RSS Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken give up early goals again, fall 6-3 to Penguins

Another game, another early deficit for the Seattle Kraken, who—despite starting the first couple minutes on their toes—quickly gave up two goals in the early stages against the Pittsburgh Penguins and found themselves chasing throughout the game.

The Kraken did rally back, as they often have during this stretch of losses, but after Seattle tied it in the second period, Brett Kulak scored 50 seconds later to regain the lead, and Pittsburgh pulled away in the end.

That’s Seattle’s fourth straight loss (0-3-1) and sixth loss in seven games (1-4-2) after winning eight of their previous nine (8-0-1).

“What’s happening right now is we’re making mistakes that are going in the back of our net,” coach Lane Lambert said. “And we’ve got to correct those mistakes.”

Here are Three Takeaways from a frustrating 6-3 Kraken loss to the Penguins.

Takeaway 1: What is with these early goals against?​

Just when you thought they’d bucked the trend of giving up an early goal—after getting an impressive penalty kill from 3:29 to 5:29 of the first—the Kraken surrendered a benign-looking shot to defenseman Parker Wotherspoon at the point. His attempt found its way through traffic and in. There were no terrible, glaring mistakes on the play, but Joey Daccord couldn’t see it, and the puck got through.

Death, taxes, #SeaKraken giving up an early goal against.

1-0 Penguins. Parker Wotherspoon scores through traffic. pic.twitter.com/TGUEwWQrIU

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 19, 2026

“I think it’s everyone just playing better,” Ryan Lindgren said when asked how to nip the early goals against. “I think we’re just too loose right now in the D-zone. We’re giving up too many chances, we’re hanging our goalies out to dry a little bit. When we’re playing our best hockey, we’re a hard defending team.”

Seattle had a chance to quickly level the game with a power play of its own, but instead of evening things up, the Kraken put themselves in a deeper hole. Chandler Stephenson tried to make a little chip pass at the blue line, but Connor Dewar read it and stepped up, springing himself for a breakaway. He scored his first of two goals on the night, and once again the Kraken were hiking up a mountain, as they have been on several occasions lately.

Wow. And now another short-handed goal against, and the #SeaKraken trail 2-0 early.

Loose play at the offensive blue line, and Connor Dewar picks it off and scores on the breakaway. pic.twitter.com/rjnCoshrEJ

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 19, 2026

The shorthanded goals against are also an alarming trend. This marked the Kraken’s third straight game in which they’ve given up a shorty.

“It’s always correctable,” Lambert said. “We have a face-off battle in Utah the other day, and they end up coming out of that with a 3-on-2, we play that very poorly. Tonight, we knew that they were locking the bench side with their forward, and their forward was going to step, and that was pre-scouted for our players. That was indicated to them. They saw a video on it, and they stepped, got a breakaway. So we’ve got to be better.”

Takeaway 2: Goals through traffic​

Three goals against in this game floated through traffic and eluded Daccord. Wotherspoon’s icebreaker just missed Jordan Eberle, then flew between Brandon Montour and Anthony Mantha as they battled at the top of the crease.

Brett Kulak’s goal—which killed Seattle’s momentum and put Pittsburgh back in the driver’s seat—followed a face-off in Seattle’s end. Sidney Crosby won it back, Kulak walked the line, and sent a soft wrister that fluttered past Adam Larsson and into the top corner.

Penguins answer right back and regain a 3-2 lead. Gaudreau loses the face-off, and then Brett Kulak just sends a wrist shot through traffic. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/VrU8uCfXHy

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 19, 2026

Then, just 2:21 into the third period, Justin Brazeau scored what proved to be the eventual dagger, using Jamie Oleksiak as a screen and firing through his legs to make it 4-2.

Justin Brazeau makes it 4-2. Joey's had a hard time with shots through screens today. This time, it goes through Oleksiak's legs. pic.twitter.com/jm19hxbnBK

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 20, 2026

It’s hard to decide where the blame falls on goals like these. Defenders are trying to block shots and/or box players out, but when the block is missed, the goalie is left in a brutal spot.

Meanwhile, Daccord certainly didn’t have his best night, allowing five goals on 31 shots. But when pucks come from distance and you can’t see—or even hear—a wrist shot leave the stick, all you can do is read the body language of the players in front of you. You hope the puck finds you, but it’s a bit of a crapshoot. Daccord got no puck luck in this one.

“I have to go back and take a little bit of a look at some of the goals,” Lambert said, when asked about Daccord’s performance. “But, I’ve got to think that there’s maybe a couple we’d like to have him back there and put us in a better chance to have an opportunity to win the game.”

Takeaway 3: Jaden Schwartz on the fourth line​

I wrote a Kraken Notebook on Sunday that touched on the challenges of having veteran players return to the lineup and potentially disrupt the team’s chemistry. Lambert had implied at practice that some line shuffling could be coming as he searched for the right mix again.

I knew he experimented last game with Schwartz on the fourth line alongside Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton, but it was still a bit surprising to see Schwartz start this game on that bottom trio while Freddy Gaudreau moved back up to reunite with Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen.

For Schwartz, it might be a tough pill to swallow, but if he was bothered by the demotion—even if it was purely a numbers thing—it didn’t show in his performance. The fourth line was the only truly effective line for the Kraken in this one, creating both of the team’s 5-on-5 goals.

The first came off a textbook forecheck by Ryan Winterton as the F2 and Schwartz as the F1, with Winterton prying the puck loose to Schwartz, who then found Ben Meyers—the F3—trailing in the right circle. Meyers sniped it over Stuart Skinner’s right shoulder.

BENNY BOY! #SeaKraken

Nice forecheck by the fourth line (which today features Jaden Schwartz️). Winterton gets in first and pops it to Schwartz, who finds Ben Meyers.

Great shot by Meyers.

2-1 Penguins pic.twitter.com/PiXbR1TmDT

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 19, 2026

The second goal was pretty as well. Ryker Evans set Meyers up for a Grade A chance, but Skinner slid across and robbed him. Winterton jumped on the rebound and—instead of shoveling it back into Skinner—found Ryan Lindgren in the slot, giving the defenseman an open net for his second goal as a Kraken.

THE LINDY HOP!

The newly assembled fourth line does it again. Meyers with the shot, huge save by Skinner, but Ryan Lindgren cleans up the rebound.

2-2 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/fc9CVECjS9

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 19, 2026

I don’t know how I feel about Schwartz on the fourth line. There’s still something off about the makeup of this team with a fully healthy roster and Jacob Melanson back in the AHL.

But Schwartz did seem to jell pretty nicely with Meyers and Winterton.

“I liked the fourth line,” Lambert said. “I’ve liked the fourth line for a while. We need the other lines to be better.”

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 give up early goals again, fall 6-3 to Penguins appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/19/kraken-lose-again-to-penguins/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: A so-so week for the Seattle Kraken

This week’s Monday Musings is a bit abbreviated thanks to the holiday weekend and an early Monday matinee. Keep an eye out for another edition of 10 for 10 later this week, and expect a full strength Monday Musings to return next week.

The Kraken’s week started in a good place and slowly unraveled, ending with a pretty ugly loss to the Utah Mammoth. Last week, I said they needed at least four of the possible eight points, including an overtime point against Utah, to keep pace in the standings. That didn’t happen. They came away with only three points and lost to the Mammoth in regulation. Seattle is still sitting third in the division, but they’re tied with three other teams and only holding their spot because of tiebreakers. They’re still in the playoff picture, but a flat week like this tightens the margin for error.

Things actually opened on a positive note with a 4–2 win over the Rangers, though even that game came with a red flag: the Kraken fell behind 2–0 in the first period before rattling off four straight. It worked that night, but spotting teams early leads is not a sustainable strategy.

Ironically, their best performance of the week came in a game they also trailed 2–0, in the matchup in Boston. Seattle generated 62 shot attempts to Boston’s 48 and pushed the pace for long stretches, even though they ultimately lost in regulation. It felt like a promising setup heading into the final and most important game of the road trip against Utah… which makes the way that one ended all the more frustrating.

Rebound goals​

One of Lane Lambert’s early-season messages was that the Kraken needed to shoot more. He always paired it with the reminder that a huge chunk of NHL goals come off rebounds, which stuck with me. I’ve been watching for those second chance opportunities all year and even flagged it in one of my early Kraken 10-for-10 posts and lately, the Kraken have been cashing in.

They’ve been scoring rebound goals in bunches, and this road trip has been the clearest example yet. By my definition, any goal scored within three seconds of a shot attempt. Seattle has four of them on this trip alone.

Exhibit 1:

The Kraken are still one of the top teams in rebound goals (off attempts):

Power play​

One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the Kraken’s suddenly potent power play. They’re sitting ninth in the NHL at 23.1%, a massive jump from last year’s 23rd ranked unit that converted at just 18.9%. The difference has been obvious, too. Their puck movement with the extra skater looked sharp throughout the last homestand and should, in theory, only improve with the return of Brandon Montour and Jaden Schwartz from injured reserve.

Seattle is humming along at 34.8% in January and ranks second in the league over its last 20 games. The only real drawback is that they don’t get many chances to show it off, but when they do, they’ve been making them count.

It is worth pointing out that the Kraken allowed two shorthanded goals against on this road trip, but I would like to think that is just a fluky coincidence.

Other musings​

• With Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour back, the Kraken are finally healthy. I’m really curious to see how the group settles in once those two get a few games under their belts. Both will slot onto the power‑play units, which means Berkly Catton and Ryker Evans are the likely players to lose some PP time.
• Catton, for his part, is playing with real confidence. He’s developed a shoot‑first mentality, putting up six shot attempts in each of his last two games, both season highs.
• Down in the desert, the Coachella Valley Firebirds have won five straight.
• With Nikke Kokko out week‑to‑week with a lower‑body injury, it was encouraging to see the new tandem of Jack LaFontaine and Victor Ostman deliver back‑to‑back shutouts over the weekend.
• Big congrats to Firebirds standouts Jagger Firkus and Tyson Jugnauth on being named to the AHL All‑Star Game. There are plenty of variables in play, but it’ll be interesting to see if either gets a look with the Kraken at some point.

Goal of the week​

Freddy’s touch here is so nice that I had to include it in here somehow.

Player Performances​

Jani Nyman (CVF/SEA) – Lil’ Jani is on a heater. He scored six goals in four games and was named AHL Player of the Week.

In other action, Jani Nyman continues to score for the @Firebirds. This is Nyman’s fifth goal in his last three games and this game still has two periods remaining. pic.twitter.com/N108bD8HkW

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 18, 2026

Jared McCann (SEA) – It’s great having McCann back in the lineup. The Kraken’s all‑time leading scorer chipped in two goals and two assists this week, immediately reminding everyone what this team looks like with him healthy.

Nela Lopusanova (SLO) – The 17‑year‑old Slovakian phenom first made waves at age 14 when she pulled off a Michigan goal at the U18 Women’s Worlds. Three years later, she just wrapped up her fourth U18 tournament and tied Kendall Coyne Schofield for the most career points in event history. Lopusanova now sits at 22 goals and 11 assists in just 14 games.

This is the famed Michigan goal:

14-year old Nela Lopušanová pulled off the Michigan at the #U18WomensWorlds

: https://t.co/f3kbOyJG3Jpic.twitter.com/p1hwMwyWvM

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) January 12, 2023

The week ahead​

The Kraken open the week with a Monday afternoon matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m not usually one to throw around the term “must win,” but it sure would be nice to start this six game homestand on the right foot and put an end to the current two-game skid. From there, it’s an every other day rhythm: the Islanders on Wednesday, a big Pacific Division test against the Ducks on Friday, and an early one against the Devils on Sunday. None of these teams are world beaters, but all of them have something to play for, so there won’t be any freebies.

Seattle is still in a playoff spot, and at this stage the goal is simply to hang around and give themselves a real shot down the stretch. The minimum target this week is four of eight points, with at least one coming in that Ducks game. The ideal version? Six points and a regulation win at Anaheim’s expense.

The post Monday Musings: A so-so week for the Seattle Kraken appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/19/monday-musings-a-so-so-week-for-the-seattle-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Sceptres – Jan 20th

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The post Photo Gallery – Torrent vs Sceptres – Jan 20th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/21/photo-gallery-torrent-vs-sceptres-jan-20th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The 2026 NHL Draft Big Board – mid-season edition

Welcome to Year 4 of the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. As we did last year, we’re kicking off our NHL Draft coverage midway through the hockey season with a “mid-season” version of the Big Board.

What is the Big Board? It’s a composite ranking of 2026 NHL Draft–eligible prospects based on reputable draft analyst and public scouting service lists—in this case, lists published midway through the season to account for draft-year performance. Put differently, it’s a list designed to provide the current, mid-season “public consensus” on the top players in the draft.

The Big Board does not contain any prospect-specific subjective assessments from us here at Sound Of Hockey. If you’d like a little more information on our methodology, check out our 2024 NHL Draft Big Board post.

We used the following nine sources to build the mid-season Big Board:

• NHL Central Scouting
• Elite Prospects ($)
• McKeen’s
• Corey Pronman, The Athletic ($)
• Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)
• Craig Button, TSN
• Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet
• Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
• Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News

NHL Central Scouting just published its landmark midseason list last week, on Monday, Jan. 12. Some of the other sources referenced above are even more recent, while others date back about a month to December, 2025. It goes without saying that those earlier lists do not have the benefit of more recent gameplay or injury information. Accordingly, this list should be taken as only a rough approximation of a prospect’s current standing. Season-end lists are far more definitive.

As we progress through the remainder of the draft season, you can expect the same coverage you’ve come to know from us here at Sound Of Hockey in the past. Want our watchlist of prospects based on our “Data Score” method? We published a preseason version here, and we’ll have a final 2026 version for you soon after prospect regular seasons end.

Looking for more scouting and video content? We’ll have more on the Sound Of Hockey Patreon and on the Deep Sea Hockey YouTube channel.

We’ll then culminate our coverage with the final 2026 NHL Draft Big Board in June, as always.

The 2026 Sound Of Hockey Big Board – mid-season edition​

All 411 players ranked by the nine sources above make up our mid-season Big Board. As you scroll across, you will see the rankings from the various sources we compiled. If a source ranking is behind a paywall, such as Scott Wheeler’s ranking for The Athletic, we have omitted it from the chart. We used those paywalled rankings to develop the composite list, but will not be sharing subscriber-only individual rankings.

Trends and takeaways​

Overall, this draft appears to have more balance and depth than last year’s class, which skewed heavily toward Canadian junior forwards. The Big Board has nine Europeans within the top 32 overall prospects, whereas last year only three (including one surprise Russian goalie) were drafted in Round 1.

Six of the top 12 players on this Board are defensemen, whereas only two blueliners were drafted with the top 13 picks in 2025. Overall, there are 10 defensemen in the top 32 here. Only eight were drafted in the first round last year.

The talking point coming into the year was that this would be “The Gavin McKenna Draft.” Yet, a few months into a college hockey season that many have found uninspiring, McKenna has fallen behind fellow undersized winger Ivar Stenberg for the top spot in this mid-season snapshot.

McKenna is a perimeter player with some similar traits to his cousin Connor Bedard, and I think he is simply working through a higher level of competition earlier than Bedard did. As we have seen with Bedard at the NHL level, it can take time to rewire a junior-oriented skill game. Still, I haven’t seen enough to dislodge McKenna from the top spot personally, even if the gap has narrowed somewhat.

Ryan Roobroeck has piled up points in the OHL for three years now and has size to go with it, but analysts have soured on the prospect’s competitiveness and drive—to the extent that he barely factors into the first-round mix at this point. While McKenna’s fall from No. 1 is the most notable development, Roobroeck’s diving stock is likely the most disappointing storyline so far this season. (That said, it is very easy to imagine a team getting a steal with him or J.P. Hurlbert, another prolific junior scorer, late in the first round.)

A top goalie has not yet emerged in this class. Tobias Trejbal of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms is the highest-ranked netminder on the Big Board at No. 61 overall. Brady Knowling from the U.S. National Team Development Program, and Dmitri Borchev of the Russian junior league, appear to be in a similar tier. It will be interesting to track how the goalie market evolves over the next few months leading into the draft.

This year’s draft doesn’t have quite as much local flair as the last few drafts did. That said, there are several current and former players on Washington State’s WHL teams that project to be drafted, including Mathis Preston (who would be a steal at No. 18 in the draft), Jakub Vanecek (No. 48, Tri-City Americans), Chase Harrington (No. 68, Spokane Chiefs), Brek Liske (No. 82, Everett Silvertips), and Noah Kosick (No. 120, Seattle Thunderbirds).

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If you have draft- or coverage-related questions, drop us a note below or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or on Bluesky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

Header photo: Chase Harrington of the Spokane Chiefs plays in a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Photo/Brian Liesse, courtesy of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

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 The 2026 NHL Draft Big Board – mid-season edition appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/22/the-2026-nhl-draft-big-board-mid-season-edition/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken overcome seven penalties to beat Islanders 4-1

The Kraken didn’t make it easy on themselves, taking seven penalties in the game and giving up a goal in the first six minutes for the eighth consecutive contest. But they rode an impressive night from their penalty kill and another strong performance by Philipp Grubauer to a desperately needed 4-1 win over the Islanders.

Vince Dunn and Jared McCann were especially impressive on the offensive end of the ice, and the fourth line chipped in yet again to help coach Lane Lambert defeat the team that fired him almost exactly two years ago to the day.

“It’s been two years. So, I mean, I have a lot of good memories from being in the New York Islanders organization,” Lambert said. “We had a lot of success in that organization when I was there. There’s not that many players left, I guess, that were there; there’s eight or nine, I guess. But certainly, those guys, we went through a lot of battles together. It was nice to see some of them pregame a little bit, just to say ‘hi,’ but when the game starts… it did feel good to beat them, there’s no question about it, but it felt better just to get a win. We need to get on track.”

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

Takeaway 1: A BIG night for the penalty kill​

Penalties were the name of this game, with Seattle finding itself shorthanded for six of the first eight minutes of the contest and then four more times over the course of the night. After conceding an Anthony Duclair marker on the first penalty just 2:38 into the game, Seattle’s penalty killers recovered and put together a remarkable showing the rest of the way.

2:38. 2…. 38.

Anthony Duclair power-play goal… at 2:38.

1-0 Isles. pic.twitter.com/pRCilcJ0Bd

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 22, 2026

Despite the early goal against, Seattle padded its PK stats in this one, finishing at an 86 percent success rate and nudging the season-long number up slightly to 72.6 percent—still good for just 30th in the NHL.

“I thought our structure was good,” Lambert said. “And so for them, they were looking for some passing lanes, some seams and things like that, and we were taking those situations away, which stopped them from shooting at times. The other thing is that I thought we had some great commitment. We did block some shots in that situation, so you have to have that if you’re going to have success on the penalty kill.”

What was especially important, though, was that after Seattle gave up the Duclair goal, it killed off two more penalties in quick succession to avoid going into a deeper hole. Then the power play capitalized on a 5-on-3 opportunity at the other end to tie the game 1-1.

Early in that 5-on-3 advantage, the Islanders got a clear and sent the puck the length of the ice. What I loved was that McCann sprinted all the way down to retrieve it but—recognizing the situation and the numerical advantage the Kraken had—didn’t wait for his teammates to regroup for a controlled breakout. Instead, he flew straight through the neutral zone and re-gained the offensive zone, and then it felt like just a matter of time before Seattle scored.

Sure enough, a McCann shot was blocked but skipped to Dunn at the top of the circle, who fired it back toward Ilya Sorokin. Dunn’s shot hit Matty Beniers in front and found its way in at 10:40 of the first period.

MATTY MAGIC!

On a 5-on-3, McCann's shot got blocked, but it caromed right to Vince Dunn, who got a deflection off Beniers and in.

1-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/I8T9Xcd4YF

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 22, 2026

“I thought even just in zone, we were just attacking and being a threat when we could,” Dunn said. “Jared was shooting a lot of pucks, and sometimes you get guys out of position when you’re shooting pucks, maybe they go down to block it, and it bounces somewhere a little funny, and then you get a better look from there.”

Added Lambert: “We clearly have to stay out of the box. We can’t take that many penalties. I don’t necessarily know if they were all penalties, but they were called, and having given up the first goal early on, I thought our power play did a great job of capitalizing on that 5-on-3 when we really needed them to, so it was a great job by them. And then for the rest of the night, after that first power play that they had, I think we did an outstanding job. And I thought our goaltender was great.”

Takeaway 2: Another strong Grubi night​

It’s becoming a broken record, but stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Philipp Grubauer had a great game, stopping 24 of 25 shots and improving to a .919 save percentage in 19 appearances, with a 10-4-3 record and a 2.37 goals-against average.

“I think just the way we play, all together,” Grubauer said of what’s been helping him find success. “It’s not like one guy. Obviously it helps when guys get in the lane and box guys out, make it easy for us back there. So, yeah, it’s just one save at a time, one TV timeout at a time, and that’s it.”

The first of my two favorite stops of the night came midway through the second period, when a floating wrister through traffic by Tony DeAngelo created a rebound for Emil Heineman, who took two whacks at it right at the top of the crease. Grubauer extended his right pad and kicked both away. The second came in the third period on Casey Cizikas off a partial breakaway. Cizikas deked to his backhand and tried to slip it through the five-hole, but Grubauer clamped it down and then batted the puck out of the air to clear it from harm’s way.

Big-time save by Grubi on Casey Cizikas. #SeaKraken took their SEVENTH penalty of the game on this play, though… pic.twitter.com/CuWmWH9pc0

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 22, 2026

AND…

Grubauer picked up his first point of the season with the second assist on McCann’s empty-net goal.

“What I thought of his play is what I think of his play here for the whole year,” Lambert said. “He’s played well, he looks dialed in, he’s focused, he’s tight. He’s not getting out of position, sliding out of position. He seems in a good place. And yeah, it’s nice to see him get a point, for sure.”

When I jokingly asked Grubauer if he was trying to create some offense at the end of the game, he said, “No, I’m not going for [the empty net], if that’s what you’re asking. No, I’d rather have one of our guys make the play up the boards or shoot it. So, yeah, got the apple, but most importantly, we got the goal, and I don’t really care about the point there. It’s more about the win.”

Takeaway 3: Ben Meyers appreciation​

Just a quick note to say that Ben Meyers deserves all the praise in the world for the way he has performed for the Kraken this season. He has taken the fourth-line center role and run with it, helping to make that Seattle’s most consistent line, regardless of who his linemates have been on any given night.

In this one, he came up with a massive (and painful) shot block in the second period, was a key piece of the penalty kill that was so critical, and teamed up with Ryan Winterton to create this beauty of a Vince Dunn goal:

DUNN DEAL!

What a setup by the fourth line.

Meyers->Winterton->Dunn->

2-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/9r2edyCbma

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 22, 2026

This win stopped the bleeding for the Kraken, who had spiraled to 1-4-2 in their previous seven games. It also got them back into the final wild card spot by the hair on their chinny chin chins. The race remains incredibly tight.

The post Three Takeaways – Kraken overcome seven penalties to beat Islanders 4-1 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/22/kraken-defeat-islanders-seven-penalties/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Alexis Bernier set to return, early 2026 NHL Draft thoughts

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week, we’ll pass along some Kraken-related takeaways from our preliminary 2026 NHL Draft work, along with a couple notable injury updates. Beyond that, we’ll have other news, weekly and season-to-date data updates, all-shifts videos, the Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, and a preview of the week ahead, as always.

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 at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Way-too-early 2026 NHL Draft thoughts​

Yesterday, we posted the mid-season Sound Of Hockey Big Board, which ranked 411 draft prospects based on nine public draft analyst and scouting sources. Personally, I’m still deep in the weeds sorting through the early-round candidates in an effort to form comparative thoughts. I’d say I’m about halfway there, hoping to complete enough viewings by the end of the CHL season, when we at Sound Of Hockey tend to publish our final “Data Score” watchlist. (You can find the preseason version here.)

A complicating factor this early is that there is still significant uncertainty about where Seattle will be drafting. By the time you read this, Seattle’s first-round pick could sit anywhere between No. 8 and No. 18 in a hypothetical draft order (without even considering the added variable of the draft lottery). And it’s not outlandish to think that the pick could be outside this range when all is said and done. We can be a bit more confident with the Tampa Bay first-round pick Seattle holds due to the Yanni Gourde/Oliver Bjorkstrand trade. That pick will very likely fall in the 26-to-32 range.

In attempting to project the pick, there is yet one further variable: The Seattle Kraken shuffled responsibilities among their assistant general managers after hiring Ryan Jankowski. Alexandra Mandrycky, who has more of an analytics bent, moved to the pro scouting side, and Jankowski, who is a bit more of a traditional scout and player-development executive, took over the top spot in managing the amateur side. Of course, the Kraken still have Jason Botterill (and Ron Francis) at the top. It’s hard to know how much this management change will matter, if at all, when it comes to the players considered and selected in June. But it’s a point to track.

With all of that said, here are the top 35 on the mid-season Big Board:

At first blush, this draft presents Seattle with a prime opportunity to select a “Grade A” top-four defenseman. I’d put Keaton Verhoeff (No. 3), Chase Reid (No. 4), Carson Carels (No. 7), Daxon Rudolph (No. 12), and Alberts Smits (No. 6) in this category. Each is worthy of a high first-round pick and would justify departing from my general inclination toward drafting forwards high. I’d put Xavier Villeneuve (No. 9) and Ryan Lin (No. 16) in a second tier as intriguing smaller, offense-forward options as well.

The last time we had a defense-heavy top of the draft (2024), we saw a few of those players fall down the board a bit as teams prioritized big forwards and centers in particular. If history were to repeat here, it is not difficult to imagine one or more of Ethan Belchetz, Caleb Malholtra, or Oliver Suvanto getting drafted before Reid or Carels, for example.

My way-too-early thought is that Reid or Carels at a pick like No. 8, or Rudolph at a pick like No. 17, would be a solid win for the Kraken. When it comes to Tampa Bay’s pick, I’d just be spitballing at this point, but assuming you go back to the forward ranks, Pierce Mbuyi is a junior scorer who should stack up well both based on the data and the tape at that point in the draft. (Plus, his last name is pronounced like “Buoy,” so…) Ryan Roobroeck could be a worthy second-pick, high-risk flier. Nikita Klepov is an easy player to like if he were still on the board. (More on him below.)

In reality, all I can say with conviction given Seattle’s track record is that we should keep tabs on goalies playing junior hockey in Finland, including Frantisek Poletin (No. 99 on the Big Board) and Juuso Ainasto (No. 81). After taking a year off from the goalie market in 2025, they’re “due” to return to the Finnish well in 2026.

Notes on four Kraken prospects​

Alexis Bernier | D | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)​

Alexis Bernier has been taking part in on-ice activities with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, his new QMJHL team, for a couple of weeks now, and it appears his return to play is imminent following offseason ACL reconstruction surgery. Local reports indicate he should be in the lineup Friday, Jan. 23, when the Saguenéens drop the puck at 4:00 pm PT against the Val-d’Or Foreurs. Coming into the season, I was uncertain Bernier would see significant time, but now he has a couple dozen regular-season games, as well as a probable playoff run, to make an impact before the 2025-26 season concludes.

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

In other good injury news, top prospect Jake O’Brien returned to the ice last Sunday. He missed almost a month following a lower-body injury that was initially deemed minor. O’Brien got back to his point-producing ways in a hurry, scoring three goals and adding an assist in two games last week. It put him in the running for Prospect of the Week, but he came up just a bit short compared with the next two players we’ll mention.

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

Carson Rehkopf has spent the majority of this season on the Firebirds’ fourth line, seeing relatively little ice time. The lesson—that Rehkopf needs to round out his game and grind his way up from the bottom—is a valuable one, but there have been long stretches of negligible impact for the skilled forward. Personally, I reached a nadir in my view of his development while watching last Sunday’s game against Abbotsford. He was scoreless and did not accomplish much at all that night.

Then came Wednesday’s game against San Jose, and he flipped the script. Rehkopf scored on all three of his shots on goal, registering his first professional hat trick. The skill is there, and hopefully a performance like this allows him to unlock it with a bit more frequency moving forward.

CARSON REHKOPF WITH HIS FIRST PRO HAT TRICK!!!!! 4-2 FIIIIREEEEBIRDDSSSSS! pic.twitter.com/pIktElzQdC

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 22, 2026

Victor Ostman | G | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

With top goalie prospect Nikke Kokko out week to week, there was concern that the Firebirds could be in for a rough stretch. The opposite has happened. The Firebirds have rattled off six straight wins, and that is due in large part to the strong play of goalie Victor Ostman, who has stepped into the “starter” role with Kokko out. In Ostman’s two starts this past week, he posted a .950 save percentage and earned two wins, one via shutout. That effort earned him Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week status.

Kraken prospects data update​

Logan Morrison’s season has flown under the radar a bit, but he has quietly led the offensive attack for the Firebirds. He reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his professional career last week. Morrison, 23, is currently on pace to amass 38 goals and 30 assists in 72 AHL games this year.

AHL All-Star Tyson Jugnauth, 21, is third among all AHL defensemen in scoring.

Kim Saarinen, 19, continues to post strong numbers back in Finland’s top professional league after the WJC break. As of Friday, his .917 save percentage is tied for the best mark in Liiga.

Though not included in these updates typically because he is on an AHL deal, goalie Jack LaFontaine’s performance to date warrants some mention. He’s an (almost ludicrous) 17-2-1 in the ECHL this season, with a .921 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average. In his two AHL starts since Nikke Kokko’s injury, he has two wins, a .945 save percentage, and a shutout. Terrific stuff.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

3: Jagger Firkus, Kim Saarinen

2: Julius Miettinen, Nathan Villeneuve

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

Previewing the week ahead​

Bernier’s projected return to the ice is our Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week. The matchup with the Val-d’Or Foreurs is available to stream for those with a FloHockey subscription.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Nikita Klepov​

Nikita Klepov is a high-pace, physically engaged, and defensive-minded winger. He has offensive skill to dream on too, even if it’s a rung below the truly elite players in the draft. The 6-foot forward has 59 points in 43 OHL games, which is third in the OHL and most among undrafted players. He is also a relatively young draft-eligible player. There’s a lot to like in this profile.

Recent prospect updates​

January 16, 2026: Jacob Melanson is speeding toward an NHL future despite the demotion

January 9, 2026: World Juniors reports, CHL trades

January 2, 2026: Mid-season Kraken prospect ranking

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

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 – Alexis Bernier set to return, early 2026 NHL Draft thoughts appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/2...-set-to-return-early-2026-nhl-draft-thoughts/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken play “terrible” 40 minutes, lose 4-2 to Ducks in critical game

Kraken coach Lane Lambert was on fire in his press conference following an uninspiring 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, in a critical “four-point” game against a team that entered the night two points ahead of Seattle in the standings.

The whole presser is worth a watch, but here were a few highlights:

• “Terrible, terrible hockey game for our team. Terrible first 40 minutes. We had a push at the end, but I don’t have a logical explanation for an illogical event. That was the worst 40 minutes we played all year.”
• “Well, you always hesitate to say, ’It can’t get any worse,’ but at that point in time [after the second period], there was only one way to go, and that was up for us.”
• “When you leave it up to chance, and you play 20 minutes in a 60-minute hockey game, you’re not going to have success very often. So, one word can describe the game for me, it’s ‘disappointment.’ Friday night, big game, division opponent, four-point game in front of our fans, I’m actually dumbfounded.”

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

Takeaway 1: Just a dreadful start​

I really thought this team had figured out how to start games this season. But it has become a major problem again over the past month, a continuation of four previous years of periodic struggles in first periods. And Friday’s opening 20 minutes were especially ugly.

The issues began about a minute into the contest. Eeli Tolvanen tried to force a pass to Berkly Catton, which was easily cut off by Pavel Mintyukov at the Anaheim blue line. The Ducks transitioned quickly, with Jeffrey Viel then finding Cutter Gauthier at the Seattle blue line. Gauthier recognized that Vince Dunn was completely flat-footed, turned on the jets to burn around the defenseman with ease, and snapped a shot into the gaping opening that Philipp Grubauer—too deep in his net on the play—was giving him on the far side.

The early goals are getting ridiculous.

Cutter Gauthier burns around Vince Dunn, and Grubi gives him way too much net.

1-0 Ducks just 1:02 into the game.

That's NINE straight games in which the #SeaKraken have allowed a goal in the first six minutes. pic.twitter.com/m1pJzsUIxW

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 24, 2026

The goal came on the first shot of the game at 1:02 of the first period, extending Seattle’s streak of surrendering a goal in the first six minutes to nine straight games.

“We didn’t start in the first two periods,” Jordan Eberle said. “In my opinion, we were getting out-battled. We were kind of all over the place early on, our systems were disconnected. In the third, we made a push, but at the end of the day, you’re down two, and it’s a tough way to come back. We can’t keep doing this to ourselves.”

Things got worse before they got better, with another strange and ugly trend rearing its head once again: short-handed goals against. In the offensive zone, Matty Beniers and Eberle both lunged for a loose puck but were beaten by Ian Moore, who chipped it out of the zone to spring Ryan Poehling on a breakaway. Poehling deposited it behind Grubauer to make it 2-0.

…And now, a fourth short-handed goal against in five games.

2-0 Ducks. Ryan Poehling gets the goal.

BTW, no shots for the #SeaKraken on the power play. pic.twitter.com/bfUsqpZHre

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 24, 2026

That was the fourth short-handed goal the Kraken have allowed in their last five games.

Those two trends—early goals against and short-handed goals—are killing this team right now and have contributed heavily to its 2-5-2 record over the last nine games. Like Lane Lambert, I too am “dumbfounded” about how these two things keep happening.

Meanwhile, Seattle managed just three shots on goal in the first period and 11 through two before finally turning things on and doubling that total in the third.

Takeaway 2: Believe it or not, they almost tied that game​

For as bad as the Kraken were through the first two periods, Jared McCann did get them on the board with a classic Beniers-to-Eberle-to-McCann snipe at 1:55 of the second. They gave that goal right back, though, via a Chris Kreider power-play marker just 2:05 later, and continued to sleepwalk through the middle frame.

But in the third period, they finally woke up after the “It can’t get any worse” conversation Lambert alluded to, pulling within a goal and creating several bona fide scoring chances that made it feel like they were about to tie the game.

In fact, Chandler Stephenson appeared to have the equalizer after an insane touch pass from Berkly Catton in the neutral zone sprung his billet dad on a breakaway. Stephenson made a nice move, hitting the brakes and getting Lukas Dostal to slide the wrong way, but as he deked back to his left, the puck rolled off his stick.

WHOOP! What a pass by Berkly Catton.

Chandler Stephenson had Dostal dead to rights but lost the handle on it. That would have been a goal of the year candidate. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/sXv0g25cp1

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 24, 2026

If there’s one silver lining from this otherwise miserable game, it’s that the Kraken reminded us in the third period that they are capable of playing on their toes.

Takeaway 3: The Shane Wright situation​

Shane Wright did contribute in this game, setting up Jaden Schwartz for an easy tap-in goal that pulled Seattle back within 3-2.

The larger story surrounding Wright lately, though, has been his name popping up in trade rumors. Multiple national reporters have surmised that the Kraken would be willing to move the 22-year-old center.

We gave our takes on the situation on the latest Sound Of Hockey Podcast, so give that a listen. My general belief is that Wright could be traded if the right offer comes along—just like almost any player in the Kraken organization—but I don’t believe Seattle is actively “shopping” him, per se. Rather, they’re looking to upgrade offensively, and Wright is a young player who could bring back significant value, so of course they should be listening.

That said, I asked Wright how he’s been handling the “outside noise,” and he responded: “I don’t really care too much about that. It’s no offense to you guys, reporters, at the end of the day, you can’t really trust too much what they say. And at the end of day, it’s just rumors. I’m not too worried about that.”

I also asked Lambert what he thought of Wright’s game and how he prevents trade chatter from becoming a distraction for his young center.

“I thought his game was good. It was really good tonight,” Lambert said. “I think his game’s been good for a while. I think there’s areas of Shane’s game that we’re working on that he’s improved on a lot since the beginning of the year. The outside noise is outside noise. The speculation is speculation. I have no idea [about any of that], but my job is to make sure that he’s ready to play, and I think he’s playing well. And I thought he played well tonight.”

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 play “terrible” 40 minutes, lose 4-2 to Ducks in critical game appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/24/kraken-lose-to-ducks-shane-wright-trade-rumors/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook – Lambert’s approach to poor performance, more on Shane Wright

After Lane Lambert was blunt in his assessment of the Seattle Kraken’s performance against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday—calling it, “The worst 40 minutes we played all year,”—I was curious to see what kind of tone Seattle’s practice would take Saturday, as the team prepared for a 12 p.m. game against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

After all, Lambert used some of his strongest language to date in describing how his team played, so would they get the bag-skate treatment? Would Lambert scream at them and come down with a heavy hand?

In this case, not exactly. In front of a surprisingly large crowd for the open-to-the-public skate, the practice was a focused, up-tempo session that revolved around transitions, rushes, and special teams. But it wasn’t of the “skate until you puke” variety.

I asked Lambert how he addresses the group the day after a game like the one it played on Friday: does he come at it from an instructional angle, or react heavy-handedly?

“It depends where you’re at in the season,” Lambert said. “It depends where you’re at in the schedule. There’s all kinds of different sorts of scenarios that go into it, and there’s different ways to approach it, just like you said.”

My thought is that if the schedule weren’t compressed the way it has been because of the upcoming Olympics, we may have seen a more reprimanding approach employed by Lambert on Saturday. But with another game just 24 hours away, Lambert clearly felt the on-ice portion needed to be more tactical than punitive.

Lambert shared that the team had a morning meeting, and the messaging was, “Just whatever you have to do, from a preparation standpoint, as an individual, you’ve got to do it. We talked about our starts this morning, so it’s clearly an issue, and we just have to be better in that area.”

Following up on the Shane Wright situation​

Nothing has changed in the last… oh, 12 hours since I asked Shane Wright how he’s dealing with the “outside noise” of trade rumors about him, and he said, “I don’t really care too much about that. It’s no offense to you guys, reporters, at the end of the day, you can’t really trust too much what they say. And at the end of day, it’s just rumors. I’m not too worried about that.”

Lambert said Friday that the team has been working on a few areas of Shane’s game and that he’s seeing improvement from the 22-year-old center. So I also asked Lambert Saturday to elaborate on what those areas are.

“I think he’s way better in the defensive zone right now,” Lambert said. “I think his positioning, his understanding of his positioning when he comes into the defensive zone, is miles ahead of where it was 20, 25, 30 games ago, and I think that his ability and his confidence—and we’ve talked about this before—to hold onto pucks and make plays has improved throughout the year. And I think all of those things coupled together are making him and will make him a better hockey player.”

Something tells me there are fans who won’t like the next part of what Lambert said, especially in the context that Cutter Gauthier—drafted one spot behind Wright at No. 5 in the 2022 NHL Draft—burned around Vince Dunn on Friday and scored his 23rd goal of the season.

“I think [Wright] is doing a really good job of embracing what we’re coaching into him, and sometimes players—in order to play the right way—sometimes they have to play for the team type of thing. I’m not saying he wasn’t before, but sometimes you have to sacrifice a little bit of your personal statistics in order to embrace the way to play, in order for the team to have success. I think he’s done an amazing job with that, I really do.”

Asked if that’s a straightforward conversation to have with a young player, Lambert said:

“It is. It’s a conversation that, because at the end of the day, you’re young, and you haven’t had all this experience and stuff like that. You’ve been used to getting points and things like that, and I’m not saying we don’t want him to, I’m just saying we want him to learn how to play the right way, and I think he’s doing a great job of that. I just… there’s a certain way to play for an entire hockey team in order to win in the playoffs, and that’s what I’m building towards.”

One thing Lambert didn’t touch on is Wright’s performance in the face-off circle, something that is clearly valued by the Kraken coach. Face-offs are a flawed stat, but after finishing last season at 44.5 percent in the circle in 79 games, Wright has regressed to just 37.5 percent this year. I do believe this is a big reason his starts are almost exclusively in the offensive zone, and also a big reason why Lambert hasn’t yet placed his wholehearted trust in Wright.

Odds and ends​

• It looked like the Kraken will go with the same lineup Sunday against the Devils, with Ryan Lindgren being the only question mark (and I’d guess Joey Daccord gets the start). Lindgren did not participate Saturday, but Lambert said it was just a maintenance day. Cale Fleury took Lindgren’s spot in line rushes next to Ryker Evans.

• Philipp Grubauer was breaking in his Team Germany pads at practice. Joey Daccord also donned a brand-new set of pads, though they are the exact same design as the ones he’s been wearing—just with fewer puck marks.

Philipp Grubauer is breaking in his Team Germany gear. #GoalieGearCorner #SeaKraken

pic.twitter.com/ZgO19KMKZg

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 24, 2026

• Ryker Evans, who took a friendly fire high stick from Ben Meyers two games ago and now has a nasty zipper on his lip, played Friday’s game with a visor plus a lower face shield. At practice, he ditched the lower face shield.

• Meyers, week to week with a lower-body injury, was apparently injured blocking a shot in the second period against the New York Islanders on Wednesday. Jacob Melanson replaced him in the lineup Friday, and it appears Melanson will remain in the lineup on Sunday.

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 Notebook – Lambert’s approach to poor performance, more on Shane Wright appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/24/kraken-notebook-lane-lambert-shane-wright/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

10 for 10: Seattle Kraken Games 41–50

It is time for another edition of 10‑for‑10, where we identify 10 metrics that tell the story of the Seattle Kraken’s last 10 games and how they relate to their current position in the standings. The Kraken remain in the mix for a Pacific Division or wild card playoff spot, but they didn’t do themselves any favors over the last 10 games, going 3‑5‑2 in that span. They also dropped two critical matchups to teams in a similar position, while every other playoff contender in the Pacific Division outperformed them. That leads us to our first data point.

Data point 1: Losing ground​

From a points‑percentage standpoint, the Kraken have only outperformed the Vancouver Canucks in the Pacific Division, while every other team either gained ground or created separation.

When this 10‑game stretch started on Dec. 6, the Kraken were third in the Pacific and within one point of the division‑leading Vegas Golden Knights. As of Sunday, Jan. 25, the Kraken are now sixth in the Pacific and nine points back of the Golden Knights. That doesn’t even account for the Utah Mammoth jumping them in the wild card race, or the Nashville Predators surging to just one point behind the Kraken.

Data point 2: Goals for and against, minus empty‑net goals​

Some positive news: the Kraken scored more goals, excluding empty‑netters, over the last 10 games than they did in any prior 10‑game segment. The negative: they also allowed the most goals against in that same window.

I don’t think it’s totally sincere to look at the increase in goal scoring and assume this is all good, because some of it might be a byproduct of playing from behind. We’ve talked about it all season: this team is comfortable playing tight games, and when holding a lead, they prioritize preventing offense over generating it. That suppresses their scoring. When they’re chasing, they don’t have that luxury.

Data point 3: Game time spent by goal differential​

The last 10 games featured the highest percentage of time the Kraken have spent playing from behind. They were down 2‑0 in five of the 10 games. They clawed back in several of them, but allowing the first two goals is a recipe for disaster, and it showed in the results.

And in order to be down 2‑0, you first have to be down 1‑0.

Data point 4: Trailing first​

The Kraken have a .700 points percentage when scoring the first goal and a .360 points percentage when allowing the first goal. They allowed the first goal in eight of the last 10 games, the most in any 10‑game segment this season.

In six of those eight games, they allowed the opening goal within the first five minutes. That kind of behavior can be demoralizing, and at home, it can suck the energy right out of the building.

Data point 5: Special teams​

One positive area for the Kraken has been their special teams. Since Jan. 6, when this 10‑game segment started, they have the second‑best power‑play conversion rate in the league and a slightly better‑than‑league‑average penalty kill.

The power play has been good all season, ranked ninth in the league as of Sunday morning, and they’re whipping the puck around like I’ve never seen in their brief franchise history. Special teams have been fun to watch lately, apart from one particular issue that keeps popping up…

Data point 6: Short-handed goals against​

One of the ugliest parts of the last 10 games has been the Kraken allowing short-handed goals in four of the last five games. All four came at critical times, and they went on to lose all four of those games. Each one seemed to happen in its own unique, maddening way.

Let’s talk about something a little more fun, shall we?

Data point 7: Berkly Catton shot attempts and goals​

It was early in this 10‑game segment, but Berkly Catton scored his first four goals of his career in this span and has also been generating more shot attempts per game. He’s playing with confidence and seems to showcase more of his skill with every outing.

Data point 8: Shot attempts on target​

A theme that has crept into my mind lately is the feeling that this team has been a bit unlucky shooting the puck. There have been several moments where the Kraken hit the post or crossbar at a critical juncture. I always tend to think these things even out over time and that no team is truly lucky or unlucky over a full season… but the timing can be critical.

There’s no official stat for posts or crossbars, but one potential proxy is “shots on target.” The formula is simple: (goals + shots on goal) / total shot attempts. The theory is that they’re shooting plenty but not putting enough on net. The NHL classifies posts and crossbars as missed shots, not shots on goal.

A lot more research would need to go into this, but the Kraken are not hitting the target at the same rate they were during their little run back into the playoff picture.

Sidenote, the Kraken are 28th in the league in shot attempts per game.

Data point 9: The often‑overlooked contributions from Ben Meyers​

I’ve talked about him on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast but haven’t mentioned him here, so I want to shout out Ben Meyers for everything he’s brought this season.

Meyers bounced up and down between Coachella Valley in the first couple months of the year but was a permanent fixture from Dec. 9 until his recent injury.

He has been a critical piece of that fourth line and a key part of the penalty‑kill turnaround. His numbers are modest, but he has posted career highs across all scoring categories and was on pace to surpass his most games played in a single season before landing on injured reserve Friday morning.

His last 10 games have been his most impactful stretch for the Kraken, and likely of his entire career.

Meyers being listed on injured reserve as week‑to‑week is concerning and likely means he’s out until after the Olympic break.

Data point 10: Center depth​

Including Meyers, the Kraken have six players on the roster they’ve deployed at center this season, and all have shown they can handle the position regularly, not just out of necessity.

To be clear, this does include Catton, who has been used primarily as a winger lately but did play center for six games earlier in the season. It also doesn’t include Oscar Fisker Mølgaard or John Hayden, both of whom the Kraken have used at center at various points. It’s an area of depth for the team, and one that could come into play at the trade deadline.

Wrapping it up​

When you zoom out on these 10 games, the picture is pretty clear: the Kraken are still very much in the hunt, but they’ve made the climb steeper than it needed to be. Slow starts, shorthanded stumbles, and a little bad puck luck have all chipped away at the margin for error, even as bright spots like Catton’s emergence, Meyers’ reliability, and the power play’s contributions offer reasons to stay invested. With the standings tightening, the next 10 games will be critical to figuring out their approach to the trade deadline.

The post 10 for 10: Seattle Kraken Games 41–50 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/25/10-for-10-seattle-kraken-games-41-50/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Goals by Beniers and Catton, strong outing by Daccord help Kraken beat Devils

In a tough-sledding, tight-checking game, the Seattle Kraken broke through to muster just enough offense and earn a MUCH-needed 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Seattle got through the first six minutes without giving up a goal for the first time in 10 games, but the Devils broke through on a power play at 8:11 to make it 1-0. So, still an early goal against, but not as early as they’ve been giving up recently. The Kraken overcame the goal against and broke a 1-1 tie with two goals in quick succession in the third period, then held on in the closing minutes to rebound from what coach Lane Lambert had called a “terrible” game Friday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Ryker Evans, Matty Beniers, Berkly Catton, and Jordan Eberle scored the goals, and Joey Daccord looked more like himself than in his previous outing.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-2 Kraken win over the Devils.

Takeaway 1: Two quick third-period goals​

At practice on Saturday, Lane Lambert talked vaguely about Beniers spending time this season working behind the scenes on his offensive game with skills coach Justin Rai and assistant coach Chris Taylor. He called it “pretty intriguing stuff,” but declined to elaborate further.

Beniers, playing his 300th game, made an outstanding offensive play Sunday to break the tie, taking a low feed from Jordan Eberle, dragging the puck across the slot, and chipping a perfectly placed backhander under the bar at 7:04 of the third.

MATTY MAGIC! WHAT A GOAL!

The drag, the top-cheese backhander, the celly. Beautiful!

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

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 25, 2026

“300 games for Matty, and he scored an all-world goal,” Lambert said. “He had great patience to hold onto it and then keep holding onto it while their goalie went down. So, really good job by him.”

So maybe that’s the kind of thing he’s been working on with Rai and Taylor?

“Matty, nasty goal, outrageous celly. I absolutely loved it,” Daccord said. “I loved every second of it.”

Just 18 seconds later, the Kraken added an insurance goal to make it 3-1—a goal that proved critical, as Jack Hughes pulled New Jersey back within one with a power-play goal less than a minute after that.

The insurance marker was credited to Berkly Catton, though it required a fortunate bounce to get over the line. An Eeli Tolvanen shot from the left hashmarks didn’t make it through to Jacob Markstrom, instead dropping onto Chandler Stephenson’s stick. Stephenson made an elite no-look pass across the crease to his tenant, who had an open net. Catton actually missed with his shot, but the puck hit the outside of the goal, popped up, struck his body, and dropped in behind Markstrom.

THE L'IL CAT!

Berkly gets a good bounce after actually missing the net and gives the #SeaKraken some insurance.

3-1 pic.twitter.com/QaB8qgQLps

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 25, 2026

“I mean, I went what? 27 games without a goal? That’s a long time,” Catton said. “It’s nice that they’re kind of starting to go in here… I have no clue how it went in. I had it, I shot it on net, and it hit the side of the net, and then I don’t know what happened after that.”

Takeaway 2: Joey found his mojo​

After Joey’s last start—a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday—Lambert indicated he thought there were some goals the Kraken would have liked their goalie to stop. Philipp Grubauer then started the next two games.

Daccord returned to the net Sunday and looked like his old self, stopping 27 of 29 shots and improving to a .901 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average on the season.

His biggest saves came during a frantic sequence on a Devils power play midway through the second period, a few minutes after Evans had tied the game.

Daccord appeared down and out as the puck found its way to Nico Hischier in the crease with an open net. While Hischier tried to corral a bouncing puck amid a bevy of bodies, Daccord came sprawling back to the right post in a full split, denying Hischier’s first whack on the goal line before rejecting a follow-up attempt by Jesper Bratt and barely keeping the puck out.

Unbelievable pair of saves by Joey Daccord on the goal line. Not sure how he kept that out.

Jaden Schwartz followed this up with a goal-saving shot block seconds later to help the #SeaKraken get a big kill. pic.twitter.com/dladqvuKTJ

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 25, 2026

“I just turned around with full splits and hoped it didn’t go in,” Daccord said. “And I felt it hit my pad. I don’t know if it was a stick or the puck, but I thought I felt the puck hit my pad, and I was just hoping my pad wasn’t in the net. They didn’t review it or challenge it, and no one said anything.”

Jaden Schwartz followed up that save with a goal-saving shot block seconds after that sequence, helping Seattle earn a critical penalty kill at a key moment in the game.

As Grubauer has experienced a renaissance this season, Daccord hasn’t always looked at his best. It was good to see him deliver a properly solid outing Sunday and backstop his team to a much-needed win.

“He played great,” Lambert said. “I thought we defended pretty well 5-on-5, for the most part. There was some scrambling stuff around the net, but when we needed him to make a save—and we did—he made it. So, I’m very happy for him.”

In classic Joey fashion, he even took a shot at the empty net late in the game, only to have his attempt blocked by Brett Pesce.

Joey Daccord was shooting for the goalie goal! #SeaKraken #njdevils pic.twitter.com/nwsehRMLkO

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 26, 2026

Takeaway 3: Huge win​

After the horrendous performance against the Ducks on Friday, there was a real sense of doom and gloom, with Seattle having fallen out of the playoff bubble and four points back of Anaheim. While the Kraken have now played one more game than both San Jose and Los Angeles, Sunday’s win pulled them level on points with both teams and back within two points of the Ducks, who still hold the all-important third spot in the Pacific Division.

The last 10 games haven’t been great for the Kraken, but they remain right in the thick of the playoff race. With the Olympic break just five games away, now would be an incredible time to get back on a winning streak.

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 – Goals by Beniers and Catton, strong outing by Daccord help Kraken beat Devils appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/25/kraken-defeat-devils-joey-daccord/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: Still on a ride

It was another roller‑coaster week for the Seattle Kraken, who traded off losses and wins to finish 2–2–0. Things opened with a 6–3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in which the Kraken started late, battled back, but ultimately came up short. Two days later, they skated to a convincing, though not dominant, 4–1 win over the New York Islanders, and it briefly felt like things were back on track heading into a very important Friday night matchup with the Anaheim Ducks.

I don’t have much desire to relive the Ducks game, but as poorly as the Kraken played for the first two periods, they were within one goal for most of the third. They had their chances, too. Look at the Kraken’s shot attempts by period, excluding blocked shots.

I’m not trying to spin that loss, but even in one of their worst games of the season, they were somehow still in it. Then they rebounded Sunday at got a needed 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

As of Monday morning, they sit four points back of Anaheim for third in the Pacific Division and are tied with the Sharks and Kings for the final wild‑card spot. San Jose and Los Angeles hold the advantage because they’ve each played one fewer game than Seattle.

Even with all that swirling around, it’s worth zooming out for a second and taking stock of where this team actually sits in the bigger picture.

Sticking around​

I wasn’t feeling great about this team after either the Penguins game or the Ducks game, but despite the poor results, the Kraken remain firmly in the playoff mix. Even I need to remind myself that this is all I asked for at the start of the season, and I probably shouldn’t get too emotional after a loss. They’ve had their share of stinkers, but they can beat anyone, which makes tuning in easy. The team is healthy and, believe it or not, starting to score some goals. If they can lock down the defensive structure that defined their early‑season success, they have a decent chance of making the playoffs.

Sabotage returns​

For those who haven’t been to a game lately, Kraken game ops brought back “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys as the player‑intro song. The switch happened for the Islanders game, and based on what I saw online, fans had been clamoring for its return. The Kraken were 10–8–5 with “Cochise” by Audioslave as the intro and are 2–1–0 with “Sabotage” this season. I genuinely wonder what went into the decision to insert “Cochise” in the first place and how “Sabotage” made its way back. My guess is fan feedback drove the return, which is nice to think about.

Sabotage IS back! #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/hpZOOaqfie

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 24, 2026

Quick thoughts on Shane Wright​

I’ve had no fewer than 20 people ask me what’s going on with the Shane Wright narrative, so I feel obligated to share my perspective. We spent a good chunk of time on it in the latest Sound Of Hockey Podcast, and Curtis Isacke brought the heat with some data on Wright’s season to date, so I highly recommend checking that out (the Wright discussion starts around the 31:40 mark).

Are the Kraken “shopping” Shane Wright? No. Are they listening to offers? Yes, just as they should for every player.

You don’t need to be an insider to see that roughly 20 NHL teams are looking for a center, while the Kraken have five or six centers playing in their lineup every night. Center is where Seattle’s depth lies, and to acquire a top‑six, high‑end, goal‑scoring winger, you have to give up something of value.

Theoretically, any center could be available, but only a few would fetch the return Seattle needs, which is where Wright enters the conversation. It really is that simple. I’m not disputing that discussions are happening, but I am not sure Wright will be traded this season.

Other musings​

• Sunday’s win was their first against the Devils since January 2023. They have still never won in New Jersey. The only other team they haven’t beaten on the road is Utah.
• For the ninth time in the last 10 games, the Kraken gave up the first goal. It’s a trend that has been all too common after they opened the season so strong in scoring first. They’re 16–6–3 when scoring first and 7–13–6 when allowing the first goal.
• Naturally, after I just posted about how good the Kraken’s special teams have been lately, they went 0‑for‑4 on the power play and allowed two goals on the penalty kill.
• After going 27 games without a goal, Berkly Catton now has five in his last 11. He’s tied with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann for the most goals in that span despite playing significantly fewer minutes.
• One small thing I picked up on Sunday was the “face-off and change” pattern in the third period. Several times, Chandler Stephenson took a defensive‑zone draw with Freddy Gaudreau on the wing. They aren’t on the same line, but more than a couple of times I noticed head coach Lane Lambert sending them out together for the face-off, and once the puck was cleared, one of them would change.
• It’s been 16 years since I started the NHLtoSeattle grassroots movement, and 13 years since the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. I mention them together because I remember feeling emboldened by that run to back‑to‑back Super Bowls and the civic pride that washed over the city. It validated what I was doing and reminded me of the value sports bring to a community. Sports bring people together, and I think we need more of that in the world right now. Go Hawks.

Goal of the week​

This was an easy one…

Player performances​

Carson Rehkopf (CVF) – Rehkopf is no stranger to this section of Monday Musings, but it has been a while since we mentioned him. He recorded his first professional hat trick on Wednesday night.

CARSON REHKOPF WITH HIS FIRST PRO HAT TRICK!!!!! 4-2 FIIIIREEEEBIRDDSSSSS! pic.twitter.com/pIktElzQdC

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 22, 2026

Jake O’Brien (BRA/SEA) – The Kraken’s 2025 first‑round pick returned to the Brantford Bulldogs lineup last Sunday and has 10 points in four games.

Logan Morrison (CVF) – Morrison has points in eight of his last 10 games and has quietly put up strong numbers for the Firebirds. He has 20 goals in 39 games this season and is on pace for 37.

The week ahead​

I’m sure I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but with six points on the table this week, the Kraken should aim for three. They host the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before hitting the road for a Saturday matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The home games will be a challenge, but they’re catching both the Capitals and Leafs at a good time because neither team is playing its best hockey right now. Vegas has lost three of its last four but still has seven wins in its last 10. If nothing else, this season keeps giving us reasons to stay plugged in and see where the next twist in the ride takes us.

The post Monday Musings: Still on a ride appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/26/monday-musings-still-on-a-ride/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Jared McCann has four-point night, Kraken beat Capitals 5-1

What a night for the Seattle Kraken’s first line, which produced nearly all the offense in a 5-1 drubbing of a reeling Washington Capitals team.

Seattle got off on a better foot than it has in recent games, going through the first period tied 0-0, then rode Jared McCann’s impressive night to a convincing victory.

“They had an outstanding game,” coach Lane Lambert said of Seattle’s first line. “And it’s very important to have those guys do that. And we look forward to more of that.”

McCann finished with two goals and two assists, Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle each had a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer was solid again (when he had to be), stopping 19 shots.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 5-1 Kraken win over the Capitals.

Takeaway 1: Better start​

After going 10 straight games giving up a goal in the first 10 minutes, it was refreshing to see Seattle get through the opening frame with a 0-0 tie. There were a couple of hairy moments in that first period, including a Jacob Chychrun shot that slid behind Grubauer but missed wide of the far post, and another chance in which Vince Dunn stepped in front of an open net to save a sure goal.

Phew!

Jakob Chychrun sends it behind Grubauer and out the other side. pic.twitter.com/w5UYPu4ICA

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

Aside from those two scares, Seattle controlled almost the entire period and came away with a 13-4 shots-on-goal advantage and a clean slate heading to the second.

“We’ve addressed [our starts]. We’ve talked about it many times,” Eberle said. “I mean, obviously we know the stats on giving up the first goal. I mean, just a collective mindset of being ready, and that just means, maybe getting it in deep and trying to establish a forecheck. You’re not going to score the first goal every game, that’s the reality of this league. It’s a good league, other teams are good, but you can try and— especially at home, put your will and establish your game early. So good start tonight and [we’ve got to] keep it going.”

Seattle then got on the board with a power-play goal early in the second period, and things got on the rails quickly.

Takeaway 2: Jared McCann gets robbed of the hat trick​

It was McCann who opened the scoring, converting on the power play to make it 1-0 at 1:15 of the second period by one-timing Eberle’s pass from the top of the right circle against the grain and past Logan Thompson.

MCCANN CAN!

Really nifty shot here by Jared McCann, back against the grain on Thompson. Power-play goal.

1-0 #SeaKraken https://t.co/UWsAui9mPI pic.twitter.com/owOFPWWxUR

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

He followed that up with his second of the game at 10:09, cleaning up a Beniers rebound that landed right on his stick with a yawning cage in front of him.

“On the first one, Ebs found me through the slot there,” McCann said. “I just tried to get it on net as quick as possible, and kind of— I didn’t get all of it, but it was a good-placed shot, I guess. And the second one there, I just tried to battle my way to the net, and it kind of kicked off the pad there, right to me, backdoor.”

From there—once McCann officially landed on hat-trick watch—things started to get weird. First, with a chance at a natural hat trick, he rang a shot hard off the left post, which Eberle swept into the net to make it 3-0 at 17:54 of the second. There went the natty hatty.

O CAPTAIN!

How rude of Jordan Eberle to steal the natural hat trick opportunity from Jared McCann.

3-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/1NJSlpWXwa

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

Things got really weird early in the final period, when McCann appeared to score his third goal, making it 4-0 at 1:27. As he celebrated, hats rained down onto the ice. Only after every fan who wanted to throw a hat had done so did the officials make it clear that they were considering wiping the goal off the board.

“The linesman called the high-sticking penalty, and when a linesman sees a high stick, he can’t blow it down right away,” coach Lane Lambert said. “So the play went on for quite a while, obviously, and then they reviewed it, and that was the rule, and that’s the way it goes. So, we couldn’t change it. We just had to buckle down and get through it.”

Replay showed that Matty Beniers had clipped Justin Sourdif nearly a full minute before McCann summoned the barrage of hats from the crowd. The linesman properly reported the penalty at the next stoppage, which just so happened be McCann’s goal.

“I’ve never seen— I didn’t even know that was an option,” Eberle said, dumbfounded. “I’ve never seen that. I mean, obviously, massive momentum swing when you get the fourth and put them away, and they take it away, give you a four-minute penalty.”

Added McCann: “I just feel bad for people who threw their hats on the ice, to be honest.”

The officials ultimately got it right, but it was a bizarre circumstance. Alex Ovechkin capitalized on the four-minute power play with career goal No. 919, briefly giving the Capitals a pulse.

Credit to the Kraken for sticking with it, though, killing off the remainder of that penalty and then adding goals from Beniers and Ryker Evans down the stretch to put the game away.

Takeaway 3: Melanson’s first NHL fight​

The legend of Jacob Melanson continued to grow Tuesday. He delivered seven more hits and is now averaging just under five hits per game in his brief NHL career. He also drove hard to the net and was the target of a Ryker Evans pass that caromed in off Tom Wilson.

RYKER STRIKER!

Two straight games with a goal for Ryker Evans, who gets a good bounce of Tom Wilson's skate.

4-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/xhGEFutPHn

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

But he brought the crowd to its feet one last time late in the game after Brandon Duhaime wrestled him to the ice in the corner and then laid on him. When the two finally got up, Melanson gave Duhaime a shot, and they jostled all the way up the ice. Once Duhaime cross-checked Melanson up high, the gloves finally came off.

FISTICUFFS!

Saw that one coming. Jacob Melanson gets his first NHL fight with Brandon Duhaime.

The two were going at it all shift after Duhaime laid on Melanson in the corner. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/HYmoEiLbNJ

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

It was one of those fights you could see coming from a mile away. What I loved about it is that Melanson is clearly trying to play a physical game at all times without putting his team at a disadvantage. He got some licks in on Duhaime but tried several times to skate away. When he finally accepted the fight, Duhaime ended up with the extra penalty.

How can you not love this kid?

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 – Jared McCann has four-point night, Kraken beat Capitals 5-1 appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/28/kraken-defeat-capitals-mccann-four-points/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook – Melanson under Duhaime’s skin, Lindgren on facing his brother’s team

After a big 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, the Seattle Kraken had a light day Wednesday, with only Cale Fleury, Josh Mahura, Tye Kartye, Joey Daccord, and Matt Murray taking part in a very optional practice.

Sound Of Hockey took the opportunity to catch up with a couple of players who were not on the ice: defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forward Jacob Melanson.

What happened between Brandon Duhaime and Jacob Melanson?​

Apparently, Capitals forward Brandon Duhaime is not a fan of Jacob Melanson’s physical style of play. We all saw Tuesday night that Duhaime did everything he could to get Melanson to drop the gloves, a request to which Melanson finally acquiesced in the closing minutes of the contest, when the score was well out of reach for Washington.

“I don’t know [what I did to him], but I mean, if I got that guy that mad at me, then I must be doing my job the right way,” Melanson said. “So, I mean, obviously, he wanted it the whole night, and he finally got it.”

What we didn’t catch live during the game was that Duhaime—apparently intentionally—stuck the butt end of his stick over the boards from inside Washington’s bench and poked Melanson in the face as Melanson rushed up the ice during the second period.

Wait… this replay is better. What was Duhaime thinking?!

[Shooter McGavin voice]: "Doug, kick him off the tour!" https://t.co/am17AzMOPv pic.twitter.com/jJIqiCu9HM

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

Melanson said he didn’t realize during the game that it was Duhaime’s stick that caught him in the face, nor that the poke was apparently intentional.

“I didn’t [know it was him], and I feel like that would have made things a little different, but I mean, it’s just part of the game. He’s trying to get under my skin, and I respect it.”

Melanson got the last laugh several times over, with his team winning the game convincingly and Duhaime taking an extra penalty during the end-of-game melee. Duhaime was also handed a $2,500 fine from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Wednesday morning for unsportsmanlike conduct (the poke from the bench).

“Obviously, it’s a 5-1 hockey game, one minute left, it’s not really the time to have a fight. But I mean, he wouldn’t back down,” Melanson said. “I tried to skate away from it a few times, but I’m also not going to show that I’m just going to skate away every time and that I will answer the bell.”

Checking in with Jacob Melanson to try to understand why Brandon Duhaime was so mad at him last night. #SeaKraken #allcaps pic.twitter.com/9tkijPN3FG

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 28, 2026

Battle of the Lindgrens​

One storyline that flew under the radar in Tuesday’s game against Washington was that Ryan Lindgren was facing his brother Charlie in the 2026 Lindgren Bowl. Unfortunately, Charlie—a goaltender for the Capitals—did not play, backing up Logan Thompson in this particular contest.

Still, it was a chance for Ryan Lindgren to reflect on how unique it is to face his brother in NHL competition.

“Yeah, it really is the coolest thing,” Ryan said. “It’s something we both dreamed of growing up was playing the NHL, and any time we get to play against each other is… I mean, it’s incredible. Obviously, it’s a little more fun when he’s in net, but, yeah, it’s really special.”

The two teams meeting is always a unique moment for the Lindgren family, which has been known to convene whenever the brothers’ respective teams square off.

“It’s always fun to see [Charlie], and my parents come into town, my grandpa, my other brother,” Ryan said. “And I think more so for them, too, they really, really love it and really enjoy seeing us out there together. So, yeah, it’s incredible.

“We’re both very fortunate that our parents and family supported us through everything, and for them to come out and watch and enjoy it as well is really cool.”

So what did the Lindgren family do when they all gathered in Seattle? Pretty much what any family would do when visiting from out of town.

“We were able to watch the Seahawks game with them and spent a lot of time together. And then Monday, we had breakfast in the morning and then kind of spent the day in Seattle, went to Pike Place, and then got dinner again after. So, we just tried to spend as much time together as we can.”

Of course, this was not the first time the brothers’ teams had faced each other, and in previous matchups, Charlie has even tended goal for the Capitals instead of riding the pine.

In fact, they first faced each other in the AHL, when Ryan was in the Rangers’ farm system playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack and Charlie was in the Canadiens’ system with the Laval Rocket. Most notably, they also squared off in the 2024 playoffs, when Ryan’s Rangers faced Charlie’s Capitals, with Charlie playing the entire series for Washington.

“We were lucky enough to sweep them, too,” Ryan said with a smirk. “So, I kind of got that over him, which is nice. But yeah, like I said, it’s really special just getting to play against him.”

Odds and ends​

• Despite the win Tuesday, the Kraken did not gain any ground in the standings and instead just held serve with the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. All three teams remain deadlocked at 57 points, but San Jose currently occupies the final wild-card spot. The target for Seattle has to be the third-place position ahead of the Kings, Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks; the top three spots are the only ones where you’re not also battling desperate teams from the Central Division.
• On Thursday, coach Lane Lambert will face the team for whom he served as an associate head coach last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Seattle is 1-0-0 against the Leafs this season, thanks to Josh Mahura’s dazzling overtime goal in Toronto on Oct. 18.
• With nine goals in January, Matty Beniers is now tied with Jordan Eberle (November 2021) for the most goals in a month by a Kraken player. One more either Thursday or Saturday, and he will set a new record.
• Thanks to the impending Olympic break being bookended by road games, Thursday marks Seattle’s last home game until Feb. 28.

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 Notebook – Melanson under Duhaime’s skin, Lindgren on facing his brother’s team appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/2...es-skin-lindgren-on-facing-his-brothers-team/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Kraken prospect trade value tiers

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week, we’re ranking which Seattle Kraken prospects may have the most value in a deadline (or offseason) trade for an NHL upgrade. After that, we’ll pass along Kraken prospect news, including a couple of injury returns, all-shifts video, data updates, the Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, and a preview of the week ahead, as always.

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 at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Kraken trade value tiers​

The Seattle Kraken are seeking a top-line scorer to elevate the NHL team for the medium-to-long term. This has been reported and speculated about with increasing frequency of late.

The mindset is not a “new” development, though. Anyone who has followed the team closely knows the Kraken have lacked a high-end difference maker. Solving that deficiency has been a focus of new Kraken general manager Jason Botterill since day one. Indeed, during Botterill’s introductory conference with Seattle Kraken season ticket holders on May 22, 2025, he noted the strong foundation of veterans and other assets already in place. He said his job was to “drop in elite talent.”

Since that job remains incomplete, it makes sense that the Kraken would be exploring the market with added urgency as teams approach the Olympic break and the ensuing trade deadline. Due diligence is necessary, but it should be emphasized that the type of player Seattle is targeting rarely moves at the trade deadline. If the right player is not available now, efforts will continue into the offseason.

Assuming the right player is available, though, what assets do the Kraken have to trade? Inspired by a recent post in The Athletic, which tier-ranked the young players and draft assets several prominent deadline “buyers” could offer, I figured it would be useful to map out the potential “market value” of Seattle’s development pieces. (This focus on “market value” in a trade is a fundamentally different exercise from my own subjective prospect rankings, which focus on projected on-ice value for the Kraken.)

The Athletic used the following tiers: “Tier 1: Premium young assets,” “Tier 2: Strong B-level assets,” “Tier 3: B-grade assets,” and “Tier 4: Quality Trade Chips.” I’ll use a similar approach (with only one minor change) in considering Seattle’s under-23 players and draft picks. Let’s dive in.

Tier 1: Premium young players​

Berkly Catton, 20, F, Seattle Kraken. Catton has the most value of any young player or draft asset in the system. He has high-end offensive instincts and play-creation ability. While he doesn’t have elite speed, size, or strength, he wins more than his fair share of puck battles and is a threat on the forecheck with precision stick work and smarts. He has point-per-game, all-three-zone upside from any forward position (though the goal totals may never be gaudy). Every team would want this player.

Jake O’Brien, 18, F, Brantford Bulldogs. It was rumored that Seattle did not want to part with the draft pick that became Jake O’Brien in an offseason deal for Jordan Kyrou, and O’Brien has only reinforced his stock with a solid OHL season. He is a play creator on the rush and from the half wall on the power play. He’s not overly engaged off the puck, but his fundamentals are trending in the right direction. I don’t envision him as a defensive or forechecking liability. He has a willingness to get net front that should only improve if he can fill out his 6-foot-2 frame a bit more. He may not be every team’s cup of tea, but I suspect he would have premium, “headliner” value in most trades.

Shane Wright, 22, F, Seattle Kraken. Elliotte Friedman’s musing about a potential Shane Wright-for-Alexis Lafrenière swap has me concerned that public perception of Wright’s value may be lower than his fair, “true” value. This suggests to me that the Kraken would be wise to “hold” Wright, whom I still believe in as a core, offense-first, top-six center. That said, if the Kraken were “motivated” to move Wright, it would likely be due to internal concern that his market stock is trending out of the “premium” category and closer to the “Tier 2” category below. Wright likely has more value than O’Brien to a “retooling” team, whereas O’Brien may have more value to a true “rebuilding” club.

Shane Wright skates at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Tier 1A: Premium draft assets​

Seattle 2026 first-round pick. The Seattle Kraken own their own first-round pick in 2026, which should fall in the early-to-mid portion of the round. This draft class has solid depth through the mid-first round, so the pick should likely have more market value than any other player in the system. This pick would also have more value than the players and picks The Athletic has in its “Tier 2,” hence the addition of “Tier 1A.”

Tier 2: B+-grade assets​

Jani Nyman, 21, F, Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL). Nyman did not earn the role to leverage his goal-scoring skill at the NHL level this season, but he quickly demonstrated that the net-driving mentality and lethal shot are still there when he was reassigned to the AHL, scoring seven goals in 12 games. Combined with a 6-foot-4 frame and the ability to protect pucks, draw penalties, and throw the occasional hit, there is likely a team out there that views him as an offense-forward, middle-six winger. He should have value to at least some teams in a package with another similar asset or as a secondary piece in a bigger deal.

Tampa Bay 2026 first-round pick.

Seattle 2027 first-round pick.

Tier 3: B-grade assets​

Tampa Bay 2027 first-round pick.

Jagger Firkus, 21, F, Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL). Firkus’s offensive smarts, playmaking, and crafty shot have found their way to the AHL level this season. He has averaged almost a point per game and earned an All-Star nod despite his size disadvantage. If he were bigger, his market value would almost certainly be higher. As it stands, he likely straddles the boundary between Tier 3 and Tier 4. It’s possible his trade value is at its peak amidst this AHL breakout, but I’m increasingly confident in Firkus’ pro future. I wouldn’t want to include him as a mere “throw in” in a deal.

Tier 4: Other quality trade chips​

Oscar Fisker Molgaard, 20, F, Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL). Molgaard almost certainly has some trade value after a solid run in both the SHL and AHL, but I find it unlikely the market would value him commensurate with his fair, projected on-ice contributions as a bottom-six forward.

Nathan Villeneuve, 19, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL). Villeneuve not only brings physicality and leadership to the ice, he is sixth in the OHL in points per game. With multiple possible avenues to the NHL (well-rounded middle-six forward or bottom-line grinder), he’s a relatively high-certainty junior player. This gives him more value than your average junior scoring forward.

Julius Miettinen, 20, F, Everett Silvertips (WHL). Similar to Villeneuve, Miettinen’s size and defensive game complement a solid scoring profile, which gives him a few different ways to help an NHL team.

Blake Fiddler, 18, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL). Fiddler has size and skating ability from the right side. Even if the flashes of offensive upside do not coalesce, it’s easy to imagine a Will Borgen-type career for the player. These types of players are coveted. His stock is lower than it might be simply because he still has a fair amount of development ahead.

Seattle’s four 2026 and 2027 second-round picks.

Missed the cut​

I considered including Nikke Kokko (21, G, Coachella Valley Firebirds) in Tier 4, but he has never gained the reputation of a high-end goalie prospect despite his solid play at every level.

Young fourth-liners like Jacob Melanson (22, F, Seattle Kraken) and Ryan Winterton (22, F, Seattle Kraken) wouldn’t figure to return much in a trade and, therefore, almost certainly have more value on this team than anywhere else.

Tyson Jugnauth (21, D, Coachella Valley Firebirds) could intrigue other clubs amidst a strong offensive rookie year in the AHL, but I suspect defensive concerns keep him a notch below the “quality” tier.

Carson Rehkopf (21, F, Coachella Valley Firebirds) and Eduard Sale (20, F, Coachella Valley Firebirds) are two players one would hope to see in the tiers above, but their AHL play hasn’t justified it as of yet.

Notes on four Kraken prospects​

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

Jake O’Brien is back in the regular lineup with the Bulldogs, taking heavy minutes and producing at a high clip. He piled up two goals and four assists in two games this past week, which earns him Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week. He exited the lineup last Friday with eight minutes left in regulation, but returned and played a full load on Sunday, so hopefully there is no reason for concern there. Check out his shifts from Friday’s game below.

Logan Morrison | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Morrison flies under the radar as an older, undrafted free agent. Indeed, he’s probably in the “veteran leader” category for this year’s young AHL club. That said, he brings playable offensive instincts and finishing to the center position. His challenge is that he likely falls short of a traditional top-nine projection but also isn’t a classical fourth liner either. He has points in 14 of the Firebirds’ last 18 games and scored the team’s only goal in a 2–1 loss to the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday.

Oscar Fisker Mølgaard | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

Mølgaard has been absent from the Coachella Valley Firebirds lineup for the last two games with an upper-body injury. He remains out of the lineup for the Firebirds game today, Friday, Jan. 30. The team characterized it as a day-to-day injury, so hopefully it will not pose a threat to Mølgaard’s opportunity to represent Denmark in the upcoming Olympic Games. Either way, the Firebirds will have to navigate the coming weeks without this critical player.

Kaden Hammell | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

For his part, Kaden Hammell is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. This is a tough break for the young defenseman, who has exceeded expectations in seizing AHL playing time. Lukas Dragicevic should be in the lineup regularly in Hammell’s absence.

Kraken prospects data update​

Alexis Bernier was scoreless in his first two games of the season this past week, but seemingly came through the contests without a setback, which is great news for the defenseman. Look for him to build up and take on more significant minutes as Chicoutimi moves toward the QMJHL playoffs.

Barrett Hall had two assists in two games last week. With 10 goals and 15 assists in 26 games, he has already surpassed his point total in 34 games from last season. He is third on the Huskies in scoring.

Semyon Vyazovoy has been the clear starter for his KHL team for the last couple months and has rewarded that coaching decision with a sterling run of play. He is 10-2-1 in his last 13 games.

We mentioned Jack Lafontaine’s strong play for the Mavericks and Firebirds last week. There was a good interview with LaFontaine on this past week’s Fire & Ice Podcast. Check it out. And don’t be afraid to add the podcast to your regular rotation. Judd Spicer does a great job updating the past week for the Firebirds.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

3: Jagger Firkus, Kim Saarinen

2: Jake O’Brien, Julius Miettinen, Nathan Villeneuve

1: Barrett Hall, Ollie Josephson, Tyson Jugnauth, Nikke Kokko, Victor Ostman, Semyon Vyazovoi, Zaccharya Wisdom

Previewing the week ahead​

The Beanpot semifinals are this coming Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. Ben MacDonald’s Harvard Crimson will take on the Boston College Eagles in your Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week. The matchup is available to stream outside the New England area on ESPN+.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects: Xavier Villeneuve​

Xavier Villeneuve is a five-foot-11, offense-first blueliner who checked in at No. 9 on the midseason Sound Of Hockey Big Board. The skill is there to break the puck out, feed the transition game, and create offense. That said, he could be off the board for some teams as a sub-6-foot defenseman. I think it’s fair to say he’s more talented than any of the “smaller” blueliners in last year’s draft, but it’s also fair to note that zero sub-6-foot defensemen were drafted last year. Zero. Where Villeneuve and fellow undersized blueliner Ryan Lin go in the 2026 NHL Draft will be a storyline to watch. They’re still likely first-round picks, but do they fall a bit farther than expected?

Recent prospect updates​

January 23, 2026: Alexis Bernier set to return, early 2026 NHL Draft thoughts

January 16, 2026: Jacob Melanson is speeding toward an NHL future despite the demotion

January 9, 2026: World Juniors reports, CHL trades

January 2, 2026: Mid-season Kraken prospect ranking

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

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 – Kraken prospect trade value tiers appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/30/down-on-the-farm-kraken-prospect-trade-value-tiers/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Shane Wright scores two, Kraken roll to 5-2 win over Maple Leafs

…And just like that, the Seattle Kraken have vaulted into third place in the Pacific Division. It’s wild to think that coming into Thursday’s game, the Kraken (24-19-9) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (24-20-9) had nearly identical records and the same number of standings points. Yet Seattle entered the night right on the cusp of re-entering the playoff picture—which they did, thanks to their win and some coinciding losses around the division—while the Maple Leafs have all but packed it in and appear ready to go into seller mode.

That’s how big the gap is right now between the Eastern and Western Conferences. Now sitting at 59 points, Seattle jumped over Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim to move into the all-important third spot in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs—at 57 points—slid to last place in the Atlantic, a whopping 10 points out of the final Wild Card position.

The jump up the standings came thanks to a solid 5-2 Kraken win over Toronto, a game in which Shane Wright scored twice, Brandon Montour and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist, and Matty Beniers set a franchise record with his 10th goal in a single month. It also helps that Seattle has now won four of its last five games.

“We’re dialed into playing the right way,” coach Lane Lambert said. “It’s not always perfect, but when you try and play the right way, I’ve said it all year long, often times you end up on the right side of it, and you give yourself a good chance to win. And that’s what we’ve been doing lately, so credit to our guys.”

Here are Three Takeaways.

Takeaway 1: Shane Wright night​

We saw last season that when Shane Wright starts putting the puck in the net, his game looks different. His confidence seems to balloon with production, perhaps because he starts believing in his shot and no longer hesitates to show off his quick release.

Wright’s two-goal night against Toronto snapped a 12-game goalless drought and gave him his eighth and ninth tallies of the season.

The first came off a simple play by Jaden Schwartz, who sent the puck toward the net from distance and created a juicy rebound off Anthony Stolarz’s pad. Wright jumped on it and chipped it home at 6:23 of the second period to restore a 2-1 lead after Nicholas Robertson had tied the game late in the first.

WRIGHT AS RAIN! ️

Schwartz returns to the game and creates a rebound for Shane Wright, who goes BarrDown Studios.

2-1 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/d9BIyVBjZF

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 30, 2026

His second goal was even more critical—and it was a beauty. Wright was whistled for a questionable holding penalty at 4:57 of the third, and Morgan Rielly scored on the ensuing power play to cut Seattle’s lead from 3-1 to 3-2. (Thankfully, Montour had added an insurance goal earlier in the period off a fantastic rush by Freddy Gaudreau.)

If Wright felt any guilt over the soft call, he wasted no time making up for it. The Kraken were pressuring on the forecheck when Montour read Matias Maccelli’s breakout pass, disrupting the outlet and nudging the puck into open ice for Wright. Wright skated into it, rotated his body into shooting position at the top of the right circle, and snapped a perfect shot into the top-right corner.

WRIGHT AS RAIN x ! ️

It's going to take a LOT to get Shane Wright out of Seattle. His second of the night is a snipe.

4-2 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/drsgbWMr11

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 30, 2026

“He can shoot, and it was very evident [tonight],” Lambert said. “I liked his first goal when he went to the net. And that was a huge goal for us when he came off the wall there [in the third]. He’s had opportunities, he’s hit posts, he’s hit cross bars. He finally got rewarded tonight for that one.”

Added Wright: “The coaches always tell me to shoot a little more. I think I can always put a few more pucks on net. And, yeah, nice to [get a couple tonight].”

Now we’ll see if the two-goal night sparks something bigger. It took Wright a long time to really get rolling last season, but once he did, he became one of Seattle’s best players down the stretch.

Takeaway 2: First line still clicking​

The top line delivered again Thursday, with Matty Beniers opening the scoring on Seattle’s first shot of the game and Jared McCann sealing it with an empty-netter late in the third.

On the opening goal, McCann found Beniers slicing through a leaky Toronto defense just a minute into the contest. Beniers glided down the slot unmolested and snapped a shot that hit Stolarz’s left pad before popping into the net.

MATTY MAGIC!

Beniers gives the #SeaKraken an early 1-0 lead and sets a new franchise record for goals in a month.

The top line keeps clicking. pic.twitter.com/yd115atKii

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 30, 2026

The goal gave Beniers his 10th of January, setting a new franchise record for most goals in a single month. The previous mark of nine, held by Jordan Eberle, dates back to November of the inaugural season. It’s worth noting that the Kraken have played 16 games this month, while Eberle’s nine-goal stretch came in just 13.

BUT…

Beniers is absolutely rolling right now. Lambert has been praising the work Beniers has put in to improve his offensive game, and he echoed those sentiments again Thursday.

“I just continue to talk about the fact of his evolvement since the beginning of the year, offensively,” Lambert said. “Again, Chris Taylor and Justin Rai have done a great job of working with him on offensive concepts, putting himself in position to— whether it be spacing or whatever. The goal he scored tonight, he found that late spacing, so to speak.

“He did a real good job of driving to the net, and McCann made a great play. So I think he’s being rewarded for his efforts, but also, there’s a lot of good philosophies that have come out of our coaching department, from that standpoint, and not from me.”

Meanwhile, McCann is right on Beniers’ heels with nine goals in the month. He followed his four-point night Tuesday with another two-point effort against Toronto and now has nine points in his last five games.

This top trio looks dangerous right now.

Takeaway 3: Schwartz recovers, but Catton leaves​

There were two separate injuries to Kraken forwards in the first period. First, Jaden Schwartz went knee-on-knee with Nicolas Roy, appearing to hurt the same knee that kept him out for more than a month.

I fully expected the Kraken to announce Schwartz was done for the night—and perhaps longer—but instead, he returned to the Seattle bench a few minutes later and immediately resumed playing. He did limp back to the dressing room again late in the period, but he was back for the second and helped create Wright’s first goal.

Oh, boy. Jaden Schwartz goes knee-on-knee with Nic Roy and needs help down the tunnel.

That looked bad. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/zXvn3dr4Qm

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) January 30, 2026

“I can’t say enough about [Schwartz’s performance], actually,” Lambert said. “There was a point in time when we were down to 10 forwards. I think that Jaden showed us what veteran leadership and a guy who’s been around the game a long time can do. He knew what position and what situation we were in, and he came back.”

The reason Seattle was briefly down to 10 forwards was that while Schwartz was trying to shake off the injury, Berkly Catton was leveled at the Toronto blue line by Oliver Ekman-Larsson at 12:04 of the first. The 20-year-old forward stayed down for a moment before eventually gathering his belongings and exiting the game.

To be clear, I don’t think Ekman-Larsson intended to deliver a head shot. Catton leaned in and made contact face-first with Ekman-Larsson’s shoulder. That said, I still believe there needs to be an immediate response from the Kraken. Accidental or not, teams shouldn’t be able to lay a finger on No. 27.

There wasn’t much of a response beyond Jacob Melanson hitting Ekman-Larsson in the second period and exchanging a few words with him.

The players didn’t seem particularly heated about the hit after the game.

“I wanted to obviously make sure ‘Cats’ was good,” Montour said. “It wasn’t necessarily one that I’m probably going to jump in necessarily. I’ve got a few issues going on myself right now, so I can’t really do much there, but ‘Cats’ was all right. [Somebody] said it was somewhat clean, just a hard hit. You don’t like to see that. Obviously, I spoke to [Ekman-Larsson] a little bit, he thought it was clean.”

Montour added that he also checked in on Ekman-Larsson’s young family. So, keeping things nice and friendly, I guess.

When I asked Lambert if he would have liked to see a stronger physical response, he said: “It was pretty incidental. There was a couple of guys reaching for the puck, and Ekman-Larsson’s a little bit bigger than Berkly. I thought he got sort of stretched and exposed. But it was a—in my mind—it was a little bit of a hockey play. So, I liked our game overall.”

Now, is it a coincidence that after the Kraken didn’t retaliate, Brandon Carlo went head-hunting on Eeli Tolvanen in the third period?

—

Seattle has now closed out its long pre-Olympic homestand and will head on the road for three absolutely massive divisional games against Vegas, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. We won’t see the Kraken back at Climate Pledge Arena until Feb. 28.

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 – Shane Wright scores two, Kraken roll to 5-2 win over Maple Leafs appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/3...berkly-catton-injured-shane-wright-two-goals/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken hold on for huge 3-2 win over Golden Knights

Never a doubt! Not to sound hyperbolic, but of the 26 wins the Seattle Kraken have now racked up this season, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in their building on Saturday may have been the biggest one yet.

Seattle jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, let it slip away in the second, but recovered in the third and then held on for dear life to secure a victory that pulled them within three points of the first-place Golden Knights and opened a small two-point cushion on Anaheim and Los Angeles, their next two opponents.

Eeli Tolvanen, Jared McCann, and Kaapo Kakko had the goals, and Chandler Stephenson recorded two assists against his former team.

Here are Three Takeaways from a huge 3-2 Kraken win over the Golden Knights.

Takeaway 1: Joey Daccord was the difference​

This team has gone as its goaltending has gone. When the goalies have been outstanding, the Kraken have won. When they’ve been just OK, they haven’t. Lately, both Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer have been outstanding, and the Kraken have—unsurprisingly—won five of their last six.

After a stretch of alternating goalies from game to game, coach Lane Lambert recently gave Grubauer two straight starts against the Islanders and Ducks. It had been a while since Daccord played consecutive games, but Lambert gave Joey the nod again Saturday after a solid outing Thursday against Toronto, and Daccord rewarded him.

Daccord stopped 27 of 29 shots, plainly outplaying his counterpart at the other end, Akira Schmid, who allowed three goals on 23 shots and continued a mediocre season.

Joey was especially big in the third period. A few minutes after Kakko restored Seattle’s 3-2 lead, Adam Larsson joined the rush as the trailer, took a feed from McCann, and rifled a shot wide of Schmid. Larsson missed badly enough that the puck rimmed around to Jack Eichel on the half wall, springing Vegas the other way. Having taken himself out of the play, Larsson couldn’t recover in time, and Eichel easily sent Ivan Barbashev in alone on a breakaway.

Barbashev—who had already scored once in the game—cruised down Las Vegas Boulevard and ripped a shot that Daccord snared to keep Seattle in front.

🗣JOEYYYYYYYYYY!

Ivan Barbashev gets a breakaway after Adam Larsson slid down for a shot and missed wide.

Daccord snares Barbashev's shot. What a save! pic.twitter.com/SvyJjVgI8y

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 1, 2026

Then, with time winding down, Daccord was exceptional in the final two minutes, battling through traffic and tracking shots off weird, broken plays and bouncing pucks.

When the horn sounded, Daccord celebrated accordingly.

NEVER A DOUBT!

What a celebration by Joey Daccord, as the #SeaKraken hold on to defeat the 1st-place Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2.

Enormous win. pic.twitter.com/diIe1HRrf4

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 1, 2026

Takeaway 2: Bend, don’t break​

Any time a team coughs up a two-goal lead—especially in the fashion Seattle did in the second period—it’s not a great feeling heading into the third.

The Kraken had opened the scoring after Stephenson set up Ryan Winterton, who created a rebound for Tolvanen at 6:50 of the first. McCann followed that up with a one-time missile off a Vince Dunn feed on the power play to make it 2-0 at 13:04.

MCCANN CAN!

Power-play goal on a beautiful setup, Stephenson->Dunn->McCann->

Three straight games with goals for McCann, 10th in January, 200th of his career.

2-0 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/xZ6LuPHF33

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 1, 2026

That was McCann’s 10th goal of the month (tying Matty Beniers, who set a franchise record for goals in a month last game), 200th of his career, and fourth in three games.

It was an excellent first period, punctuated by Jacob Melanson nearly putting Jonas Rondbjerg through the curved glass by the Kraken bench with one of his franchise-record 12 hits on the night.

Melly Smash!

2-0 #SeaKraken through 20. Heckuva period. pic.twitter.com/ANyAS9EwVH

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 1, 2026

“We’ve talked about our starts, and it’s the third game in a row, I think, we scored first. The stats don’t lie,” Lambert said. “The guys have done a good job of making sure that they’re ready to go. It’s not that they weren’t [doing that] before, but I think there’s just a little extra focus that we had to have.”

The Kraken Hockey Network noted that Seattle is now 19-6-3 when scoring first this season and 20-0-0 when building a two-goal lead, underscoring just how critical those starts have been.

After the strong opening frame, the second period felt different. Vegas came out visibly intent on shifting momentum. Eichel found Barbashev with an elite pass to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 8:52, and Mitch Marner tied it with 11 seconds left after Seattle gave the Golden Knights’ lethal power play two straight opportunities.

Historically, giving up a tying goal that late in the second can be a backbreaker. But to Seattle’s credit, the group reset during the intermission, got Kakko’s goal off a fortunate bounce three minutes into the third, and then committed to protecting the lead the rest of the way.

KAAAAAAAAPO KAKKO!

Kaedan Korczak knocks down Adam Larsson's shot nicely for Kakko, and he lofts it past Schmid.

3-2 #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/jK263soC7g

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 1, 2026

“The message was, ‘It doesn’t matter how we got here. If we win a period, we win a game on the road in this building,’” Lambert said. “Whether you’re up 2-0, down 2-0, it doesn’t matter. The score is 2-2 right now, go win a period, and they did.”

Takeaway 3: Another huge win​

The streakiness of this Kraken team has been wild this season. They lost 10 of 11 between November and December, then won eight of nine and went on a 10-game point streak from late December into early January. After another skid—losing six of seven—they’ve once again rebounded, winning five of six.

After the win over the Islanders, it felt like if Seattle could string together a run before the Olympic break, it could climb right back toward the top of the Pacific Division.

Lo and behold, aside from two brutal periods against Anaheim on Jan. 23, the Kraken have been playing some of their best hockey of the season and are now just three points from first place. Contributions are coming from throughout the lineup, and the goaltending has been excellent.

Now, Seattle gets a rare two-day break before facing those same Ducks in Anaheim on Tuesday and then closing out pre-Olympic play the following night in Los Angeles.

Talk about big games.

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 hold on for huge 3-2 win over Golden Knights appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/01/31/kraken-defeat-golden-knights/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Where to get your live hockey fix in Seattle this February

We’re about a week away from lighting the torch in Milan for the Winter Olympics, to which NHL and PWHL players will be making the voyage over the Atlantic Ocean to play in the tournament, which means there will be few games locally for most of February.

For the players not going to the Olympics, the break will be a nice time to relax, recover and get ready for the race to the playoffs. But for fans, especially those of the Seattle Kraken and Torrent, the shortest calendar month of the year is about to feel like the longest.

The Kraken only play one home game in February, which is the very last day of the month against the Vancouver Canucks. That’s the same with the Torrent, who will play just a day earlier against the Toronto Sceptres.

No live hockey for a month? Really?

Have no fear, there are plenty of alternative ways for fans to get some games in. Here’s what’s happening around the region this month to get your live hockey fix until the pro teams return to Seattle.

WHL season in full swing​

Fans will need to head north to Everett or south to Kent to catch live WHL action.

The Silvertips are flying high once again this season. At now 38-6-2-1, they sit 12 points ahead for first place in the Western Conference. Get up there to see Landon DuPont while there’s time! He’s really something special to watch in person. Check in on Seattle Kraken forward prospect Julius Miettinen too, who has 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games this season.

Another day in the office for Julius Miettinen@WHLsilvertips | @SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/GPVu0jZzSD

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 25, 2026

Everett is looking tough to beat once again. Having made the playoffs every year in team history, the Tips are still searching for their elusive first WHL championship. It’s bound to come one of these years, right?

Meanwhile, down at accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, things have not been as smooth.

What was shaping up to be a promising year for the Thunderbirds coming in quickly went south, as the team struggled out of the gate, traded star Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes to Prince Albert, and retooled on the fly. Additions such as top-five WHL point-getter Cameron Schmidt and Noah Kosick have helped stabilize the lineup, though the T-Birds still sit just 10th in the conference at 18-22-3-2.

While things haven’t been perfect, the T-Birds are still hanging around the Western Conference playoff picture, only five points behind Victoria for the final spot. A rematch of last year’s playoff series with Everett could be in store if they find a way to get there.

Other hockey in the region worth noting includes the Seattle Totems and Bremerton Sockeyes of the USPHL, whose seasons are ramping up. And if you’re really starved for hockey, head to Cheney for the ACHA PAC-8 tournament from Feb. 6-8, featuring UW, WSU, WWU and EWU.

February hockey calendar (notable promotions included):​

Sunday, Feb. 1: Everett vs. Tri-City, 4 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena
-Mascot Mania Night

Sunday, Feb. 1: Seattle vs. Penticton, 5 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center

Friday, Feb. 6: Everett vs. Kamloops, 7 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena

Friday, Feb. 6: Seattle vs. Portland, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center

Saturday, Feb. 7: Everett vs. Victoria, 6 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena
-Great Small Dog Race Night

Friday, Feb. 13: Seattle vs. Tri-City, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center

Friday, Feb. 20: Seattle vs. Portland, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center
-Girls Night Out

Saturday, Feb. 21: Everett vs. Seattle, 6 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena

Friday, Feb. 27: Torrent vs. Sceptres, 7 p.m., Climate Pledge Arena

Friday, Feb. 27: Everett vs. Kamloops, 7 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena

Saturday, Feb. 28: Seattle vs. Everett, 6 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center
-South Sound Police and Fire Charity Cup

Saturday, Feb. 28: Kraken vs. Canucks, 7 p.m., Climate Pledge Arena

Header courtesy of Brian Liesse and the Seattle Thunderbirds

The post Where to get your live hockey fix in Seattle this February appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/02/01/where-to-get-your-live-hockey-fix-in-seattle-this-february/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: McCann-do

The Kraken just played their best four games of the season. They’re sitting third in the Pacific Division and only three points back of the division‑leading Vegas Golden Knights.

I mentioned last week that they should target three out of a possible six points to stay in the mix. Well, they got all six, and the last game served as a bit of an exclamation point with a 3–2 regulation win over Vegas. Head coach Lane Lambert often talks about “playing the right way,” and they did it in spades this week. It was the most consistent stretch of full 60‑minute efforts we’ve seen in any three‑game span this season. They started strong and had complete buy‑in up and down the lineup.

The games against the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and Thursday were stress‑free wins. They held two‑goal leads for long stretches, and neither opponent could muster much offense. The Kraken caught both teams at particularly vulnerable times, as they’ve been sliding down the standings, but it was still nice to see Seattle take care of business, something that hasn’t always been guaranteed in the past.

The 2025–26 Kraken have put together a longer winning streak this season, but these last four games are the best they’ve looked. They’re scoring at a respectable rate while also playing their suffocating defensive structure, paired with the steady goaltending they’ve had all year. You can chalk the Capitals and Maple Leafs games up to weakened opponents (both teams looked bad), but you can’t deny how good the Kraken looked against Vegas.

The Kraken are scoring. What?!?​

After the first two months of the season, I expected the only way this team would win was by grinding out low‑event hockey games. We knew Lambert was defensive‑minded, and if that was the path to winning, I could live with it. On top of that, the Kraken dealt with several injuries in the first half, including multiple IR stints for Jared McCann, their leading scorer in three of the last four seasons.

McCann’s return was the shot in the arm they needed. He has 11 goals in 19 games since coming off IR in late December, tied for sixth in the league over that span. Matty Beniers is also on a heater with 10 goals in January, a number McCann matched one game later. Beyond those two, Berkly Catton chipped in five goals, and Jordan Eberle added five of his own during the month.

The ageless wonder of Jordan Eberle​

Speaking of scoring, you could make a case that Jordan Eberle has been the team’s most valuable player this season. He’s been a steady contributor while others have missed time, and he’s on pace for one of his best goal‑producing seasons since 2015–16. That’s not bad for a 35‑year‑old winger coming off a brutal injury last season.

It will be interesting to see if the Kraken try to sign him to an extension before the trade deadline or take their chances on him re-signing before free agency. From everything I gather, he and his family enjoy Seattle, but you have to imagine he wants a real shot at a Stanley Cup before he retires.

Strength of schedule remaining​

Several people sent me The Athletic’s “strength of schedule remaining,” which shows the Kraken with the hardest schedule in the league. I understand how the calculation works, but it feels a little flawed and not very translatable in layman’s terms. The metric hinges on a “Projected Net Rating” based on a bottom‑up model of individual player contributions.

I’m not saying the model is bad or that the Kraken don’t have a tough road ahead, but I will point out that Dom’s current model projects the Kraken to finish with 80.8 points — which would require a .354 points percentage the rest of the way. Models are inherently wrong; the question is simply how wrong they end up being.

As an alternative, I offer my own “Strength of Remaining Opponents,” which simply averages each opponent’s points percentage. Averages can be weak when outliers skew the numbers, so I added categories to illustrate the distribution of the strength of the opponents:

• Top: > .600
• High‑mid: .600–.550
• Mid‑low: .550–.500
• Low: < .500

By this measure, the Kraken have a relatively manageable schedule remaining, but compared to their Pacific Division counterparts, theirs is still tougher. It’s not a perfect method, and I’m not sure one exists, but we’ll revisit it as the season progresses.

Other musings​

• Regardless of what happens in the final two games before the break, Kraken fans should be thrilled with where the team sits. Last season, on Feb. 2, 2025, they were 10 points back of the last wild‑card spot.
• Among Pacific Division teams, the Kraken have the second‑best record within the division and have wins against every divisional opponent.
• Jared McCann scored his 200th career NHL goal on Saturday against Vegas. Given how good he’s been since joining Seattle, 200 feels low, but that’s because he’s essentially doubled his career goal total in roughly the same number of games he played elsewhere.

• If there’s one area of concern right now, it’s the penalty kill. The Kraken have allowed at least one power‑play goal in seven straight games. Their PK sits at 73.1 percent over that stretch, which is near the bottom of the league.
• Tuesday’s win over Toronto was the Kraken’s first ever against the Leafs at Climate Pledge Arena.
• Across the entire 2025–26 season, the Kraken have led by two or more goals for 310 minutes. 76 of those minutes came in the last three games; the other 234 came in the previous 51.
• The Kraken are second in points percentage in games against Pacific Division opponents and have two more divisional games before the break.

• The Seattle Torrent’s Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter have been named captain and alternate captain, respectively, for the USA Olympic team.

Goal of the week​

I love this goal so much…

Player performance​

Joey Daccord (SEA) – Posted a .933 save percentage in two of the Kraken wins this week.
Jared McCann (SEA) – Four goals and three assists in three games and named the NHL’s First Star of the Week.
Semyon Vyazovoi (YUL/SEA) – The Kraken’s sixth-round selection from the 2021 NHL Draft had three wins and a .943 save percentage for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL.

The week ahead​

Only two games remain before the Olympic break, and both are massive. On Tuesday, the Kraken face the Anaheim Ducks, who are tied with them in points. On Wednesday, they play the Los Angeles Kings, who sit one point back. These aren’t must‑win games, but getting at least two points would be ideal — three (or four) would be huge and would lock Seattle solidly into a playoff spot heading into the break.

It wasn’t long ago that the Kraken were embarrassed by the Ducks for two periods in Seattle. I’m eager to see what kind of response we get, especially considering how well they’ve started games lately and how much more control they’ve shown. The Ducks have won eight of their last 10 and have figured out how to defend.

Meanwhile, the Kings return home after a 4‑1‑1 road trip. Hopefully they’re already mentally on break, but that might be wishful thinking.

And finally…​

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again: fans should be happy with where the Kraken are right now. The early‑season winning might have been a bit of smoke and mirrors while they dealt with injuries, but the play in January might be who this team really is — and that should be enough to get them into the playoffs. Regardless of what happens before the break, I’m feeling pretty good about this group. Of course, two wins would make the next three weeks a whole lot more enjoyable.

The post Monday Musings: McCann-do appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/02/02/monday-musings-mccann-do/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle Kraken: Does being streaky actually matter for playoff success?

“We’re going streaking! Through the quad, and into the gymnasium!” – Frank Ricard, Old School, 2003

The Seattle Kraken have had an up-and-down season, bouncing between winning and losing streaks. Recently, the crew at Sound Of Hockey held a Mailbag segment on Episode 369 of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. They did not get through every question, but one submission stood out to me and inspired this article.

FMammal asked on the Patreon, “Does it matter if a team is streaky the way the Kraken seem to be, or is the only important thing the point total after all 82 games?”

We are going to take this one level deeper and also explore how streaky teams perform in the playoffs.

Definitions​

Let’s start by defining the types of streaks used in this analysis.

• Point streak: Three or more consecutive games in which a team earns at least one point in each game. This includes wins of any kind and overtime or shootout losses.
• Losing streak: Three or more consecutive games in which a team loses. This includes regulation losses, overtime losses and shootout losses.
• Win streak: Three or more consecutive games in which a team wins and earns two points in each game, including regulation, overtime and shootout victories.

To evaluate streakiness and playoff success, I created the following metrics:

• Streakiness tier: Low (under 49 games spent in point streaks or losing streaks), Medium (50 to 60 games), High (61 games or more).
• Balance ratio: The number of games teams are on point streaks divided by the total number of games on any streak. Any value above 0.50 means a team earned points in more games than it lost while streaking.
• Playoff depth score (PDS): Teams earn one point for making the playoffs and one point for each round won. A Stanley Cup champion earns five points. Teams that miss the playoffs earn zero. For example, when Seattle made the playoffs in 2022-23 and lost in the second round, the Kraken earned a PDS of two.

Kraken streaks this season​

For this piece, streak data is based on point streaks and losing streaks, unless otherwise noted.

The Kraken rank 13th in the NHL with nine total streaks this season.

The streaks break down as follows:

1. Five-game point streak (Oct. 9–18): eight of 10 points
2. Five-game point streak (Oct. 23–Nov. 3): eight of 10 points
3. Three-game point streak (Nov. 11–15): five of six points
4. Three-game point streak (Nov. 20–23): five of six points
5. Six-game losing streak (Nov. 23–Dec. 8): one of 12 points
6. Four-game losing streak (Dec. 12–18): zero of eight points
7. 10-game point streak (Dec. 20–Jan. 8): 18 of 20 points
8. Four-game losing streak (Jan. 14–19): one of eight points
9. Four-game win streak (Jan. 25–31): eight of eight points

It may not feel like it at times, but Seattle has had six point streaks and only three losing streaks. That amounts to 30 games on point streaks and 14 games on losing streaks.

The 10-game point streak ranks sixth in the NHL this season.

Streakiness and playoff results​

Data was collected only from seasons in which the Kraken have existed, covering 2021-22 through the current season.

During that span, teams with a balance ratio below 0.50 never made the playoffs. A balance ratio under 0.50 means a team spent more games on losing streaks than point streaks. Losing more games than you win is not a recipe for success.

The heatmap focuses on teams with a balance ratio of 0.51 or higher. The Kraken currently sit at 0.68, based on 30 point-streak games and 14 losing-streak games (30 of 44 games).

Playoff depth score (Number of teams in bucket)

The results seem to align with intuition. Teams with higher balance ratios perform better in the playoffs. There is also a trend showing that playoff depth score improves as streakiness increases for teams above a 0.68 balance ratio.

• Balance ratio 0.68–0.84: PDS rises from 1.57 to 1.77, a 12.7 percent increase
• Balance ratio 0.85–1.00: PDS rises from 2.25 to 2.60, a 15.6 percent increase

The Kraken currently sit at a 0.68 balance ratio and are trending toward 67 total streak games. That would place them in the High streakiness tier.

Among the 13 teams in that bucket, 12 made the playoffs in the last four seasons, and eight reached at least the second round. The 2023-24 Edmonton Oilers advanced the furthest, losing in the Stanley Cup Final.

Seattle sits on the cutoff line. When teams drop below a 0.68 balance ratio, only eight of 16 made the playoffs. Of those eight, six entered as wild cards and two finished third in their division. In every case, those teams opened the playoffs as underdogs, drawing higher-seeded opponents and facing a steeper path to advancing.

A necessary caveat​

This heatmap has a flaw.

As streakiness increases, teams with strong balance ratios are also winning more games overall. That inflates playoff success. Looking at average standings points for teams in the 0.68–0.84 bucket shows the issue clearly.

• Low streakiness: 98 points
• Medium streakiness: 102 points
• High streakiness: 106 points

It would be expected that a 106-point team would perform better in the playoffs than a 98-point team, and that is exactly what is being shown here.

Standings points matter more​

Breaking standings points into buckets and slicing them by streakiness tier produces inconsistent results. If streakiness alone drove playoff success, each standings-point bucket would show the same trend. The buckets do not show this.

The consistent signal is simpler as shown in the next chart. As standings points increase, playoff depth scores increase. Better teams tend to go further in the playoffs.

Final takeaway​

So, does it matter if a team is streaky, or is the final point total all that matters?

The standings point total matters most.

How a team gets there matters less than the final point total. Streaks can help build momentum, but they ultimately show up in the standings. Make the playoffs, and the slate is mostly clean.

Streakiness only becomes an issue when losing streaks pile up. As long as the Kraken keep their balance ratio at or above 0.68, they are positioning themselves to qualify and avoid the most difficult first-round matchups.

Some bonus charts​

As part of this research, I pulled additional streak data to provide more context. The charts below show how the Kraken have compared to league averages over the past four seasons in terms of their longest winning, point and losing streaks.

As the season continues, the focus should remain on the standings rather than the emotional swings that come with streaky play. If Seattle keeps earning points at its current rate, the path to the playoffs remains clear, regardless of how bumpy the ride feels along the way.

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 Seattle Kraken: Does being streaky actually matter for playoff success? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/02/0...-streaky-actually-matter-for-playoff-success/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Kraken lose 4-2 to Ducks in game with massive playoff implications

That was not the outcome Seattle Kraken fans were looking for in what was ostensibly a critical pre-Olympic game against the division rival Anaheim Ducks. Seattle ultimately lost 4-2, but it was worse than the score indicated, with the Kraken mounting a too-little-too-late push in the closing minutes after falling behind 4-0 in the third period.

The second period turned the tide of the game, and things went from bad to worse early in the third. By the time Seattle started to push, the mountain was simply too high to climb, giving Anaheim a leg up for third place in the Pacific Division.

Jordan Eberle and Shane Wright scored late in the third, and Philipp Grubauer made several dazzling saves—finishing with 27 stops—but also had a couple of blunders that proved costly.

Here are Three Takeaways from a painful 4-2 Kraken loss to the Ducks.

Takeaway 1: Second-period struggles​

When the Kraken have gotten through the first period tied 0-0, they’ve generally fared well this season. That wasn’t the case here.

Matty Beniers took a holding penalty just 1:56 into the second period. Seattle’s penalty kill did its job, but as Beniers stepped back onto the ice, Cutter Gauthier slapped at a bouncing puck from the top of the right circle, and the shot eluded Grubauer to make it 1-0 at 4:01.

Cutter Gauthier breaks the ice, as he did the last time these teams played each other.

Not officially a power-play goal, but it came seconds after Matty Beniers left the box.

1-0 Ducks. pic.twitter.com/RtfFOLpMQq

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 4, 2026

From there, Anaheim seized control of the momentum for much of the middle frame.

The real turning point came late in the period, though, after Seattle tilted the ice the other way and had the Ducks on the ropes. Anaheim was hemmed in for nearly a minute and a half and clearly exhausted, with forward Jeffrey Viel limping on one leg after blocking a shot. The Ryan Winterton–Chandler Stephenson–Eeli Tolvanen line was relentless, firing pucks on net and recovering rebounds. Even when the Ducks briefly gained possession, Seattle stole it right back.

The Kraken were in the middle of a change when Shane Wright jumped on the ice and continued the attack, but his attempted low-to-high pass misfired, exited the zone, and ended the sequence.

Just over a minute later, Jacob Trouba scored with a seeing-eye shot through traffic to make it 2-0 with only 32 seconds left in the period. That goal was a killer, and the Kraken failing to capitalize on that extended pressure likely cost them the game.

Takeaway 2: An odd night for Grubauer​

For large stretches of the game, Grubauer was sharp and was a big reason Seattle got through the first period unscathed. But it was also one of those familiar nights of yesteryear where strong play was undermined by a couple confusing goals that make you stop and ask whether they should have gone in.

Gauthier’s goal looked stoppable, though it came on a broken play that appeared to catch Grubauer off guard. Alex Killorn’s goal 24 seconds into the third, which effectively put the game out of reach at 3-0, was tougher to grasp. Grubauer appeared to be reading a pass across the slot and lifted his left leg to push laterally, opening his five-hole. Killorn found it.

Alex Killorn makes it 3-0 just 24 seconds into the 3rd.

That's a tough one for Grubi… #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/7gY9CevkVe

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 4, 2026

The worst moment came at 13:54 of the third, when Grubauer took his eye off a rimmed puck behind the net, which hopped over his stick and eventually left Ross Johnston with an open cage.

Salt in the wound for the #SeaKraken. Grubauer takes his eye off the puck and mishandles it, and Ross Johnston ends up with an open net.

4-0 pic.twitter.com/UAQHgetqLS

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 4, 2026

There was certainly some bad luck mixed in—Grubauer tracked pucks well for much of the night and made several stops he probably shouldn’t have made—but the mishaps in this one were damaging.

Takeaway 3: Melanson catches Terry​

One reason Jacob Melanson has quickly endeared himself to Kraken fans is that his physical play has generally come in the “right way.” He plays hard, makes opponents uncomfortable, and hasn’t taken many penalties.

Late in the second period, though—perhaps in an effort to spark something—Melanson flattened Troy Terry, who was playing his first game back from injury. Replay showed Melanson’s elbow coming up, delivering his first regular-season hit that crossed into questionable territory. (It’s worth remembering Melanson was suspended for a head shot in a preseason game back in 2022.)

Oh, boy. Melanson catches Troy Terry up high right at the 2nd horn, and all hell breaks loose.

Could be an interesting 3rd… #SeaKraken #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/DFHE7Wc0Ay

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) February 4, 2026

Melanson was assessed a 10-minute misconduct and, notably, did not take another shift after exiting the box in the third period. It remains unclear why he didn’t return to the ice.

—

This was a brutal loss given the opportunity Seattle had to create separation in the standings against Anaheim. Now sitting in the final wild-card spot, the Kraken head to Los Angeles on Wednesday with a chance to claw back into third place before the Olympic break—or risk falling out of the playoff picture altogether.

That game is enormous.

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 lose 4-2 to Ducks in game with massive playoff implications appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2026/02/04/kraken-lose-to-ducks-in-big-game/