallo gets the easy tap-in. pic.twitter.com/6tBsctbuE0

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

The Kraken also screwed the pooch three minutes into the second period when Ryker Evans failed to get the puck deep, and three other skaters headed to the bench for a line change. Neal Pionk rejected the shoot-in and instead sent a quick-up pass to Scheifele at the far blue line for a rare breakaway against Seattle.

…And that's why we get pucks in deep.

A rare breakaway against the #SeaKraken, who were caught in a line change, and Mark Scheifele scores.

2-1 #gojetsgo. pic.twitter.com/B1Fl6zYy6c

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

But the Kraken didn’t let those mistakes—or a questionable Kyle Connor power-play goal against Philipp Grubauer that made it 3-2—take the wind out of their sails. Instead, they dusted themselves off for the third and came out on a mission to take over this game.

Takeaway #3: The Kraken can score goals​

Another uncomfortable storyline that had been becoming more prevalent was the Kraken’s inability to score. In three of the previous four games, they had notched just one goal each, with the exception being their 4-3 overtime win Saturday in St. Louis.

Seattle temporarily quieted that criticism on Thursday with a five-goal night, including the one from Kakko, two from Eberle, one from Dunn, and a power-play bomb from Eeli Tolvanen that tied the game at 4:11 of the third period.

“I think, for us, defense is going to be the backbone of this club. That’s how we’re going to win hockey games,” Eberle said. “But you’ve got to try and create offense out of that. I don’t think it’s been for a lack of chances [that we haven’t been scoring much lately].”

By the way, full marks in this “defense into offense” category to Ryan Lindgren, who had a great game and broke up a 2-on-1 that immediately led to Eberle’s game-winning goal in the third period.

O, CAPTAIN! #SeaKraken take their first lead of the game, 4-3.

The play starts with a great defensive play by Ryan Lindgren and ends with Matty Beniers finding Jordan Eberle open on the doorstep. pic.twitter.com/pMMj30xLXR

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

This win should reinstall any recently lost confidence in both fans and players. Hellebuyck didn’t have his Vezina-winning stuff on this night, but he’s still Connor Hellebuyck, and the Kraken beat him and his strong team for the second time in as many tries this season.

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 [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Kakko scores, then gets hurt again in 5-3 Kraken win over Jets appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/14/kraken-defeat-jets-kakko-injured/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook: McCann and Gaudreau trending up, Catton’s NHL status solidifies

When the announcement comes from Kraken PR that a practice or morning skate has been made optional, it’s easy for those of us in the local media corps to also “take the option,” so to speak. But every now and then, an optional skate yields some juicy little nuggets of knowledge about what’s happening with the team. There’s something about the nature of those types of practices—with lower attendance from both players and media—that seems to bring out unique opportunities for learning and observation.

After Seattle rallied from a 3-2 deficit to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Thursday, Kraken head coach Lane Lambert did, indeed, make practice optional on Friday. Yet something told me it would be beneficial to be there, so instead of pulling a U-turn and heading back home to “take the option,” I pressed on through the torrential rains and found a group of 11 skaters and all three goalies on the ice.

Participants included Freddy Gaudreau, who was skating full speed and appeared to be a practice or two away from returning (I’m predicting he’ll be back in the lineup Saturday against the San Jose Sharks), and Joey Daccord, who remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Optional #SeaKraken practice today.

On the ice:
Winterton, Oleksiak, Catton, Kartye, Mahura, Fleury, Nyman, Wright, Meyers, Gaudreau, Evans, Murray, Grubauer, Daccord.

Freddy Gaudreau and Joey Daccord are full participants. pic.twitter.com/4eyuewnzi8

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

All that was positive to see, but what was most encouraging was Jared McCann appearing on the ice partway through the skate, going through drills at close to full tilt.

Since McCann disappeared from the lineup and was deemed “day-to-day” with a lower-body injury following Seattle’s 4-3 overtime win at the Toronto Maple Leafs way back on on Oct. 18, I personally had only seen him on the ice one time. In that instance, he was skating separate from the team with assistant coach Jessica Campbell and was clearly testing out his injured leg, flexing it and grimacing regularly. Soon after that, I heard through the grapevine that McCann had been seen walking around Climate Pledge Arena very gingerly, and I haven’t seen him on the ice since.

Oh, hello, Jared McCann! Fancy seeing you here… https://t.co/03xJE9qSC5 pic.twitter.com/HG9udmNVWm

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

So, this was a very positive sign and the first real indication of progress for McCann. Although the Kraken managed five goals against the Jets, there’s no doubt they desperately need their top offensive player back in the lineup.

Also worth noting, Kaapo Kakko—who left the game Thursday with a lower-body injury on the next shift after scoring his first goal of the season—was spotted at Kraken Community Iceplex in street clothes. There wasn’t much to learn about his status just from seeing him, and Lambert didn’t address the media Friday, but Kaapo was at least around the team. So, perhaps that’s a positive sign, but we’ll learn more on Saturday.

Berkly Catton remains a full-time NHLer… for now​

When Berkly Catton suited up for his 10th game of the season in Dallas on Sunday, he crossed an important threshold. That 10th game means he now burns the first year of his entry-level contract. For a 19-year-old CHL-eligible player, hitting that number is massive, because nine games is typically the cutoff for when NHL clubs send youngsters (who are not eligible for the AHL because of the NHL/CHL transfer agreement) back to junior hockey.

It is still possible that Catton ends up back in the WHL at some point this season, although using up a year of his ELC makes that scenario far less likely.

I chatted with Catton on Friday about what clearing that threshold means to him.

“Out of camp, the conversation was kind of like, ‘We don’t really know what’s going to happen, but at some point, you’ll get your chance,’” Catton recalled. “‘If we think you’ll develop better here, you’ll stick around. If not, we’ll send you back.’ So, I’m obviously doing something right in that sense. I’m just going to try to keep building on that. But it was pretty stressful. That 10th game was nice, and I think just kind of sticking in the lineup’s been good.”

Lambert does seem to be developing more and more trust in Catton, to the point that he recently moved him to third-line center between Shane Wright and Eeli Tolvanen. Catton said it doesn’t matter to him whether he skates at center or wing, but he did find value in playing wing because he learned what’s difficult for a winger to execute at the NHL level. So if he plays his more natural center position moving forward, that wing experience should still be beneficial.

“I don’t really care [whether I’m wing or center], to be honest,” Catton said. “I just want to be out on the ice, and I think a lot of it is just understanding the systems themselves, and I’ve really tried my best to do that and learn that way. And then when you get the puck on your stick, just make a play. That’s kind of my mindset.”

Lambert also had some nice commentary about Catton before the game on Saturday when he was asked by Piper Shaw about his comfort in moving the rookie into his current role.

“This player is a player who is dialed in,” Lambert said. “He’s a sponge, he’s absorbing everything, from what his responsibilities are off face-offs to what his defensive-zone responsibilities are to how he can create more in the offensive zone. We’ll just continue to watch him progress, I think. There’s been a lot of progression from him from that standpoint, and we’ll see where we go.”

By the way, now that Catton has burned through the first year of his ELC, he’s now moving in with Chandler Stephenson and his family for the foreseeable future. That’s a good indication that the Kraken expect him to stick for (at least most of) the rest of the season.

Checking in with Ryker Evans​

Since I was away for a while, I wasn’t around when Ryker Evans returned from injury, so I chatted with him about the vibes of the team after the win over Winnipeg and how things feel different this season compared to last.

“Yeah, I mean, big comeback [last night],” Evans said. “I thought we did a good job of keeping our composure when we were down. The vibes were good on the bench. We believe we can come back, and we did. Around the room, it’s great, very positive.”

The defenseman also mentioned that winning breeds positivity in the room, and with an 8-4-5 record through 17 games, there have been a lot more good feelings floating around this season, compared to last.

“Obviously, it’s different when you’re winning, guys are a lot more happy. So I think, just in years past, we just weren’t winning as much, we weren’t finding success. So, around the room, it’s a bit tougher [in that scenario]. But I mean, since we’re winning, it’s happy, and everyone’s really clicking.”

Evans has had an interesting ride over the last couple seasons. He split 2023-24 between Coachella Valley and Seattle, playing under Dave Hakstol in the NHL and Dan Bylsma in the AHL. Then Hakstol was fired and replaced by Bylsma, who Evans, of course, knew well. Now, as a still-developing, 23-year-old defenseman, he missed the first 13 games of the season with an upper-body injury, while the rest of the team was getting to know the ways of the more structure- and detail-oriented Lambert.

Still, Evans said it hasn’t been that drastic of an adjustment.

“Last year’s coaching staff, I had them in Coachella for two years, so it’s a bit different. I knew them and what they expected,” Evans said. “This year, it’s kind of the same messages, just play how I play. And then, I mean, from a team standpoint, as you guys can see, we’re just playing hard, we’re playing fast. I think we’re just very structurally [sound] in the D-zone. They’re a very detailed coaching staff.”

The post Kraken Notebook: McCann and Gaudreau trending up, Catton’s NHL status solidifies appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/1...au-trending-up-cattons-nhl-status-solidifies/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Firkus steps forward for Firebirds

“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we’ll highlight Jagger Firkus’s significance to the Firebirds offense in the early going and check in on his development. After that we’ll have news, notes, and video from around the Kraken system, a prospect data update, and a preview of the schedule ahead, as always.

If you have a Kraken prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey. Let’s dive in.

Second-year forward Firkus leads scoring attack for Firebirds​

As we have talked about, the task facing the Coachella Valley Firebirds this season is significant. The roster is the youngest in the AHL. And, in reality, the team is even younger than it looks on paper. The team’s only player older than 30 years old, Max McCormick, is out for the season.

Beyond youth, there was also the question of where the scoring would come from. Five of last season’s top-six scorers are not currently on the roster, and the Firebirds didn’t add any marquee AHL veterans to replace that production. Last year’s No. 3 scorer, Logan Morrison, leads this year’s squad in goals. But who else would elevate?

In this context, Jagger Firkus has stepped forward. The winger was the Firebirds’ No. 7 scorer last year as an AHL rookie. This season he leads the team with 14 total points (four goals, 10 assists). As of this writing, that total is tied for the fifth most in the AHL and tops all U22 players.

When we highlighted Firkus last season, we noted that he was building a base of skills necessary to succeed as a professional winger. Those skills are still there, but his usage has evolved this season, in part due to the needs of the team. Last year he was a complementary scorer from the middle-six who needed to perform two-way hockey to contribute. This year, he has taken on a featured scoring and power-play role.

By design, he is often the top player in the defensive zone looking for disruptions along the blue line or for an outlet pass to transition through the neutral zone into a rush chance. In my viewings, this has lessened his overall defensive-zone involvement, particularly the frequency of—and exposure to—low board battles. This has highlighted his stronger off-puck attributes: his instincts and hands. It has also created a lot more space for his offense.

A year and change into his professional career, I’m more confident in his ability to transport the puck through the neutral zone. He has always had the passing skill to find open teammates. But I had some questions about his ability to get through opposing forechecks with the puck on his stick because he lacked a dynamic skating gear. After 80 games of professional experience, he has found a way with short-area agility, stickhandling, and savvy. Put differently, he’s closer to Matty Beniers on the rush than Berkly Catton. While he’s not at Beniers’ level, this is a strong indicator of his ability to drive play moving forward.

In the offensive zone, his vision is his calling card. He has the potential to be a plus passer. It seems like he’s creating multiple high-danger chances for his teammates every game, sometimes in creative and unexpected ways. Add in a shot that can be deceptive and precise, and there is a real package of skills there. (He showed off most of those offensive skills in the Oct. 24 game excerpted above, scoring two goals and adding an assist.)

He’ll need to keep pushing those offensive skills to another level if he’s going to earn a top-six featured scoring role in the NHL. It’s still more likely he’ll need to carve out a complementary role, which will, again, put his two-way skills in focus. Can he make that work? I’m more confident than ever, but there’s still development road left there.

Notes on four more Kraken prospects​

Maxim Agafonov | D | Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)​

Defenseman Maxim Agafonov returned to the lineup for Toros Neftekamsk on Friday, Nov. 14, after being absent for multiple weeks. I suspect an injury was involved, but we’ll be monitoring his playing time moving forward. Before missing this stretch, he had been a stalwart on the blue line in the lower-level professional league in Russia (the VHL) and even earned a game in the top professional league (the KHL). It was an impressive early-season run for the 18-year-old 2025 fifth-round pick.

Jakub Fibigr | D | Brampton Steelheads (OHL)​

Jakub Fibigr, a 2024 seventh-round pick, has turned up the dial offensively this year. With five goals and 10 assists through 16 games, Fibigr ranks within the top 10 in total points and goals among OHL defensemen. Beyond the scoring, Fibigr is delivering as a true No. 1 in minutes for an underpowered Brampton Steelheads team. Despite a minus-18 overall goal differential, Brampton is plus-eight in Fibigr’s even-strength minutes. Fibigr’s plus-minus is by far the best on the team. The next closest skater is plus-three.

Ville Ottavainen | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Ottavainen tallied two points in two games for the Firebirds last week but missed the team’s most recent game with a lower-body injury. The team has deemed him day-to-day. The Firebirds recalled Zach Uens from the Kansas City Mavericks in a countermove.

Kim Saarinen | G | HPK (Liiga)​

Saarinen has not drawn any league starts over the last couple of weeks because he has been away with the Finland U20 team at a World Junior Championship precursor event. He started two of Finland’s four games, stopping 43 of 50 shots faced. Less encouragingly, Finland dropped both contests, one to Czechia and the other to Switzerland. And while Saarinen started Games 2 and 4, Saarinen’s primary competitor for the WJC crease, Petteri (“Mr. Showtime”) Rimpinen, started Games 1 and 3 and won both. The WJC job is likely Rimpinen’s to lose at this point, particularly given that Saarinen’s Liiga play cooled considerably over the last month.

Bonus: Reese Hamilton | D | Regina Pats (WHL)​

Over the summer, the Kraken invited undrafted, but once highly regarded, defenseman Reese Hamilton to development camp. He impressed in that setting, reminding all in attendance of his strong résumé before a disappointing draft season that saw him log 14 points in 59 games. Well, Hamilton has already topped last year’s point total (with 15), and in only 20 games. Despite being undrafted, Hamilton is not a free agent. He will be eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. If the numbers are any indication, he’s looking like a pick again, whether in Seattle or elsewhere.

#SeaKraken camp invite Reese Hamilton scores off a feed from Berkly Catton at Kraken Development Camp. pic.twitter.com/x5MYUV5wis

— Deep Sea Hockey (@DeepSeaHockey) July 3, 2025

Highlights of the Week​

Nathan Villeneuve and Jake O’Brien showed off some silky hands this past week.

Some slick hands are on display for the Play of the Week!

Jake O'Brien | @BulldogsOHL
Nathan Villeneuve | @Sudbury_Wolves
Christopher Soares | @Storm_City
Liam Greentree | @SpitsHockey
@OntarioDairy | @FloHockey pic.twitter.com/e2Gqv3uf4U

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 12, 2025

Nikke Kokko came up with one of the best saves you’ll see in the Firebirds’ 6-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

NIKKE KKK!@Firebirds | @TheAHL | @SeattleKraken #LetsFly #AHL #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/hQzhEwkxxy

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) November 12, 2025

Kraken prospects data update​

With six points in three games, Firkus is your Sound Of Hockey Player of the Week. Morrison and J.R. Avon had highly productive weeks for the Firebirds, piling up five points each across three games.

Julius Miettinen leads the WHL in plus-minus with a plus-22 mark. His 28 points are eighth in the league. He is the only player in the top 10 in both scoring and plus-minus in the WHL.

Nikke Kokko started two games in his return to the lineup and won both. He posted a .923 save percentage in the process.

Semyon Vyazovoi continues to prove himself as one of the KHL’s best U25 players, not just goaltenders.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Kim Saarinen, Julius Miettinen

1: Jake O’Brien, Semyon Vyazovoi, Nathan Villeneuve, Ollie Josephson, Jagger Firkus

Previewing the week ahead​

The Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week is a 1:00 pm PT Saturday matchup between Fibigr’s Steelheads and O’Brien’s Bulldogs.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Chase Harrington​

Last week we highlighted Spokane Chief Mathis Preston as perhaps the best draft-eligible WHL U.S. Division player. His strongest competition for that distinction may be Chase Harrington, who also plays for the Chiefs. Harrington, a 6-foot power forward, has seven goals and six assists in 18 WHL games this season.

Recent prospect updates​

November 7, 2025: Caden Price looks the part in pro debut

October 31, 2025: College hockey seasons under way for Kraken prospects

October 25, 2005: Mølgaard is an all-situations contributor as an AHL rookie

October 17, 2025: Tyson Jugnauth earns important role with the Firebirds

October 10, 2025: Firebirds drop the puck on the 2025-26 season

October 3, 2025: Catton makes his case for the NHL Roster

September 26, 2025: Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in

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.

Read more from Curtis

The post Down on the Farm – Firkus steps forward for Firebirds appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/15/down-on-the-farm-firkus-steps-forward-for-firebirds/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Philipp Grubauer shines in relief, carries Kraken to 4-1 win over Sharks

You just never know what’s going to happen when you go to the rink. The Seattle Kraken won 4-1 over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, and they did so in a way that I certainly did not expect at the start of the game: by riding a dazzling Philipp Grubauer relief performance through a challenging second period and taking advantage of the few opportunities they got in the frame to ultimately cruise past a team that beat them up 10 days ago.

“Clearly, at that point, we rode off our goalie’s coattails to a certain degree, and then we were able to capitalize timely on a couple of our opportunities,” head coach Lane Lambert said. “We spent a little bit too much time in our zone, we all know that, at the start. But our goaltender played fantastic, and sometimes you need that.”

On Hockey Fights Cancer night, Jaden Schwartz—whose sister Mandi died of acute myeloid leukemia at age 23 in 2011—scored twice, Adam Larsson and Eeli Tolvanen each scored once, and Chandler Stephenson sent out a couple tasty dishes.

Here are Three Takeaways from a remarkable 4-1 Kraken win over the Sharks.

Takeaway #1: One of Grubi’s best games as a Kraken​

There are nights as a goaltender when you start to sense that, for whatever reason, the puck is going to stay out of your net. You make a few big saves, the other team hits a post or flubs an open opportunity, and suddenly you get this clarity that you have better stuff in that particular game than the opposing shooters. The hockey gods are on your side, and even if you find yourself down and out, the puck will find a way to stay out of your goal.

Grubauer surely felt that on this night, although when I asked him about it after the game, he said he thinks about it a little differently. He pointed to a break early in the game, when Will Smith’s goal was waived off for a distinct kicking motion that easily could have been ruled a goal.

NO GOAL!

Grubauer robs Will Smith, but Smith's foot drags it into the net.

Refs review and determine no goal due to kicking motion.

Still 1-1. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/SzsqzeM51P

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

“I personally take it situation by situation,” Grubauer said. “Obviously, sometimes you get a little bit more lucky than other nights. I mean, that breakaway where they reviewed it, right? It could have gone one way or another. If there’s a slight push from the D, it’s a different story, and they score on the breakaway.

“They had a couple situations where they sling the puck right across, it hits a guy in the shim pads, or something like that, right? So, yeah, sometimes you’ve got to get lucky, and there’s not a moment, like, ‘Oh, wow!’ and now I feel it. It’s make the save, give the puck back, next shot is coming up.”

What made Grubauer’s showing even more impressive is that it came in relief of an injured Matt Murray, who played well in the first period but exited immediately after former Kraken Alex Wennberg tied the game 1-1 on a power-play goal with 18 seconds left. Grubauer came in to close the period and was then tested early and often to start the second.

NO GOAL!

Grubauer robs Will Smith, but Smith's foot drags it into the net.

Refs review and determine no goal due to kicking motion.

Still 1-1. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/SzsqzeM51P

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

“I think going into the second period there, right away, the way the first two minutes went were not ideal from a team perspective, but it got me into the game with a lot of shots early on,” Grubauer said. “And it’s always tough, right? If you’re not starting, it’s another situation where you don’t get too many shots in warm up, so it was helpful to get into the game right away.”

GRUUUUUUUUUUUU! pic.twitter.com/mbDFRzBia7

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

It really was just the second period where Grubauer had to be stellar, but he made massive saves on plays that looked like they should absolutely be goals. He held Seattle in long enough for Larsson and Tolvanen to score 38 seconds apart at 16:05 and 16:43, respectively. From there, the Kraken—despite taking three penalties in the third period—kept things mostly locked down.

Takeaway #2: Great game for Chandler Stephenson​

I know Chandler Stephenson has been polarizing among the Kraken fanbase, but I personally love what he brings. It’s interesting that in a game in which Alex Wennberg scored for the Sharks, Stephenson really stood out. I mention Wennberg because I view Stephenson as an upgraded version of what the Kraken used to get from Wennberg. He can play in all situations, he’s a great skater, and he has a pass-first approach—but he does all of it at a higher level.

In this game, Stephenson’s speed and passing created two of Seattle’s goals.

On the first, Jamie Oleksiak’s pass through the neutral zone missed the mark, but Stephenson caught up to it and made John Klingberg look foolish in creating a 2-on-1 with Schwartz. Then he threaded a pass between Macklin Celebrini’s stick and skate to Schwartz, who redirected it into a yawning cage.

THE POWER OF THE SCHWARTZ!

Heckuva play by Chandler Stephenson to burn John Klingberg and find Schwartz crashing to the backdoor.

1-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Ss38jSXMPS

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

The second goal also came off a 2-on-1, this one with Tolvanen, who scored for the second game in a row.

“[Stephenson] is an awesome passer,” Tolvanen said. “Power play, 2-on-1’s, every time he has the puck, you have to be ready because you know it’s coming. He can make those passes that a lot of guys can’t.”

EELI GOALVANEN!

Another great pass off a 2-on-1 from Stephenson, and Tolvanen scores his second in as many games.

3-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/FueoRAoZeE

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

The Kraken don’t win this game without Grubauer, but they also probably don’t win it without Stephenson, who finished the night plus-three with three assists.

Takeaway #3: Another game, another injury​

It’s strange how things have been playing out lately for the Kraken and their injury situation. Last game, Kaapo Kakko went down with a lower-body injury that Lambert said will keep him out week to week—never a great designation. But his placement on injured reserve meant Seattle could activate Freddy Gaudreau for this game without sending somebody to Coachella Valley.

Now we wait to see what happens with the Kraken goalies. Lambert said after the game that Murray was still being evaluated. Joey Daccord is on IR but appears to be getting closer to a return based on recent practices. If Murray hadn’t gotten hurt Saturday, then Daccord returning would force a roster move. But if Murray also ends up on IR, no move would be required.

The plan may have been for Daccord to return next game anyway, but if I had to guess, I would surmise he could be ready to at least back up Grubauer when Seattle visits Detroit on Tuesday.

Also worth noting: Jared McCann was a full participant at Saturday’s morning skate, so we’re wondering how close he could be to game action. If he returns in the next couple games, that would most likely mean somebody is bound for CV, and I wouldn’t be shocked if that somebody is Jani Nyman, whose time on ice was limited to just 6:34 in his first game since the last time Seattle faced the Sharks on Nov. 5.

One last note on Murray: he’s had some serious injury woes in his career and told us during our Sound Of Hockey Podcast interview at training camp that he was feeling fully recovered from the double hip surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2023-24 season. Here’s hoping that whatever he injured on Saturday is both unrelated to that previous issue and minor.

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 [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Philipp Grubauer shines in relief, carries Kraken to 4-1 win over Sharks appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/16/philipp-grubauer-shines-kraken-beat-sharks/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Sharks – Nov 15

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Sharks – Nov 15 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/15/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-sharks-nov-15/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: The best week yet for the Kraken?

The Seattle Kraken just had their best week of the season, grabbing five out of a possible six points without their starting goalie and best goal scorer in the lineup.

The imperfect game​

Coming into Thursday night’s game against Winnipeg with Connor Hellebuyck in net, it felt like the Kraken needed to play a perfect game to beat the Jets. Winnipeg got on the board first with a rush chance that looked a little too easy and not characteristic of the type of play we have seen from this team this season. The Kraken answered that mistake with a nice Kaapo Kakko deflection that floated over Hellebuyck’s shoulder.

KAAPO!

Great play by Vince Dunn, who takes… er… THROWS a hit to make the play to Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz shoots for Kakko’s stick, and Kakko gets off the schneid.

Go to the net, kids!

1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/l9kpigY7Pm

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 14, 2025

Winnipeg took the lead back when Neal Pionk found Mark Scheifele behind a Kraken line change in the second period for a breakaway goal. It was another consequential mistake by the Kraken that we haven’t seen often this season. The Jets had just a one-goal lead going into the third, but it felt like a big hill to climb against a formidable opponent, especially with Hellebuyck in net.

Seattle scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the third and then added an empty-netter in the dying minutes to seal the win. It was a signature victory where they found a way to win without being perfect.

Shot attempt volume​

The Kraken are 26th in the league in shot attempts per game. There’s been a lot of fan chatter about the lack of shots and attempts lately, but those numbers can be misleading. Dallas is dead last in shot attempts per game, yet the Stars have the third-best record in the league.

Because the Kraken have been playing from ahead rather than tied or trailing, they’ve naturally taken fewer attempts. They average almost six fewer shot attempts in regulation in wins than they do in regulation losses.

Penalty kill​

The penalty kill remains a sore spot. San Jose’s power-play tally marked the sixth straight game in which Seattle allowed a goal while shorthanded. The unit has struggled all season, but discipline had been a saving grace, until this week.

Seattle was shorthanded 13 times over three games, their highest such stretch of the season. Early-season issues stemmed from extended defensive-zone time, whether from failed clears or uncontested entries. I chalk this up more to rough execution than systemic failure, and improvement should come as the season progresses.

Freddy Gaudreau returns to the lineup​

Usually the return of a fourth-line center isn’t something that gets fans buzzing, but Freddy Gaudreau’s return should give this team a real boost. Gaudreau does a lot of little things that don’t always show up. He’s a bit of a Swiss Army knife: kills penalties, provides a right-shot center option, is very good in the shootout, and has enough sneaky skill to move up and down the lineup when needed.

On Saturday, he took 40 percent of the defensive-zone draws, was on the ice for 35 percent of the penalty-kill time, and even generated a high-quality shorthanded chance. His return should ease some of the burden the team has placed on Chandler Stephenson while Freddy was out. He’s a sneaky addition who strengthens the lineup in subtle ways that not everyone may notice.

Other musings​

• The 5–3 win over Winnipeg was the first time the Kraken scored five or more goals this season. They had already done it four times in the first 18 games last season.
• The Kraken are now 6-1-3 at home. One regulation loss. That’s incredible.
• Jaden Schwartz’s empty-netter on Saturday was Seattle’s first shorthanded goal of the season.
• I know I’m not the only one disappointed with Mason Marchment’s production, but I think his last four games have been his best stretch as a Kraken. He feels due for a breakout.
• We are not talking nearly enough about how much Ryker Evans adds to this lineup. I really like Josh Mahura, but Ryker’s skating and puck-moving are such luxuries on a third pair.
• We got an “interruption goal” on Saturday when Eeli Tolvanen scored 38 seconds after Adam Larsson. I’m sticking with that name, since when we talked to PA announcer Chet Buchanan on the SOH Pod two years ago, he said he doesn’t mind being interrupted—as long as it’s for another Kraken goal.
• The Kraken are fourth in the league in blocked shots. Another byproduct of playing with a lead.
• The Pacific Division is absolute chaos right now—five points separate the first-place Kings and the seventh-place Sharks.
• The Seattle Torrent split their preseason games with the Vancouver Goldeneyes over the weekend. The regular season kicks off Friday when they meet again for real. I have not seen anything official, but I assume the games will be broadcast in the US on YouTube.

Goal of the week​

The interruption goal…

EELI GOALVANEN!

Another great pass off a 2-on-1 from Stephenson, and Tolvanen scores his second in as many games.

3-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/FueoRAoZeE

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

Player performance​

Philipp Grubauer – Two wins in two games, including a shutout in relief for two periods against San Jose. He saved 2.39 goals above expected, per evolving-hockey.com.

Grubauer under fire early in the 2nd, after being forced into action at the end of the 1st. He’s standing tall in the first couple minutes… #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/7ORRa9FssY

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 16, 2025

Jacob Melanson – The 22-year-old notched his first AHL hat trick Sunday for Coachella Valley, giving him six goals in 14 games (he had just eight all last season).
Jagger Firkus – Another Firebird hat trick over the weekend, but Jagger’s came Saturday. He leads the AHL in points and has a six-game point streak.

The week ahead​

If you had looked at this stretch before the season started, you probably would’ve circled it as a chance to bank some points, with four games against teams that missed the playoffs last year. However… as of Monday morning, all four of those teams are in playoff spots and look a lot tougher than previously expected.

It’s a four-game road trip starting Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. I still wake up in cold sweats thinking about that game in Detroit last year. On Thursday, the Kraken face the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time this season. Seattle won the first meeting 3–1, but they saw backup Arvid Söderblom in that one, so the boys might see Spencer Knight this time.

Then it’s another shot at fixing the back-to-back demons with the Penguins on Saturday, followed by the Islanders on Sunday to wrap things up.

Given the quality of opponents, four out of eight points would be fine, five would be good, and six would be great.

And finally​

It usually takes 20 games to really assess a team, and the Kraken just crossed the 18-game mark. I’m calling it now: the Seattle Kraken are going to be in the mix for a playoff spot. Their success isn’t driven by luck or a soft schedule—in fact, it’s pretty much the opposite. Considering the injuries that have chipped away at the roster and the absolutely brutal October schedule, this start is nothing short of incredible.

I was one of the few people who expected the Kraken to be much better this season, but even I’m impressed. With Freddy Gaudreau back and Jared McCann and Joey Daccord seemingly close, this team might have another level to hit. How are we feeling out there?

The post Monday Musings: The best week yet for the Kraken? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/17/monday-musings-the-best-week-yet-for-the-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Daccord returns, Kraken drop first game of road trip 4-2 to Red Wings

After racking up five points in the last three games of their homestand, the Seattle Kraken brought a spirited effort to Detroit on Tuesday but ultimately came up short and started their four-game road trip on the losing side.

Jordan Eberle and Ryker Evans scored for the Kraken, but Detroit did all of its damage in an eventful second period, and it was just enough to slide past Seattle on this night.

“I don’t think we had everyone going,” coach Lane Lambert said. “And we can’t afford to have anybody not going. So, we were ok in the game, but not good enough to win the hockey game. There’s certain things and certain reasons for that, but I thought we could have been better.”

Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-2 Kraken loss to the Red Wings.

Takeaway #1: Joey Daccord returns, wants one back​

Joey Daccord returned to action on Tuesday and stopped 23 of 26 Red Wings shots. His activation from injured reserve—after about a two-week hiatus due to a somewhat mysterious upper-body injury—came at a perfect time. One of Seattle’s goalie trio, Matt Murray, went on the shelf at the end of the first period Saturday and is now expected to miss six weeks with a lower-body injury. So, he goes on IR just as Daccord comes off.

Daccord made some great saves in this game, but he also gave up an uncharacteristic stinker at 1:19 of the second period that erased Seattle’s 1-0 lead. On an innocuous-looking 3-on-2 rush, Lucas Raymond took a pass at the blue line and cruised into the right circle. He took a simple, unscreened wrist shot that squeezed under Daccord’s right arm and trickled over the line.

Huge break for the #SeaKraken.

Looked like Danielson had scored again, but Seattle challenged for offside and got the call.

That was VERY close.

Still 2-1 Red Wings. pic.twitter.com/Y2BDWJ1ZLV

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 19, 2025

You could see right away that Daccord was disappointed with himself, swatting the puck out of the net in disgust.

He gave up two more in the period (those were of the “not his fault” variety), which we’ll talk about in the next Takeaway, but he did give his teammates a chance in this game.

Still, that first one stings…

Takeaway #2: Second period was all Detroit needed​

The Kraken followed up the aforementioned stinker by allowing two Red Wings players into the middle, with a double-deflection working its way around Daccord and in off rookie Nate Danielson for his first NHL goal. That second goal came 45 seconds after the first.

Soon after that, it looked like Detroit had taken a 3-1 lead again with a nifty dangle by Danielson after a loose defensive play by Adam Larsson. But Tim Ohashi struck for a brilliant offside challenge and what felt like a massive break for the Kraken.

Huge break for the #SeaKraken.

Looked like Danielson had scored again, but Seattle challenged for offside and got the call.

That was VERY close.

Still 2-1 Red Wings. pic.twitter.com/Y2BDWJ1ZLV

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 19, 2025

Indeed, Seattle scored the next goal and tied the game 2-2, with a Ryker Evans shot from the point pinballing in off a Red Wings defender.

But a cheesy goalie interference call on Jani Nyman—after he was bumped into Talbot by Simon Edvinsson, then jumped by the entire Red Wings team (none of whom were penalized)—proved costly. We’ll talk more about the Lucas Raymond goal that came on the ensuing power play in Takeaway #3, but Lambert summed up the second period nicely.

“We knew going in, they had like a plus-62 shot differential in the second period before the game. And I think Joey probably wants the first one back, so that’s one. We don’t box out on the second one, which goes into our net. We get a great call from our video coach to overturn the third one and get a goal to tie the game, and then we make a mistake on the penalty kill that we can’t make.”

Takeaway #3: A costly PK mistake​

On the play that Lambert called “a mistake on the penalty kill that we can’t make,” Seattle’s PK really did momentarily lose the plot.

“That’s the bottom line,” Lambert continued. “It’s a mistake you can’t make. We’re not asking anything else other than proper positioning.”

Here’s the full sequence that led to the goal.

I believe what happened is that when Emmitt Finnie rimmed the puck around to Andrew Copp, Jamie Oleksiak got a piece of the pass. I think that triggered Oleksiak and Jaden Schwartz to pressure Copp on the halfwall, thinking they had him under duress and could win the puck away with a numerical advantage. Copp maintained control, though, and successfully made a pass to Danielson, which suddenly put Seattle in chase mode.

What I’m really not sure about, though, is why Chandler Stephenson shaded so far left—beyond the left face-off dot—when Oleksiak and Schwartz were already over against the boards. By drifting that far to the left, Evans was left alone in the slot as the last defender, with Finnie now fully unmarked and in a dangerous position.

The only thing Seattle’s PKers could have done to thwart a scoring chance at that point was get a stick on Danielson’s pass through the slot, but neither Stephenson nor Oleksiak could reach it.

Instead, Danielson put it right on the money for Finnie, and Daccord was hung out to dry.

That goal made it 3-2, and then—as Lambert pointed out after the game—Seattle just didn’t get enough pucks toward Talbot in the third period to level the game.

In the end, I liked Seattle’s effort in this game, but there were some costly mistakes from up and down the lineup and a not enough of an offensive push in the third to equalize.

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 [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Daccord returns, Kraken drop first game of road trip 4-2 to Red Wings appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/1...rop-first-game-of-road-trip-4-2-to-red-wings/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle Torrent wraps up first week on the ice

It has officially been one week since the Seattle Torrent took to the ice for the first time at Kraken Community Iceplex. Here’s what we’ve learned and what we’re looking forward to.

Training camp​

Torrent training camp was intense. It was three days of high-energy, non-stop drills and hard conditioning. The team spent a lot of time practicing being physical in the corners and transitioning with speed. Coach Steve O’Rourke stood out with his active coaching style and constant encouragement of the players to skate harder and dig deeper.

I have to say, for top-level pro training camp, three days seems like way too short a time for a brand new team to come together. It showed a bit in missed passes and confused looks, but the team seemed to settle in as the week went on. The skaters were never lacking in effort, though. Even players who have a secure spot on the roster looked like they were fighting with all they had, despite many of them having just come off Rivalry Series games.

The players seemed to enjoy themselves, despite the grueling pace. Defender Cayla Barnes said the team was eager to finally take to the ice after what felt like a long and exciting buildup, and that despite the high level of conditioning, “everyone survived.”

Hilary Knight called the intensity level “high,” and she “really liked the way our group hustled out there.” Forward Alex Carpenter was surprised but excited by the level of play on Day 1, saying that “people were throwing bodies around and giving it their all.”

Carpenter also said that learning the new systems is always tough, but after the first practice, she could see that O’Rourke “is an intense guy, but loves to teach, and loves the game… and you can feel that vibe… and it makes you want to skate faster, want to play harder.”

Goalie Corinne Schroeder called bringing women’s hockey to Seattle “huge” and was excited to inspire “not just little girls, but little boys too… they have other role models to root for, not just NHL players.”

Pre-season scrimmages​

Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Unfortunately, the pre-season scrimmages were not available to watch, so we can only pick apart the lines and stats for clues and crumbs.

In the first scrimmage, the Torrent were shut out, but they came out the next day swinging and bested Vancouver 4-2. A couple speculative takeaways from the scrimmage stats:

• The team has depth scoring, with the only goals coming from the third and fourth lines, including a goal and an assist from Seattle local Marah Wagner.
• All three goaltenders got playing time and put up good numbers, with rookie Hannah Murphy’s lone goal against coming from a penalty shot.
• The Torrent looks to be a physical team (and maybe a touch undisciplined in the early going), racking up eight penalties to the Goldeneyes’ two.

The PWHL also reported on the lines that were utilized by each team, and although we haven’t been able to see them skate together, let’s speculate a little, just for fun.

Although scoreless in the one scrimmage they played, a Hannah Bilka – Alex Carpenter – Hilary Knight line is absolutely bonkers. This could be the first line for Team USA at the upcoming Olympics. They aren’t starting from zero with chemistry either. Knight and Bilka played together in Boston, while Carpenter and Knight are close friends, and all three have played together for Team USA.

The Julia Gosling – Danielle Serdachny – Jessie Eldridge line is another interesting group, although they are less familiar with each other. All three players are 5-foot-9 or taller and are known for their physicality.

The defensive pair of Aneta Tejralová and Cayla Barnes is another one to keep your eye on. Those are two high-level defenders who will likely be called upon to shut down the other teams’ stars. They also only played in the first scrimmage but were not on the ice for any of the Vancouver goals.

Roster decisions​

Surprising nobody, the Torrent announced Hilary Knight as the team’s first captain. The news came on Friday after the conclusion of training camp and prior to the team’s pre-season scrimmages. Knight is a proven leader, current Team USA captain, and previous Boston Fleet captain.

The Torrent have made two cuts from the training camp roster. They must cut at least three from the training camp roster before final rosters are due on Wednesday. PWHL rules allow for 23 active players on each team. The skaters below are vying for the four roster spots left.

Forwards:

Brooke Bryant – veteran player who won two Walter Cups with Minnesota

Lily Delianedis – Third-round 2025 draft pick, Cornell

Jada Habisch – Fourth-round 2025 draft pick, UConn

Sydney Langseth – Camp invitee, undrafted from Minnesota State – Mankato

Marah Wagner – Camp invite, played last year in Sweden, born in Seattle!

Defenders:

Lyndie Lobdell – Fifth-round round 2025 draft pick, Penn State

Emily Zumwinkle – Camp invite, undrafted from Ohio State, younger sister of Grace Zumwinkle who plays for the Frost

What’s next?​

The Torrent will practice Wednesday and Thursday, then head back up to Vancouver to take on the Goldeneyes for their first ever game on Friday, Nov. 21, 7pm at Pacific Coliseum.

If you aren’t catching a bus or train or carpool up to Vancouver for the first game, the PWHL just announced that all Seattle games will be broadcast over the air on Kong and FOX 13. Piper Shaw announced she will be a part of the Torrent broadcast, as will best friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, Alison Lukan. That is an exciting thought for us Kraken crossover fans. All games will continue to be free in the US on YouTube, as well.

If you are catching the bus from KCI to Vancouver, come say hi!

The post Seattle Torrent wraps up first week on the ice appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/19/seattle-torrent-wraps-up-first-week-on-the-ice/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken rally back from 2-0 deficit, beat Blackhawks 3-2

That was a big-time win by the Seattle Kraken, clawing back from a 2-0 deficit in the third period to steal a 3-2 result from the Blackhawks in the Windy City on Thursday.

Seattle didn’t have its best for two periods, but Joey Daccord was sharp and held his mates in the game long enough for them to finally find a late offensive spark.

“We didn’t have enough shot attempts in the first two periods,” coach Lane Lambert said. “Our D did a way better job in the third period.”

Here are Three Takeaways from a big 3-2 Kraken win over the Blackhawks.

Takeaway #1: The Ryan Lindgren game​

We always knew Ryan Lindgren would be a guy who flies mostly under the radar, quietly going about his business as a responsible, stay-at-home defenseman. On this night, Lindgren made a couple of massive plays that directly impacted the outcome of the game.

“He’s just all heart, all the time,” Lambert said. “Huge block at the end, that’s what he does for us. He defends hard, and he gives us everything he has.”

First—and this one was unfortunate to see—he made his presence known late in the first period when former Kraken Andre Burakovsky barreled over the blue line and was off balance as he fought for the puck with Jaden Schwartz and Adam Larsson. Lindgren stepped up and lowered his shoulder, and Burakovsky went face-first into Lindgren’s shoulder pad.

Andre Burakovsky got lit up by Ryan Lindgren just before the end of the 1st period and went down the tunnel.

1st is in the books, 0-0.

Solid frame, but Joey Daccord has had to be sharp. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/0YT9uJ3x0n

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 21, 2025

Burakovsky left the game after the hit and did not return. The NHL will surely take a look at this hit, because the main point of contact is Burakovsky’s head. I’m guessing Lindgren avoids any kind of discipline, though, because of the way Burakovsky was leaning forward into the hit, but we shall see.

The next memorable Lindgren play in the game ended up being a game-changer. Although he was the one who created the Chicago opportunity by flubbing a shot at the blue line and handing it to Connor Bedard for a breakaway, his recovery indirectly led to Seattle getting the win in the game.

After turning it over, Lindgren chased down the young superstar, and just as Bedard was about to pull the trigger, Lindgren hit him with a perfect love tap of a slash on the shaft of his stick.

Andre Burakovsky got lit up by Ryan Lindgren just before the end of the 1st period and went down the tunnel.

1st is in the books, 0-0.

Solid frame, but Joey Daccord has had to be sharp. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/0YT9uJ3x0n

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 21, 2025

Now, there are folks out there who thought both of the aforementioned plays should have resulted in penalties, and they may have had a case.

I recognize I may have a slight bias, but watching Lindgren’s defensive play on the Bedard breakaway in slow motion shows it should not have resulted in a penalty or penalty shot. It wasn’t an egregious chop, he got him on the shaft of the stick (not the glove), and it was just enough to disrupt the shot. That said, when a shooter is in alone like that and the stick play comes from a chasing defender, those do get called most of the time. So had it been called, I also would have understood.

Ryan Lindgren thwarts a Connor Bedard breakaway and avoids taking a penalty.

Bedard barks at the ref long enough that he earns an unsportsmanlike penalty. #SeaKraken to the PP. pic.twitter.com/w7wMdkWenE

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 21, 2025

You know who did think it should have been a penalty? Connor Bedard. And he was so sure of this, he screamed at the ref until he earned himself an abuse of officials penalty that ultimately cost the Blackhawks the game (more on that in Takeaway #3).

Lindgren also helped Seattle seal the deal after it had taken a 3-2 lead by blocking a wide-open Bedard look with a minute left in the game. He did so in painful fashion, catching Bedard’s rocket one-timer in the open palm of his glove.

Bedard will be seeing Lindgren in his nightmares for a while.

Takeaway #2: Kraken woke up in the third​

Give some credit to the Blackhawks for how the first two periods went; they came into the game red hot, posting a 5-0-1 record over their previous six games. Ironically, the last time they had lost in regulation was a 3-1 loss to the Kraken on Nov. 3, so that streak got bookended by Seattle wins.

All that said, the Kraken didn’t have it for the first 40 minutes of this game, especially in the second period. They stayed relatively close, but like the game Tuesday in Detroit, things went sideways in the middle frame.

Two poor plays by Jordan Eberle (a weak dump-in that led to a 3-on-1 the other way) and Jamie Oleksiak (a lackadaisical race for a loose puck in the corner) led to the goals against and meant Seattle would be chasing in the third period.

And chase they did.

“[It was] compete and shooting pucks,” Lambert said. “In the first 40 minutes, I thought that we were slow to do things. Give our players credit. They got the message and took charge and got the job done.”

The second Montour’s one-timer pinballed in off Oscar Fisker Mølgaard and then Tye Kartye, you could sense the floodgates had opened. Lo and behold, Shane Wright tipped a Ryker Evans shot just over two minutes later to tie it 2-2 and set up Jaden Schwartz’s late-game heroics.

WRIGHT AS RAIN!

Tie game, 2-2. Ryker Evans with the shot, Shane Wright with the tip. Evans currently has credit, but that's Shane's goal. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/DpuOZIKF4y

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 21, 2025

Takeaway #3: Jaden Schwartz wins it​

While Bedard was sitting in the penalty box for whining, Chicago’s PKers were doing their damndest to bail him out. But as the power play was ticking down, Brandon Montour saw a lane down the left half wall.

As Montour walked down the boards, Schwartz pivoted from the top of the crease and backed himself right onto the far post. Montour threaded a perfectly placed shot-pass through Wyatt Kaiser’s legs and onto the tape of Schwartz, who redirected it through Spencer Knight’s five hole.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE SCHWARTZ!

With Bedard serving his unsportsmanlike penalty, Brandon Montour finds Jaden Schwartz at the net mouth.

3-2 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/VM9p92Ma8Y

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 21, 2025

“[Schwartz] shows [younger players] how the game is played, how the game is supposed to be played,” Lambert said. “The importance of the little details and winning battles in hard areas. Great goal by him to cap off the comeback.”

It was a heck of a play by both Montour—who earned his second assist of the night—and Schwartz, and it was an outstanding and unlikely comeback victory for the Kraken.

Bonus Takeaway: Oscar Fisker Mølgaard’s NHL debut​

Huge shoutout to friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, on making his NHL debut and recording a point on Tye Kartye’s goal that got Seattle on the board at 5:09 of the third period.

“It was pretty surreal,” Mølgaard said. “It’s a childhood dream coming true, so yeah, I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life, and it’s good to get the first one out of the way.”

We are huge Mølgaard fans for a lot of reasons, but mostly because he’s just an incredibly likable young man.

His family made the trek from Denmark to see his first game in the show.

“It’s unreal. It’s a proud moment for all of us. They’ve been there my whole life, and they were just as big a part of it as I was out there. So I’m really proud to have them here, and I’m glad they came.”

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 [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Kraken rally back from 2-0 deficit, beat Blackhawks 3-2 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/11/20/kraken-rally-defeat-blackhawks/