RSS Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: The Kraken lull

We were due for a week like this. I mentioned last week that I was concerned about the week ahead, and it played out exactly how I feared, as the Kraken dropped both games in regulation to the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers. Both are formidable opponents, so I knew there was a decent chance the Kraken could lose them both. That said, I’m not nearly as disappointed as I’ve been in other weeks when the Kraken actually came away with points.

Let’s start with the Stars game. Dallas has owned the Kraken in the regular season. Seattle was 2-9-2 against the Stars heading into Wednesday, with the lowest points percentage they have against any Western Conference opponent. And honestly, I just don’t remember the Kraken competing well against them, aside from the 2022-23 playoff series. Despite the loss, maybe that’s why I was so surprised to see the Kraken play as well as they did. There were long stretches where Seattle genuinely looked like the better team. Deep into the third, it felt like the game was destined for overtime, but Vladislav Kolyachonok floated an innocent-looking wrist shot from the point that went past a screening Adam Larsson, hit the post and found its way in.

Kolyachonok scores to make it 3-2 with five minutes left.

Larsson set a perfect screen and didn't get the block. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/hQfNdLniM0

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 27, 2025

Haters are going to point out it was the second half of a back-to-back for Dallas and that they had their backup in net. All true. But with that much firepower and the lopsided history between these two teams, the game left me feeling pretty good about where the Kraken stand. It was still a disappointing result, but it reinforced that the Kraken can hang with anyone. And considering they’ve beaten Anaheim, Vegas, and Winnipeg twice already, we shouldn’t be shocked that they have that level of compete in them.

That set up a perfect trap game on Saturday against Edmonton. The Oilers were coming off an embarrassing 8–3 loss to Dallas, and when you poke the bear enough, eventually it bites back. Edmonton’s top four forwards each scored, and the Kraken were shut out. I don’t think the game was as one-sided as the score suggests, but you’re not winning many games when you get shut out. Seattle certainly had chances to get back into it, but they went 0-for-6 on the power play, including an extended 5-on-3 while down just 1–0. At the end of the day, though, it’s still a loss.

Power play challenges​

Over the last 10 games, the Kraken have run at a meager 14 percent on the power play and haven’t scored a power-play goal in their last four games despite 14 opportunities, including five against Dallas and six against Edmonton. There’s no question the power play is struggling, but there were moments Saturday when they actually had stable possession and seemed to be generating shot attempts. So I spent part of my Sunday digging into the numbers.

First, I wanted to see whether they really did generate a lot of shot attempts on Saturday. The Kraken had 22 power-play shot attempts, their second-highest total in a game this season. It was also their second-highest total power-play time, so to evaluate it better, I calculated shot attempts per two minutes of power-play time. That came out to 4.29 attempts. It’s not their highest rate of the season, but it’s close.

Next, I widened the scope to see how their shot-attempt rate stacks up league-wide.

Based on the visual above, they’re sitting pretty close to league average in shot attempts per two minutes. That suggests quantity is fine, but the quality might not be there. I’ve already gone long here, so I’ll save that for another day.

Inaugural Torrent game​

Hopefully you were lucky enough to make it to the inaugural Seattle Torrent game Friday afternoon. The Torrent lost 3–0 to the two-time defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost in front of a PWHL record 16,014 fans. The atmosphere was incredible, the arena was filled with seasoned hockey fans, new fans, kids, families, the whole thing. The Torrent came out buzzing, but the Frost got a favorable bounce late in the first and never looked back.

I have a lot of thoughts, but this feels like another huge step for hockey in the region. The kid-friendly start times and reasonable ticket prices should give more families a chance to check out a game. And I’m excited to see how having the PWHL in town boosts female participation in the sport.

There was also quite a bit of constructive fan feedback about the arena experience. I’ve got my own wish-list items too, but I also know they don’t have the budget or institutional experience the Kraken have. Let’s be patient, give feedback when asked, and see how things evolve. For a team announced five months ago, I’m honestly blown away by how much they’ve pulled off.

Other musings​

• In case you missed it, Jaden Schwartz is the latest Kraken player to land on IR, another significant blow. Schwartz, expected to miss six weeks, has been one of the most underrated players in franchise history, and this team will feel his absence. Before the injury, Schwartz was on the ice for about 40 percent of Seattle’s power-play time.

• One silver lining: Jared McCann returned Wednesday against Dallas after missing 18 games. He brings an element this team has been missing. (Check out this pregame feature on Jared that aired before Saturday’s game.)
• I’m always stunned that there’s not even a hint of suspension for a malicious elbow aimed at someone’s head, even if it doesn’t land. If the league wants to minimize concussions, make those actions consequential—not just the ones that result in injuries. I’ve held this stance forever, no matter which team is involved.

Leon Draisaitl throws an elbow at Marchment and takes EDM's fifth penalty of the game.

Marchment may have been clever by not accepting a fight. He's under the skin of the Oilers, who are more worried about revenge on him.

PP absolutely has to convert here. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/On3X3PAkPL

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 29, 2025

• Big congrats to former Seattle Thunderbirds Thomas Milic and Reid Schaefer, who made their NHL debuts for the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators, respectively.

Goal of the week​

Nice sequence from Coachella Valley: David Goyette finds Lleyton Roed for his first of the season.

ROED KICKS US OFF WITH THE FIRST GOAL OF THE GAME AND HIS FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON!!

1-0 pic.twitter.com/64GA9oRztT

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) November 29, 2025

Player performances​

Julius Miettinen (EVT/SEA) – Five points in three games for Everett. He’s fifth in the WHL in points per game and a huge reason Everett is the best team in the league this season.

Zeb Forsfjäll (Skellefteå AIK/SEA) – The Kraken’s 2023 sixth-round pick scored his first two goals of the SHL season.

Zeb Forsfjäll skjuter sin första fullträff för säsongen och dubblerar Skellefteås ledning pic.twitter.com/7D8975PJ9a

— SHL.se (@SHLse) November 29, 2025

Nikke Kokko (CV/SEA) – Posted his first AHL shutout on Friday, stopping all 31 shots against San Diego.

Week ahead​

It’s a light but tricky week. The Kraken head to Edmonton on Thursday, and if the Oilers win in regulation, they’ll leapfrog Seattle (although Edmonton could also move ahead with a win against the Wild on Tuesday). Seattle is just 1-5-1 at Rogers Place, and after Saturday’s win, Edmonton might be ready to go on a run… or the Swiss-cheese defense could return, and the Kraken could show the resilience they’ve shown all season.

The only other game this week is Saturday at home against Detroit. The Wings are on a bit of a skid at 0-3-1, and the Kraken already lost 4–2 to them in November. Detroit has solid special teams; Seattle… does not.

The target for the week should be two points. Anything above that is gravy. The Kraken are playing their worst offensive hockey of the season right now, and until they fix their issues, expectations should stay pretty low.

And finally…​

The Kraken are still in a playoff spot and still competitive in games where they don’t have much firepower. They’re in a lull, so no one should be panicking… yet.

Am I the only one trying to keep a level head here?

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

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/01/monday-musings-kraken-lull/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The Current: Recapping the first week in Seattle Torrent history

After losing 4-3 in overtime in their first game ever at the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Nov. 21, the Seattle Torrent took the ice at Climate Pledge Arena for the first time on Black Friday in a midday game against the two-time PWHL champions, the Minnesota Frost. Both teams were seeking their first win of the season, having each recorded a one-goal loss on opening day.

Despite the workday (for most people) puck drop, over 16,000 fans were in attendance, shattering the previous American record for professional women’s hockey by more than a thousand. Even with a disappointing 3-0 loss, the fans showed up throughout the game, cheering to the bitter end for their new franchise and even sticking around to applaud a stick salute from the Torrent players.

Though the scoreline didn’t reflect it, the game was exciting and engaging, featuring two well-matched opponents. All the fans I spoke with, even those who had never attended a hockey game before, had a great time. They thought the team looked good, played fun, fast, and physical, and shared that they would definitely be back.

Corinne Schroeder makes a save against the Frost. (Photo/The PWHL)

Torrent vs. Frost game recap​

Period 1

The Torrent started the game looking much sharper than in their 4-3 season-opening loss last week in Vancouver. Passes were connecting, and by my eye test, the Torrent enjoyed a majority of possession. Torrent goalie Corrine Schroeder made some good saves, although an unlucky deflection from a Kelly Pannek shot late in the period put the Frost up 1-0.

Period 2

Momentum shifted slightly in the second period, with the Frost increasing their time in the offensive zone. The game got a bit chippier in the second, and the Torrent had to go on the penalty kill twice, but their PK kept the Frost off the board, blocking numerous shots while Schroeder handled the rest.

Period 3

The Torrent had their chance on the power play early in the third period. Both power-play units appeared confident and in control but couldn’t get anything past Frost netminder Nicole Hensley, who was outstanding in the game.

A turnover in the neutral zone led to a second goal from Pannek. Minutes later, Grace Zumwinkle found a loose puck during another Minnesota power play to round out the Frost’s scoring. The end of the game was even more physical, with Seattle’s Megan Carter tussling with Minnesota’s Britta Curl. The two have a history; Curl was suspended for a game last season after elbowing Carter in the head. The Torrent never gave up and had some great looks late but couldn’t solve Hensley, who robbed Hilary Knight in the closing minutes. Late in the final frame, Danielle Serdachny blocked two shots to prevent the Frost from scoring on an empty net, earning herself the third star of the game.

Hilary Knight takes a shot against the Frost. (Photo/The PWHL)

Post-game thoughts​

After the game, Frost forward and first star of the night Kelly Pannek, who played in a rivalry series game at CPA, spoke about playing in Seattle again and being in front of a record-setting crowd. “We knew once this market was announced they were going to have great fan support… It’s exciting to play in buildings like that; the fans are engaged, they’re loud.”

Torrent coach Steve O’Rourke spoke highly of his players’ efforts and noted their improvement since their first game. He emphasized that they played well for the first two periods and fed off the energy in the building. His team generated a “good quantity of chances, but probably not enough quality.” O’Rourke expressed disappointment with the result but felt that the team’s identity was strengthened and that they have a clear direction as they move forward this season.

Knight, who arrived at the game in a bedazzled Sue Bird jersey, understood the gravity of the moment, calling it a dream come true and a “pinch-me moment” (though, if I can be honest, I think she was most excited that Brandi Carlile was there). Knight was impressed by the team’s start, getting lots of shots on goal, and playing tough and physical. She praised the crowd’s dedication to the new team, cheering until the very end, even when the game was all but lost. “You can really ride that; it’s a huge advantage to be able to play at home when you’ve got a crowd that’s as electric as our fans.”

Seattle’s own Marah Wagner also spoke. She played in Sweden last year and made the team after a camp invite. General manager Meghan Turner spoke about her pre-game: “She’s an easy one to talk about… she came to camp prepared. Her skill set was there, but her compete was really incredible. She fit right in, didn’t look nervous, dove in, and worked hard. She embodies the identity of a competitive, hardworking group.”

Wagner was awestruck by the night. She never thought anything like this would become a reality in Seattle. Many little girls were in attendance with ‘Coach Marah’ signs, having attended her local hockey camp. Wagner is also hopeful about the Torrent’s progress. “We have been taking tremendous steps every day; we are showing up to practice and battling to the end, and we are pushing each other every day.”

Notes and notions​

Injury update: defender Aneta Tejralová is still out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while forward Jenna Buglioni is also day-to-day.

Rookie defender Lyndie Lobdell spoke to the press on Sunday after practice. Friday was her first-ever PWHL game. She credited her off-season training for her success so far this season and acknowledged her blue line teammates for helping her adjust to the team, city, and the increased speed and physicality of PWHL gameplay.

She, too, mostly had positive things to share from the game, expressing her shock and awe at looking up in CPA and seeing it filled with fans. The one thing she wanted fans to know is that she’s really nice and loves to meet people: “So if you see me, come say hi!”

The team had a more low-key practice and focused heavily on shooting and tips, obviously hoping to avoid being shut out again in Wednesday’s home game against the 2-1 New York Sirens.

The post The Current: Recapping the first week in Seattle Torrent history appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/01/seattle-torrent-home-opener/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Strive for 95 (points) – December update for the Kraken

Welcome to the December edition of Strive for 95. The Seattle Kraken did what was needed in November and remain on pace for 95 points. The Kraken sit in the second wild card spot and have played only 24 games, tied for the fewest in the NHL with two other teams.

Seattle is on a short break and will not play again until Thursday. At that point, they will have played the fewest games of any NHL team. Having games in hand is a good thing, especially when you are already in a playoff position. All stats and standings are based on the month of November and current as of Nov. 30 unless otherwise stated.

I feel like I say it every month, but this was another roller coaster of a stretch.

November recap​

The month started well with three points in the first two games. Then San Jose handed Seattle its worst loss of the season, a 6-1 defeat. Joey Daccord was pulled in that game and was placed on injured reserve days later, though the injury was believed to have happened during practice. With Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray set to split the net, Kraken fans held their breath expecting a slide. That never came. Grubauer and Murray combined for six starts and earned nine points. Watching the Kraken stay competitive regardless of who is in net was a huge confidence boost. Grubauer finished the month with a .917 save percentage, while Murray posted a .939.

Murray was injured in the second matchup against San Jose, though, just as Daccord returned from IR. Spirits were still high, and Seattle earned five points on a four-game road swing. That is where the Kraken’s lack of scoring caught up with them as they dropped the final two games of the month in regulation to Dallas and Edmonton.

Over the last six games, Seattle scored only nine goals and was shut out twice. One shutout came against the New York Islanders on the second leg of a back-to-back. Miraculously, Daccord also recorded a shutout, sending the game to a shootout. Seattle fell 1-0, but it snapped a streak of 15 straight regulation losses in the second leg of back-to-back games. Their previous point in a second game of a back-to-back came on Mar. 21, 2024, in an overtime loss to Arizona.

Seattle posted a 6-5-3 record for 15 points in 14 games, two points under their November target. They were two points over target in October, so the overall pace remains on track for 95.

Updated tiers​

As of Nov. 30, every NHL team is within striking distance of a playoff spot. Nashville sits last in the league but is only seven points out. The East is even tighter, with all teams within five points of a spot. Both the Playoff Bound and Tanker tiers were reduced to five and four teams, reflecting how tightly packed the standings have become.

Bolded teams are teams the Kraken play this month. ‘x2’ indicates the Kraken face that team twice. Up and down arrows show teams that moved between tiers.

Notes on tier movement​

Atlantic Division: Tampa Bay jumped to the Playoff Bound tier after an 11-3 month and is currently on a seven-game win streak. Boston moved up after a 9-5 month that lifted them to second in the division, though they have played 27 games, and others hold games in hand. Florida and Toronto dropped from the Playoff Bound tier, with both teams four points out of a playoff spot and hovering around .500.

Metropolitan Division: Washington was the only change. The Capitals went 9-4-2 and won seven of their last eight. The push only moved them to third in the division, which is solid but not enough to justify a Playoff Bound spot with three teams right behind them and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh each holding two games in hand. Another strong month could move them back up, but for now the standings are too tight.

Central Division: Shame, shame, shame. I got it wrong last month, so this division needed a reset. Dallas, second overall in the NHL, moved back to the Playoff Bound tier. Utah fell back to earth with a 4-8-3 month and now sits one spot out of a playoff position. Minnesota rebelled against their Tankers label by going 11-1-2 and rose to the very top of the Bubble tier. Winnipeg fell to the Bubble tier with eight losses in November and arthroscopic knee surgery for Connor Hellebuyck that will sideline him four to six weeks. St. Louis moved up to the Bubble tier after earning points in 11 of 15 games. They are 0-7 in overtime and shootout games, which should even out at some point. Their negative 23 goal differential is second worst in the league, but 10 of their last 11 games in November have been one-goal contests.

Pacific Division: Anaheim leads the division with 31 points. Los Angeles has the same point total but trails in regulation wins. That is the lowest point total to lead any division, so both remain in the Bubble tier. Vegas went 5-4-5 and dropped to third, removing them from the Playoff Bound tier. With no clear front-runner, the Playoff Bound tier remains empty. San Jose continued to surprise with a 9-5-1 month and moved up to the Bubble tier.

Overtime games​

A key reason for the tight standings is the surge in overtime games. Through Nov. 30, 27.9 percent of games have required overtime.

Over the last eight full seasons, the average was 22.1 percent. This season’s rate is a 5.8 percent increase. Sound Of Hockey’s John Barr found this is the highest percentage since overtime was reintroduced 42 years ago.

Through 360 games, this is the fewest # of games that have ended in regulation since the NHL (re)introduced overtime games in 1983-84. pic.twitter.com/0IjP3fLGMB

— NHLtoSeattle (@NHLtoSeattle) November 26, 2025

December breakdown​

December offers Seattle its most favorable travel schedule. The Kraken will travel 5,302 miles, all within the Western Conference. Their longest trip is a four-game swing, with three of those games in California, which minimizes travel. With 13 games scheduled, the average travel per game is 408 miles, the lowest of any month. April has the fewest travel miles, but that is mainly because the Kraken play only nine games that month.

The Kraken have two sets of back-to-back games to close the month as they try to snap their 17-game losing streak in the second leg. Both back ends come against Pacific Division opponents, giving Seattle a chance to gain ground while preventing others from doing the same. In total, the Kraken play 10 Western Conference teams in December, making this a pivotal month.

Playoff Bound tier​

Colorado visits Seattle for the first of three meetings. The Avalanche have been dominant with just one regulation loss all season. The target for this game is one point.

Bubble tier​

With the standings extremely tight, 23 teams fall into this tier and only eight points separate them. Minnesota leads this group with 33 points. St. Louis, Florida, and Toronto sit at 25. Seattle has nine games against Bubble teams. They face eight Bubble tier opponents this month: Detroit, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Utah, Anaheim, Edmonton, San Jose, and two against Los Angeles. The target for these games is 11 points.

Tanker tier​

Seattle has three games against Tanker tier teams: Buffalo and Vancouver at home, and Calgary on the road. The target is four points.

Target win percentages​

With the increase in Bubble-tier teams, the target point percentages were adjusted to keep Seattle on pace for 95 points. The overall target for the month of December is 16 points.

Wrapping up​

Seattle’s next game is Thursday, Dec. 4, in a rematch with Edmonton. With five teams within two points of the Kraken, they could find themselves outside the playoff picture by puck drop. They will still hold two to four games in hand over every Western Conference team, giving them a chance to climb back quickly while flying under the radar a bit.

Seattle ended the month with a shutout loss to Edmonton, but November was a solid month overall. With four days off before their next game, you can imagine the team will focus on two areas: improving special teams, which went 0-for-6 on the power play and 0-for-2 on the penalty kill, and generating more scoring chances.

The Kraken have proved they can shut teams down, allowing just 2.63 goals per game, which ranks fifth in the NHL. If they can pair that steady defensive play with a bit more scoring, they will stay on pace for 95 points. Comment below on where you think the offensive spark will come from.

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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The post Strive for 95 (points) – December update for the Kraken appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/02/strive-for-95-points-december-update-for-the-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways: Kraken slide continues as they get spanked 9-4 by McDavid and the Oilers

Here’s the good news: the Seattle Kraken scored four goals. Here’s the bad news: [gestures wildly] everything else about this godawful game.

There was a fleeting moment late in the first period when the Kraken looked like they had woken up and were going to overcome a 3-0 deficit. Eeli Tolvanen scored as a power play expired (officially, it goes as an even-strength goal, so the PP remains scoreless since… gosh, I don’t even know), and Freddy Gaudreau stripped Leon Draisaitl and scored his first as a Kraken.

FREDDY BE GOOD!

Joey robs Matt Savoie at one end after a hocus focus play creates a breakaway.

Freddy Gaudreau strips Draisaitl and scores his first as a #SeaKraken at the other end.

Seattle JUST MISSED tying it in the closing seconds of the 1st.

3-2 Oil through 20. pic.twitter.com/QUebFuGsli

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 5, 2025

But from there, it was alllllllll Edmonton. The Oilers began pouring it on and didn’t stop until they had nine goals on the board, their fans were doing the wave, and it felt like the merciful final horn would never come. Connor McDavid had a hat trick, Draisaitl had four points, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard each had three points, and Matt Savoie had two goals. Yuck.

Here’s how coach Lane Lambert summed it up: “Their power play scores four, we gave up a shorthanded goal when the score was 3-2, and we had an opportunity to get back into the game because we’re not aware of somebody behind us, and it ends up in a breakaway. [We made] mistakes, and I didn’t think our goaltending was great tonight. So, if you add it all up, it equals nine.”

Also, when Piper Shaw asked a seething Lambert what he says to the team after a game like this, Lambert somewhat aggressively replied, “Nothing.”

Here are Three Takeaways from an embarrassing 9-4 Kraken loss to the Oilers.

Takeaway #1: Bad night to be a Kraken goalie​

Let me preface this by saying the Kraken defense—facing an extremely dangerous Edmonton offense—was the worst it’s been all season. Rushes, backdoor passes, breakaways, you name it… Seattle allowed all of it.

With that disclaimer said, I’ve always been a proponent of switching goalies early in a game when you recognize the starter is not at his sharpest. It’s not about saying it’s the goalie’s fault; it’s about giving your team a chance to reset, get a fresh-minded goalie in there before your No. 1 guy gets too rattled, and perhaps spark something for your group, especially if the backup can come in and stop the bleeding. You can see when your guy doesn’t have it from the jump. It happens, and I’ve always believed the best thing for the goalie’s psyche in that scenario is to get him out of there while the game is still within reach.

Joey Daccord and the Kraken actually got a lucky break early in this game, when Andrew Mangiapane (and the entire arena) thought he had scored, but replay showed he had hit both posts and the puck had somehow stayed out. Soon after that, McDavid got his first of three goals with a snipe at 7:17, and Vasily Podkolzin squeezed one through the wickets just 17 seconds later.

Uh oh. 2-0 Oilers. Podkolzin leaks one through Daccord, who has not been sharp so far. pic.twitter.com/x7hTmVYwoI

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 5, 2025

That’s when I would have made the change. Yes, it’s only 2-0, but Daccord had been beaten three times in a row at that point.

Instead, Daccord stayed in until the Oilers had hung five goals on him, capped off by McDavid’s second of the game, a stinker at 6:14 of the second. Daccord allowed five goals on 14 shots for a .643 save percentage.

Of course, Philipp Grubauer didn’t fare much better, relenting four goals on 18 shots for a .778 save percentage, but by the time he came in, it felt like Seattle had no chance of getting back in.

This was a bad night for everybody. Let’s hope both goalies can recover quickly from this one, because this is the kind of game that can stick with netminders for a while.

Takeaway #2: The penalty kill… My God, the penalty kill​

What is up with this PK? I know the Edmonton Oilers have an incredible power play, but every time the Kraken took a penalty in this game, they could have just said, “Ok, take the goal, and let’s move on.”

In fact, on the first power-play goal against in the game, it took SEVEN SECONDS for the Oilers to win the face-off, work it from high to low and across to Leon Draisaitl, and he banged it home for his 16th goal of the season.

They made it look… VERY… easy.

Lots of talk about #SeaKraken special teams the last couple days…

The Edmonton power play converts in 7 seconds.

3-0 pic.twitter.com/MFCYiF9D0a

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 5, 2025

“We can’t give up four power-play goals,” Lambert said. “I don’t care if it’s McDavid, whatever, but it’s not good enough.”

What’s distressing is that special teams was a huge point of focus during Seattle’s three days of practice this week. You wouldn’t have known it watching this game. I do think it’s time for a change of formation. We’ve seen them try more complicated PK systems in the past, get lit up in this area, and then shift to a simpler box. It’s past time to try something different.

Takeaway #3: Is the early-season magic fading​

The Kraken got off to a nice start to their season, planting themselves firmly into a playoff spot and making us believe that their staunch defensive approach could carry them all the way to the postseason. That magic seems to have faded, as the Oilers have exposed their flaws in these two consecutive matchups in which Edmonton won 14-3 on aggregate. The Kraken have gone 0-3-1 in their last four, getting shut out twice in that stretch, and dropping out of the playoff bubble.

Of course, there are highs and lows in the course of any season, and this is certainly a low point of the campaign to date. But it also feels like an inflection point. The Kraken can find a way to stop the bleeding here, rack up a couple wins against good teams at home, and get things going back in the right direction.

Or they can keep playing like this, pile up a bunch of losses, and plummet down the airtight standings.

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].

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The post Three Takeaways: Kraken slide continues as they get spanked 9-4 by McDavid and the Oilers appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/04/kraken-lose-9-4-to-oilers-mcdavid-hat-trick/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The Kraken continue to find ways to weave themselves into the Seattle sports landscape

Seattle sports fans always show up – whether it’s at Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, or Climate Pledge Arena – fans here know how to support their beloved teams. This support stretches all over the Pacific Northwest, but in the last five years, professional hockey has been working to find its way into the fabric of the passionate sports market, first with the Kraken five years ago, and now with the Seattle Torrent.

As one of the relatively new professional teams to the area, the Kraken were met with a crowded sports landscape, but this didn’t stop fans from embracing them wholeheartedly in the early years. But it has not just been the fans that have helped the Kraken transition so well into the sports scene here in Seattle. The Kraken have accepted Seattle’s multi-team identity with open arms, and the other teams in the area have been welcoming to them as well.

While the Kraken were beginning to launch their 2025-26 season campaign, the Seattle Mariners were competing for a ticket to the World Series, and the University of Washington’s beloved Huskies were gearing up for another season of college football. With the Seattle sports world heading into one of its busiest times, the Kraken were still able to carve out moments to show their support for their fellow Seattle teams. In doing so, they were able to deepen their own roots into the city’s sports culture and build up their own identity as a team.

These shows of support are important for building the identity of their young franchise. By involving themselves more in the Seattle sports world they show the fans that they want to be a part of the legacy that is Seattle. This not only earns them the fans’ loyalty and support but sends a message of unity between the team and the place they get to call home.

One visible gesture of Seattle camaraderie came on Sept. 14 when the Kraken attended a Mariners home game. At this game, where they also debuted their third jerseys in public for the first time, captain Jordan Eberle threw out the first pitch. Following this outing, the Kraken were then spotted attending a UW Football game where the Huskies gifted the Kraken a purple and gold hockey jersey. Both of these moments signaled something greater than just team bonding: that the Kraken aren’t the only ones proud to be a part of this city’s sports community, but that everyone from fans to other sports teams, are glad they are here.

first public 3rd jersey spotting pic.twitter.com/ddcwvawdaK

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) September 14, 2025

Even while on the road the Kraken managed to show off their Seattle pride earlier this season. As the Mariners squared off against the Blue Jays, the Kraken were lined up to battle against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The boys from the deep showed up in Mariners jerseys as they walked down the tunnel for game day, and the gesture was clear: it’s Seattle over everyone, even for many of the Canadians on the team (though Shane Wright opted out of rooting against his beloved Blue Jays). The Kraken went on to beat the Maple Leafs 4-3 in OT, thanks to Josh Mahura’s heroics, that game which only reinforced that spirit.

we truly mean this from the bottom of our hearts:

SEATTLE
OVER
EVERYBODY #SeizeTheMoment pic.twitter.com/4YLq3R7qpd

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 18, 2025

The support that the Kraken have been giving out has been returned to them. Whether its players from other local teams attending games to show support like Mariners stars Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor or neighbors taking to social media to cheer on the Kraken, it is clear that the team has achieved in building an atmosphere where community remains a big motivator. They have positioned themselves as not just newcomers but as connectors and unifiers of the city’s fanbase. This is important for a young franchise in a city that has never had a professional hockey team, and they are continuing to define their legacy every step of the way.

Big ovation for Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor. pic.twitter.com/nRs56OfN4S

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 29, 2025

Now that the Torrent have arrived, the neighborly support has been even closer to the Kraken, who are sharing their arena and practice facility with the new PWHL team. Prior to the home opener for the Torrent, Kraken players wore their jerseys into Climate Pledge Arena, and several of the players also attended what ended up being a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Frost on Friday.

We couldn't miss the chance to support our new roomies and sea them for the first time in The Deep @PWHL__Seattle pic.twitter.com/Dhkb3iPXhp

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 28, 2025

reppin our roommates with pride tonight! pic.twitter.com/uOLS8e1AkO

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 27, 2025

Seattle has shown strong support for women’s sports, and one can assume that this latest addition will be continue to be welcomed in the same way. But small, symbolic gestures like this from the Kraken go a long way in helping to welcome the newest team into the market.

There are challenges that lie ahead for every team, but one thing feels certain: the Kraken and their intentional approach to the community here in Seattle has created waves of support across the sports market.

The post The Kraken continue to find ways to weave themselves into the Seattle sports landscape appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/0...themselves-into-the-seattle-sports-landscape/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – World Juniors Announcements, Kokko saving the day for the Firebirds

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. We have a packed column this week with updates on World Junior Championship rosters, a look at the performance of goalie Nikke Kokko with the Firebirds, all of the Seattle Kraken prospect news, video, and data you could want, and our weekly game preview.

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

Loke Krantz named to the preliminary Team Sweden roster; Team Canada roster decisions loom​

Last week, we offered our predictions for which Seattle Kraken prospects could make their home countries’ WJC rosters. Since then, many nations have announced preliminary lineups, and three Seattle Kraken prospects were included—including one player who comes as a bit of a surprise.

As expected, Team Czechia announced that defenseman Jakub Fibigr has made its preliminary roster. Czechia’s roster currently sits at 26 players, one above the maximum, but it is highly unlikely Fibigr will be the final cut given his lengthy track record with the national team.

Likewise, as anticipated, Team USA announced that defenseman Blake Fiddler was on its initial roster as well. We had come around to this being a more likely outcome as the season progressed. That said, Team USA will still need to make two additional cuts from the defense group to get down to the 25-player roster. Fiddler is not a roster lock just yet.

Finally, in a surprise to me, forward Loke Krantz was named to Team Sweden’s preliminary roster. The 2025 seventh-round pick had not made Team Sweden’s U18 roster for any events in the previous two years, nor had he been involved with Team Sweden at any U20 precursor events.

Sweden is a gold-medal contender with a highly talented roster. Krantz’s inclusion caps a remarkable rise for the 18-year-old, who has also earned 12 games in the SHL this fall. Sweden’s roster stands at 26 players right now, so Krantz is not a certainty to stick, but there is now ample reason for optimism that he will see real ice time at the World Juniors—whether this year or next (when he is 19 years old).

Team Finland has not yet announced its roster, though forward Julius Miettinen and Kim Saarinen are virtual locks to be included.

Team Canada is the big one Kraken fans are likely monitoring. Reportedly, it will disclose its preliminary roster on Monday, Dec. 8. It is unlikely we will have definitive news regarding Berkly Catton’s status at that stage, however. If he is loaned by the Kraken to the WJC, that news would likely come later (and he would displace another player on Monday’s roster).

The Seattle Times reported earlier this week that the sentiment within the Kraken organization is that Catton “likely won’t” be loaned to Team Canada. For his part, Catton indicated that he would welcome the chance to play in the World Juniors, but “[w]hatever they tell me to do, I’ll be happy to do,” Catton told The Seattle Times‘ Kate Shefte.

Nikke Kokko is keeping the Firebirds in the game​

Nikke Kokko’s surface-level season statistics are not overly impressive. He has an .898 save percentage and a 3.21 goals-against average across 13 contests. These numbers represent a significant step back from his .913 save percentage and 2.26 goals-against average in his rookie AHL season last year.

Even so, from my vantage, I think Kokko is playing some of his best North American hockey to date. This season, the Firebirds’ defense is exceedingly young, lacking professional experience, and built around an offense-first profile overall.

Among all goalies with at least 10 AHL games played, Nikke Kokko has faced the second-most shots on goal per sixty minutes (31.5)—and is only a fraction behind the leader, Calgary’s Ivan Prosvetov (31.7). I suspect you could make a similar case with respect to shot-quality metrics too, though those aren’t publicly available for the AHL. My viewings lead me to believe the Firebirds goaltenders are also seeing more than their fair share of high-danger looks.

All told, Kokko is in a tough spot. Even so, he has been delivering clutch saves when the Firebirds have needed them most, en route to a personal 7-3-1 record in the early going. It’s probably not an exaggeration to say that Kokko has been the Firebirds’ most valuable player so far by stealing a few games early and allowing the Firebirds’ defense to mature.

This dynamic was most pronounced this past week when he started and won two games. He posted a shutout last Friday against the San Diego Gulls and saved 59 of 61 shots overall. This effort makes him your Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week.

As you can see in the video above, Kokko is a great athlete, moving side to side in the crease with ease while soundly leveraging his 6-foot-4 frame to fend off pucks from the butterfly position. Though other goalies in the system continue to excel as well, he remains the system’s top goalie for me.

Notes on three more Kraken prospects​

Zeb Forsfjäll | F | Skellefteå AIK (SHL)​

I’ve always liked Zeb Forsfjäll. His hard-working, strong-skating, defense-oriented approach in an undersized frame is easy to admire. The staff with Skellefteå certainly agreed, elevating Forsfjäll to the SHL club in a full-time role in 2022 when he was just 17 years old. Unfortunately, the SHL is not much of a developmental league, and Forsfjäll’s offense has never really had a chance to evolve. He has capped out as a gritty fourth-liner for the last few years and, as a result, his NHL prospects look fairly dim. This season, Forsfjäll was held off the scoresheet entirely for his first 21 games. He had zero goals and zero assists in that span. That struggle must have made it all the sweeter when he potted not one but two goals in game No. 22 on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Zeb Forsfjäll skjuter sin första fullträff för säsongen och dubblerar Skellefteås ledning pic.twitter.com/7D8975PJ9a

— SHL.se (@SHLse) November 29, 2025

Will Reynolds | D | Newfoundland Regiment (QMJHL)​

Will Reynolds was a tools-and-projection pick early in the third round of the 2025 draft. The blueliner was young for his draft, stood 6-foot-3, could skate, and showed flashes of improved offensive play-driving late in his draft year. The offensive production is up slightly this year—his 10 points through 24 games are second among defensemen on his QMJHL team—but there is not much flash. It is the pro-projectable frame, athleticism, and defensive traits that continue to drive his appeal.

There’s still a bit more inconsistency and chaos in his own zone than I’d like to see, but this is pretty standard junior hockey fare. Ideally, I’d like to see him get a chance in a more structured environment sooner rather than later. I could imagine a third-pair, penalty-kill, puck-transporting profile if everything comes together, but there is still a long road ahead.

Carson Rehkopf | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Carson Rehkopf has seen limited playing time of late, often skating with Coachella Valley’s “fourth line.” While the AHL does not make time-on-ice information available, I had Rehkopf for approximately eight minutes of playing time in a recent game for which I was making an “All Shifts” video. Then, in the Firebirds’ most recent game on Dec. 3, he was a healthy scratch.

From my vantage, he is searching for a difference-making edge. Usually, it’s his shot, but he hasn’t often found space to deploy it, except in limited power-play time. As an offense-first player, he has only 3 goals and 22 total shots on goal through 17 games. To get back into the lineup, Rehkopf will need to dig a bit deeper and show more compete. This is not an atypical challenge for a junior player transitioning to the pro ranks, but it is up to Rehkopf to rebound.

Kraken prospects data update​

Tyson Jugnauth had four assists and was a plus-four in three AHL games over the last week. While his usage dipped over the past month at even strength, he remains featured on the power play and in overtime scenarios. As of Thursday, Dec. 4, he was second among rookie AHL blueliners in total points (13), behind only 2024 No. 7 overall pick Carter Yakemchuk.

Barrett Hall has stepped forward as a key piece for the St. Cloud State Huskies this season. He is one of only three Huskies skaters with more than eight points, and his 16 points in 14 games match his total from 33 games as a freshman and leave him just six shy of his output across 34 games last year.

While his team ultimately fell 2-1 in a shootout, Kim Saarinen did his job in his lone Liiga start of the week, stopping 21 of 22 shots through regulation and overtime.

Kokko actually appeared in all three games for the Firebirds over the last week because he subbed in for Victor Ostman for less than a minute during the Firebirds’ Nov. 29 game against Texas.

Highlight of the Week​

Oscar Fisker Mølgaard was the only shooter of 14 to beat a goaltender in a thrilling Firebirds shootout win on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

MOLGAARD WITH THE FIRST GOAL IN THE SHOOTOUT!! pic.twitter.com/5NoYnTNRlC

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) December 4, 2025

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Jagger Firkus, Julius Miettinen, Kim Saarinen

1: Ollie Josephson, Nikke Kokko, Jake O’Brien, Nathan Villeneuve, Semyon Vyazovoi, Zaccharya Wisdom

Previewing the week ahead​

The Deep Sea Hockey Games of the Week are matchups between Hall’s St. Cloud State Huskies and Ollie Josephson’s North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Friday, Dec. 5, at 5:00 pm PT, and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 4:00 pm PT. The games are available to stream with a subscription to NCHC.tv.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Viggo Björck​

Viggo Björck is the son of longtime Swedish league professional player Jesper Björck and the younger brother of 2025 Vancouver Canucks fifth-round pick Wilson Björck. The Björck brothers overlapped briefly last season for Djurgårdens IF—a fortuitous year in which the team earned elevation from Allsvenskan to the SHL. Wilson has since moved to play hockey in North America after the draft, but Viggo remained with Djurgårdens in its new league home.

The 5-foot-10, right-shot forward has met the challenge well, despite being a smaller 17-year-old in one of the finest professional leagues in the world outside the NHL. He has three goals and four assists in 23 SHL games so far. Most draft prognosticators project that he’ll come off the board in the top 10 to 15 picks come June. Björck was named to Team Sweden’s WJC roster on Friday, Dec. 5.

Recent prospect updates​

November 29, 2025: Projecting Kraken prospects to the 2026 World Junior Championship

November 21, 2025: Blake Fiddler brings intriguing tools

November 15, 2025: Firkus steps forward for Firebirds

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 – World Juniors Announcements, Kokko saving the day for the Firebirds appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/0...ments-kokko-saving-the-day-for-the-firebirds/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook: Oleksiak scratched, Mahura in, Gaudreau recalls first NHL fight

When an NHL team gets scored on nine times in a game, one anticipates some changes to the lineup the next time out. Indeed, coach Lane Lambert seems to be sending a message to his veterans that their spots are not safe if they don’t do their jobs in the way he expects.

It appears defenseman Jamie Oleksiak will be a healthy scratch Saturday when the Kraken welcome the Detroit Red Wings to Climate Pledge Arena, marking the first time the 32-year-old, 6-foot-7 blueliner will be scratched since coming to Seattle at the Expansion Draft in 2021.

When I asked Lambert about the decision, he played coy, saying, “Well, it’s a game-time decision, so really there’s no reason talking about it right now.”

It was plain to see at morning skate, though, that Oleksiak is not in the lineup and that he will be replaced by Josh Mahura, who will skate alongside Ryker Evans on the third pair. Mahura has been a healthy scratch since Evans returned from injury on Nov. 8.

For this Kraken Notebook, I chatted with Mahura about his expectations for getting back into the lineup, and I also talked to Freddy Gaudreau about an interesting week of firsts for him.

Josh Mahura excited to get back in​

Mahura is known to be a great locker-room guy and a fantastic teammate, so it’s unlikely anyone has heard him complain about sitting out 12 straight games that have spanned an entire month since he last played. But deep down, any professional athlete wants to compete, so you know he’s champing at the bit to get back in Saturday against the Red Wings.

“I feel great,” Mahura said. “Honestly, just [going to try to] get right back into it. I’ve been putting in a lot of work, regardless of if I’m playing or not, so I’m just excited to get back out there.”

His return comes at an awkward time for the Kraken, who have lost four straight games (0-3-1) and just gave up more goals to Edmonton on Thursday than they ever have in a single game in franchise history. Seattle took a day off to refresh and reset Friday, though, and Jordan Eberle said the team’s recent struggles should spark “desperation” against Detroit.

As for Mahura, slotting him in at this time also injects positivity into a lineup that’s surely a bit broken right now.

“[We’ve got to] just completely move on from it,” Mahura said. “It’s a new game today, new opportunity. We play 82 games in a year, so sometimes you’re going to go through those spells, dry spots or losing games. But, you know? Like I said, you have 82 chances to get back at it, so there’s just excitement tonight to get going.”

Though Lambert wouldn’t commit to the scratch for Oleksiak, it certainly looks like it’s happening, and that’s a big statement from the coach to pull one of his veteran defenders. Officially, Oleksiak was minus-three in the 9-4 loss and was on for one of the four power-play goals against (the other three were Adam Larsson and Ryan Lindgren).

Meanwhile, Mason Marchment will return from a mysterious one-game absence that was supposedly due to injury (though Lambert declined to put a designation on the type of injury it was), and Shane Wright will slide back down to the fourth line.

It’s looking like Jamie Oleksiak will be a healthy scratch tonight. #SeaKraken https://t.co/Jji4tR5GaA

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

A week of firsts (and fists) for Freddy Gaudreau​

The two consecutive losses to the Oilers brought a couple of interesting plot points in Gaudreau’s first season in Seattle, with the most recent being his first goal as a Kraken on Thursday. The goal briefly got the team back into the game before things completely unraveled in the second period.

FREDDY BE GOOD!

Joey robs Matt Savoie at one end after a hocus focus play creates a breakaway.

Freddy Gaudreau strips Draisaitl and scores his first as a #SeaKraken at the other end.

Seattle JUST MISSED tying it in the closing seconds of the 1st.

3-2 Oil through 20. pic.twitter.com/QUebFuGsli

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 5, 2025

While Gaudreau has mostly played a depth role in his career, he has shown the ability to put the puck in the net, potting 18 in 2024-25 with the Minnesota Wild and 19 in 2022-23. So, going goalless through the early part of December had been surprising.


“It’s weird. I’ve always believed in doing the right things and keeping your head where it’s at in the moment, and not overthinking all those things,” Gaudreau said. “And somehow, when I’ve been doing so versus overthinking, it seems like it comes back more naturally, so that’s kind of been my mindset.

“Obviously, we’d love to score all the time and help the team win offensively all the time, but it’s just not reality. So when it’s not going your way, there’s still a lot of things you can do, whether it’s in games or practices, to keep the energy rolling. And like I said, results just come when they have to come, but you can’t lose the focus of the rest of the important stuff when they’re not there.”

So, that all-important first goal in Deep Sea Blue has come. But what else happened for Gaudreau over the last week? After the Kraken had gone down 4-0 in a game filled with shenanigans and Marchment-related extracurricular activity last Saturday, Gaudreau fought Edmonton rookie Connor Clattenburg.

Believe it or not, while it was Clattenburg’s first NHL fight, it was also the first fight of Gaudreau’s nine-year NHL career.

Freddy Gaudreau drops the gloves with Connor Clattenburg and… does not fare particularly well.

But, he gets the #SeaKraken their sixth power play of the game. pic.twitter.com/sMyoQnmWIS

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 29, 2025

“It just happened. I don’t know what to say, it just happens. That’s kind of my take on it,” Gaudreau said. “And boom, then you get a text from your parents, like, ‘Are you… What’s going on?’”

Gaudreau shared that his parents watch every game from afar despite a challenging time difference. On this particular night, though, they were attending a special event for Gaudreau’s mom’s twin brothers. That event caused them to miss the game, so all they saw was a five-minute fighting penalty in the box score.

“I got the same from my brothers, and my sister didn’t know. And my wife, when I got out of here, she’s… kind of the same thing, ‘What’s going on? You want to talk about it?’ [She was] kind of laughing about it.”

While Gaudreau maintained that “it just happened,” he did divulge that he saw Ryker Evans get hit from behind and went in to stand up for his teammate. In a flash, he recognized that Clattenburg’s stick was down on the ice, and without even thinking, his own gloves were suddenly off and fists were flying.

“It’s just instincts after that. It’s not like I know much about it, to be honest, it was just instincts, and I was on the ground pretty quickly, and then in the box after that pretty quickly.”

So now that he has that first bout under his belt, is Freddy looking to become a regular pugilist?

“I can’t predict the future, but it’s not a point of emphasis,” Gaudreau said. “But if it happens, it happens.”

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].

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The post Kraken Notebook: Oleksiak scratched, Mahura in, Gaudreau recalls first NHL fight appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/0...d-mahura-in-gaudreau-recalls-first-nhl-fight/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken drop fifth straight in painful 4-3 loss to Red Wings

After getting pounded into oblivion in Edmonton on Thursday, the Kraken played a far more respectable contest on Saturday but still came away with zero standings points, losing 4-3 at home to the Detroit Red Wings in painful fashion.

Seattle led 3-2 with a minute left in the second period, but a miscue in the offensive zone between Ryker Evans and Matty Beniers (Evans made a bad pinch, and Beniers didn’t immediately drop back to cover for him) led to a 2-on-1. James van Riemsdyk scored and sent the game to the third period tied 3-3, a goal you just knew would end up haunting the Kraken.

3-3. Tough goal to give up as a team with 27 seconds left in the 2nd.

Beniers and Evans got crossed up in the offensive zone. Evans pinched, and Beniers didn't cover it, and that sprung JvR on a 2-on-1. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/dbfPrtYdcD

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 7, 2025

Patrick Kane sent the MANY Red Wings fans in attendance home happy with a vintage Kane game-winning goal at 17:31 of the third period, another crushing blow to the psyche of the Kraken, who have now lost five straight (0-4-1).

“I thought it was a good game. I thought our guys competed,” Kraken coach Lane Lambert said. “We played hard, and it was a game, I guess you could say, that could have went either way. We had plenty of chances, we threw plenty of pucks at the net. We’ve been doing that a lot better lately. I was real happy with our compete level tonight.”

Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-3 Kraken loss to the Red Wings.

Takeaway #1: Patrick Kane game-winner​

There’s something about a late Patrick Kane game-winner that makes long-time hockey fans shudder. While Kane has remained a productive player even as he’s gotten into his later playing years, he’s no longer the “Showtime” version of Kane that once struck absolute fear into every opponent.

But then—as he has done so many times in his career—he shows that critical little flash at exactly the right moment and drives a stake into your heart, reminding you that he still has some of that Showtime razzle dazzle that has made him one of the best American-born players of all time.

Off a rush in which the Kraken had numbers back (but one of the two defenders was Jared McCann skating backward because Vince Dunn had jumped up in the offensive zone), Kane slowed down slightly to create a gap between himself and Adam Larsson. Alex DeBrincat made easy work of McCann and put it onto Kane’s stick at the top of the slot. Kane floated a wrist shot under Larsson’s stick and over Joey Daccord’s glove for his 83rd career game-winning goal, tied for third-most among U.S.-born players.

Painful loss for the #SeaKraken. Patrick Kane wins it with 2:27 left.

4-3 final. pic.twitter.com/9bs5784Pyx

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 7, 2025

“I coughed it up in the [defensive] zone right before that,” Kane said with a laugh. “But we did a good job defensively, and ‘Cat’ got the puck and skated it up the ice, kind of drew a couple guys to him. [Andrew Copp was] driving the net. That’s a huge part of the play… I tried to find a pocket, got the puck, and at that point you’re just trying to shoot it through the defenseman and get it on net.”

4-3. 2:29 left. Stake in the hearts of Kraken fans. Showtime. Puke.

Takeaway #2: Again, the PK​

I’m getting sick of talking about the PK (and special teams in general), but it was a factor again in this game and has now given up a goal on seven of the team’s last eight tries. It’s ranked 32nd in the NHL at an abysmal 64.8 percent, five percentage points behind the 31st-ranked Ottawa Senators.

In this game, the Kraken took only one penalty, at 5:20 of the first period, when Berkly Catton reached one too many times with his stick on Elmer Soderblom. After getting away with the first couple attempts, the referee finally put his arm up when Catton went back to the well.

During the ensuing power play, Moritz Seider loudly clanked a shot off the post about five seconds into the advantage, an ominous bell for what was to come. Detroit had several other chances to score, including a bizarre rush where three Red Wings got behind the Kraken defenders, forcing Daccord to slide across and make a big save on Lucas Raymond.

“There’s a variation of things contributing to it,” Lambert said of the team’s PK struggles. “It starts face-off-wise, we’re not winning enough face-offs, so we pretty much start every penalty kill on our heels, as opposed to getting the pucks down [into the other end]. It starts there, but we certainly haven’t done a very good job, and we know this. And something’s got to be done about it, and there’s only one way to go.”

Ironically, Seattle almost survived this PK and, on paper, actually won the face-off 24 seconds before Emmitt Finnie one-timed Nate Danielson’s pass into an open net. Off the draw, Freddy Gaudreau pulled the puck back, but Josh Mahura was a hair too late getting to it. Detroit regained possession and reset.

But between that moment and when the goal was scored, the Kraken had time to settle into their formation and still got pulled apart and scored on in an easy-looking manner. That’s why I think the formation stinks.

I wrote about it briefly in the last Three Takeaways as well, but I’ve never liked the “wedge plus one” PK. It’s supposed to be an aggressive way to kill penalties, but it’s too complicated. Players have to time rotations perfectly, and if the opposing defenseman can pull the “plus one” far enough out and still make a pass, then everything stretches, and seams become wide open.

Let’s look at this goal more carefully. Four seconds before the goal, Seattle is in formation. Ryker Evans, Mahura, and Eeli Tolvanen form the three-man wedge, while Gaudreau is the “plus one,” tasked with chasing the defenseman and disrupting passes high in the zone. Eventually, Gaudreau and Tolvanen will rotate depending on where the puck goes and how far Gaudreau is pulled, but that doesn’t need to happen here.

All Axel Sandin-Pellikka (No. 44) has to do is walk the blue line a few steps and draw Gaudreau toward him. The moment he does that, Detroit effectively turns the advantage into a 4-on-3, an even more dangerous situation than a 5-on-4. Here, Sandin-Pellikka has just moved from one side of the digital WaFd Bank ad to the other, but look how much more ice opens up between Gaudreau and Tolvanen.

Sandin-Pellikka gets the puck to Danielson on the left side, and Danielson now has the option to shoot or thread a pass through a wide-open seam.

He chooses the wide-open seam, and Finnie rips it home.

Here’s the full sequence from face-off to goal.

Looks pretty easy, doesn’t it?

This, my friends, is why I’m not a fan of the wedge plus one. Opponents have clearly figured out how to exploit Seattle’s version of it. It’s time to change things up.

Takeaway #3: Joey is struggling right now​

I’m running long here, but briefly: Daccord has not had his best stuff of late. He was incredible in that 1-0 shootout loss to the New York Islanders that started this five-game losing streak on Nov. 23, but since then, his save percentages have been .857, .840, .643, and .840.

Against Detroit, he made some great saves, including a 10-beller against DeBrincat in the second, but I also thought he was fighting the puck early on. When he’s making saves, it doesn’t seem to be hitting him exactly where he expects it to, and even on that power-play goal above, he’s a hair slow in reacting to the pass from Danielson, even though Danielson never shows that he’s going to shoot.

While he was ok in this game, we haven’t recently seen the dominant version of Daccord that helped get Seattle into a playoff spot over the season’s first two months.

I didn’t ask Lambert his reasoning for going back to Daccord after he was pulled in Edmonton, but my assumption is that he wanted to give him a chance to bounce back. Now, I’m convinced Daccord really needs a night or two off.

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 drop fifth straight in painful 4-3 loss to Red Wings appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/07/kraken-lose-again-to-red-wings-patrick-kane-game-winner/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: Is this the bottom for the Seattle Kraken?

Going into Saturday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, the Seattle Kraken were riding a four-game losing streak, capped by an embarrassing 9–4 drubbing by the Edmonton Oilers just two nights earlier. The team had been sliding down the Pacific Division standings, and it felt like one of those “must-win” games to stop the bleeding, at least temporarily. As you probably know by now, the Kraken came up short again, dropping another one in regulation despite a mostly solid effort.

They now sit sixth in the Pacific after being as high as second just two weeks ago. It feels like the team is in a full-on death spiral and drifting toward irrelevance again. But is it really that dire? No, not quite. If you’re in “must-win” territory in December, the problems run deeper than standings position.

When you sort the division by point percentage, the Kraken are actually fourth, and they’ve played the fewest games in the league. Is there reason for concern? Absolutely. But if you’d offered this position in the standings before the season started, most fans probably would’ve signed up for it on the spot.

The real anchor this week was that Oilers game, giving up nine goals, including four on the power play. That set a franchise record for most goals allowed in a single outing, and if not for a last-second Jani Nyman tally, it would’ve matched their worst-ever goal differential too. If you could magically erase that one from memory, the narrative around this losing streak would look a little different.

A sign of some offense?​

For as rough as the week felt, the Kraken did show some signs of life offensively. Seven goals in two games isn’t exactly fireworks, but compare that to the two goals they mustered over the previous three games. Their 74 and 77 shot attempts against the Oilers and Red Wings, respectively, are actually their top two totals of the season.

Vince Dunn summed things up well when he talked to Piper Shaw after the 4–3 loss to Detroit: “I think we’re finally fixing the things that we weren’t doing so well, and then now we’re maybe slipping a little bit with the things that we were doing so well. So it’s about balance right now and battling through the adversity that we’re going through.”

Now, it’s only a two-game sample, so we can’t exactly call it a trend. But in a week where silver linings were scarce, the uptick in shot volume does stand out. If they can pair that with the defensive structure we saw early in the season, maybe they can pull themselves out of this skid.

Face-off possession challenges​

Face-offs continue to be an issue for the Kraken, and more specifically, what happens after the actual draw. The league doesn’t publicly track post-face-off possession, so I usually use shot attempts within 10 seconds of a face-off as a proxy. By that measure, Seattle ranks 28th in the NHL with 6.7 face-off shot attempts per game, and they sit 26th in allowing face-off attempts against. Not ideal.

I am not sure if anyone caught it but several times in the Detroit game Kraken head coach Lane Lambert sent out Freddy Gaudreau and Chandler Stephenson together for a face-off to increase their chances of possession and to have a true center available in case the first one got booted out of the circle.

Other musings​

• Seattle scored two rebound goals in that same game, giving them 10 on the season, which is tied for eighth in the league. That’s one of the perks of actually getting pucks to the net.
• The Kraken are the only team in the Pacific Division that hasn’t scored six or more goals in a game this season, something they did 20 times last year.
• With Freddy Gaudreau scoring on Thursday, Berkly Catton is now the lone forward on the roster without a goal. The good news: he’s generated more shot attempts in his last five games than in any other five-game stretch this season. The bad news, though, is that the team announced he will miss a week with an upper-body injury. We believe the injury came on his third-period shot block against the Red Wings.
• Catton will not be loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship this month. The Jaden Schwartz injury seems to have shifted the calculus there, and plus, Catton is now injured.
• Speaking of Schwartz… I’ll probably keep saying this for the next month, but the Kraken really miss him, especially on the power play.
• It’s been a hot topic on this site and the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, but the penalty kill has been rough lately. Here’s a look at the numbers over the last 10 games.

• There’s been a lot of chatter about Shane Wright’s ice time. What I do know is that it’s not as simple as “just play him more.” My hunch is that Lambert doesn’t fully trust Wright in face-off situations, and with the Kraken killing penalties more often lately, that matters. That’s speculation, sure—but it’s rooted in the data.
• On the topic of uneducated ranting, I’m a little surprised Philipp Grubauer hasn’t gotten a start recently (he will start Monday against Minnesota). Joey Daccord has had more than a couple games where he hasn’t looked particularly sharp, and it probably wouldn’t hurt to give him a breather. Grubauer has looked good enough to at least get a turn in the net.
• I really love Adam Larsson goals.

29 6

and with the assist on Adam Larsson’s goal, Vince Dunn has officially tallied his 300th @NHL point! Congrats, Dunner pic.twitter.com/vA6REEB6Ko

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) December 7, 2025

• The Kraken haven’t scored the first goal in five straight games—and they’ve lost all five.
• After a slow start to the season, the Coachella Valley Firebirds have turned things around, going 7-2-1 over their last 10. As is usually the case in the AHL, the scoring is coming from a mix of vets and young prospects. Jagger Firkus has 11 goals in 21 games, and Ben Meyers has nine in just 11.
• Congrats to 2025 first-round pick Jake O’Brien on being invited to Canada’s World Junior camp. O’Brien leads the OHL with 45 points this season.

Goal of the week​

Seattle’s 2022 sixth-round pick, Barrett Hall, scored a slick shorthanded goal against North Dakota over the weekend. He’s now up to seven goals halfway through the season, already matching his total from 2024–25.

What a play by @BarrettHall11! #SCTop10 | #HuskyHockey pic.twitter.com/9ehwPNjcKW

— St. Cloud State Men’s Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_MH) December 6, 2025

Player performances​

Ben Meyers (CVF/SEA) – Meyers had four points in three games this week and has picked up at least one point in every game he’s played for Coachella Valley this season.

Semyon Vyazovoi (SYU/SEA) – The Kraken’s sixth-round pick from 2021 posted a .913 save percentage over three games for Salavat Yulaev in the KHL last week. He has the eighth-best save percentage in the league right now and is expected to come to North America next season.

Jesse Heslop (EVT) – The Everett winger put up four points in three games this past week and is riding a seven-game point streak.

The week ahead​

After back-to-back two-game weeks, things are about to get a lot busier with four games this week and nine in a 16-day stretch. By the time we hit the Christmas break, we should have a much clearer sense of what this team actually is.

Seattle faces Minnesota (Monday at home), Los Angeles (Wednesday at home), Utah (Friday in Utah), and Buffalo (Sunday at home). I’m not taking anyone lightly these days, so “easy outs” don’t exist. The Kraken have been better at home this season, though, so with three home dates, you’d hope they can snap the losing streak sooner rather than later—preferably before Sunday rolls around.

Minnesota is 7-2-1 in its last 10, but those two losses came in their most recent games against Calgary and Vancouver, so maybe they’re not quite the buzzsaw they looked like a week ago. Still, nothing is guaranteed.

Regardless of what happens Monday, getting a regulation win over LA on Wednesday would be huge. The Kings enter the week five points ahead of Seattle but have played two more games. The two teams are also among the lowest-scoring clubs in the league. I’m told someone has to score to win, so something needs to give… or maybe not.

Utah sits ahead of Seattle as well, holding the last wild card spot with 31 points—three more than the Kraken—but they’ve also played four extra games, so that cushion is a bit inflated. What could go wrong in Utah?

As for Buffalo… I genuinely don’t want to imagine losing that one, but we’ve all lived through a “no way they lose this” meltdown before, so let’s just not tempt fate. The Sabres are one of the worst teams in the league, but they’ve actually won five of their last 10, which—sadly—is one point better than Seattle over that stretch.

At this point, I’d be content with four out of eight points this week. That won’t move them in the standings, but it at least keeps them in the fight. I’ll be popping champagne if they find a way to grab six. And no matter what the results are, I really hope they can figure out the penalty kill. One kill in your last eight is, without exaggeration, a disaster.

What say you? Any predictions for the week?

The post Monday Musings: Is this the bottom for the Seattle Kraken? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/08/monday-musings-is-this-the-bottom-for-the-seattle-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Wild – Dec 8th

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Wild – Dec 8th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/08/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-wild-dec-8th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken end six-game slide with miraculous 3-2 OT win against Kings

While an atmospheric river continues to pound the Pacific Northwest, Seattle Kraken fans can take solace in the fact that Losing Streak Camille (that’s what we began calling it on the latest Sound Of Hockey Podcast episode) has finally ended.

The Kraken rallied back in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, tying the Los Angeles Kings 2-2 on a Matty Beniers redirection with 26 seconds remaining in the third, then getting an overtime power-play goal from Vince Dunn to end a six-game skid that started with a 1-0 shootout loss at the New York Islanders on Nov. 23.

“I thought it was awesome, just the fight from our group,” Joey Daccord said. “We’ve competed so hard these last couple weeks, and it just hasn’t gone our way.”

Here are Three Takeaways from a thrilling 3-2 Kraken comeback win over the Kings.

Takeaway #1: Late-game heroics​

The Kraken penalty kill has definitely gotten better now that the team has switched from the wedge plus one to a diamond formation, which seems to have eliminated the ever-present too-easy seam pass. The PK did allow one off a rush on Wednesday, though, and it came at a bad time with the game tied and five minutes remaining in the third period.

Ryker Evans took a four-minute double-minor for high sticking Corey Perry, and Anze Kopitar quickly sent Kevin Fiala on a partial breakaway, on which Fiala converted for what felt like the winning goal at the time.

But the Kraken didn’t give up. Back on the power play themselves and with Daccord off for an extra skater, Eeli Tolvanen sent a shot-pass toward the top of the crease that Matty Beniers redirected into the top corner.

MATTY MAGIC!

Let's play overtime! #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/5ymp7xZpnG

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025

“Matty’s goal, there, there’s not much to it,” Dunn said. “It’s throwing the puck where guys are going to the net, and eventually it’s going to go in for us.”

Beniers then cut hard to the net in the overtime period and drew a penalty on Adrian Kempe, which gave Seattle its seventh power play of the game. Tolvanen contributed again, laying a perfect pass into Dunn’s wheelhouse.

HE DUNN DID IT!

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE OUT, THEY PULL YOU… BACK IN!

Beniers ties the game with 26 seconds left, then draws a penalty. On the ensuing power play, Vince Dunn wins it with a bomb.

Losing Streak Camille has ended. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Nu3tWdz6Yi

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025

“It’s not anything special drawn up,” Dunn said. “It’s just taking the shot that’s there and hoping good things happen.”

The game-winning goal was Dunn’s third point of the game and Tolvanen’s second assist in just over two minutes between the third period and OT.

Takeaway #2: Jared McCann scores, gets hurt again​

Jared McCann, who recently returned from a 17-game absence due to a lower-body injury, looked like vintage Jared McCann in this game and scored a power-play banger (all three goals came on the power play for the Kraken, which also gave up a short-handed goal seconds after it failed to convert on a 5-on-3, but that’s neither here nor here) to open the scoring at 3:21 of the second period.

MCCANN CAN!

Great setup, and a vintage Jared McCann finish for the power-play goal.

1-0 #SeaKraken. pic.twitter.com/C5joHBws3u

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 11, 2025

But the play that put Seattle onto a 6-on-4 power play and led to the late tying goal also sent McCann to the locker room with what looked like another bad lower-body injury.

Goalie Anton Forsberg got caught behind the net and went scrambling to get back in his crease. When he did, his right pad tangled with McCann’s left leg and took the Kraken’s best scorer down in an awkward way.

As Seattle headed to the all-important manpower advantage on the ice, McCann was helped down the tunnel and not putting much weight on his left leg.

After McCann’s mysterious lower-body injury dragged on for much of the beginning of the season, and as Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, Matt Murray, and Tye Kartye (illness) all try to work their way back from various ailments, seeing McCann go down was the last thing the Kraken wanted.

Lane Lambert did not have an update after the game.

Takeaway #3: The Kraken needed that win​

During the losing streak, the Kraken genuinely played some very good games—except for the two against the Edmonton Oilers, who steamrolled them twice. They had a chance to win every other game of the stretch but found different ways to lose those.

“We’ve had some losses here, some tough losses at home, where we’ve played well,” Lambert said. “We were playing well again tonight, and I’m just happy for our players that they finally got rewarded for it, because they’ve been working.”

With the win, the Kraken stopped the bleeding in the standings, at least for now. They had quickly plummeted from second place all the way down to sixth in the Pacific Division and appeared to be headed for tank. While they remain firmly outside the bubble, they’re still just two points out with games in hand on everybody.

Now, if they want to remain competitive in the coming months, they need to use this miraculous victory as a jumping-off point to start rebuilding their belief in themselves.

Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, and McCann exiting once again makes things even harder. But at least Losing Streak Camille is a thing of the past.

The post Three Takeaways – Kraken end six-game slide with miraculous 3-2 OT win against Kings appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/10/kraken-defeat-kings-in-overtime-mccann-injury/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Ryan Jankowski talks Kraken prospects

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. Last Saturday, Seattle Kraken vice president and assistant general manager Ryan Jankowski sat down with with Kraken Hockey Network for a wide-ranging conversation on Kraken prospects. We will dig into the insights he passed along, before updating Kraken prospects named to World Juniors rosters. Of course, we’ll also pass on all of the Kraken prospect news, video, and data you could want, plus our weekly game preview.

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

Assistant general manager Ryan Jankowksi emphasizes adversity and competitiveness in Kraken prospect development​

Ryan Jankowksi is the new manager at the top of the Kraken player development operation this season. Last Saturday, he joined the KHN pregame show and provided some insights into his player development priorities and early Kraken prospect impressions. While the conversation stayed fairly general—as it should—a number of interesting points emerged. You can watch the full interview below.

The most robust conversation centered on a new player development pathway that opened this year for aspiring NHL players: moving from junior hockey to play in the NCAA. (We explained the background of this change here.)

When asked about Kraken prospects Ollie Josephson and Clarke Caswell making this move this year, Jankowksi conceded “this was uncharted territory for everyone, so we weren’t sure how it was going to go. The adjustment has been there for both guys, but it’s been really positive for them because it’s another level of hockey. It’s a bit faster. It’s a little bit older. They’re adjusting very well and having success as a result.”

When asked whether the organization has encouraged its younger junior players to pursue this transition, or will do so in the future, Jankowksi said, “The one thing you have to keep in mind is they’re unsigned players.” (This is because players signed to NHL contracts are still ineligible for NCAA hockey.) “They’ve got to make the decision for themselves. We can’t really get too involved. Obviously, they’ll consult with us, they’ll ask our thoughts, but they have to do what’s best for them.”

Jankowksi continued, explaining that each development path has its advantages and disadvantages, and that the best course may be player-specific. “For us, every opportunity is a good opportunity, whether it’s staying in the [Western Hockey League] as a 19-year-old, playing a ton of minutes, being the go-to offensive guy, or making this adjustment [to college hockey]. So, at the end of the day, . . . every opportunity is different and it’s a different path for every player.”

That said, what he likes about the college option is the opportunity for young, talented junior players to experience challenge and failure earlier in their careers. “What we want to see is a little bit of adversity because there’s going to be adversity when they get to professional hockey,” Jankowski said.

As for the specific players who made the jump, Jankowski said of Josephson: “One thing that Ollie Josephson mentioned is that they don’t play as many games, so he’s had to get used to that. But over the last couple of weeks, Ollie’s taken a really nice step.” About Caswell, Jankowski said: “Clarke was able to jump in right away on a really talented Denver team and play a really good role because he is skilled, creates offense, and is a really smart player.”

When talking about other players in the organization, Jankowksi often returned to another theme: competitiveness. Of 2025 seventh-round pick Loke Krantz, Jankowksi said: “He’s been a bit of a surprise for us, but he’s done a really nice job getting himself to this point with hard work and competitiveness.”

Jankowksi said about 2024 second-rounder Nathan Villeneuve: “[He] brings a lot of physicality. He’s kind of a pit bull. He brings a lot of energy, he’s really good in the battles, h e’s the team captain, so he’s bringing his team into the fight every night, which is important for [Sudbury] because they’re fighting for some wins.”

Finally, Jankowski highlighted the youth movement in Coachella Valley: “The one thing that’s different this year is there [are] so many young players. I was at a game this year where four of the defensemen had a total of nine American Hockey League games [of experience between them]. So, it’s a total shift from basically winning every night to now this path of development for the organization with young players, and they’re handling it very well. [Vice president of hockey and business operations] Troy Bodie and [Coachella Valley Firebirds head coach] Derek Laxdal do a tremendous job. You’re going to have ups and downs. You’re not going to win every game, and the emphasis is on development, but they are winning games as a part of it [too].”

O’Brien, Miettinen, Saarinen named to World Juniors rosters​

As of our last Kraken prospect update, Team Canada and Team Finland had not yet announced their World Juniors rosters, but we projected forward Jake O’Brien to Canada and forward Julius Miettinen and goalie Kim Saarinen to Team Finland. In the week since, both Canada and Finland have announced their rosters, and, as expected, those players were included.

With Berkly Catton sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury (to his hand after blocking a shot), he is now very unlikely to join Team Canada. This may open the door to a top-nine and power-play role on Team Canada for O’Brien. I’m hopeful he gets that look, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he is used sparingly.

Miettinen and Saarinen return to the Team Finland roster after also attending last year’s event. Miettinen projects as a key all-situations contributor for the Lions, while Saarinen will likely begin as the backup goaltender. His recent solid play in Liiga may make it a closer call than it appeared a few weeks back, though.

Notes on three more Kraken prospects​

Tyson Jugnauth | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

With five points in four AHL games over the last week, Tyson Jugnauth is your Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week. His ability to transport and pass the puck has shined in the open ice available on the power play or in overtime—and he is being featured in those situations. He has shown offensive play-driving skill at 5-on-5 as well, with the ability to outlet the puck, dissect the offensive zone with passes, and walk the blue line. The defensive skills are taking incremental steps too, though they remain an area for development. While older than most, he leads all AHL rookie blueliners in total points (18) and assists (14).

Nathan Villeneuve | F | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)​

Villeneuve’s season is flying a bit under the radar, but he is doing everything you would hope a high-drafted 19-year-old junior player would. He’s the captain and emotional leader of his team, as Jankowski mentioned, plays in all situations, and his 1.59 points per game ranks seventh in the OHL. The offensive production is encouraging for a player who has also demonstrated pro-level grit and grind during his playoff stint with Coachella Valley last season. A strong pro future is looking more and more certain for Villeneuve.

Visa Vedenpää | G | Kärpät (Liiga)​

Vedenpää has not appeared in a game in nearly a month, last appearing on Nov. 15. I do not believe there is an injury involved because Vedenpää has dressed as the backup for Kärpät in each game since. It is likely that the team views him as a true backup at this stage, which is fair given his modest production this season. But it is a reminder of the development challenges that playing in a professional league overseas can present. At a certain point, Vedenpää’s development is better served by drawing regular starts at a lower level, but Kärpät believes it is in the team’s best interest to keep him as the backup.

Kraken prospects data update​

Forward Ben MacDonald had a standout weekend for the Harvard Crimson, scoring one goal and adding two assists.

Logan Morrison and Jagger Firkus are tied for ninth in the AHL with 11 goals apeice.

Saarinen continued his solid play last week, positing a .920 save percentage in two starts. HPK lost both games, though, with the offense generating only two goals in those games.

With a few more solid appearances last week, Nikke Kokko edged his save percentage over .900 for this first time this season.

Highlight of the Week​

With a slow-skating “assist” from Jacob Melanson, Firebirds center Oscar Fisker Mølgaard scored on a breakaway against the Calgary Wranglers on Thursday, Nov. 11.

Oscar Fisker Molgaard joins the puck party 3-1 firebirds pic.twitter.com/0iKUfbH0XQ

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) December 12, 2025

Speaking of which, the Firebirds played two consecutive games against the Wranglers and goalie Owen Say. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, Say shut out the Firebirds on 43 shots on goal. Then, on Dec. 11, the Kraken scored five goals on 11 shots knocking Say out of the game en route to a 7-4 win. Hockey is weird like that sometimes. Hey, hey, whaddya… Say? (I’ll see myself out.)

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Jagger Firkus, Julius Miettinen, Kim Saarinen

1: Ollie Josephson, Tyson Jugnauth, Nikke Kokko, Jake O’Brien, Nathan Villeneuve, Semyon Vyazovoi, Zaccharya Wisdom

Previewing the week ahead​

The Deep Sea Hockey Games of the Week are matchups between Barrett Hall’s St. Cloud State Huskies and Clarke Caswell’s Denver Pioneers on Friday, Dec. 12, at 5:00 pm PT, and Saturday, Dec. 13, at 4:00 pm PT. The games are available to stream with a subscription to NCHC.tv.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Ilia Morozov​

The 6-foot-3 Russian-born Ilia Morozov has rapidly risen prospect rankings this year with a productive NCAA season for Miami University. At 17 years old, he leads all first-time draft-eligible college hockey players with seven goals (Gavin McKenna has only four goals). Morozov is third in total points among first-time eligibles. Corey Pronman of The Athletic had Morozov as the No. 16 overall prospect in his most recent draft rankings. Even if his stock cools a bit, his scoring ability and size makes him a likely top-50 pick.

Recent prospect updates​

December 5, 2025: World Juniors Announcements, Kokko saving the day for the Firebirds

November 29, 2025: Projecting Kraken prospects to the 2026 World Junior Championship

November 21, 2025: Blake Fiddler brings intriguing tools

November 15, 2025: Firkus steps forward for Firebirds

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 – Ryan Jankowski talks Kraken prospects appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/13/down-on-the-farm-ryan-jankowski-talks-kraken-prospects/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken misery continues with ugly 3-1 loss to Sabres

Things are getting dire, folks. You could sense it from the moment you walked into Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday, where a big swath of fans arrived very late after the Seattle Seahawks narrowly defeated Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts. And when they did arrive, they didn’t have much reason to cheer. The Seattle Kraken dropped their eighth game out of their last nine (1-7-1) with a 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Of course, we’ve been here in years past, but this free fall does sting, especially given that the Kraken started their season so well and gave hope that they could be a playoff team for just the second time in their five-year history. Instead, the plummet toward the bottom of the standings continued Sunday.

After the game, I asked Chandler Stephenson, who scored Seattle’s only goal in the game, “What is the mood of the team right now?”

Sounding downtrodden, Stephenson gave a long and thoughtful answer to a relatively simple question.

“I mean, it’s tough. Obviously, it’s no fun losing. And yeah, obviously, we got a little bit of energy with the dads being here [for the recent dads and mentors trip], and it’s exciting having them here. I think it’s just… it’s a hard league. It’s hard to stay positive when things are going this way. But, I think that’s kind of the MO right now, is that [winning is] going to come. That’s kind of the hard thing is that you’re just waiting for it [to happen], and it seems like it’s kind of the same thing. The effort’s there, goalies are playing well, giving us a chance to win. Offense isn’t overly there, but the PK has been better, power play has been pretty good too as of late. So yeah, I think it’s just that everything needs to be going for us to win games right now, and we’re just going to go into the next one, and hopefully we can have some energy and have some juice and get something going here before Christmas.”

Worth noting: the next Kraken game is against the 23-2-7 Colorado Avalanche.

Anyway… here are Three Takeaways from a 3-1 Kraken loss to the Sabres.

Takeaway #1: Two bad mistakes​

You generally have to score more than one goal in a game to win, but with the way things have gone for the Kraken this month, you also can’t afford to make mistakes. Seattle made two huge ones in this game, and both resulted in rush goals for Buffalo—something we almost never saw in the first (almost) two months of the season.

The first goal, which ended with a pretty give-and-go between Noah Ostman and Josh Norris at 17:09 of the first period, came off a 2-on-1 that started when Alex Tuch escaped a Jamie Oleksiak pinch and made a quick breakout pass to Ostman in the middle.

“Their first goal, our D stands in,” coach Lane Lambert said. “Our protocol is our forward has to back him up, and he doesn’t, so it’s a 2-on-1. Can’t do that. And it’s happening too often, and there’s no excuse for it. These players, the guys have to do the job that’s required.”

Sabres break the ice off a 2-on-1.

Beautiful passing play between Noah Ostlund and Josh Norris. Norris crashed hard into the end wall. Was able to get up and skate off, though.

1-0. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Mmm7KekgPN

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 15, 2025

In this case, Jacob Melanson (more on him in Takeaway #2) was the F1 on the forecheck, and Ben Meyers was the F2. That meant Tye Kartye was the high forward—and the one Lambert was clearly implicating. Kartye got caught flat-footed at the blue line, and Ostman had a ton of speed hitting the neutral zone. Kartye was so stationary, in fact, that Meyers—who was down at the offensive-zone face-off dot when the play started coming back the other way—ended up closer to catching the 2-on-1 rush than Kartye did.

The other non-empty-net goal, scored by Tage Thompson, came off an egregious turnover by Vince Dunn in the second period. Trying to clear the zone up the wall, Dunn had his pass knocked down by Tuch, suddenly turning it into a 3-on-1 that became a 2-on-0 in tight on Joey Daccord. Peyton Krebs slid it across to Thompson, who jammed it under Daccord’s pad for the 2-0 lead.

It's 2-0 Buffalo after…. this. pic.twitter.com/sz8UPfxMm9

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 15, 2025

“Obviously, the second one was a costly turnover,” Lambert said. “Right now, we have to play the perfect game to give ourselves a chance to win. And there’s mistakes here and there that are reaching up and biting us.”

I asked Lambert whether these mistakes are happening more frequently than they were earlier in the season.

“That’s a good question. No, I think that it’s just biting us a little more now. It wasn’t like we were mistake free, certainly. But right now, it’s magnified, right? Because you’re not winning, and you’re having trouble scoring goals 5-on-5, so those little mistakes get magnified.”

Takeaway #2: Jacob Melanson was a silver lining​

On a night when the veterans didn’t appear to have much juice, Jacob Melanson—who found out around 3 p.m. Sunday that he would be in the lineup for his second career NHL game, replacing a sick Mason Marchment—did exactly what you’d want. He was fast, physical, relentless on the forecheck, and looked like he belonged in a depth NHL role.

On his first shift, he dumped Rasmus Dahlin in the corner, then slammed Thompson into the end wall a few minutes later, doing everything he could to get under the skin of the Sabres throughout the night.

“The way I play, I play physically, bring energy, and the easiest way you get into it is get that first big hit, and I felt much better after that,” Melanson said. “Everyone’s been welcoming and happy to have me, and I thought tonight, I brought my energy, brought my physicality, and I’ll keep bringing that when the team needs it. And I feel like I can be a big part of that.”

The nastiness in Melanson’s game is an element the Kraken don’t really have, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens with him moving forward. Though he played just 7:47, he brought a spark to an otherwise lifeless lineup. Could that earn him more time with the big club?

“I did like [his physical game],” Lambert said. “I thought it was exactly what we needed, and [he brought] some youthful energy, and certainly he finished his checks. I thought he played well.”

Takeaway #3: Something has to give​

One day after a true blockbuster trade sent Quinn Hughes, one of the best defensemen in the NHL, to the Minnesota Wild, it’s fair to wonder whether the Kraken will make a move of their own to try to salvage the season. Last December, former general manager Ron Francis traded for Kaapo Kakko. That didn’t ultimately rescue the season, but it was a signal that Seattle still wanted to keep trying to compete.

One year later, the Kraken are right back in the same position. Things are spiraling quickly, and while the playoffs remain attainable, constant injuries and illnesses have exposed just how thin this roster really is.

If the Kraken don’t pull off a trade or two for forwards who can put the puck in the net, that may be a sign that they’re instead beginning the march back toward sell mode.

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 misery continues with ugly 3-1 loss to Sabres appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/14/kraken-lose-to-sabres/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings – Sliding down to irrelevancy?

Last week I asked whether the Seattle Kraken had hit bottom. Technically, they squeaked out a win against the Los Angeles Kings last Wednesday, but that brief moment of optimism didn’t last. Since then, they’ve dropped two straight, including an underwhelming 3–1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. It’s ugly right now, and game by game, the Kraken are playing themselves toward irrelevancy.

Goals are still hard to come by​

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Kraken are struggling to score. Over their last five games, they’re shooting an abysmal 7.6 percent. A modest bump up to their season average of 9.7 percent would have produced roughly three additional goals over that stretch. Given that most of those games were essentially one-goal affairs, those three goals could have swung multiple results.

Things got even tougher when the Kraken lost their leading scorer, Jared McCann, for several weeks during Wednesday’s game against the Kings. That injury came just six games since he returned from a five-week absence. Seattle managed to tread water during McCann’s earlier absence, but that was with Jaden Schwartz in the lineup. Schwartz has now been out for three weeks himself, and suddenly the margin for error has disappeared.

Injuries are part of the game, and the Kraken have certainly had their share this season. The challenge for a team like Seattle is organizational depth. The AHL roster is loaded with prospects, but there aren’t many players down there who are ready to step in and handle even limited NHL minutes right now. When multiple top-six forwards are missing at the same time, the cracks become pretty obvious.

Objective of the 2025–26 season​

No one picked Seattle as a playoff team entering the season. ESPN and The Athletic both projected the Kraken to finish 29th overall. Here at Sound Of Hockey, we’ve been consistent that a reasonable expectation was simply to play meaningful games in March.

The Kraken’s solid start made that goal feel very attainable. Then the losses piled up, the injuries got worse, and suddenly the season has been in a spiral. And yet, despite how bleak things feel, Seattle is still just five points out of the final playoff spot. As bad as it’s been, they’re technically still on pace to be playing those meaningful games in March.

Given the current state of the roster, the path forward is pretty clear. If the Kraken can hover around .500 while McCann and Schwartz are sidelined over the next few weeks, they’ll give themselves a fighting chance once the lineup starts to stabilize.

Opportunities​

With Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann out, and Berkly Catton also working his way back from injury, several players are getting extended looks and increased responsibility. There are three players in particular who need to elevate their game.

• Shane Wright – I wouldn’t say Wright’s game has regressed since last season, but he hasn’t looked nearly as dangerous as he did down the stretch last year. He has five goals in 30 games and is shooting 11.4 percent, a sharp drop from last season’s 25.9 percent. There’s been plenty of fan frustration about his ice time, but much of that is tied to the coaching staff’s trust in him: he’s not on the top power-play unit and continues to get protected starts with limited defensive-zone usage. These injuries should open the door for more responsibility. Now it’s on Wright to take advantage and raise his game to the level everyone expects.
• Kaapo Kakko – Kakko’s production is largely explained by injury, and I’m willing to give him some leeway there. Coming back from two separate injuries is no small thing. That said, the Kraken badly need scoring from the wing, and Kakko has been back for seven games without looking like much of a threat. The hope is that more time and opportunity help him turn the corner over the next few weeks. Worth noting, he missed Monday’s practice with an illness.
• Freddy Gaudreau – Like Kakko, Gaudreau’s offensive numbers are down compared to last season, largely due to injury. I’ve liked his game lately, though, especially his two-way play. He looks more comfortable and always makes the right decision. It feels like he’s starting to find his stride with the Kraken. If a few more pucks start going in for him, that would go a long way toward stabilizing this team right now.

Other musings​

• The Kraken have been generating more shot attempts lately, though some of that can likely be attributed to playing from behind more often. Shot volume is nice, but context still matters, and chasing games isn’t exactly a sustainable offensive strategy.

• The Kraken are now 3-8-4 when allowing the first goal this season. Playing from behind continues to be a recipe for long nights.
• Seattle had 2:22 of 5-on-3 ice time over the past week and failed to convert. They are now one of just two teams this season with more than five total minutes of 5-on-3 time without a single goal, joining Montreal in that unenviable category. Meanwhile, opponents are a perfect 2-for-2 on 5-on-3 chances against the Kraken.
• By the definition, this is a face-off goal, yet who won this face-off?

Matty Beniers – Seattle Kraken (4)
Power Play Goal pic.twitter.com/xbzNTHkcg4

— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) December 11, 2025

• Mason Marchment’s two-goal performance against Utah marked the seventh time a Kraken player has recorded a multi-goal game this season. That total is tied for 27th in the league, which says a lot about how rarely Seattle is getting game-breaking performances from individual players.
• Jacob Melanson was recalled on Saturday and was immediately pressed into action Sunday due to illness elsewhere in the lineup. I’ve always liked his game, and while this might be a brief look, I still think he has the makeup of a regular NHL player down the road.

Goal of the week​

Seattle Kraken sixth-round pick from the 2022 draft, Barrett Hall, scored this game-winning goal in the final minutes of St. Cloud’s 4–3 win over sixth-ranked Denver.

PRESENT FOR THE HUSKIES FROM BARRETT HALL! WRAP IT UP AND TIE IT WITH A BOW #NCAAHockey x Twin Cities CW / @SCSUHuskies_MH pic.twitter.com/UBGLhn6fPr

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) December 14, 2025

Player performances​

Tyson Jugnauth (CVF/SEA) – “Juggy” had two goals and two assists in the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 7–4 win over the Calgary Wranglers on Saturday. It was one of those nights where he was involved in everything.

Kraken goaltenders – Over four games this week, Kraken goalies posted a .914 save percentage and saved 2.2 goals above expected. They’re doing their part, and then some.

Marcus Johansson (MIN) – Former Kraken forward “JoJo” had three goals and three assists in four games this week, including a nice game-winning goal against Seattle. Of course.

The week ahead​

They had to come to town eventually, and now they’re here. The 23-2-7 Colorado Avalanche visit Seattle on Tuesday at perhaps the worst possible time. Colorado leads the league at 4.0 goals per game, while the Kraken sit last at 2.47. Anything can happen in the NHL, but on paper this one is pretty terrifying.

After Colorado, Seattle heads out to Calgary on Thursday and San Jose on Saturday. At first glance, those might look like opportunities to grab some points, but the Flames have won four of their last five games, and the Sharks have taken three of their last four. There are no easy games in this league, and given how the Kraken are currently playing, these will all be tough.

Until further notice, the goal for the week should be simple: grab 50 percent of the available points. If the Kraken can hang around a .500 points percentage while waiting for McCann and Schwartz to return, they at least keep themselves in the bubble conversation. Even then, this team is going to need a real run to become relevant again, and that likely won’t happen until those pieces are back in the lineup.

The post Monday Musings – Sliding down to irrelevancy? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/15/monday-musings-sliding-down-to-irrelevancy/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

10 for 10: Seattle Kraken Games 21–30

We’ve crossed another 10-game mark in the Seattle Kraken season. The previous installments of this series carried a tone of optimism, but if you’re looking for silver linings this time, you may want to take this one off. The 2025–26 Kraken just endured one of the roughest stretches in franchise history. The theme of this 10-for-10 is less about excitement and more about confronting the reality of what’s unfolded over the past three weeks.

If you’re still reading, don’t forget, I warned you.

Data point 1: Points percentage in the Pacific Division​

10 games ago, Seattle sat third in the Pacific, just two points behind division-leading Anaheim with a game in hand. Since then, they’ve been the worst-performing team in the division, even allowing Vancouver to gain ground.

The Kraken now find themselves tied for sixth in the Pacific and five points out of the final wild card spot.

Data point 2: Goals for and against (excluding empty-netters)​

Scoring has been a season-long issue, but the last 10 games have been especially brutal, with the Kraken averaging just two non-empty-net goals per game. Meanwhile, defensive lapses have led to more goals against.

With Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz sidelined for at least two more weeks, offensive relief is nowhere in sight.

Data point 3: Special teams​

Special teams have mirrored the broader struggles. In one three-game stretch, Seattle allowed seven of eight opposing power plays to convert while scoring just once on 11 opportunities.

The recent trend is slightly better: the penalty kill has stopped 10 of the last 12 chances, and the power play has clicked at 29.4 percent over the last four games.

Data point 4: Shot attempts per game​

Earlier this season, shot volume was a glaring weakness. Over the last 10 games, attempts have increased—but much of that may be inflated by playing from behind.

Data point 5: Shooting percentage​

More shots haven’t translated to more goals. Seattle’s shooting percentage has cratered to just 7.4 percent over this stretch.

Data point 6: High-danger chances (all situations)​

The low shooting percentage is partly explained by shot quality. Seattle averages only 5.87 high-danger shots per game—the lowest in the NHL. The lone bright spot: they also allow the fewest high-danger shots against per game.

Data point 7: Defensive zone faceoffs​

Chandler Stephenson has taken 44 percent of the team’s defensive zone draws this season, consistently facing the toughest matchups. This usage drags down his public analytics, since zone time isn’t factored into most models, but it underscores his importance in Lambert’s system.

Data point 8: Five-on-three power play time​

Seattle has led the league with 4:44 of five-on-three time since November 23, yet they’ve failed to score. Against Utah, they squandered 1:42 of five-on-three in what was essentially a one-goal game (excluding empty-netters).

Data point 9: Goals against average (last 10 games)​

While goals-against average isn’t the best measure of goalie performance, it does reflect team defense. Allowing fewer than three goals per game usually gives a team a chance to win. Seattle has hovered near that mark, though I’ve excluded the 9–4 drubbing in Edmonton as a mulligan.

Data point 10: Goals lost to injured reserve​

Injuries remain the defining storyline. McCann and Schwartz—Seattle’s top two goal scorers—are both on IR. Without them, the Kraken continue to play tight, one-goal games (excluding empty-netters), but the margin for error is razor-thin.

Closing Thoughts​

This 10-game stretch has been a sobering reminder of how fragile success can be in the NHL and how thin this Seattle Kraken team really is. The Kraken aren’t being blown out nightly, but the lack of scoring depth and reliance on injured stars has left them clinging to close games without the finishing power to tilt results in their favor.

The good news? The season is long, and reinforcements are on the horizon. If McCann and Schwartz return healthy, and if Lambert can coax more consistency from the special teams, Seattle still has a shot to claw back into the playoff picture but it will take an impressive turnaround. The margin is shrinking, and the next 10 games may define whether games 21 to 30 is just a stumble or the start of the collapse.

The post 10 for 10: Seattle Kraken Games 21–30 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/16/10-for-10-seattle-kraken-games-21-30/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken come close but lose to Avalanche, now losers in nine of 10

The Seattle Kraken gave it their all against the vaunted Colorado Avalanche and nearly came away with an unlikely victory. But in the end, Colorado’s stars proved to be too much and handed the Kraken their ninth loss in 10 games.

“I thought we played hard, like we have been,” coach Lane Lambert said. “We just can’t find a way to get it over the finish line.”

Here are Three Takeaways after a 5-3 Kraken loss to the Avalanche.

Takeaway #1: Every chance to win it​

If you put this game in a vacuum and forget about the fact that the Kraken have gone 1-8-1 since Nov. 23, you’d feel great about their performance. Ostensibly, they played one of their best games of the season, going toe to toe with a team that came in with just TWO regulation losses through 31 games.

In fact, the Kraken had every chance to win this one, taking a 3-2 lead after Chandler Stephenson scored his second power-play goal in as many games at 19:24 of the second period to send Seattle into the third in the driver’s seat.

STEVIE DOES IT!

His seam pass, intended for Matty Beniers, hits Brent Burns' skate and caroms through Blackwood. #SeaKraken taking a 3-2 lead into the 3rd period. pic.twitter.com/CqT7yVrJ4R

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

But Nathan MacKinnon did Nathan MacKinnon things, racking up two goals (one an empty-netter) and an assist in the third period to help Colorado rally back for its NHL-leading 24th win of the season.

The Avalanche converted on essentially the same play twice in a six-minute span. Both times, Cale Makar walked across the top of the zone from left to right, then passed it back across to MacKinnon in the left circle. On the first such look, MacKinnon one-timed it off Adam Larsson and in to tie the game 3-3 at 2:40 of the third.

The Kraken then got a power play AND a penalty shot after Josh Manson put his hand over the puck in the crease. They failed to convert on the power play, and Jordan Eberle hit the post on the penalty shot.

Just 26 seconds later, Vince Dunn went to the box for tripping, and the Avs struck again on the Makar-to-MacKinnon connection. This time, the puck got a friendly bounce off the end wall for Brock Nelson to bang it home.

4-3 Avs. Brock Nelson gets a good bounce after they run the exact same play that MacKinnon scored on six minutes earlier. PPG. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Wl4Pibw756

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

“We made a big mistake at the end on the last kill,” Lambert said, during his very strange media availability (more on that in Takeaway 3). “We can’t make that. The power play scored for us, so, aside from the goal we gave up, which was a critical situation and a critical error, [special teams] were fine, but again, not good enough. Didn’t get the job done.”

I believe the “critical error” Lambert was referring to was Ben Meyers shading from the left side over to the right and leaving that side unprotected. Meyers also got his pocket picked by MacKinnon earlier in the sequence, which eventually led to MacKinnon’s first goal.

Takeaway #2: Nyman / Wright / Kakko​

Lambert shuffled up his lines for this one, making the “top line” Eeli Tolvanen, Chandler Stephenson, and Freddy Gaudreau. That was clearly a matchup play, hoping to get three players he trusts defensively out against MacKinnon as much as possible.

He also gave Shane Wright another look between the two big Finns, Jani Nyman and Kaapo Kakko. All three looked effective against an outstanding team and were rewarded with a good, hard-working goal at 3:03 of the second period.

WRIGHT AS RAIN! ️

This Nyman/Wright/Kakko line has been solid tonight, and they get rewarded.

Wright hits Nyman in the with his shot, Jani hits the post with the rebound, then Shane Wright cleans it up.

1-1 pic.twitter.com/M0p9GfpJ33

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

That’s a trio I’d like to see stick together and try to develop some chemistry. It’s high time for all three to get going, and they seem to work well together.

Takeaway #3: A strange post-game experience​

The post-game experience after this one was quite bizarre, with media availability handled in an especially peculiar way. Considering that—even though the Kraken took yet another ‘L’—they played a great game, players and coaches shouldn’t have felt embarrassed or hesitant to face the media, which is generally quite fair to them in this city.

But they received extra protection on this night in a way I’ve never seen before in my five years of closely covering the organization, with Lane Lambert only fielding a few questions from a team employee and none from reporters.

To set the scene and give you a peek behind the curtain, I’ll speak personally. In addition to my Sound Of Hockey duties, I’m also the local Seattle correspondent for NHL.com. That means wearing a lot of hats on home game nights: writing the neutral game story for NHL.com on a deadline, running the Sound Of Hockey Twitter (but don’t tell anyone it’s me), and trying to ask meaningful questions of players and coaches in post-game scrums so I can complete the NHL.com article and eventually Three Takeaways here on Sound Of Hockey… dot com.

After all that, I drive home, usually around midnight, and start actually writing Three Takeaways, which takes at least an hour. If all goes well, I’m asleep by 2 a.m.

That’s all to say that I—and others in the local media corps—invest a lot into covering the Kraken and filling gaps in a sports landscape dominated by the Seahawks and Mariners. The Kraken need us.

One challenge of the NHL.com role is that I’m expected to tell the story from the perspective of the winning team, with commentary from the losing team mixed in. While I’d prefer to always go to the Kraken dressing room, a stretch like this one means I’ve been visiting the opposing locker room more often than not. Even so, I typically still make it to Lane Lambert’s press conference, where I ask at least one question. (I’d prefer to ask more, but I understand the dynamics of a shared presser and can’t always hog the mic.)

On this particular night, I went to the Avalanche dressing room, where players were understandably celebratory after the comeback win. I asked Mackenzie Blackwood what it’s like playing behind Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar just as MacKinnon walked back in from his TNT interview. Somewhat jokingly—but very much on the record—Blackwood said, “He’s fucking nasty!” while nodding toward MacKinnon. MacKinnon shouted back, “Next question!”

Blackwood then doubled down: “No, those guys are fucking unbelievable leaders, and I love to watch those guys on a nightly basis.” That unnecessary on-mic cursing got a chuckle from the room.

After that, I asked Colorado coach Jared Bednar a few questions in the hallway outside the Avalanche dressing room and then headed to the Kraken media room, where Lambert had not yet arrived. When Lambert did come in, the microphone—normally passed from reporter to reporter—was already in the hands of a Kraken employee, who asked a short series of questions. Lambert gave brief answers, and the Kraken PR representative then cut off the presser without allowing anyone else in the room to ask a question.

Here’s Lane Lambert’s entire press conference. Only a team employee was allowed to ask questions tonight. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/CCKAjHEFdz

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

It was peculiar behavior and a bad look for a team desperately trying to maintain interest in a crowded sports market. I included the background on my night not to complain (I absolutely love doing all this; otherwise, I wouldn’t do it), but to illustrate how much effort goes into covering a team that has lost nine of its last 10 games and frankly isn’t earning much positive attention right now.

All that said, following the availability, it was communicated that this approach was a one-off decision and would not be repeated.

Bonus Takeaway: Brandon Montour potentially injured​

The Kraken had their jump back in this game after looking sluggish on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. Many on the team have been sick, with Mason Marchment missing that game, and then Kaapo Kakko and Vince Dunn missing practice on Monday. All three were back in the lineup, making things feel like Seattle was inching in the right direction in terms of its many health- and injury-related issues.

But early in the third period, Mason Marchment found himself throwing gloved fists with Josh Manson.

FISTICUFFS!

Mason Marchment gets into with Josh Manson, and the two start throwing massive punches with gloves on, then all hell breaks loose.

Montour ends up down on the ice with Burns, throwing punches, and he goes down the tunnel after. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Pd5B09TSYZ

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

Chaos ensued, and Brandon Montour ended up on the ice, punching Brent Burns. Montour left the game after this and did not return. Lambert did not give an update on his status.

Needless to say, the Kraken simply cannot survive adding Brandon Montour to their injured list.

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 come close but lose to Avalanche, now losers in nine of 10 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/1...t-lose-to-avalanche-now-losers-in-nine-of-10/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Berkly Catton through 20 games: How it stacks up with Kraken’s other first-rounders

With Berkly Catton on the shelf for the foreseeable future, out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, it puts a pause to his much anticipated rookie season.

It was promising to see him out with a red sweater at morning skate on Sunday morning, but coach Lane Lambert said he’s still pretty far from a return.

Berkly Catton on the ice in a red jersey, working with Jess Campbell, after #SeaKraken morning skate. pic.twitter.com/cG8pB3yzhW

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

20 games (well, 21 now) into his NHL career, the 19-year-old remains one of the youngest players in the league. Yet, it’s looking more and more like he will stay with the team for the entire season.

There are a lot of high hopes for Catton among Kraken faithful, with many thinking his playmaking abilities would pay dividends right away for a team that has struggled to find a consistent source of offense. In certain ways he has helped in this regard, but the player who once scored 54 goals in a season in the WHL has yet to find the back of the net as a pro, so the scoring touch hasn’t yet translated.

Obviously, the first 20 games are not going to define the next 20, the next 200 or an entire career. Not all development paths are created equal, but this is a large enough sample size to begin comparing and contrasting.

So, while his season is on pause, let’s take some time to compare Catton’s first 20 games with the other two Kraken first-rounders to reach that mark: Matty Beniers and Shane Wright.

Catton’s first 20​

The Kraken had the option of sending Catton back to the Spokane Chiefs for another season, where he did not have much left to prove, or keeping him in the NHL for a full year and burning a season of his entry-level contract.

Drafted No. 8 overall by the Kraken in 2024, the decision to have him spend his first season in the pro ranks was a heavily calculated one by the front office and coaching staff, who felt it was in his best interest to stay in the NHL and learn the ropes a little earlier than normal.

Catton has experienced some ups and downs to start his NHL career. He came out of the gates hot with three assists in his first five games, including an assist in his debut.

Featuring wholesome Catton parent content…

The goal is now Eberle from Fleury and Catton, BTW. #SeaKraken https://t.co/LzqI8oDUx8 pic.twitter.com/ArRfXxkAnC

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 20, 2025

But he went quiet over his next 15, recording only two helpers. He’s totaled 17 shots on goal so far with some quality chances, but he just hasn’t been able to finish.

He’s getting close, though, and gaining confidence along the way. Here’s one of those opportunities he had against the Islanders on Nov. 23.

Golden opportunity for Berkly Catton to get his first NHL goal, but Rittich shuts it down.

Nice buildup too, Shane Wright->Jani Nyman->Catton #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/LDpZRZ6lBz

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 24, 2025

Here’s another against Edmonton on Nov. 29. He seems to really like burning by teams with orange circular logos for whatever reason.

Berkly Catton gets a breakaway. Nice move, but Skinner reads it and gets his toe on it.

Catton continues to look for his first goal… pic.twitter.com/jNPS7VQzhY

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 29, 2025

Catton has spent the majority of his young career playing on a line with Jordan Eberle and the aforementioned Wright, but he has also seen his fair share of different combinations—six in total, according to MoneyPuck.

He was averaging a little more than 12 minutes per night, with that number fluctuating game-to-game, as it often does for players his age.

Comparing it to Wright and Beniers​

Wright, drafted No. 4 overall by the Kraken in 2022, split his first 20 NHL games across three seasons from 2022-23 to 2024-2025. He spent time in the OHL, AHL and at World Juniors between his NHL debut and reaching the 20-game mark.

When he was on the ice with the Kraken during those early stints, he produced at roughly the same pace he is producing at now, totaling five goals and two assists while getting about 11 minutes a game. It took Wright until the eighth game of his career to score his first NHL goal, memorably against Montreal.

While Wright hasn’t been the world-breaker he was hyped to be during his junior career, he has still developed into a solid NHL producer, with 63 points in 124 games.

Matty Beniers, meanwhile, is much more of an outlier when it comes to early-career production for the Kraken. His Rookie of the Year award and scoring in just his second ever game underscore that point.

Through his first 20 games, 10 at the end of the 2021-22 season and 10 in 2022-23, Beniers averaged nearly a point per game at seven goals and 10 assists. He was playing more than 18 minutes per night, a luxury that came when the Kraken were just starting out and building their foundation.

What’s to come…​

In terms of production, it’s safe to say Catton’s first 20 games looked far more like Wright’s than Beniers’, although his path to 20 has been far more linear than that of Wright. While Catton is probably the most offensively gifted player of the three, it was always going to take something monumental to match Beniers’ first-year totals.

Many different factors play into these development paths. Top picks are always given plenty of runway, and Catton, like the rest of the Kraken’s first-rounders (all of whom are still under the age of 23), undoubtedly has way more time to become the player he was drafted to be. Benchmarks like these simply give context for what may come next.

So when he gets back, how do you think the next 20 games will look for Catton?

The post Berkly Catton through 20 games: How it stacks up with Kraken’s other first-rounders appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/1...-stacks-up-with-krakens-other-first-rounders/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Charge – Dec 17th

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The post Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Charge – Dec 17th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/17/photo-gallery-torrent-vs-charge-dec-17th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Shane Wright is still showing positive signs of development

Folks who follow the Seattle Kraken, myself included, expected Shane Wright to take another step in his development this season. Although the results have not surfaced yet, a deeper look at his analytics shows progress. It also highlights areas where the 21-year-old center still needs to grow.

Statistics are from MoneyPuck at 5-on-5 play unless otherwise noted.

The Wright stuff​

Expected goals​

Expected goals for (xGF) estimates how likely a shot is to become a goal based on shot type and location. While xGF models do not account for defenders or goaltenders, those real-world factors help explain why expected goals do not always match actual goals scored. Wright leads all Kraken skaters in xGF per 60 minutes at even strength at 0.95. Last season he posted 0.61, making this a significant jump.

In addition to leading the Kraken, Wright has been part of a line performing at the top of the NHL. Since Kaapo Kakko returned from injury, he has spent the most 5-on-5 time with Wright and Jani Nyman. The trio averages 7.79 xGF per 60 minutes, the highest mark in the NHL.

The sample size is small, but any time you are in the statistical neighborhood of players like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov, and Jake Guentzel, it is worth noting. This has been Wright’s most frequent line combination, though the group has only logged just over 43 minutes at even strength. Expected goals are not actual goals, though, and the trio has only two goals to show for their strong underlying play.

Still, the line is generating offense and could spark production on a team struggling to score. In fact, it got on the board in the most recent game against Colorado.

WRIGHT AS RAIN! ️

This Nyman/Wright/Kakko line has been solid tonight, and they get rewarded.

Wright hits Nyman in the with his shot, Jani hits the post with the rebound, then Shane Wright cleans it up.

1-1 pic.twitter.com/M0p9GfpJ33

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 17, 2025

Constant injuries have created a rotating cast of linemates for Wright, making chemistry difficult to build. Wright has played on 12 different line combinations, the most among Kraken centers. Chandler Stephenson has played on 10 combinations, Freddy Gaudreau has been on seven, and Matty Beniers six.

Blocked shots​

Wright continues to sacrifice his body, ranking third in Kraken forwards in blocked shots. At 3.56 blocks per 60 minutes at even strength, he only trails Eeli Tolvanen at 4.17 and Berkly Catton at 3.61. What makes this notable is Wright starts just 5.6 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone, so when he is on defense, he’s doing a good job of getting in shooting lanes.

Blocking shots is not new to Wright’s game. He led Kraken forwards last season at 3.96 blocks per 60 when he had nearly double the percentage (10.8) of defensive-zone starts under former head coach Dan Bylsma.

Shots on goal​

Although Wright only has six goals, one fewer than he had through 31 games last season, he is generating more shots on goal. Last season he averaged 4.91 shots on goal per 60 minutes. This season he has increased that number by 32.2 percent to 6.49. Just as important, his overall shot attempts have remained consistent, rising from 11.01 per 60 minutes last season to 11.88 this year. The result is a higher share of those attempts reaching the net.

Wright is also getting into better scoring areas. MoneyPuck defines rebound shots as attempts within three seconds of a previous shot. Wright recorded seven rebound shots all of last season. Through 31 games, he already has 12, which leads Kraken forwards.

Shane Wright shots 2024-25 – All Situations

Shane Wright shots 2025-26 – All Situations

The (W)right opportunities​

As Wright continues his development, a few areas could still use some attention. First, let’s look at his line deployment. Coaches choose matchups based on face-off location and opponent, directing players to start shifts in the offensive, neutral, or defensive zones. Wright has been deployed in the offensive zone 17.9 percent of the time, 15.3 percent in the neutral zone, and just 5.6 percent in the defensive zone at 5-on-5. The rest of his shifts, 61.2 percent, start on-the-fly while the puck is in play. In theory, on-the-fly shifts tend to begin when the Kraken have puck possession or after a dump-in.

Given that Wright starts most often in the offensive zone, strong possession numbers would be expected. Corsi measures shot attempts for and against while a player is on the ice, with 50 percent representing an even split. Wright sits at 49 percent, meaning opponents generate more shot attempts than Seattle when he is on the ice. That is notable given his favorable deployment.

Sound Of Hockey’s Darren Brown spoke with head coach Lane Lambert about this topic after a practice earlier this week in the context of Chandler Stephenson, whose analytics are consistently poor.

Darren asked:

“Chandler Stephenson, with the publicly available analytic models on him, it never shows very kindly. What doesn’t show up in those models that kind of makes you rely on him as much as you do?”

Lambert said:

“Face-offs, he plays against the other team’s best players every night, he always gets the toughest matchups. So, it’s easy to sit back and look at the analytics, and you would like them to be a little better, sure. If we played him down in the third line, he’d have great analytics, probably. So you’ve got to keep it in perspective here. This guy plays a ton of minutes for us, he does a ton of things for us, and they’re hard minutes.”

This piece focuses on Wright, but Lambert’s response is a reminder of how usage and matchups can skew metrics. Lambert notes Stephenson would likely post stronger analytics in a third-line role. By the same logic, Wright’s numbers are benefiting from easier matchups compared to veterans handling heavier defensive assignments.

Face-offs and giveaways​

Face-offs and giveaways help explain this. Wright has won 39.3 percent of his face-offs, last among Kraken centers. He posted 43.5 percent last season. Face-off winning percentages do not tell you everything about possession, but with a sub-50 Corsi, it suggests opponents gain control more often.

Giveaways are another area for improvement. Wright led the Kraken forwards with 65 giveaways last season in all situations. He currently has 30 and is on pace for 79, an increase over last year’s mark. Wright may be trending toward another high giveaway season, but he has been spared the top spot so far, with Mason Marchment at 38.

More concerning, Wright leads all Kraken forwards in defensive-zone giveaways (12) despite rarely starting shifts there. These totals are not normalized for ice time, but Wright ranks ninth among forwards at 14 minutes per game, and the tendency may be contributing to his continued third-line usage.

After practice on Dec. 14, Piper Shaw asked Wright what he has been focusing on personally.

“I think just consistency overall. I mean, playing well with the puck, I feel like, [I’ve been better] offensively and creating chances, and I think just being able to be [trusted] a little more defensively, stronger plays in the zone, in my own end, stuff I can clean up a little bit. But yeah, just trying to keep trending in the right direction.”

Still room to grow​

It is no secret the Kraken have struggled offensively, scoring just 2.48 goals per game, dead last in the NHL. They also rank last by a wide margin in total goals scored (77), though they have played the fewest games (31) in the NHL. Generating offense remains a priority.

Fans often look at players like Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini and hope for a similar breakout from one of Seattle’s prospects. That is not a fair or realistic benchmark for most young players. Development is rarely linear. Wright turns 22 on Jan. 5 and still has room to grow. Patience remains necessary, but the analytics point to positive progress. If the Kraken can stay healthy and find stable lines, Wright’s production may soon reflect the improvement happening less visibly.

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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The post Shane Wright is still showing positive signs of development appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/18/shane-wright-is-still-showing-positive-signs-of-development/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken crumble again in third, lose 4-2 to Flames; 10th loss in 11 games

This team. Things went from horrendous to atrocious on Thursday, when the Seattle Kraken—who held a one-goal lead entering the third period for the second straight game—fumbled it away again, suffering their fourth straight loss and 10th in 11 games (1-9-1).

Against the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, you knew the 3-2 lead going into the third was anything but safe. In this one, against a bad Flames team that had lost two of its previous three, it felt like the Kraken were finally going to find a way to close out a victory and generate some semblance of positive vibes within the group.

Instead, they took two straight penalties in the third period (five total in the game), allowed a season-high 46 total shots through to Joey Daccord, and once again let a winnable game slip away in a 4-2 loss.

With the defeat, the Kraken are now on their second consecutive named losing streak—Losing Streak Cynthia—which makes landfall right on the heels of the catastrophic Losing Streak Camille.

Here are Three Takeaways from yet another Kraken loss.

Takeaway #1: A third-period meltdown​

Although the Flames haven’t had great results this season, they do tend to be a high shot-volume team, averaging 29.5 shots per game, sixth-most in the NHL. On this night, they threw everything at Daccord, who was excellent and gave Seattle a chance to win despite being outshot exactly 2-1 (46-23).

Daccord’s teammates put him in a brutal position late, forcing him to kill two straight penalties in a high-volume game. Defensive-zone time is taxing on a goalie regardless of shot count, and back-to-back penalty kills under those conditions are especially punishing. Eventually, Calgary broke through.

Nazem Kadri tied the game on a power-play one-timer at 10:04 of the third, and Matt Coronato scored the winner just 65 seconds later.

The Kraken had a 3-on-2 brewing, with Adam Larsson jumping into the play. Eeli Tolvanen tried to hit Larsson at the blue line, but the pass was picked off and the play reversed. Tolvanen and Larsson collided trying to recover, and Rasmus Andersson hit Coronato in stride at the Seattle line. At full speed, Coronato burned around a flat-footed Vince Dunn and sniped it over Daccord’s left shoulder.

…AAAAAaaaaaand 3-2 Flames.

Matt Coronato with a snipe. Jonathan Huberdeau gets his 800th point.

Flames have 44 shots on net, BTW. pic.twitter.com/rcAmev3keP

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

“More detail. More detail in certain areas that are game changers,” coach Lane Lambert said. “We cannot turn the puck over entering the blue line on their third goal. It just can’t happen. And we keep doing these things over and over again, and it’s getting old, and we’ve got to figure this out.”

Daccord may have wanted that last goal back—it was unscreened and from an angle—but you can’t hang this one on him. He finished with a .933 save percentage and deserved a better outcome.

Kaapo Kakko offered an interesting perspective afterward, saying he thinks the team is “scared” to make plays when protecting a one-goal lead.

Lambert didn’t like that idea one bit. “I think that’s ridiculous,” Lambert scoffed. “I think we needed to get on the forecheck. We talked about staying on our toes, so if that’s what’s going on, then it has to change.”

Takeaway #2: Still liking the Nyman/Wright/Kakko line​

I touched on this after the last game as well, but the Jani Nyman, Shane Wright, and Kakko line continues to impress. For a team desperate for offense and chemistry, it’s refreshing to see a trio consistently creating something.

After Wright scored against Colorado on Tuesday, Kakko followed up with a power-play goal in this game, with both of his regular linemates on the ice as part of the unit.

Nyman nearly lost the puck along the wall just inside the blue line but recovered it and fed Ryker Evans rolling downhill. Kakko timed his drive perfectly from the corner, presenting his stick as Evans threaded a shot-pass under MacKenzie Weegar’s stick and onto Kakko’s tape for an easy deflection into the net.

HEYYYYY KAAPO KAKKO!

Shot-pass by Ryker Evans, perfect redirection by Kakko. Power-play goal.

2-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/1RL3GYWn5S

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

It was a beautiful sequence, and another sign that this line is building something.

HOWEVER…

Takeaway #3: Why Shane Wright doesn’t get as much usage as Chandler Stephenson​

While that line contributed Seattle’s second goal, they were also on the ice for the Flames’ first. Mikael Backlund’s tying goal at 10:20 of the second period—a bit of a doinker—came immediately off a defensive-zone face-off.

Sound Of Hockey’s Blaiz Grubic wrote Thursday about Wright’s development and noted that one reason he doesn’t get as much ice time as Chandler Stephenson (who has four goals and three assists in his last seven games and scored a beauty in this one) is Lane Lambert’s lack of trust in Wright on defensive-zone draws. Wright starts just 5.6 percent of his shifts in Seattle’s end.

Flames answer. Shane Wright had Mikael Backlund tied up, but it glanced off a skate.

This is why defensive-zone starts matter, and why Lane Lambert leans on Stephenson so heavily for these draws.

1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/k8TXY1wO8Z

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

Backlund’s goal is a clear example of why. Wright stayed with Backlund and tied up his stick reasonably well, but the clean face-off loss put Seattle on the back foot immediately, and Backlund ultimately got a fortunate bounce. Worth noting, Wright didn’t get the defensive-zone start by choice; Seattle had previously iced the puck, meaning they weren’t allowed to change lines.

Wright’s usage frustrates fans because everyone wants to see him continue to grow and take on more responsibility. But these are the details Lambert keeps referencing. To earn trust and move up the lineup, Wright needs to improve in these areas. He likely will over time, and when that happens, the minutes will follow—but this is important context in the meantime.

I’m sure you will all react very calmly and respectfully to this take in the comment section. (Seriously, please be nice to each other. It’s been a little ugly in there lately.)

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find something to break.

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 crumble again in third, lose 4-2 to Flames; 10th loss in 11 games appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/1...ird-lose-4-2-to-flames-10th-loss-in-11-games/