RSS Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken acknowledge mistake after restricting Lane Lambert’s post-game press conference

What happened on the ice Tuesday should have been the story. It was a hard-fought, entertaining battle in which the underdog and heavily slumping Seattle Kraken went toe to toe with the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche, only to be undone by the superstar prowess of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.

Instead, what transpired after the game quickly overtook the narrative. In the hours following and throughout Wednesday, media members from across North America and beyond began taking notice of how the post-game press conference had unfolded.

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

Seattle coach Lane Lambert spent about a minute on stage, during which Bob Condor, editor in chief of the Kraken’s official website, was the only attendee permitted to ask questions.

“The bottom line was it wasn’t the right call at all, and it was a mistake and would never happen again and won’t happen again,” a member of the Kraken’s communications department said.

Before Lambert had entered the media room, Condor spoke with several reporters in attendance and asked which questions they wanted him to ask, noting that he had been informed by other team staffers that he would ask all of the questions.

From Sound Of Hockey’s perspective, it was difficult in the moment to believe that this was truly how things would proceed. But when Lambert arrived, Condor retained the microphone for the entirety of the coach’s one-minute press conference, asked five rapid-fire questions that were met with notably brief responses, and then a Kraken public relations representative ended the availability without offering the microphone to other reporters in the room.

“Last night after the game, the questions that were posed to Lane during the press conference were, I guess you want to call it, funneled through Bob, who writes for the Kraken,” the team representative said. “And other reporters weren’t given the chance to ask questions in that moment, as [Sound Of Hockey] personally experienced.”

This is accurate. Sound Of Hockey was asked by Condor for questions, but for those unfamiliar with standard media procedures, this is not how post-game press conferences are typically conducted. It is a problematic approach for a professional sports organization that relies on an independent media corps to provide access, insight, and accountability.

“I feel bad for Bob, too, because we put him in a position where he’s… all I have to say, obviously, is it’s a tough position for Bob to be put in.”

Even though Condor—who was not involved in the decision but was instructed to ask all questions—solicited input from other reporters and relayed their questions, the optics of the arrangement were poor, particularly given the timing. Conducting the press conference this way created the appearance that an NHL head coach was avoiding questions from independent reporters after his team suffered its ninth loss in 10 games.

The perception of a coach hiding from the media does not fully reflect what happened, though. According to the Kraken communications department, the decision was made independently by them, and the organization maintains that Lambert was unaware of the altered plan for the availability. “Support for Lane was the basis of it, but it wasn’t because we didn’t want to give others a chance [to ask questions].”

Since then, the Kraken PR staff has engaged in damage control, reaching out to reporters who were present—and others who were not present but who contacted the team for an explanation—to offer apologies and provide context for the decision.

“It doesn’t reflect what we’re trying to do in Seattle as a new team and trying to make inroads with a new market and build relationships with media,” the team employee said. “It doesn’t represent what we’re all about, and so we’ve spent the day… we own the decision, obviously. And we’ve all made decisions we’d wish we’d done differently, and that was definitely one of them. And we spent much of last night and today connecting with— hopefully we’ve reached all the reporters who were in the room last night… There’s a long list of reasons why that just wasn’t the right call.”

It is clear the Kraken communications department is taking the misstep seriously and is remorseful for how the situation was handled.

“It’s not who we are as a communications team.”

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 Kraken acknowledge mistake after restricting Lane Lambert’s post-game press conference appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/1...ing-lane-lamberts-post-game-press-conference/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken trade Mason Marchment to Columbus Blue Jackets for draft picks

Mason Marchment, we hardly knew ye. The Seattle Kraken traded the 6-foot-5 winger to the Columbus Blue Jackets late Friday, mere minutes ahead of the NHL’s holiday roster freeze. In return, the Kraken received a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2026 fourth-round draft pick, a slightly better return than the 2025 fourth-rounder and 2026 third-rounder that Seattle sent to Dallas to acquire him over the offseason.

“I’d like to thank Mason for his contributions to our club, and we wish him and his family all the best in Columbus,” general manager Jason Botterill said via press release. “This trade gives us more draft capital and flexibility as we look to improve our team moving forward.”

Despite coach Lane Lambert utilizing Marchment in a high-leverage role, things just never really got going during his short tenure in Seattle. He posted four goals and nine assists in 29 games but also led the Kraken forwards in giveaways and—based on our Twitter mentions almost every single night—was not exactly beloved by the fanbase.

The transaction also suggests the team was not overly enamored with his sometimes lackadaisical performance. Trading him in the midst of Losing Streak Cynthia, when the Kraken have lost 10 of their last 11, and with Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, Brandon Montour, and Berkly Catton all out with injuries, tells you everything you need to know about how the organization viewed him. There was clearly no interest in bringing him back after his contract expires following this season.

There were some good moments for Marchment with the Kraken, like his Opening Night goal against the Anaheim Ducks and his two-goal game against the Utah Mammoth a week ago. But the highlights were few and far between, and he also had some brutal gaffes and seemed to lose the puck for no particular reason multiple times per game.

He was also at the center of several on-ice controversies, including after he blew up Darnell Nurse against Edmonton on Nov. 29 and wouldn’t answer the proverbial bell. That sequence led to the Oilers chasing him around and taking runs at other players, including Catton.

Here's the root of the disagreement. Mason Marchment leveled Darnell Nurse from behind. Adam Henrique challenged him, but he wouldn't accept a fight.

Marchment was also right in the middle of the extended conversation between the teams at the end of the 1st period. #SeaKraken https://t.co/yF1TXjNIdg pic.twitter.com/ts41eRxWv6

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

Seattle lost that game 4-0, and Marchment was then not in the lineup for the rematch on Dec. 4 due to a mysterious “injury.” Edmonton got its vengeance on the Kraken with a 9-4 drubbing in that one, and we never did find out the designation on that injury…

The most recent bit of controversy came when Marchment got into a post-whistle tussle with Josh Manson in Seattle’s 5-3 loss to Colorado on Tuesday, throwing gloved punches at the Avalanche defenseman and inciting a full-line brouhaha. When Manson dropped his gloves, Marchment appeared to shy away. In the ensuing chaos, Brandon Montour did drop his gloves and started pounding away on Brent Burns. Montour later left the game with an injury and was unavailable on Thursday.

Marchment did deliver two unforgettable moments, though:

Just an all-time goal celebration from Mason Marchment. #SeaKraken broadcast doing him dirty with the reverse angle here. pic.twitter.com/Zds666dQro

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) November 23, 2025

GOT HIM! pic.twitter.com/mzKwTtTyEj

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

With Seattle now in last place in the Pacific Division and seven points out of a playoff spot, is this an indication the team is officially in sell mode? Heck, are the Kraken in tank mode, even? Or does the front office view this as addition by subtraction—moving on from a player that simply wasn’t working out here?

Check back to Sound Of Hockey for more analysis on the Mason Marchment trade in the coming days…

The post Kraken trade Mason Marchment to Columbus Blue Jackets for draft picks appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/1...ent-to-columbus-blue-jackets-for-draft-picks/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Resetting Seattle Kraken draft capital after the Mason Marchment trade

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week and next, these will be slimmed-down “holiday” updates. I expect to return with fully loaded reports from the World Junior Championship and a mid-season Kraken prospect ranking as we move into the new year.

In the interim, we’ll still bring you all of the Down on the Farm content you’ve come to expect, including news from around the organization, weekly and season-to-date data updates, all-shifts videos, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, a preview of the week ahead, and more.

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

More information on the Mason Marchment deal​

NHL trade rumors ticked up this past week as the league approached two milestones. The first was the “Roster Freeze.” From midnight ET Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, through midnight ET on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, teams would not be able to make trades, place players on waivers, or loan players—with the exception of transactions made necessary by injuries (i.e., emergency recalls) or the activation of players off injured lists.

The second marker was 75 days before the March 6, 2026, NHL Trade Deadline—which fell on Dec. 21, 2025. Why was this date important? A new CBA rule restricting multiple salary-retention transactions on a contract within 75 days meant that if a player was going to be moved to a contender at the deadline with up to 75 percent of his salary “retained” by other clubs, a first trade involving that player would need to be completed by Dec. 21. In reality, due to the Holiday Roster Freeze, this meant the deal needed to get done by the end of the day on Friday.

As it turns out, we didn’t see any moves involving salary retention on Friday, but we did see two NHL players moved before the Roster Freeze. The Los Angeles Kings traded Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens. And the Seattle Kraken dealt Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It’s often apocryphal to regard a deal announced close to a deadline as a “last-minute deal.” In this case, though, it seems the deal really did come together in the waning moments before the Roster Freeze. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the Kraken and Blue Jackets did not begin discussions in earnest until Kraken GM Jason Botterill called Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell at 8:00 pm ET on Friday, Dec. 19. After three hours of negotiations, the teams placed the trade call formalizing the transaction at 11:22 pm ET.

While Marchment had a 10-team no-trade list, the Blue Jackets were not on the list.

As mentioned, there was no salary retention involved in the deal. Seattle has all three retention slots available as the team moves toward the deadline. This is relevant if the Kraken become true deadline sellers, with veterans on expiring contracts like Jamie Oleksiak, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Eeli Tolvanen potentially available.

The Seattle Kraken have significant draft capital to make upgrades​

There has been some (slight) confusion about the return for Mason Marchment. All reports agree the Kraken received a fourth-round pick originally held by the New York Rangers—acquired by the Blue Jackets in the Jack Roslovic deal—in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, as well as a 2027 second-round pick. Reports differ as to whether the Kraken received Columbus’s 2027 second-round pick or a 2027 second-round pick that originally belonged to the Minnesota Wild.

The trade history is a bit complicated, but I believe I’ve gotten to the bottom of it with the help of PuckPedia. Columbus acquired the Wild pick in a 2024 transaction that sent David Jiricek to Minnesota, giving the Blue Jackets two second-rounders. Columbus then traded the lower of those two 2027 second-round picks to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal for Miles Wood over the summer. Under the terms of that deal, however, if Columbus traded the other pick in the interim, the Avalanche would receive that pick instead (regardless of whether it ultimately ended up being higher or lower).

Since the Kraken’s official social media account indicated the team obtained Columbus’s own second-rounder, we can surmise that Columbus will be sending that pick to Seattle and Minnesota’s pick to Colorado. With Minnesota primed to be a Stanley Cup contender for the next two years, this could be a meaningful difference.

Following the deal, the Kraken now have eight picks—four in the first round and four in the second round—across the next two drafts. In addition to its own first-round picks, Seattle has first-rounders originally assigned to Tampa Bay in each of the next two drafts. In addition to its own second-round picks, Seattle has second-rounders from Columbus and the Winnipeg Jets in 2027.

This gives the team ample latitude to make an aggressive move for a top-of-the-lineup player if such an opportunity comes along, without disrupting its prospect pipeline. And this is before potential transactions involving expiring veteran contracts at the deadline.

Notes on three more Kraken prospects​

Jake O’Brien | F | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)​

After a week of camp and one pre-tournament game, Team Canada announced its skater cuts, effectively finalizing its World Juniors roster of forwards and defensemen—absent an unexpected late assignment from an NHL team. Unfortunately for Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien, he was among those released from camp.

We had previewed this as a possibility when he was skating with a “spare parts” line during camp that included a likely cut (and Brantford teammate) in Marek Vanacker. It is still likely to be a disappointment for O’Brien. He is unquestionably one of Canada’s 12 most skilled forwards, but he has struggled to produce on the national stage in the past.

From my vantage point, O’Brien plays a game that can seem fairly “quiet” for several shifts until he suddenly unlocks two or three high-danger scoring chances with his passing and hockey IQ.

It’s unsurprising that O’Brien would not necessarily impress in a camp setting, but if a lack of camp impact was the reason he was cut, it feels short-sighted. It sure would be a shame if that came back to haunt Team Canada.

O’Brien still projects to figure prominently on next year’s World Juniors team, when he will be 19 years old.

Alexis Bernier | D | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMHL)​

Though he is still recovering from summer ACL reconstruction surgery, Alexis Bernier was traded from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens on Friday, Dec. 19.

The Saguenéens are a top QMJHL team this season and have significant playoff aspirations. The return in draft capital was substantial, and there was no indication in the reporting that the picks were “conditional” on Bernier’s return to the ice. This creates the impression that there is optimism for Bernier’s return toward the end of the QMJHL season, even if there is no official timeline yet.

As always with junior trades, the trade of Bernier’s QMJHL rights has no impact on his status with the Kraken. Seattle retains his NHL rights as an unsigned 2024 third-round pick.

Visa Vedenpää | G | Kärpät (Liiga)​

We noted last week that Vedenpää had not played in nearly a month while serving as the backup goaltender for Kärpät. The team finally got him some work on Tuesday of last week, assigning him to Hermes, a team in the second-tier Finnish league, Mestis. Vedenpää stopped 33 of 36 shots on goal, but Hermes fell by a 3–2 score.

Kraken prospects data update​

Forward Barrett Hall scored a goal and added two assists for the St. Cloud State Huskies last weekend, which was enough to earn him Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week in a relatively quiet seven-day stretch for Seattle’s prospect pool.

O’Brien and Nathan Villeneuve are second and fifth, respectively, in the OHL in points per game. Both project as NHL pieces for the Kraken (or elsewhere).

In addition to a solid Liiga start, Kim Saarinen drew a start in a World Juniors pre-tournament game for Finland on Friday, Dec. 19. He stopped 14 of 17 shots in a Finland win over Germany. It remains to be determined if he will see time in net when the real games begin.

After a slow start due to injury, Nikke Kokko has assumed a true starter workload for Coachella Valley over the last few weeks, starting nine of the Firebirds’ last 11 games.

Highlight of the Week​

It hasn’t been a great season for Eduard Sale, but every once in a while, he’ll still flash the skill level that made him a first-round pick.

SALE WITH THE POWERPLAY GOAL AND TO TIE THE GAME

3-3 pic.twitter.com/GsHfYLEw60

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) December 20, 2025

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Jagger Firkus, Julius Miettinen, Kim Saarinen

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

Previewing the week ahead​

With a light holiday schedule ahead, we’ll give our Deep Sea Hockey Games of the Week to World Juniors pre-tournament matchups currently underway. You can watch them (with a monthly subscription) on USAHockey.tv.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Tynan Lawrence​

Tynan Lawrence’s stock has risen from potential top-15 pick to potential threat for the No. 1 overall pick, despite being slowed by injury for much of the fall. For many, Lawrence is the clear top center in the draft, with his primary appeal coming from his skating and two-way skill. Lawrence has been a volume scorer in the USHL, but the overall offensive skill is a tick below the level of a Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg.

Recent prospect updates​

December 13, 2025: Ryan Jankowski talks Kraken prospects

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 – Resetting Seattle Kraken draft capital after the Mason Marchment trade appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/2...raft-capital-after-the-mason-marchment-trade/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways: Kraken beat Sharks 4-2 to end skid

The Losing Streak Cynthia is in the books!! Seattle put together a strong third period and earned its first regulation win in a month. The last regulation win came Nov. 20 against Chicago.

Eeli Tolvanen and Chandler Stephenson each recorded two-point nights, with a goal and an assist. Stephenson extended his career-best point streak to eight games, with five goals and four assists during the run. The Kraken are 2-6 in that span, but this win offered a needed step forward.

Here are three takeaways.

Takeaway #1: Kraken on their heels in the first​

Coming into the game, the Kraken were 1-9-1 in their previous 11 games. Facing a division rival and sitting seven points behind the Sharks and the final wild-card spot, urgency was expected. Instead, Seattle allowed four Grade A chances in the first five minutes.

Four really tough shots on Joey Daccord in the first 5 minutes of this game, but he's stood tall so far. #SeaKraken looking messy on the defensive end…

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

Seattle did push back and outshot San Jose 17-12 in the period, but the overall play remained shaky. One bright spot was the penalty kill, which handled two minor penalties with ease. That momentum did not carry over, as the Sharks converted on their next powerplay in the second period on a goal from Adam Gaudette.

Sharks tie it on the power play. Starts with a face-off loss for Freddy Gaudreau. Celebrini's shot hits bodies and pinballs to Adam Gaudette for a tap-in.

1-1 pic.twitter.com/ZzxWSXERha

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

According to MoneyPuck, San Jose posted 1.61 expected goals in the first period compared to Seattle’s 0.80. It was a poor start, but the Kraken escaped the period tied 0-0.

Takeaway #2: Joey Daccord is a beast​

The only reason the game remained scoreless through the first period was Daccord. He turned aside high-danger chances and consistently kept Seattle in the game. Daccord finished the night with 3.41 goals saved above expected.

One of his superpowers is puck handling. On Seattle’s lone powerplay, San Jose cleared the zone and headed off for a line change. Daccord recovered the puck and fired it to Freddy Gaudreau at the far blue line, creating a scoring chance that Yaroslav Askarov was able to stop.

Daccord closed the night with 35 saves, a .946 save percentage, and the win. Without his performance, this outcome would not have been possible. The defense struggled in the first two periods, but confidence in the goaltender allowed the Kraken to stay committed to the game plan.

Joey doing Joey things. Stretches out for a toe save to keep the Kraken up 3–2 with 3:42 remaining. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/j471L0PocR

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

Takeaway #3: Third-period response​

After practice, captain Jordan Eberle said, “I look at [the 9 losses], I think we are tied or leading in the third period in like six of them.”

That trend nearly continued. Seattle entered the third tied 1-1, but the Sharks took the lead just 36 seconds in. Collin Graf picked off a Vince Dunn pass, put the puck on net, and watched his shot hit the post, then Daccord, before crossing the line.

Collin Graf makes it 2–1 Sharks as the puck pinballs around, hits the post, then caroms off Joey Daccord and into the net. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/1ySOZIdGn5

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

Kraken fans braced for another third-period collapse. Instead, Seattle responded with two goals in a span of 2:32 to take a 3-2 lead. Neither goal was flashy. Both came from defensemen simply getting pucks through traffic.

Ryker Evans tied the game by holding the blue line and snapping a wrist shot on net. Ryan Lindgren followed with his first goal as a Kraken and the eventual game-winner, taking a pass from Stephenson and firing a wrist shot from the top of the circle.

3-2 #SeaKraken

Lindgren has been playing very well of late and gets on the scoresheet as a reward with his first w/SEA.

Stephenson's primary helper sets a new career high 8-game point streak pic.twitter.com/espNChXYfK

— Alison (@AlisonL) December 21, 2025

Seattle tightened defensively over the final 15 minutes and slowed the game down. Stephenson added an empty-net goal to seal the 4-2 win and finally end Losing Streak Darren, I mean Cynthia.

Next up​

This was not Seattle’s sharpest game during the current stretch, but it was effective. The Kraken kept the game close, leaned on strong goaltending, and capitalized in the third period. Improvements are still needed on the penalty kill and in defensive coverage to reduce pressure on Daccord.

The Kraken are off Sunday before continuing their California road trip. They face Anaheim on Monday and Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Blaiz Grubic​

Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.

Read more from Blaiz

The post Three Takeaways: Kraken beat Sharks 4-2 to end skid appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/20/three-takeaways-kraken-beat-sharks-4-2-to-end-skid/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Fleet – Dec 21

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The post Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Fleet – Dec 21 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/21/photo-gallery-torrent-vs-fleet-dec-21/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: A pulse amid the plunge?

The Seattle Kraken, at least momentarily, ended their skid Saturday night with a gutsy 4–2 win over the San Jose Sharks. It’s been a grueling four‑week stretch, 10 losses in 11 games, and while the Kraken haven’t played outright poor hockey, their issues run deeper than bad luck. Injuries, a thin roster, and too many nights where the opponent simply had more have all caught up to them. Saturday didn’t fix everything, but it did give them a bit of reprieve from this brutal stretch.

Playing tight games​

Regardless of what the record says, the Kraken have been competitive all season. As rough as the last several weeks have been, they’re still keeping games close and giving themselves a chance. Their last eight games have all been decided by one goal, and they’ve played 25 one‑goal games this season when you exclude empty-netters, second most in the league behind the Los Angeles Kings.

A great example came last Tuesday against the best team in the league, the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken went toe-to-toe with them and entered the third period with a one‑goal lead before Colorado flipped the game with two goals (plus an empty-netter) in the final frame. In the first 20-plus games of the season, that game almost certainly would have reached overtime and earned Seattle at least a point. But that just isn’t happening right now. In their first 23 games, the Kraken reached overtime 10 times; over their last 10, they’ve made it to the extra frame just once.

They mentioned this on the postgame show Saturday night: when Vince Dunn turned the puck over deep in the Kraken zone, leading to San Jose’s go‑ahead goal early in the third, it felt like another “here we go again” moment. But the Kraken responded less than a minute and a half later to tie it, and suddenly the energy shifted. A few minutes after that, Ryan Lindgren scored his first as a Kraken, the eventual game‑winner.

Departure of Mason Marchment​

As you probably know by now, the Kraken shipped off Mason Marchment on Friday for a couple of draft picks from Columbus. There was some excitement about Marchment providing additional depth scoring, but that never materialized. Coming into the season, I thought it was reasonable to expect around 20 goals from him, roughly 0.25 per game. Instead, he managed just four goals in 29 games (0.14 per game). He also struggled defensively, leading Kraken forwards in turnovers and penalties taken.

His Kraken legacy pic.twitter.com/6YcIZiCSNI

— g (@krakenisles) December 20, 2025

Considering the drop‑off in performance, it’s actually impressive that Seattle got more in return than what they paid for him in the offseason.

More trades to come?​

Given how the season has gone, a lot of fans are expecting, or demanding, a sell‑off of veteran players. As always, the team will listen to all inquiries, but there’s no rush. The trade market doesn’t really heat up until about 30 days before the deadline. If the Kraken do become sellers, and right now that seems likely, they’ll want as many teams in the mix as possible to drive up demand. Some clubs don’t yet know whether they’re buyers or sellers, and others may develop deeper needs as the deadline approaches.

The other side of the equation is prospect readiness. You don’t want to bring up players who aren’t ready for the NHL, and right now there aren’t many in Coachella Valley who are prepared for full‑time roles. Rushing them would be detrimental to their development.

Other musings​

• The Kraken have the same number of standings points as they did at this time last season.
• When Seattle scored the empty‑netter against San Jose on Saturday with 1:30 left, it was their first two‑goal lead since Nov. 15, also against San Jose. They’ve held a two-plus-goal lead for just 4.4 percent of their total game time this season, the lowest rate in the NHL.
• One encouraging trend: special teams. The penalty kill hasn’t been perfect, but over the last seven games it’s operating at 80 percent after sitting at a league‑worst 64.8 percent prior. The power play has also surged, converting at 30 percent over the same stretch after sitting at 17 percent for the season.

• Seattle averages 0.65 points per game when scoring first and just 0.31 when allowing the first goal.
• In case you missed it, Brandon Montour is out four weeks. Add it to the long list of significant injuries this season. Montour is second on the team in time on ice and has often dragged the Kraken back into games. Injuries happen to everyone, but when they hit your best players, the impact is brutal.

Brandon Montour out approximately four weeks after hand surgery, per @SeattleKrakenPR.

Got injured in the below brouhaha. https://t.co/sfuIsVGNDp

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 22, 2025

• It was great to see the Torrent open the 100 level and Space Needle Lounge for Sunday’s game versus the Boston Fleet. Seattle is averaging the second‑highest attendance in the league this season.

Goal of the week​

Regular readers and Sound Of Hockey listeners know how much I love this kid:

WHAT A GOAL BY OSCAR MOLGAARD. HIS 5TH OF THE SEASON AND GIVING THE BIRDS BACK THE LEAD

3-2 pic.twitter.com/xdXmUdevH1

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) December 18, 2025

By the way, the Kraken are 2‑0‑0 with Molgaard in the lineup.

Player performances​

Chandler Stephenson (SEA) – Riding a four‑game goal streak with five points in his last four. He also has points in eight straight.
Jagger Firkus (CVF/SEA) – Five points in two weekend games. He has 13 goals in 26 games after scoring 15 in 69 last season.
Nathan Villeneuve (SBY/SEA) – Eight points in his last four games. He has 14 multi‑point games and is on pace for 98 points in the OHL.

The week ahead​

The Kraken face a dreaded back‑to‑back with games against the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, starting Monday night in Anaheim. Both teams sit ahead of Seattle in the standings, but the Kraken have beaten each of them once already this season. Nothing is easy for Seattle right now, but both the Ducks and Kings look more vulnerable than their records suggest. Anaheim is 5‑5‑0 in its last 10 and has been giving up goals in bunches. The Kings are 4‑2‑4 and struggling to score. If there’s ever a good time to face these teams, this might be it.

After the holiday break, the Kraken return home to face the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday the 28th. The Flyers have lost four of their last five but reached overtime in four of those games, including two against Carolina.

Given how Seattle has been playing, grabbing three of six possible points this week would be solid. But if they can snag three of the four points available against Pacific Division teams, that would be a real confidence boost, and a sign that this slump might finally be ending.

And finally…​

There’s plenty of other hockey to enjoy this week. The Seattle Torrent play one more home game this month when they host Marie‑Philip Poulin and the Montreal Victoire on Tuesday night at Climate Pledge. After the break, they head to Dallas for their first Takeover Tour game against the New York Sirens. Both games will air locally on Fox 13+ and YouTube (though you wouldn’t know it from the PWHL schedule page).

World Juniors also kicks off Friday. The Kraken will be represented on at least three teams (Finland, Sweden, and Czechia) and possibly a fourth if Blake Fiddler sticks with Team USA. Regardless of who you’re rooting for, the tournament is always a blast. All games will air on NHL Network, which is getting harder to find with the current streaming landscape.

This column will likely take next week off, but the hockey certainly won’t. Between the Torrent’s final home game of the month, the Takeover Tour stop in Dallas, and a World Juniors tournament loaded with Kraken prospects, there’s plenty to keep Seattle fans entertained through the holidays. It’s been a chaotic, injury‑riddled, occasionally maddening calendar year for the Kraken, and hopefully this team can turn the page with the new calendar year. Thanks for reading, for riding the waves with me, and for making this space such a fun one to write in. Enjoy the holidays — we’ll pick things back up in the new year.

The post Monday Musings: A pulse amid the plunge? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/22/kraken-show-a-pulse/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Eberle scores twice, Kraken win 3-1 over Ducks, Vince Dunn injured

The Seattle Kraken continued reconstructing some positive feelings in their locker room Monday with a 3-1 win over the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks, frustrating them into submission with stellar goaltending and opportunistic scoring.

Jordan Eberle scored twice, Freddy Gaudreau scored once, and Philipp Grubauer was outstanding to help Seattle to its second straight win on the heels of a miserable 1-9-1 run.

Coach Lane Lambert credited the fourth line of Tye Kartye, Ben Meyers, and Jacob Melanson for helping turn the tide of a game that was often dominated by Anaheim but remained anybody’s contest until very late.

“They turned it around for us in the third period,” Lambert said. “A couple of great shifts, a couple of big hits, got us emotionally involved. And I thought that between them and Philipp Grubauer, it’s probably the main reason why we won the game.”

So that was nice… but… the Kraken’s already long injured list apparently added yet another member on Monday.

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

Takeaway #1: What a game for Grubi​

It’s no coincidence that in these two straight wins over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and the Ducks on Monday, the Kraken have gotten stellar goaltending from Joey Daccord and Grubauer.

The German Gentleman was razor sharp against Anaheim, making the saves he was supposed to make while also coming up with some acrobatic stops that he had no business making. Lambert called Grubauer Seattle’s “best player” in the game.

In all, Grubauer stopped 39 of 40 shots, his highest total of the season.

“I mean, it’s not ideal [having that many shots],” Grubauer said. “Like in the second period, I don’t think we got too much going. And we sat back a little bit, so we definitely learned from that. But we stick together. Kartsy, obviously, huge hit, guys stepping up for each other, that’s huge, and we found a way to play it the right way in the last period there.”

Considering back-to-backs have been a massive challenge for this club over the last season and a half, getting a performance like this from Grubauer in the first of two games in two nights—with Joey ready to back the boys when they’re on tired legs Tuesday in Los Angeles—sets the team up for (potential) success.

Takeaway #2: A big night for Eberle​

While the Kraken got caved in on most statistical metrics in this game, they won a classic bend-don’t-break type of contest. Freddy Gaudreau broke the ice at 4:49 of the second period with a power-play goal after Chandler Stephenson drove to the net and drew a penalty. With the puck pinballing around Lukas Dostal, Kaapo Kakko and Shane Wright both took whacks at it before it landed on Gaudreau’s stick, and he lofted it past the prone Ducks netminder for his second goal of the season.

After Mikael Granlund tied the game 1-1 at 15:40 of the second, captain Jordan Eberle took it from there.

Midway through the third period, Eberle struck for his first of two goals. Off a quickly developing 3-on-2 rush with his recently tweaked line alongside Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko, Kakko sent a rushed, fluttering chip pass to Beniers. Beniers made a spectacular play to bat it down and somehow corral it in time to slide it over to Eberle. Eberle delayed and got Dostal to drop down, then sniped it over his shoulder against the grain.

O, CAPTAIN!

Off a rush with Beniers, Jordan Eberle goes top corner and gives the #SeaKraken a 2-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/gkoPq4us6J

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 23, 2025

Eberle followed that up with an empty-netter at 19:24 of the third to seal the win.

Takeaway #3: Vince Dunn injured?​

It is bonkers how many injuries this team has had this season. What started with injuries to key players like Stephenson, Kakko, and Ryker Evans in training camp has slowly evolved throughout the season, with important pieces going into and out of the lineup like there’s a revolving door into the injured ward.

It was announced Monday morning that one of Seattle’s top two offensive defensemen, Brandon Montour, would miss four weeks after hand surgery stemming from his fight in defense of the now-traded Mason Marchment. Montour joined McCann, Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, and Matt Murray on the shelf.

But would you believe me if I told you that Vince Dunn—Seattle’s other top offensive defenseman—may now be injured as well? He got blindsided in the second period and appeared to run face-first into Ross Johnston’s shoulder pad. After standing on the ice for a moment at the stoppage, Dunn flipped his lid. He kicked the door, broke his stick on the dasher, nearly took off the heads of Joey Daccord, equipment manager James Stuckey, and a random security guard, then threw a bag down the hallway and finally exited the game.

Vince Dunn left the game after this and did not return.

All-time meltdown from him before heading down the tunnel.

Add him to the injury list that already includes Jared McCann, Brandon Montour, Jaden Schwartz, Berkly Catton, and Matt Murray. Crazy. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/BXV31SWq6p

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 23, 2025

We wondered recently how the Kraken could survive without Montour. How can they survive without Dunn or Montour?

Bonus Takeaway: The Kraken are 2-0-0 since Mason Marchment was traded​

Since the hockey world is abuzz with Marchment’s hot start with the Columbus Blue Jackets—three goals in his first two games since the trade—we’ll simply note that Seattle has won both of its games since the deal.

One side benefit has been Kakko elevating onto the top line. Kakko had been working well with Shane Wright and Jani Nyman, but he looks even better alongside Beniers and Eberle.

“[Kaapo is] working, he makes plays, he holds onto pucks,” Lambert said. “It’s a good spot for him. I hadn’t seen him in that spot prior to a couple games ago, and it’s been a good change for him to get up there and those guys to have him there.”

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Eberle scores twice, Kraken win 3-1 over Ducks, Vince Dunn injured appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/2...kraken-win-3-1-over-ducks-vince-dunn-injured/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The Current: Torrent up and down since the international break

The Torrent recorded the franchise’s first win in exciting fashion, beating the New York Sirens 2-1 on Dec. 17. Following the game, many of Seattle’s stars were absent from practice, joining their countries for the international break. Most of them went to Edmonton and played in the final two games of the Rivalry Series. The remaining players stayed put and kept practicing hard. Coach Steve O’Rourke specifically called out the Torrent’s first-round draft pick Jenna Buglioni as having taken some steps given the extended practice opportunity.

Torrent vs. Charge Game Recap – 12.17​

The team’s first game back after the break was a bottom-of-the-table clash, the seventh place Torrent taking on the eighth place Ottawa Charge. The Charge came to Seattle on a back-to-back after a 2-1 loss to Vancouver the day prior.

O’Rourke called both teams “snake bitten” at the pre-game press conference, saying that they both have the ability to score more, and haven’t shown it yet.

This was the first game back from injury for former Charge defender Aneta Tejralová, who was in Czechia playing with her national team during the break. O’Rourke said having her back in the lineup gave the locker room confidence and that she brought energy and fun to the ice every day.

Wanting to get rookie goalie Hannah Murphy more experience, O’Rourke tapped her as the starter for the second time. The Charge also started their rookie goalie, Sanni Ahola, for the first time.

Hannah Bilka takes a shot against the Charge. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Period 1​

Murphy was put to the test early but stayed solid. Her team helped her out by making some good blocks. The Charge had most of the momentum in the first, but the Torrent had moments of good possession. Despite Ottawa’s 13 shots on goal to Seattle’s seven, the Torrent ended the period up 1-0. Julia Gosling netted a power-play goal on a beautiful cross-ice pass in the last 30 seconds.

Period 2​

The Torrent came out strong in the second period and scored on an early power play. Alex Carpenter put up both of the period’s goals by providing a strong net-front presence. Momentum shifted as the period went on, though, and Seattle was lucky not to concede on a few dangerous chances at the end of the second.

Period 3​

Lots of penalties came early in the third, with Seattle’s PK being tested often. The game stayed physical from start to finish, and Hannah Bilka scored her first ever goal in a Torrent jersey on the empty net. In the last minute of the game, Rebecca Leslie scored for the Charge, ruining Hannah Murphy’s clean sheet.

Post-Game Thoughts​

Overall, the team seemed to be jelling in this one, making fewer mistakes and missed passes than in previous games.

Bottom-six center Mikyla Grant-Mentis stood out to me this game, making several shot blocks and playing hard against the boards. Second-line center Danielle Serdachny also stood out, coming up with some clutch shot blocks and drawing penalties throughout.

Torrent vs. Fleet Game Recap – 12.11​

Boston came into Seattle with a single loss on their record. O’Rourke complimented their elite level of play, and emphasized that Seattle would have to work on keeping them away from the net front. He said they had been putting an emphasis on a strong box out and getting under sticks.

O’Rourke called out Lexie Adzija before the game, saying: “I make sure she’s our first penalty killer.” He said he thinks she has developed an identity here, and wasn’t sure she had that in Boston.

Hannah Bilka came into this one with her first ever back-to-back multi-point games in the PWHL. Coach pointed to her time with USA Hockey as a reason for her increased confidence. He said, “She is an elite winger picking up pucks off the wall,” and he said teams should fear when that line starts scoring.

When asked if the plan for the goalie situation was a 1A/1B with Schroeder and Murphy, he agreed. But he was also quick to put his trust in third goaltender CJ Jackson, saying he would be comfortable with them starting. O’Rourke said all three were amazing, and brought different skill sets, and gave credit to CJ “[they are] starting to make improvements…holding onto pucks.”

Corrine Schroeder in action against the Fleet. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Period 1​

The game started with early chances on both ends. Boston struck first with a goal directly from a face-off. The Torrent had good possession at the start of the period and set a physical and scrappy tone. Seattle killed one penalty and then went to the power play twice. The Fleet also had the first jailbreak goal at CPA. Despite ending the period down 2-0, goalie Corinne Schroeder made some great saves for the Torrent, and the first ever Schroeder chants came after a huge stop on a Fleet shorthanded breakaway.

Period 2​

Boston started the second period with momentum. The Torrent had some good chances, but Boston had better ones, and forced Schroeder to make multiple point-blank saves. Jenna Buglioni was checked into the boards and was down on the ice. Seattle’s continued issues clearing the zone worsened in the second.

Period 3​

Schroeder continued to stand on her head for Seattle. The third was relatively sedate without many chances. Hilary Knight got the crowd on their feet when she sat down a Fleet skater in open ice, but Boston capitalized on the resulting power play. The fans, at least, had one thing to cheer for, as a late goal for the Torrent came from a beauty of a tip by Jessie Eldridge off a shot from Tejralová.

Postgame Thoughts​

I think this game was the Torrent’s worst effort so far, with the only bright spot for Seattle being Schroeder’s performance. Despite the result, after the game she claimed to be having fun and was “in a flow state.” Hannah Bilka also stood out as playing tough and scrappy against her former team.

After the game the players praised the huge turnout (over 11,000) and the fans for giving them energy throughout the game, despite the poor performance.

The Torrent look to turn things around quickly with a game Tuesday against the second place Montreal Victoire.

The post The Current: Torrent up and down since the international break appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/23/the-current-torrent-up-and-down-since-the-international-break/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – California dreaming for the Seattle Kraken

The Kraken closed out their four‑game road trip through Calgary and California with the kind of gritty, resilient win that was a staple of this team in the early stages of the season, edging the Kings 3–2 to complete the first three-game Golden State sweep in franchise history.

All three victories came in regulation against teams sitting above Seattle in the standings, a detail that matters a lot more than it sounds. And on top of that, the Kraken finally snapped their long‑running curse on the second half of back‑to‑backs, a streak that stretched all the way back to March 5, 2024. It wasn’t always pretty, and there were long stretches spent absorbing pressure, but Seattle’s structure held, their depth delivered, and they flew home for the holiday break with six massive points in their pocket.

Takeaway 1: No Dunn, no Montour, no problem​

The Kraken walked into Los Angeles missing their top two defensemen and still found a way to clamp things down when it mattered. Vince Dunn’s late injury in Anaheim forced him out Tuesday, and with Brandon Montour already sidelined, Seattle needed someone to step into the void. Enter Ryker Evans.

Evans logged a season high 21:36 and carried 82 percent of the team’s power-play minutes. Evans always looks comfortable when taking an expanded role, and no game was probably bigger than Tuesday night. The team needed him to step up, and he delivered.

Seattle also got Berkly Catton back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 6. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he flashed the skill that makes him such an intriguing piece of the future. The little shake-and-go moves, the space creation, the confidence. Yes, there were turnovers. Yes, there was a penalty. But for a player jumping back in cold, it was an encouraging return.

And the fourth line? They were outstanding again. Tye Kartye, Ben Meyers, and Jacob Melanson continue to give Seattle honest, heavy minutes. Meyers’ goal stood up as the game winner, and he’s quietly become a reliable penalty-killing option. That line is earning every shift it gets.

Ben Meyers gets in on the party. Kraken 3-0…but LA would add a response goal…now 3-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/sijgHhouRa

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

Takeaway 2: Special teams is back​

Two weeks ago, the Kraken’s penalty kill was in freefall, giving up seven goals on eight opportunities over a brutal three-game stretch. Since then, the turnaround has been dramatic. Seattle has posted kill rates of 83.3 percent over the last eight games and 88.9 percent during the California swing, driven by a structural adjustment the team made earlier this month.

The power play has been just as impressive. With nine goals on their last 28 opportunities, Seattle is converting at 32.1 percent since Dec. 7, the third best mark in the NHL over that span.

O' captain my captain. Eberle gets the #SeaKraken on the board first. Kraken up 1-0 early in the second period. pic.twitter.com/8V86z5Io9k

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

Special teams were sinking this team earlier in the month. Now they’re helping to drag it back into relevance.

Takeaway 3: Just when we thought we were out, they pull us back in​

Let’s be clear: the Kraken still have a long climb ahead if they want to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. But sweeping the California teams — all in regulation, all above Seattle in the standings — is a massive step in the right direction.

The underlying numbers won’t blow anyone away. The Kings carried long stretches of play, and Seattle spent plenty of time weathering pressure. But the Kraken defended the interior, kept L.A. to the outside, and found timely goals despite missing four key players.

Help is coming, too. Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz are inching closer to returns, and their presence should give this team a much needed offensive jolt.

Three straight regulation wins against division opponents is enough to make things interesting again.

Odds and Ends​

• Seattle scored first in all three games and trailed for just 1:19 across the entire 180 minute trip.
• Tuesday marked the Kraken’s 27th one-goal game of the season (excluding empty netters), second only to the Kings.
• Eeli Tolvanen extended his points streak to five games, equaling a career best he set back in 2022-23.
• Jamie Oleksiak might have had his best game of the season. His defensive play led directly to the Ben Meyers goals, and he was stellar defensively.
• Goaltending has been outstanding for the Kraken lately. Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord have really carried them through these three games.
• And a quick nod to the Seattle Torrent, who held on for a tense one-goal win of their own against Montreal. For those of us running dual screens, those final 10 minutes were… not relaxing.

The post Three Takeaways – California dreaming for the Seattle Kraken appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/24/three-takeaways-california-dreaming-for-the-seattle-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Watching Kraken prospects at the 2026 World Junior Championship

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week, we have one more slim “holiday” update before returning with more standard columns next week. We’ll have actual updates from the World Junior Championship and a mid-season Kraken prospect ranking as we move into the new year. In the interim, we still have all the Kraken prospect content you’ve come to expect, including news from around the organization, weekly and season-to-date data updates, all-shifts videos, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, a preview of the week ahead, and more.

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

When and where to watch Kraken prospects at the 2026 WJC​

As is tradition, the hockey world’s attention turns to the World Juniors on this Boxing Day. The tournament has added significance for the United States this year, with the team looking for its third straight title—and this time on home turf in Minnesota. The team will face stiff competition, particularly from Team Canada and Team Sweden, which look like equal or superior contenders for gold. With Team Finland and Team Czechia also serious competitors, there should be plenty of drama.

From a Kraken prospects perspective, the team will have four players participating: Kim Saarinen and Julius Miettinen for Finland, Loke Krantz for Sweden, and Jakub Fibigr for Czechia. As we noted last week, Jake O’Brien was one of the last cuts from Team Canada camp. Likewise, when Team USA announced its final cuts on Wednesday, Dec. 24, defenseman Blake Fiddler was among them. Berkly Catton returned from injury this past week, but the Kraken opted not to loan him to Canada for the tournament.

All of this clears the road for Kraken fans to be low-key, unofficial Team Finland fans yet again. (This feels like an annual tradition dating back to Nikke Kokko and Jani Nyman’s time at the tournament.)

The United States and Sweden headline pool play Group A. Canada, Czechia, and Finland are in Group B. Play starts at 10:00 am PT on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, when Sweden takes on Slovakia. A full schedule, with team games involving Kraken prospects highlighted, can be found below. Almost every game can be found on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

For the U.S. cord cutters out there, NHL Network is a frustrating channel to access because it is only available through online cable bundles. The most cost-effective method I’ve found to get NHL Network for the World Juniors is to sign up for a month of Sling’s “Select” plan and then add the sports package. The total comes out to about $35.00 for the month in the Seattle area, though it can vary slightly in other markets.

Anyone have predictions? I suspect this may be the year Canada breaks its “skid” and reclaims gold.

Notes on four more Kraken prospects​

Jakub Fibigr | D | Team Czechia (WJC)​

Former Thunderbird Radim Mrtka suffered an apparent injury in the first period of Czechia’s first pre-tournament game and did not return. Now, Mrtka was left off the list of players Czechia registered for the tournament. While most teams list eight defensemen, Czechia listed only six. I suspect the team will add another blueliner at some point, but the path is clear for Fibigr to play heavy top-four minutes at the WJC. A big opportunity awaits him.

Maxim Agafonov | D | Tolpar Ufa (MHL)​

After getting a game of KHL action early in the season and playing most of the year at the second professional tier (VHL), 2025 fifth-rounder Maxim Agafonov has been moved down to the Russian junior league (MHL) in recent weeks. Agafonov is a skilled, puck-moving defenseman, but the offensive production has not been there this season against professionals. Whether he was overmatched or simply not getting the necessary opportunities to develop and deploy his offensive assets, a (temporary) move down may be for the best—even if it is a disappointment to the player.

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

Tyson Jugnauth has had a tale of two seasons so far. The Firebirds have relied on him to drive offense, and he has delivered. His 21 points are the most in the AHL among rookie blueliners—three more than the player with the second most. Defensively, the acclimation process has been difficult. His instincts and physicality both need to take significant steps for him to be a viable option for promotion.

In other news on the Firebirds blue line, Gustav Olofsson sounds primed to return this week after missing more than two months with an injury.

Jagger Firkus | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Jagger Firkus, 21, continues to be the essential offensive spark for the Firebirds. With two goals and three assists in two games last week, Firkus is your Sound Of Hockey Player of the Week. (This puts him alone in the lead for the “coveted” season-long honor, with three such weeks.)

Firkus leads the team and is tied for sixth in the AHL in total scoring points. That total is the most by any player 23 years old or younger. While there have been quiet games mixed in, it is now commonplace for Firkus to generate three or four high-danger looks for himself or a linemate each game. While there is still more that could be done, his board work has improved, particularly his ability to extract the puck and win one-on-one puck battles. His frame is, and will always be, slender, but he is finding a way to make it work for him—much like Matty Beniers has done at the NHL level. It’s starting to look more and more like a sheltered offensive winger role is in his future.

Kraken prospects data update​

Loke Krantz did not play any club games in the last week because he was participating in Team Sweden camp ahead of the WJC, but even so, he was a strong contender for an unconventional Player of the Week. A relatively obscure and underaged player to begin the year, he was not on my radar for Team Sweden. Earning a role as an 18-year-old on a team with gold medal aspirations is one of the more impressive achievements by any player in the Kraken organization this year.

Nathan Villeneuve proved last year that he could physically control a junior game, and this year he’s proving he can dominate offensively as well. He is fifth in the OHL in points per game, an all-the-more impressive achievement on a subpar Sudbury team that has only two players—Villeneuve and Kieron Walton—in the top 90 in scoring rate.

Semyon Vyazovoi is earning the starter’s share of games for his KHL team and continues to deliver solid results. He has done everything he can to earn an NHL contract and a timeshare in Coachella Valley next season.

Beyond the stats, Nikke Kokko has a knack for winning—often making his best saves at the most important moments. He is 6-1-2 in his last nine starts.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

3: Jagger Firkus

2: Julius Miettinen, Kim Saarinen

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

Previewing the week ahead​

We’ll give our Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week to the WJC matchup between Miettinen and Saarinen’s Team Finland and Fibigr’s Team Czechia at 12:30 pm PT on Monday, Dec. 29.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: William Håkansson​

William Håkansson is a big-framed defenseman with shutdown, play-killing ability and a ton of pro experience for a draft-eligible player—having played parts of two seasons in Sweden’s top professional league (SHL) already. Corey Pronman of The Athletic had a mid-first-round grade on Håkansson in his most recent prospect ranking. Håkansson will represent Sweden at the WJC.

Recent prospect updates​

December 20, 2025: Resetting Seattle Kraken draft capital after the Mason Marchment trade

December 13, 2025: Ryan Jankowski talks Kraken prospects

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 – Watching Kraken prospects at the 2026 World Junior Championship appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/2...spects-at-the-2026-world-junior-championship/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken take down Flyers, ride four-game streak back into playoff picture

Believe it or not, the Seattle Kraken have stormed their way right back into the playoff picture. While still on the outside, they’ve climbed to within a single point of the final wild-card spot, currently held by the San Jose Sharks, who actually have a lower points percentage than Seattle. The Kraken reached that position thanks to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, stretching their season-long win streak to four games and giving themselves their first named win streak of the season.

By the way, we heard back from the National Win Streak Service, and although I was hopeful we could call it Win Streak Darren, they have informed us that this streak is called Win Streak Caroline. We will explain the thought process of the NWSS on the next Sound Of Hockey Podcast.

In this game, the Kraken once again leaned on outstanding goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, plus the offensive production of their three hottest hands: Jordan Eberle, Chandler Stephenson, and Eeli Tolvanen (who potted not one, but two empty-net goals).

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

Takeaway 1: Tolvanen, Eberle, and Stephenson are rolling​

The lack of offensive production from the Kraken has been maddening for long stretches this season. The last few games haven’t been all that different in this area, but Seattle now has a few players who’ve gotten hot and are creating just enough offense to fuel the winning streak.

Eberle has four goals in his last three games, Tolvanen has points in six straight (3-7=10), and Stephenson has 12 points in 11 games (6-6=12), with his lone scoreless outing coming in Seattle’s 3-1 win at Anaheim on Dec. 22.

Eberle and Stephenson both scored pretty goals Sunday, with Stephenson’s coming directly off an outstanding play by Tolvanen.

On Eberle’s icebreaker at 3:48 of the second period, Matty Beniers—facing a 1-on-3 disadvantage at the blue line—drove low to buy time for Eberle and Kaapo Kakko to catch up. He then dished to Kakko in the right circle, and Kakko lofted a perfect saucer pass into Eberle’s wheelhouse. Eberle once again picked the top right corner.

O, CAPTAIN!

What a setup by Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko, and Jordan Eberle places his shot perfectly inside the post.

1-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/zseBdor8v8

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

“We’re just finding ways to score,” Eberle said. “I think on that goal, Matty did a good job, driving in and finding Kaapo, and then he did a great job finding me.”

Clinging to a 1-0 lead deep into the third period, it felt like the next goal would decide the game—and Tolvanen and Stephenson made sure it did.

After a stretch of back-and-forth in Seattle’s zone, Adam Larsson settled the puck and sent a forehand lob up and over everyone to the far blue line. It was too far for Tolvanen to sprint onto, but he didn’t quit on the play. Dan Vladar misplayed the puck behind his net, and Tolvanen beat Travis Sanheim to it, hit the brakes, one-handed the puck off the back of the net—sending Sanheim crashing into the boards—and found Stephenson streaking down the slot. Stephenson buried it for a 2-0 lead.

STEVIE DOES IT!

What a play by Eeli Tolvanen to bank the puck off the back of the net to himself, then feed Chandler Stephenson cruising down Lenny Wilkens Way.

2-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/zU265dTYJ0

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

“The biggest thing about the goal for me, and he’s been doing it all year long, is [Tolvanen] got in on the forecheck,” coach Lane Lambert said. “He separated the puck from the man and made a heads-up play to Stephenson in the slot. But he’s moving his feet, and he’s heavy on the forecheck.”

While no Kraken player will sniff the top of the NHL scoring charts, Eberle is now up to 14 goals, Stephenson has 10, and Tolvanen leads the team with 18 assists. Tolvanen also paces the Kraken with 25 points (7-18=25), while Eberle (14-10=24) and Stephenson (10-14=24) are tied for second in scoring.

Takeaway 2: McCann and Dunn return​

Jared McCann and Vince Dunn both returned to the lineup Sunday after injury-related absences of different lengths. Dunn missed just one game following a high hit by Ross Johnston in Anaheim, while McCann missed seven in his second extended absence of the season. It was only his 12th game of the campaign, which has been derailed by two separate lower-body injuries.

“It’s kind of tough,” McCann said. “Obviously, this is the first time in my career I’ve kind of gone through something like this. Mentally, it’s been tough, but I’ve got great teammates here who’ve been supportive with me, and I’m just trying to make it through a game at this point. So, I’m looking forward to the future.”

I liked McCann’s shooting mentality in this one—any time he found himself in a position to put the puck on net, he didn’t hesitate—but there were also some miscues between him and linemates Shane Wright and Berkly Catton.

“I thought we had some good chances,” McCann said. “Obviously, Cats made some good plays tonight; you can see the offense coming for him. And me and Wrighter are still trying to work with each other and create good offense.”

There were a few noticeable misfires, including a first-period 2-on-1 where Wright got handcuffed and couldn’t get a shot away. If that trio sticks together, expect the execution to improve in the coming games.

“I liked his performance,” Lambert said of McCann. “He adds an element that we need. I think that line becomes that much more dangerous right now. And I thought he did a lot of good things, thought he was good on the walls, made some heads-up plays, had some opportunities. So, obviously, he’s a key player for us, and it’s good to see him back.”

McCann finished with two shots on goal in 13:27 of ice time.

Takeaway 3: The PK (and Grubauer) came up huge​

Grubauer earned first-star honors, frustrating Flyers shooters into just one late, largely inconsequential goal that spoiled his bid for his first shutout of the season. He finished with 31 saves on 32 shots and improved to 6-3-1, with a 2.44 goals-against average and .917 save percentage—stellar numbers from a goalie who had never previously topped .900 in a Kraken uniform.

“The numbers are always a reflection of how the team plays,” Grubauer said. “So without the team in front of us, we couldn’t do this, right? The way we played, the way we blocked shots, boxed out, let us see the puck, the way we worked back in our zone as a five-man unit. Without that, it wouldn’t be possible [to have these stats].”

Grubauer was especially impactful during Seattle’s three penalty kills—twice in the opening period and once in the second after Catton jumped on early, and the Kraken were nabbed for too many men.

While Grubauer made a few acrobatic saves during those kills, the penalty killers deserve a ton of credit for eliminating seam passes and applying pressure up top.

I’ve written about it several times now, but the formation change has completely transformed this penalty kill, which bottomed out during Losing Streak Camille. The new diamond setup still stretches when the puck goes high, but it puts two players across the slot instead of one, and those two have worked in tandem to erase passing lanes and force perimeter shots.

By the way, Lambert was not thrilled with that too-many-men penalty, and I ended his presser on a sour note by asking why it bothered him so much.

Here’s why Lane Lambert got so mad about the too-many-men penalty. #SeaKraken https://t.co/6b5LL6jhhv pic.twitter.com/CO0WZXOSZE

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

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 take down Flyers, ride four-game streak back into playoff picture appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/2...e-four-game-streak-back-into-playoff-picture/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Flyers – Dec 28th

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Flyers – Dec 28th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/28/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-flyers-dec-28th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken lose 3-2 in shootout to Canucks

The Seattle Kraken came up just short on Monday, dropping a 3-2 decision in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks. Seattle was—without a doubt—the better team in this one, but while the Kraken generated oodles of offensive chances despite playing on tired legs, they only got two pucks behind goalie Kevin Lankinen.

Lankinen was outstanding with 37 saves through regulation and overtime and then stopped Freddy Gaudreau, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jordan Eberle in the shootout.

“We played a good hockey game,” coach Lane Lambert said. “We had some real good looks, real good chances to score in regulation, for that matter. Their goaltender played well, and if we keep playing that way, we’ll have success more often than not.”

Win Streak Caroline, we hardly knew ye.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-2 Kraken shootout loss to the Canucks.

Takeaway 1: Did a fight turn the tide?​

In his two games since returning from his second injury hiatus of the season, Jared McCann has been firing the puck (almost) every chance he gets. In this one, he got an opportunity on a 4-on-3 power play and showed why the Kraken want him shooting.

Just four seconds after the face-off to start the rare numerical advantage, Vince Dunn and McCann played catch at the top of the zone, and the second time Dunn passed it to McCann, he one-timed a missile past Lankinen to open the scoring at 8:50 of the first.

MCCANN CAN!

4 seconds into a 4-on-3 for the #SeaKraken, Vince Dunn tees it up, and Jared McCann blasts it home.

He's back!

1-0 pic.twitter.com/lnTPCQ63F2

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 30, 2025

But McCann was also involved in some extracurricular activity that may have ultimately cost the Kraken more than it helped them. After Conor Garland elbowed McCann in the face with a total cheap shot, McCann was seen barking at Garland on the bench and asking him to “go.” Indeed, the two dropped the gloves on their next time out and had a spirited bout.

Here's where Garland elbowed McCann in the face, which led to the fight. #SeaKraken https://t.co/5y7bT2W24l pic.twitter.com/2XOgwp5KOF

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 30, 2025

“He kind of elbowed me on the one play there beforehand, so I asked him to go,” McCann said. “He said yeah, and that was the end of that.”

Said Lambert: “I think it just shows a lot about the character of Jared McCann. And Garland accepted. I thought it was hockey, and sometimes things happen, and I’ve got a lot of respect for Jared, again… He took care of it on his own, and sometimes you’ve got to do that.”

For a lot of reasons, I personally would prefer McCann never drop the gloves with anybody, but it is commendable that he’s willing to stand up for himself.

In the other team’s dressing room after the game, though, the Canucks players were raving about what the fight did for their morale, seeing the diminutive Garland hang in there with the bigger McCann. They had a terrible first period, but the fight seemed to spark some jump for them, and they scored to tie the game 1-1 just three seconds after the bout.

“Maybe we were a little slow in the start, but Garland definitely got us going,” said Elias Petterson (the forward, not the defenseman… having two players with the exact same name on one team should be illegal). “And obviously, we scored five or so seconds after, so yeah, really good on him.”

Takeaway 2: Fourth-line magic​

I’ve absolutely loved Jacob Melanson’s game since he was recalled from the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Dec. 13. He fits like a glove on the NHL fourth line, bringing energy and physicality and backing down from nobody.

Against Vancouver, he bowled over public enemy Tyler Myers to the delight of Climate Pledge Arena and also set up Ryan Winterton’s goal that gave Seattle a 2-1 lead late in the first period.

Here's Jacob Melanson flattening Tyler Myers for your viewing pleasure. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/tPbM04zZNN

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 30, 2025

After Elias Pettersson (the defenseman this time, not the forward) and Myers ran into each other, Melanson flew up the left flank and sent a cross-crease pass to a crashing Winterton, who redirected it over Lankinen’s skate. That gave Melanson his first NHL point and Joey Daccord his third assist of the season.

“I had a feeling it was coming across,” Winterton said. “Just some good speed by ‘Mel’ and great vision to see me. I kind of saw their D get tangled up there, so I thought we had a break, and I was lucky enough to get it.”

“It’s awesome to be able to have ‘Winnie’ score that goal,” Melanson said. “We got drafted together and also played in CV together for a few years, so I mean that’s a pretty cool memory to have.”

It’s worth noting, Winterton was a healthy scratch Sunday against the Flyers but drew back in Monday in place of Tye Kartye.

“They impact the game lately,” Lambert said of the fourth line. “They’re responsible, they’re quick, they’re physical. Obviously, a huge goal for us by Winterton. Melanson made a nice play on that. But they create energy for our hockey team, and they do it responsibly.”

Takeaway 3: A golden opportunity missed​

After the Kraken swept a back-to-back last week for the first time since the 2022-23 season, they had a golden opportunity to do it again on Monday. They had plenty of great looks in the third period, all of which were thwarted by Lankinen, and they even had a second 4-on-3 power play at the end of overtime.

After scoring on the previous 4-on-3 in just six seconds, they were more measured in their approach the second time and, in the end, didn’t get Lankinen moving laterally enough to beat him on the late advantage.

“We probably could have created a couple of more [opportunities],” Lambert said. “They were able to clear the puck a couple of times, which takes some time off it, there’s no question about that. But certainly, there were a couple of passes that we felt like we had some empty-net opportunities.”

Alas, the Kraken failed to convert, and the Canucks goalie then stopped all three Seattle shooters in the shootout to improve to an astounding 17 for 17 on the season in that situation.

San Jose won on this night, so the Kraken dropped to two points out of the final wild card spot, though they still have two games in hand and a better points percentage than the Sharks.

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Three Takeaways – Kraken lose 3-2 in shootout to Canucks appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/30/kraken-lose-to-canucks-in-shootout/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Canucks – Dec 29th

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Canucks – Dec 29th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/29/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-canucks-dec-29th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Roundtable – Year-end check-in on the 2025-26 season

With the calendar year winding down, it felt like the perfect moment for a quick midseason check‑in on the 2025–26 Seattle Kraken. It’s been a wild couple of months with streaks, swings, and surprises, yet the Kraken somehow find themselves hovering right on the edge of the wild‑card race, depending on how you choose to sort the standings. So we gathered the Sound Of Hockey crew for another Kraken Roundtable to take stock of where things stand and where this season might be headed next.

What’s your overall perspective on how the team has performed so far this season?​

John: It’s been okay. If you had told me before the season that they’d be floating around a wild‑card spot at this point, I would have taken that. The reason I say it’s only “okay,” though, is that they started the year relatively strong and raised expectations early.

Coming into the season, I just wanted to see competitive hockey, and they’ve delivered on that. They lead the league in one‑goal games and, with only a few exceptions, have had a legitimate shot at points almost every night. They’ve picked up wins against Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. One of their best performances of the year might have actually come in a loss to the league’s top team, the Colorado Avalanche.

And by the way, they’ve done all of this despite a glut of injuries to some of their top players. I’d really like to see how this team stacks up with a fully healthy roster.

Blaiz: Overall, I have been impressed with how the team has performed. When head coach Lane Lambert came in emphasizing improved defense, I wondered if it would turn into more of the same. From a standings perspective, the 1-9-1 stretch was rough, but many of those losses were competitive games where the Kraken came up short.

More recently, the Kraken have gone 4-0-1 and picked up nine of a possible 10 points. Even so, I thought they played stronger, more complete hockey during parts of Losing Streak Darren than in some of those wins. That gives me confidence the process is trending in the right direction, even when the results have not always followed.

Darren: I’d like to clarify that it was two separate named losing streaks, named by the National Losing Streak Service as Camille and Cynthia respectively. Never has the NLSS considered using “Darren.”

As for the Kraken, I too am in the “okay” territory, but man, if only they could have gotten a few more wins during that miserable stretch. Even if they had gone, say, 4-6-1 in those 11 games, they would be 19-11-7, good for 45 points and still second place in the Pacific Division.

That said, I’ve generally been very impressed with Lane Lambert and think he’s an excellent coach who tells it like it is. I am hopeful that the adversity of the losing stretch builds some character for the team and that the injury woes that have made things so much more difficult will be put to rest when Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour eventually return in January.

Curtis: I think the coaching staff has done a solid job implementing a system and instilling a play style that should keep the team competitive most nights—even as the team searches for consistent goal scoring. The staff has also shown a willingness and ability to adapt when the results haven’t been there, as exemplified by the changes to the penalty kill scheme.

On the player side, I’d say the goaltending has been better than I would have expected, the offseason skater additions have missed expectations as a group, the team’s young skaters have not yet taken a leap, and the veteran, incumbent skaters have been a little too injured to pick up all the slack. Night to night and week to week, the win-loss results have been a bit, let’s say, chaotic. On balance, though, the team is competitive around the mid-tier of a relatively weak Western Conference, which is about where I thought they would be.

From a team standpoint, what has been the biggest surprise positively or negatively of the season to this point?​

Darren: I never expected the Kraken to score the lights out, but if I imagined them as a playoff contender coming into the season, it would have been with a few more goals going in. It’s bonkers how bad this team is at scoring–ranking 30th in the NHL at 2.57 goals for per game–and yet it still has a winning record and a pretty solid chance at clawing back into the postseason.

They’ve had a few guys get a little hotter lately, with Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen, and Chandler Stephenson all contributing. Hopefully Jared McCann can stay in the lineup as well, which should help on this front.

John: I’m really hoping, and fully expecting, that this will age poorly, but the penalty kill has been particularly ineffective so far this season. With the additions of Ryan Lindgren and Frederick Gaudreau, plus the defensive‑minded approach of Lane Lambert, we expected the PK to be one of the team’s strengths. That has not been the case. The Kraken currently rank 31st in penalty‑kill percentage at 71.4 percent.

There was an especially rough stretch in which they allowed seven power‑play goals on eight shorthanded opportunities across three games. That slump landed right in the middle of their first major tailspin of the season, a six‑game losing streak.

However… since that three‑game disaster, the penalty kill has actually been quite good. From that point forward, the Kraken have killed 85.7 percent of their shorthanded situations, the sixth‑best mark in the league since Dec. 7. Here is a look at how the penalty kill has performed over the season by looking at a five-game moving average.

Blaiz: Goaltending. It has not mattered who is in net, as the team in front of them is playing the same system. That consistency has allowed Philipp Grubauer to excel and arguably helped him post one of his strongest stretches in a Kraken uniform, posting a 6-3-1 record with a .917 save percentage.

Curtis: I agree that goaltending has been the biggest positive surprise, followed closely by solid success on the power play. The Kraken are 10th in the league in man-advantage conversion rate (20.7 percent). Improved tactics designed to pull defenses out of position and chemistry amongst the players has elevated an underskilled unit that has struggled to produce in the past.

What’s one area where you’d most like to see the Kraken improve?​

John: Can I say health? I understand injuries are part of the game and every team has to deal with them, but the Kraken have been hit especially hard this season, and they just don’t have the depth to absorb those losses the way some other teams can. I’m dying to see how this group looks with a healthy lineup that includes Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, Kaapo Kakko, Vince Dunn, and Brandon Montour.

Darren: That’s it. Health.

Blaiz: I’ll take the low-hanging fruit and agree with Darren’s “surprise” from the previous question, goal scoring. It is hard to win games if you do not get on the board. Since the 9-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 4, the Kraken have played 12 games and gone 5-6-1. In that span, every game has been decided by a single goal when excluding empty-net goals.

Scoring first has also mattered. Seattle scored first in eight of those 12 games and went 5-2-1. They are 0-4 when they fail to open the scoring. The games have been competitive, but a little more offense would go a long way toward turning close losses into wins.

Curtis: There is no easy answer to this one, but one area I’d be most pleased to see a second-half step would be offensive production from the team’s young trio of Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and Berkly Catton. Between them they have only 10 goals in 98 games this season. Wright and Catton in particular seem to be fighting it when they have the puck in shooting positions.

Which player has surprised you the most this season — for better or for worse?​

John: Unfortunately, Shane Wright hasn’t quite looked like the player we saw in the back half of last season. He was one of the guys I really expected to take a step this year, but he has just six goals through 37 games. Lately, he hasn’t looked like much of a threat.

Over the last two games, he’s been centering Berkly Catton and Jared McCann, a combination I like, but it will probably take some time for that line to build real chemistry.

Blaiz: Eeli Tolvanen. He is tied for the team lead with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) alongside Jordan Eberle. Some of that production has come as a result of injuries elsewhere in the lineup, but Tolvanen has made the most of the increased opportunity.

Over his first 10 games, Tolvanen averaged just under 15 minutes of ice time and produced 0.5 points per game. Over his most recent 10 games, his ice time has jumped to more than 19 minutes per game, and his production has climbed to 1.2 points per game. If that usage continues, he is on pace for a career-high 55 points.

Darren: Philipp Grubauer. I was fully on the buyout train over the summer and was shocked the team kept him around. Yet, I’ve eaten my words, because he’s been a massive part of the success the team has had this year and is putting up stellar numbers. He looks so confident and sharp every night, and we haven’t seen the questionable goals that plagued his first four seasons in Seattle.

Curtis: I’m with Darren on this one: Grubauer has been the biggest surprise for me. Pick whatever metric you want, the German netminder has completely re-written his story this season.

His .917 save percentage is, in some sense, a return to form. From the 2014-15 season through the 2020-21 season—his last before joining Seattle—Grubauer had a .916 save percentage or better every year. This is difficult to square with the player who never topped .900 in four seasons with Seattle. If Grubauer can keep this up, he’ll be a modest asset for the Kraken—whether on the ice or in a deal down the road.

Given how the Kraken are playing right now, how do you think they should approach the trade deadline: buy, sell, or stand pat? And why?​

John: Stand pat. I’m not suggesting the team shouldn’t listen to any and all offers, but I do think there’s value in giving this group a real opportunity to make the playoffs. If they’re sitting right on the bubble at the deadline, they should hold steady.
However, if an opportunity arises to add a player like Jordan Kyrou, someone who fills a clear need and has meaningful term left on his contract, the Kraken should absolutely jump at it.

Blaiz: The Kraken are only two points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand. They are firmly in the hunt, but I do not think this is a team that should be buying rental players at the deadline or trading away it’s future. There is still a need to build and develop, and short-term moves do not align with that path.

I agree with John that if the right opportunity presents itself, they should explore it. For now, the best approach is to stand pat. Selling would signal giving up on a team that has a legitimate chance to make the playoffs, and I have never been a fan of tanking. If this group has a chance to get in, they should be given that chance.

Darren: I’m not a full-fledged buyer, but I also need the team to get better moving forward. So, I’m looking for hockey trades that bring back good offensive players with term on their contracts. If those deals don’t present themselves, then I agree to stand pat. Give them a chance to make a run if they’re still in the playoff mix, but there’s no reason to trade away prospects if a playoff appearance looks unlikely.

Curtis: For me, it’s a mixed approach. I agree with all that they should be looking for a “hockey trade” to bring in a player packing offensive punch who could be with the team for a while. If, as John posited, the Blues get motivated to deal Kyrou, I would want the Kraken to be in on that conversation.

On the other hand, I don’t think the team will be bringing back all of its expiring veterans (Jamie Oleksiak, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Eeli Tolvanen). I’d expect the team to engage with these players to see if relatively modest contract extensions are possible. If not, I think seller trades should be on the table even if the team remains competitive through the Olympics break.

The post Kraken Roundtable – Year-end check-in on the 2025-26 season appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/31/kraken-roundtable-year-end-check-in-on-the-2025-26-season/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook – Penalty kill improvement, Catton’s number change, and much more

As the Seattle Kraken close out the calendar year, it’s safe to say they’ve turned things around on the penalty kill. Statistically, they’ve gone from completely off the map in a dreadful league of their own—as bad as five percentage points behind the then-31st-ranked Ottawa Senators at 64.8 percent—to taking over that 31st spot themselves at 71.7 percent.

There is still room for improvement. After a 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 6 capped a three-game stretch in which Seattle allowed seven power-play goals on eight chances, the Kraken switched formations and have since been one of the NHL’s better penalty-killing teams, killing 85.7 percent of opportunities.

“Something’s got to be done about it, and there’s only one way to go,” coach Lane Lambert said after that Detroit game. Indeed, something has been done about it.

In this Kraken Notebook, we’ll look at how a formation change has helped turn the PK around, learn about Berkly Catton switching to No. 27, and much more.

New PK versus old​

After that Detroit game, I broke down in Three Takeaways what was wrong with the PK, most notably that seam passes were far too easy to come by for opposing teams. While digging through the Sound Of Hockey… dot com… archives for that story, I came across another article I’d written about the 2022-23 playoff team and how it improved its penalty kill in the middle of the season.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. That season, the Kraken ranked 31st in the NHL on the penalty kill while using the wedge-plus-one system. After a 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on New Year’s Eve, during which they allowed two power-play goals, Seattle began working on a simplified diamond system. Over the next three-plus months, the Kraken killed 83.9 percent of penalties.

The details aren’t exactly the same, but Seattle’s PK is going through an almost identical evolution right now.

“I think we switched it up probably about a couple weeks ago, three weeks ago, maybe, and it’s a bit of a learning experience at the start,” Ryan Winterton said. “I think learning anything new is a little different, but I think the guys have bought into it, and our kill since then has been pretty good.”

Added Matty Beniers, who was used more frequently in the old formation: “I think there’s a lot of shared responsibilities in [the old system]… One guy’s kind of trying to focus on the bumper [in the slot], but also trying to take away the backside. Honestly, what we did was kind of take a little bit of the onus off the forwards and put a little bit more on the D, and the D have just done a great job with that.”

Beniers indicated that things are more clear-cut for the forwards, who can now focus on defending one player at a time while allowing the defensemen to handle being outnumbered more often. Defensemen are better suited to deal with 2-on-1 situations than forwards, making that a positive change.

Now, instead of constant rotation and reading off one another to determine who is pressuring at the top of the zone, the formation moves as one. It expands and contracts, with rotation only occurring when the entire diamond is pulled far enough in one direction to effectively turn the whole formation, as shown below from a successful kill against the Canucks.

Here, as the puck moves around the zone, all four players move together, with Chandler Stephenson (F1) moving from the top of the diamond to the right side, Ryan Winterton (F2) moving from the left to the top, Jamie Oleksiak (D1) moving from the right to the bottom, and Cale Fleury (D2) moving from the bottom to the left. The players never trade with one another like they did before, they just shift around.

The biggest improvement from this new look has been taking away the wide-open seam passes that were plaguing the Kraken, as noted in Three Takeaways after the Detroit game.

“100 percent, I think that’s what we try to take away. You always try to take the seam pass away,” Eeli Tolvanen said. “They’re the hardest thing to— you know, if you get the seam, stuff opens up. So I think, yeah, for sure, we’ve done a better job with that now, not giving them those lanes and keeping the puck on the outside.”

The main reason this works so much better is that there are now two players across the middle of the ice, instead of a triangular formation that placed two players near the crease and one in the slot. When a puck is contested along the wall, the diamond quickly spreads as Seattle’s skaters pounce and try to advance it out of the zone. If they lose possession, they retreat right back into position, with minimal confusion about assignments.

Oleksiak also credited small personnel tweaks, with himself, Adam Larsson, Ryan Lindgren, Fleury, Ben Meyers, Freddy Gaudreau, Stephenson, Tolvanen, and Winterton carrying most of the PK duties, and said the killers have grown more comfortable with one another.

PK usage since Dec. 10.

“I think it’s a product of being more comfortable to pressure more,” Oleksiak said. “That kind of comes with chemistry, learning each other’s tendencies. And I think working with the coaches, we’ve been very diligent in practice and whatnot, and I think it’s been good.”

Added coach Lane Lambert: “I think [assistant coach] Aaron Schneekloth has done a real good job of having the guys understand exactly what we’re looking for. We made some changes, that’s all there is to it, and I think we’re more aggressive with those changes.”

Berkly Catton back in 27​

The team officially announced a rare in-season jersey number change for Berkly Catton, who ditched No. 77 in favor of his more familiar No. 27, previously worn by Mason Marchment before he was traded.

Berkly Catton sporting No. this morning. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/9vwKA0oUOE

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 31, 2025

Catton said he learned Tuesday that changing back to the number he’s worn since childhood—and briefly with Seattle before the Kraken acquired Marchment in the offseason—would be possible.

“I had 27 before, just for a short time before [Marchment] came, and actually, [Jason Botterill] called me yesterday and told me there was a chance that they could do it this year,” Catton said. “Obviously, I was kind of thinking next year, maybe, but then [head equipment manager Jeff Camelio] and his staff obviously worked hard and got it done. So I’m really grateful for that.”

Catton added that he’s worn the number for as long as he can remember and believes it was chosen for him by his mother, whose birthday is April 27.

It was noted during Catton’s availability that even his team-issued workout sneakers had already been updated to No. 27. The equipment staff works fast.

Lambert happier with Oleksiak’s game​

During Seattle’s back-to-back Losing Streaks Camille and Cynthia, Oleksiak found himself in Lambert’s doghouse. For the first time since joining the Kraken in their inaugural season, Oleksiak was a healthy scratch for two games.

At the time, I asked Lambert several times about the surprising lineup decision and finally got a more telling answer on attempt No. 3.

“I think he’s been okay,” Lambert said before Oleksiak was scratched for the second time on Dec. 8. “There’s a couple areas, and I’m not gonna get into that with you guys here, but he and I have talked about that, where we would like him to be better. But he’s not the only guy, either.”

Since Seattle’s 4-1 loss that night to the Minnesota Wild, Oleksiak has played every game and—anecdotally—appears more willing to use his massive frame to body opponents off pucks.

“I have [seen improvement],” Lambert said Monday. “Every once in a while, and it doesn’t matter who you are, you have to be reminded a little bit, and I think he’s been solid since. Certainly, I think he’s been more physical, more assertive, which we need from him. He’s a big body, so I think he’s played well here. And you know, for the most part, he’s played well all season.”

Oleksiak was thoughtful when asked how tough it was to be a healthy scratch at this stage of his Kraken tenure.

“I mean, obviously, things like that are difficult, but it’s a long year. There’s ebbs and flows, and you’ve just got to kind of respond to a situation like that the right way,” Oleksiak said. “And that’s what I try and do. I try not to get negative and try to find the opportunity in it. And again, it’s a long season. It’s a roller coaster. Things happen, and I think you’ve just got to learn along the way. So, yeah, I think I’ve really been mindful of bringing what I can to help the team win.”

Winterton makes big impact in return to lineup, Melanson’s special moment​

Speaking of healthy scratches, Winterton sat out Seattle’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday before returning Monday, scoring a big goal against the Canucks, and helping the team earn a point in the 3-2 shootout loss.

Winterton, who had a few cups of coffee at the NHL level over the past two seasons, has solidified himself as a full-time player this season, though the occasional healthy scratch has started to appear for him. This was only the second time all season he’s been out of the lineup (the previous was Seattle’s 4-2 loss at the Calgary Flames on Dec. 18), though, and he didn’t seem too bothered by it.

“Obviously, it’s pretty cool being up here at the big club,” Winterton said. “I’ll hopefully stay as long as I can, and I think it’s been great for my development, just kind of playing with faster, stronger guys, and trying to learn the systems and do what I can to stay here.”

His goal Monday was a beauty, coming on a cross-crease pass off the rush from fellow 2021 draftee and former Coachella Valley Firebirds teammate Jacob Melanson.

WINTER IS HERE!

More sketchy defending from leaky VAN, and the fourth line burns them. Jacob Melanson gets his FIRST NHL POINT, setting up Ryan Winterton, and JOEY DACCORD GETS THE SECOND ASSIST!

That's Winterton from Melanson and Daccord, just as we expected.

2-1… pic.twitter.com/Qo1E3zfSe5

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 30, 2025

It was a special moment for the hard-nosed Melanson as well, who earned his first NHL point with the primary assist and has continued proving his worth as a prototypical bottom-six winger.

“After I saw the puck in the net, I kind of looked over to see who made the pass and saw it was Melly,” Winterton said. “And I think there’s a picture going around that— we’re kind of both just smiling. I kind of blacked out a little bit, but I’m super happy for him. It’s probably the first of many, so it was a big one for him, and a big one for the team at the time.”

“It’s special,” Melanson said. “I mean, you always want to get your first NHL point, and for it to happen like that with Winnie being able to score was pretty cool, and I mean, it’s something I’ll remember forever.”

Melanson said his phone lit up afterward with messages from friends and family back home in Nova Scotia.

“I mean, I’m from Amherst, a small town, so everyone was paying close attention to me,” Melanson said. “I got a ton of texts from back home, and a lot of people reaching out, just saying, ‘Congratulations.’ It’s awesome to have that support and see all that.”

Odds and ends​

Just a few more quick tidbits…

• For those wondering why Joey Daccord wore his standard white gear instead of his black setup with Seattle’s Abyss jerseys on Monday, he said he felt he looked smaller in the black gear and that the holes appeared more visible. Coincidental or not, he’d been giving up more goals in that setup, so he reverted to white.
• Adam Larsson was absent from practice Wednesday, but Lambert said he’s just “under the weather” and will be fine.
• Aside from Larsson being replaced by Josh Mahura, the team ran the same line rushes we saw against Vancouver.
• Jani Nyman was reassigned to Coachella Valley on Tuesday. Here’s what Lambert said about that: “Jani did a lot of good things here, and I think for him, part of his development was certainly being here—and he’ll be back again—getting to understand the way things are done, how we’re doing things here. And it’s important for him to keep playing as well, and it’ll be nice for him to go down there, playing the power play, have some success that way, and get himself ready to come back whenever that might be.” Lambert added that he wants Nyman to focus on what he is supposed to do when he doesn’t have the puck.

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 – Penalty kill improvement, Catton’s number change, and much more appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/12/3...rovement-cattons-number-change-and-much-more/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Strive for 95 (points) – January Update

Happy New Year, Kraken fans. As the Seattle Kraken roll into 2026, it is time for the January update of the Strive for 95 points series.

The Kraken stumbled into December on a three-game skid to close November. They aimed to right the ship, but the turnaround took longer than expected. Seattle went 1-9-1 over an 11-game stretch, earning just three points. That tied the worst 11-game run in franchise history. The previous stretch came during the inaugural season from Feb. 14, 2022, through March 8, 2022.

Seattle opens January at home against the Nashville Predators, beginning the third of four straight back-to-back sets. The Kraken finally broke through with a second-leg back-to-back win on Dec. 23, the first time they had done that in more than a year and a half. They have also earned points in each of their last three back-to-backs, collecting four total points across those three games. That is a trend worth monitoring.

December recap​

There is no sugarcoating December. The losing streaks playfully dubbed Losing Streak Camille and Cynthia by the Sound Of Hockey Podcast were not kind to Seattle. As losses piled up, the Kraken slid down the standings and were tied for last in the NHL in points from Dec. 19 through Dec. 21.

Panic followed, much like the elves in my favorite Christmas movie when Santa was seen (bonus points if you can name the movie). In that moment, Steve steadied the North Pole and guided them through a Level 3 gift wrap incision. The Kraken did the same, closing December on a 4-0-1 run and climbing from last place to two points out of a wild-card spot with games in hand. By points percentage, Seattle currently ranks eighth in the Western Conference and would hold the final wild-card position. The playoff race is very much alive.

A closer look at December shows only one truly poor outing, a 9-4 loss to Edmonton. Seattle has historically struggled against the Oilers, holding a 4-13-1 lifetime record in the series. Teams have off nights, and this one fits that category. Outside of that game, the Kraken went 5-6-1 over their other 12 contests.

Head coach Lane Lambert emphasized defensive structure, and it showed. Excluding empty-net goals, all 12 of those games were decided by a single goal. Seattle lost more than it won, but consistently played tight, competitive hockey. That approach should translate over the long haul and turn close games into points more often than it did in December.

Between the pipes​

Seattle received strong goaltending throughout December. The lack of wins was not the fault of Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer.

Grubauer led the way with a .920 save percentage and a 2-3 record in five starts. Daccord posted a .908 save percentage with a 3-4-1 record. Both appeared in the nine-goal loss to Edmonton. If that game is excluded, Daccord’s save percentage improves to .926, while Grubauer’s rises to .935.

Joey Daccord

Philipp Grubauer

One of the biggest differences this season compared to previous years is consistency. The Kraken are playing the same style regardless of who is in net. That requires confidence in the goaltenders and a defensive structure that allows them to anticipate shots and manage rebounds.

Many believed Seattle should have bought out Grubauer’s contract during the offseason. Through the first half of the season, general manager Jason Botterill looks wise for holding onto him.

When asked by Darren Brown where Grubauer’s confidence level sits after a strong stretch, Grubauer said, “Just taking it one game at a time. Working with [goaltending coach Colin] Zulianello has been unbelievable. The support from the coaching staff is always huge.”

Target win percentages​

December’s target was 16 points. The Kraken fell short, earning 11 points. They now need to make up five points over the next three and a half months.

This update includes games through Feb. 5 due to the Olympic break from Feb. 6 through Feb. 24. The March update will cover Feb. 25 through March 31. With the standings tightly packed, the playoff cut line could fall below 95 points, but the Strive for 95 pace remains the benchmark. Below are the updated target win percentages needed to maintain a 95-point pace.

Updated tiers​

This season has made tiering difficult with so many teams clustered together. In the Eastern Conference, every team sits above .500 and within six points of a playoff spot. The Western Conference shows slightly more separation, though much of the conference remains tightly packed behind Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota.

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​

Playoff Bound tier​

Minnesota moves into this tier. The Wild made headlines by trading for superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. Since the trade, Minnesota is 6-1-1 and holds the third-best record in the NHL. Colorado and Dallas sit atop the league, completing a Central Division podium sweep.

Bubble tier​

Buffalo joins the bubble after a 10-game winning streak to close December, moving into the final wild-card spot in the East. New Jersey welcomed back Jack Hughes from a hand injury on Dec. 21, but the Devils have failed to gain traction, going 1-3-1 since his return. Nashville enjoyed an outstanding month, collecting 10 wins, moving them to just one point outside a wild-card spot. Calgary also moves up a tier after finding its stride, rattling off nine wins in December. Calder Trophy runner-up and former Everett Silvertips goaltender Dustin Wolf started eight of those nine victories.

Tanker tier​

Tanker teams: Chicago and Winnipeg slid to the bottom after a brutal December. The two teams combined for only five wins in December, two by the Jets and three by the Blackhawks. Chicago and Winnipeg both posted a .286 points percentage for the month of December.

January and early February breakdown​

With the standings bunched, most of Seattle’s upcoming opponents fall into the bubble tier. That group accounts for 16 of the Kraken’s next 19 games. Seattle faces two Playoff Bound teams, hosting Minnesota before a road trip to Carolina. The lone tanker matchup is the season’s second meeting with Vancouver on Friday.

The Kraken closed December with a shootout loss to Vancouver in the second leg of a back-to-back. The Canucks did not look sharp in that game. Coincidentally, the Jan. 2 rematch also comes at the end of a back-to-back, giving Seattle a chance to respond after the shootout loss.

Of the 19 games leading into the Olympic break, Seattle plays 10 on the road and nine at home. A six-game homestand from Jan. 19 through Jan. 29 ties for the longest of the season. January is the busiest month on the schedule with 17 games. Including early February games, the Kraken face four back-to-back sets and will need continued strong play from their goaltending tandem.

The overall target for the month is 24 points in 19 games. Tier-specific targets break down as follows:

• Playoff Bound: two points in two games
• Bubble: 20 points in 16 games
• Tanker: two points in one game

There’s always time for a bow​

With the named losing streaks (hopefully) in the rearview mirror and a five-game point streak in hand, the Kraken look to start the new year on the right note against Nashville at Climate Pledge Arena.

As the league approaches the Olympic break, this stretch could shape Seattle’s approach to the March 6 trade deadline. With a three-week pause, general managers will have time to assess whether to buy, sell, or stand pat. If the Kraken remain in a playoff position or within striking distance, limited activity makes sense. A slide could push Seattle into seller territory. As John Barr recently pointed out in a Kraken Roundtable on the trade deadline, “If an opportunity arises to add a player like Jordan Kyrou, someone who fills a clear need and has meaningful term left on his contract, the Kraken should absolutely jump at it.”

The second half of the season sets up compelling storylines as separation in the standings begins to take shape. With games in hand and a track record of tight, competitive play, a playoff spot remains a realistic outcome for the Kraken.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Blaiz Grubic​

Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.

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The post Strive for 95 (points) – January Update appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/01/strive-for-95-points-january-update/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken back in playoff spot after 4-1 win over Predators

Just two weeks ago, many Seattle Kraken fans had undoubtedly jumped ship on the 2025-26 team’s hopes of making a playoff run. After a 1-9-1 stretch, Seattle had nose-dived to the basement of the Pacific Division standings and was losing, losing, losing toward throwing in the towel and scuttling another campaign.

But oh, what a difference two weeks can make. Since a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Dec. 18, the Kraken have completely reversed course, going 5-0-1 in their six games since, racking up 11 points and jumping all the way back into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, with games in hand on almost everyone.

While their grip on that playoff position is extremely tenuous—with four teams within one point of Seattle—the Kraken are also just five points back of the first-place Edmonton Oilers and have played three fewer games.

Seattle arrived in this surprising position thanks to its latest win, an impressive 4-1 victory over a surging Nashville Predators squad at Climate Pledge Arena on New Year’s Day.

Here are Three Takeaways from that Kraken win over the Predators.

Takeaway 1: Philipp Grubauer does it again​

I’m running out of ways to write about how awesome Philipp Grubauer has been, but he was outstanding again on Thursday, earning second-star honors with 24 saves and improving to 7-3-1 with a 2.32 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. The shot volume wasn’t especially high, but the number of acrobatic, shouldn’t-be-bending-that-way stops was elevated, particularly in the third period.

“Grubi’s been an absolute rock in net,” Matty Beniers said. “No easy goals, and even their one goal [tonight] is an absolute rip top shelf from walking down the slot. And he made a couple saves that he’s [maybe] not supposed to be making out there tonight. Every time he’s been in, he’s been awesome.”

The Kraken came roaring out of the gates and built a rare three-goal lead in the first period, but unsurprisingly allowed momentum to shift in the second when Nashville woke up and began dictating play. The one Nashville goal Beniers referenced was scored by Roman Josi at 17:34 of the second period, cutting the lead to 3-1.

Then, with one minute left in the frame, a Nashville 3-on-2 rush turned into a 3-on-1 when Vince Dunn tripped over the blue line. Michael Bunting coasted down to the bottom of the right circle uncontested and fired a shot that Grubauer calmly kicked aside.

It certainly wasn’t his most spectacular save of the night—those came later during multiple net-front scrambles in the third—but it may have been the most important. Had that gone in, the Predators would have entered the third period brimming with belief. Instead, Grubauer sent his team to the room with a two-goal cushion, then dazzled again in the final frame.

“That was really one of the only great chances I think they had. It’s not like they had that much,” Grubauer said, deflecting credit to Seattle’s defensive play. “I think we controlled them really well, but yeah, for sure, if that goes back in, it’s 3-2, it’s a completely different game.”

Takeaway 2: A fun first period​

Based on what I heard from Nashville coach Andrew Brunette, starts have been an issue for the Predators—an affliction that has also plagued the Kraken at various stretches in their history. Brunette definitely did not like his team’s start on Thursday, as Seattle came out flying and took advantage of a heavy-legged team playing the second night of a back-to-back with travel after a 4-2 win in Vegas on Wednesday.

While Nashville searched for its footing, the Kraken pounced, scoring three goals in the first 11 minutes and providing all the offense Grubauer would ultimately need.

The first and third goals came from Matty Beniers, whom the Kraken badly need to start filling the net. The second goal was scored by Jamie Oleksiak following a dominant shift from the fourth line (more on them in Takeaway 3). Kraken games have been so tight this season, the three-goal first period felt downright foreign.

The second and third periods were far from perfect, but Seattle did what it needed to do to protect the lead and secure the two points.

“We’re usually in the tight, one-goal kind of games,” coach Lane Lambert said. “To build a bit of a lead was fine. What I felt like is—and you see it throughout the league—is when teams get two- and three-goal leads, the other teams come and there isn’t anything to lose at that point for them. And so this is why two- and three-goal leads are disappearing again.

“But I thought our commitment level was high, and we did a lot of the things that we needed to do. There was probably a couple of moments in that game that are really good teaching moments for us when we do get in the lead. You can’t change the way you play just because you’re in the lead.”

Takeaway 3: That fourth line, though​

Has Jacob Melanson’s arrival on the fourth line helped turn things around for this team? It sounds like hyperbole, but he and his fellow former Coachella Valley Firebirds—Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton—have been relentless every time they’ve hit the ice.

“They’ve been awesome,” Beniers said. “Every night, honestly, they’ve been creating chances, O-zone shift after O-zone shift, setting up the next line for good O-zone shifts. So they’ve been awesome, bringing energy, physicality, kind of everything you want in your fourth line. So, yeah, I can’t say enough great things about them.”

The Dirty Birds, as I’ve begun calling them, even earned additional ice time in this game, with all three skating north of 11 minutes, and they generated a goal for the second straight contest.

The Oleksiak goal itself won’t make highlight reels, but the shift that led to the eventual game-winner was fourth-line bliss in its purest form. Here it is in all its glory.

The speed, the hitting, the forechecking, the shooting, the cycling, the grinding… it’s just… [begins shedding tears]… it’s so beautiful.

Huge kudos also to Oleksiak, who was an absolute warrior, scoring the big goal and later painfully blocking a Nic Hague slap shot in the third period that sent him to the locker room briefly before returning for his final three shifts.

“I think that’s one of the things that I enjoyed most about the game was just our commitment level to paying the price and working for each other,” Lambert said. “And definitely, Oleksiak did a great job of that, and so did [Ryan] Lindgren [Eeli] Tolvanen, and the list goes on and on in terms of the blocks.”

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 back in playoff spot after 4-1 win over Predators appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/02/kraken-defeat-predators-regain-playoff-position/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Mid-season Kraken prospect ranking

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week, we’ll have a quick news check-in and schedule update from the World Junior Championship and a mid-season update to my personal Kraken prospect ranking. After that, we’ll pass along other news from around the organization, weekly and season-to-date data updates, all-shifts videos, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, a preview of the week ahead, and more.

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

Mid-season Kraken prospect ranking​

The criteria I have adopted for considering a Kraken organization player a “prospect” are: (1) the player must have Calder Trophy eligibility, and (2) the player must be under 25 years old. The former criterion eliminated Ryan Winterton from the list (he would have figured in around No. 10), and the latter criterion eliminated goalie Victor Ostman. (That said, I think I may extend goalie eligibility to include the age-25 season moving forward, since goalies often develop more slowly and a player like Ostman still has a realistic shot to play meaningful NHL minutes.)

The column marked PS Rank is my 2025 preseason rank for the player, which can be found (along with John Barr’s preseason rank) here. The column marked “diff” represents the difference in rank between the two time periods. While many players held their stock steady, there were a few who have significantly helped or hurt their stock over the last few months.

For me, there seems to be a top-9 tier, a top-18 tier, and then another tier that reaches to about 26. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the order beyond that.

Kraken prospect risers​

Jagger Firkus has stepped up as a key playdriver at the AHL level. In so doing, he has proven that his size won’t hold him back in what might be the second-best professional league in the world. Firkus will need to be even more locked in on his details if he is to make the jump to the NHL level, but it’s looking more and more likely to me that the AHL’s U23 goal-scoring and total points leader will get at least an audition as a top-nine scoring winger in the NHL. (One could make a very reasonable case Firkus should still be behind Miettinen and Villeneuve in this ranking, but his skill level is tantalizing for a Kraken team in desperate need of offense.)

Jacob Melanson is a bit of a wild card at No. 10 on this list. His ceiling is relatively lower than many who follow him, but I elevated him because I believe he has demonstrated an NHL-competent checking-line skill set, and there is a clear path to consistent NHL minutes in the short to medium term for him in Seattle. He’s not a traditional “top-10 prospect,” but I think he deserves the placement with his play since being called up.

Nathan Villeneuve is cut from the same cloth as Melanson, but brings more offensive skill. After holding his own in the AHL playoffs at 18 years old last year and lighting it up offensively in the OHL this season, I’m about as confident as I could be that Villeneuve will be a productive NHL player within the next two years.

Oscar Fisker Mølgaard is not a “big riser,” ascending only one spot, but I feel compelled to note how impressive his skill game has been at the AHL level. He can transport the puck with speed and defeat defenses with puckhandling and precision passes. Layer this on top of his heady two-way play, and his size and physicality are the only developmental milestones left. The transition to North American play has been seamless.

Kaden Hammell has been a low-key revelation, with his physical two-way game and nose for the goal from the blue line translating to the professional game better than many of his more highly drafted teammates. He still may top out as a quality AHL player, but he has risen to a level of all-around professional competence quickly enough that you have to wonder if there could be more.

In just a few months, Loke Krantz has ascended from obscure seventh-round pick to professional player in the SHL and member of the Sweden WJC team. Krantz will have to start paying off those coaching evaluations with production as he continues through this season and into next, but the leap in his potential prospect stature is undeniable.

#SeaKraken prospect Loke Krantz scored his first SHL goal today and it was a beauty. pic.twitter.com/YX9cYTSm3N

— Deep Sea Hockey (@DeepSeaHockey) November 21, 2025

Kraken prospect fallers​

Carson Rehkopf has hit an AHL stumbling block similar to the challenge David Goyette encountered in his first professional season. Rehkopf has not found the space to use his offensive skills in the same way he did at the junior level, and without that goal-scoring production, is he a net positive? His discipline and defensive play are suspect, and there are flaws in his transition game. Rehkopf still flashes skill in the offensive zone, and he is young, but we’ll need to see him getting to scoring areas and converting more regularly by this time next season, or the concerns may get louder. You could say the same things about Eduard Sale.

I do not view Caden Price as a “disappointment” in his first few professional months, but I may have been a bit too aggressive in ranking him within the top 10 to begin the season. Since the end of last year’s WJC, Price has not contributed much offensively. I thought that might rebound, but we haven’t seen it yet this season. I still like the base of skills and athleticism he brings, but he’s a borderline NHLer if he can’t find his offense again.

Lukas Dragicevic has struggled defensively in his initial exposure to pro hockey. One could say the same thing about Tyson Jugnauth (to an extent), but Jugnauth has been able to translate his offensive game and make an impact there. Dragicevic, who is also an offense-first defenseman, hasn’t found the scoresheet with any regularity either. Like Rehkopf, the question for Dragicevic is whether he can take the adversity and respond over the next year-plus.

What do you think? Who should be higher or lower? Let us know in the comments below.

Updates from the World Junior Championship​

As we noted last week, four Kraken prospects are on rosters at the 2026 World Junior Championship: Jakub Fibigr for Czechia, Loke Krantz for Sweden, and Juilius Miettinen and Kim Saarinen for Finland. This is a smaller group than Kraken fans have come to expect in recent years, but the tournament has been very interesting for draftniks, with a number of high-end 2026 NHL Draft prospects playing—and playing well.

After an off-day on New Year’s Day, the tournament begins its elimination stage on Friday. Friday begins with Denmark and Germany playing to avoid relegation to the IA level. (Norway will replace the loser of that game after winning gold at the IA level earlier this month.) After that, Krantz and Sweden take on Latvia, and Fibigr and Czechia take on Switzerland. Miettinen and Finland will then square off with the United States in a 2025 final rematch at 3:00 pm PT. Canada will take on Slovakia to close out the night. Play resumes with the semifinals on Sunday.

The quarterfinal games will be broadcast on NHL Network. ESPN+ will carry the relegation game and also the Czechia-Switzerland quarterfinal.

Jakub Fibigr | D | Team Czechia (WJC)​

Fibigr has been very solid, averaging around 22 or 23 minutes per game as a top-four defenseman and top penalty-kill option for Czechia. Fibigr has also worn the “A” for a team with gold medal aspirations.

Julius Miettinen | F | Team Finland (WJC)​

Miettinen missed the first game of the tournament when he was not registered to Team Finland’s roster due to an “operational error.” Since then, Miettinen has taken up the mantle of first-line center and team leader. In Finland’s most recent game against Canada, Miettinen wore the “C” for Team Finland with captain Aron Kiviharju out of the lineup. His 20:22 of ice time was tops among Finnish forwards in that game. Miettinen has two points (one goal and one assist) in three games.

Kim Saarinen | G | Team Finland (WJC)​

Saarinen has not seen the ice since pre-tournament action, yielding all of Finland’s starts to Petteri (“Mr. Showtime”) Rimpinen. At this point, it seems likely it will be Rimpinen’s crease for as long as Finland stays alive. Though not unexpected, it is still mildly disappointing that we will not get to see Saarinen on this stage.

Loke Krantz | F | Team Sweden (WJC)​

Krantz has been active for three of Sweden’s four games and registered his tournament-high 8:03 TOI in Sweden’s most recent contest against the United States. Krantz is still looking for his first WJC scoring point.

Highlights of the week​

The Kraken reassigned forward Jani Nyman to the Coachella Valley Firebirds earlier this week, and Li’l Jani drew into his first AHL contest of the season on Wednesday. In some respects, Nyman’s first game back in a heavy-usage role was a struggle (he was a minus-5), but he was able to finish on the power play in classic Nyman fashion.

JANI NYMANNNNNNNN EVERYBODY!!!

4-2 pic.twitter.com/9SWDbGfTj7

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 1, 2026

Miettinen has the only Seattle Kraken prospect goal at the 2026 WJC thus far, but it was beauty. It came in transition off a feed from Everett Silvertips teammate Matias Vanhanen.

JULIUS MIETTINEN, HOW DO YA DO!

The @WHLsilvertips star records a beauty on New Year’s Eve at the #WorldJuniors. @SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken

pic.twitter.com/KMAggoStzD

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 1, 2026

Kraken prospects data update​

Andrei Loshko scored his first two goals of the season in the last week, and he added an assist for good measure. In three games he bested his point total from his 20 other games this season. He was a strong contender for Player of the Week.

Logan Morrison, 23, is tied with Jagger Firkus for the fourth-most goals in the AHL among all players under 25 years old.

Semyon Vyazovoi had a very strong week, including a shootout win in which he stopped 45 of 46 shots on goal. His sterling .948 save percentage across two starts was enough to snag him Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week honors.

Visa Vedenpaa earned his first Liiga start since Nov. 15, but struggled a bit, saving only 24 of 28 shots on goal.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

3: Jagger Firkus

2: Julius Miettinen, Kim Saarinen, Semyon Vyazovoi

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

Previewing the week ahead​

We’ll give our Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week to the WJC quarterfinal matchup between Sweden and Latvia. Sweden’s Krantz feels due for a breakthrough.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Tomas Chrenko​

Tomas Chrenko is a Slovak center who has played the better part of two seasons for HK Nitra in the top-level Slovak professional league. Many draft prognosticators have him as a late first-round pick in June’s draft, though that projection may be trending upward after Chrenko’s WJC performance. Through the round-robin stage, he leads the tournament with five goals.

Recent prospect updates​

December 26, 2025: Watching Kraken prospects at the 2026 World Junior Championship

December 20, 2025: Resetting Seattle Kraken draft capital after the Mason Marchment trade

December 13, 2025: Ryan Jankowski talks Kraken prospects

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

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 – Mid-season Kraken prospect ranking appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/02/down-on-the-farm-mid-season-kraken-prospect-ranking/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko named to Team Finland for Olympics

Seattle Kraken forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko will be heading to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games as members of Team Finland.

“It would mean a lot,” Tolvanen said Wednesday, before the official announcement was made, when asked what it might mean to be included on the roster. “I mean, I feel like everybody dreams of playing in the Olympics, or even playing for their country, and I think I’m not different on that. Every time I have the chance to represent my country, I would love to.”

After scoring a career-high 23 goals for Seattle last season, the 26-year-old Tolvanen is in the midst of another strong campaign. He’s second on the team in scoring with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 38 games and has earned the trust of coach Lane Lambert, being deployed in all situations as one of Seattle’s top wingers.

A passionate hockey nation, Finnish players are known for responsible, two-way hockey, and Tolvanen is an embodiment of that ethos. His style of play should serve Finland well in a tournament that will feature the best players in the world, with NHLers returning for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

“I just think he does things really correctly for the most part in all different areas,” Lambert said. “We started trying to maybe not have him on both special teams, but we put him on the penalty kill, and he’s done a really good job there. His forechecking is good in that when he gets in on the forecheck, he can create separation. He’s done that a number of times, and he’s committed. He blocks shots, he hits, he’s played very well. He’s earned the ice time he’s been given.”

This will not be Tolvanen’s first time representing his country or even playing in the Olympics. He competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games before becoming a full-time NHLer, posting nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games, including a four-point game against Germany. He also played twice at the IIHF World Junior Championship and twice at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, including last summer, when he recorded nine points (7-2=9) in eight games.

“It’s something that I think Finns take really seriously as fans and as players too, and everybody wants to play for the national team,” Tolvanen said. “I feel I’ve just had good success lately in the World Championship and everywhere they put the team together.”

As for Kakko, the 24-year-old former No. 2 overall draft pick has had much of his season derailed by injuries but has been returning to form in recent weeks, skating on Seattle’s top line with Jordan Eberle and Matty Beniers.

This will be Kakko’s first Olympics, though he too is no stranger to international competition. Kakko has represented Finland on several occasions, including at the WJC in 2019, two appearances at the World Championship, and he was a bottom-of-the-lineup participant in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off. At 4 Nations, Kakko, played two games and posted one assist.

Philipp Grubauer excited for the opportunity​

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer is the only other Kraken player who has been named to an Olympic roster so far. He was one of the first six players selected for Team Germany during the summer and has since put up stellar numbers in a No. 2 role with Seattle this season, posting a 6-3-1 record with a 2.44 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.

“It’s obviously a huge honor,” Grubauer said. “It’s something I grew up watching because we didn’t have the NHL to watch, obviously, and it’s a huge honor to represent Germany at that stage.”

Grubauer, who hails from Rosenheim in southern Germany, said he expects a large contingent of family to make the trip to Milan for the Games, noting it’s a relatively easy drive.

“They already planned it,” Grubauer said. “I think it’s only like a four-hour drive for them, so a bunch of family members are coming. It’s going to be nice, because we always vacation down there [in northern Italy]… It’s really familiar.”

—

There is also a chance Kraken prospect Oscar Fisker Mølgaard receives an Olympic nod for Team Denmark, though their roster has not yet been announced.

There was some chatter that Brandon Montour had an outside shot at making Team Canada, but the defenseman—currently out of the Kraken lineup with an upper-body injury—unsurprisingly did not make the cut for Canada’s stacked roster.

Women’s Team USA roster announced​

Meanwhile, on the women’s side, four Seattle Torrent players were officially named to Team USA on Friday, with captain Hilary Knight set to lead the team in her fifth and final Olympics. Forward Alex Carpenter and defender Cayla Barnes will each play in their third respective Olympics, while 24-year-old forward Hannah Bilka will make her Olympic debut.

The post Kraken forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko named to Team Finland for Olympics appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/0...apo-kakko-named-to-team-finland-for-olympics/