After back-to-back absences from the postseason, the Seattle Kraken are ready for year No. 5 in the league. With some notable acquisitions this offseason in free agency, this Kraken team looks almost unrecognizable from the squad that rolled out back in 2021.
However with the team going 3-2-1 in this year’s preseason, who are the top names to look out for this year?
- Frederick Gaudreau
If you were to look at his stats from last year, you would be shocked to see him on this list. Plopping him into last year’s Kraken roster ranks him No. 7 for goals, No. 12 for assists and No. 10 for points.
Now you may be thinking: “He must not have played every game then, right?”. Actually, he did. Through 82 games last year he put up numbers that rank him middle of the pack on this Kraken roster.
Despite this, his four games of preseason hockey had my head turning. Yes I know that no goals and only one assist does not look particularly exciting. But his speed, chemistry and overall fluidity on the ice made him stand out from the rest. I expect him to be a solid second or third liner that will rack up assists feeding Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Chandler Stephenson.
- Joey Daccord
After signing a five-year deal with the Kraken, Daccord went on to have a less than ideal year.
Racking up a save percentage of 0.906, 151 goals allowed and 2.75 goals allowed on average, he was not the most impressive tender in the league. However, those numbers were not entirely Daccord’s fault.
The defense for the Kraken last year was horrendously bad. In numerous games Daccord was left out to dry on play after play. No matter how talented a goalie may be, they are nothing without their five counterparts on the ice.
Despite this, I believe this year may pan out differently for the Massachusetts native. With defenseman Ryan Lindgren coming over from Colorado, and Ryker Evans potentially blooming into a quality talent on the team, Daccord may finally be getting some defensive help that can propel him to a standout season.
- Mason Marchment
As the biggest name picked up by the Kraken in free agency, Marchment is far from the biggest name in the NHL. Only 47 points last year ranks him No. 143 in the league for points, No. 122 for goals at 22 and No. 193 for assists at 25.
Now, you may be wondering why the Kraken picked him up. Well, plop him into our stat sheet from last year and he ranks No. 4 for points, No. 5 for assists and No. 4 for goals. Basically, Marchment is a top five player for the Kraken despite being nearly forgotten by the league as a whole.
Nonetheless, I predict he will make a solid second-line forward. With Kappo Kakko out for the first stretch of the season, Marchment will be picking up the slack on the second line. While he may not tickle the twine too often, he will most likely climb the assist column, helping keep the Kraken competitive in the early season.
- Ryan Lindgren
The second biggest acquisition in the offseason was the former Colorado Avalanche. Much like Marchment, Lindgren does not pop off the score sheet.
With a career high of only 19 points, 17 assists and three goals, Lindgren is a second round draft pick that many fans may have forgotten. Seven years with the New York Rangers and a short tenure with the Avalanche make up a career that is less than impressive.
But, I cannot help but get flashbacks to the Kappo Kakko trade. Kakko was in a similar situation with the Rangers. A high draft pick who did not exactly pan out. As soon as he hit Seattle, he blossomed into arguably the best player on the ice.
Do I think Lindgren will do that?… maybe. I believe that Lindgren will find room on this Kraken team to shine and could revive his career in the evergreen state.
- Jaden Schwartz
Jaden Schwartz was without a doubt my favorite Kraken to watch last season. Leading the teams in goals at 26, recording 23 assists and ending the year with 49 points. Although the first half of the season was quiet for the Saskatchewan native, the second half saw him go on a heater.
Through three preseason games he tallied one goal and two assists off 17 minutes of ice time. While that is not the biggest sample size, it paints a picture that Schwartz may be on pace to find the net quite a few times this year.
Do I think he will be this year’s goal leader again? Probably not. He is most likely primed for a slight step back in 2025-26. However, in what may be his last year as Kraken, I imagine he will be a key piece on either the second or third line that adds depth to the squad.
- Ryker Evans
Ryker Evans is a name last season that may have flown under the radar. While the 23-year-old defenseman only recorded five goals last season, he was able to make up for it with 20 assists.
Yes, 25 points is not that impressive. But Evans’ presence on the ice, ability to lay hits, force turnovers and feed the team’s top talent make him a critical part of this Kraken squad.
When he returns from his injury, I have no doubt in his potential. As a young player with quite a few years left in the league, I feel we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg for Evans.
- Vince Dunn
I do not believe I could express the importance of Dunn to this team enough. In the early stages of last year, Dunn was out with an injury. To no one’s surprise, the team struggled in the early part of the year.
Following his return, the team began to heat up, in large part because of Dunn’s production from the blue line. In two games with 15 minutes of ice-time in the preseason, Dunn recorded three assists as a defenseman. This mirrors his identity last season, picking up 28 assists last year with 11 goals to give him 39 points.
That identity can be summed up in two words: difference maker. Dunn will undoubtedly keep that trend going, pairing with Brandon Montour to make a killer duo from the blue line.
- Shane Wright
As a first-round draft pick, Shane Wright has been underwhelming to say the least. Last season was his first real test at the NHL level, and he stumbled pretty hard out of the gate.
After being made a healthy scratch at one point in the season, he decided to turn on the jets, finishing the year with 44 points, 25 assists and 19 goals. In the preseason, he has clocked in just two assists through four games.
While it is not the most impressive preseason showing, I have a feeling that Wright is primed for a standout season. Every time he has been called up from the American Hockey League, he has made consistent progress, culminating in last season’s performance.
If his trajectory stays true, then Wright will no doubt stand atop the team this year in the points column.
- Kappo Kakko
After six sub-par years with the New York Rangers, Kappo Kakko was believed to be a bust. As the second overall pick in the 2019 draft, he had not panned out the way fans had hoped.
But, after hitting the ice in Seattle, Kakko has turned into arguably the best name on the rink. 44 points off of 30 assists made Kakko a key factor in numerous Kraken wins. His ability to set up plays, connect passes and play selfless hockey had him standing out all year.
After breaking his hand in the preseason, Kakko will not be playing for the first 4-5 weeks of the season, making you wonder why I have him No. 2 on this list. I think it will be no coincidence that the Kraken will struggle immensely in the beginning of the season, played in large part because of Kakko’s injury.
Seattle will inevitably bounce back following his return, but his absence will leave a massive hole in the lineup, which highlights why he wins the No. 2 spot.
- Jani Nyman
Unequivocally, irrefutably and without a doubt the most intriguing Kraken on this roster is Jani Nyman. It was hard to watch a preseason game this year and not see his name flash across your screen, recording a team leading four goals.
His dominance did not start in the preseason as he got a late call up from the minors last year to help with the Kraken’s lackluster power play unit. In his NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens Nyman did his job, recording his first career goal on the power play.
It was at that moment that I realized he was something special. His connection with Kakko and Eeli Tolvanen was palpable, allowing him to net three goals and three assists in only 12 games of action. With Nyman making the opening day roster I have no doubt in my mind that he will go point for point with Shane Wright as the two young stars make a name for themselves on the Kraken.
With two disappointing years separating Seattle from their last post-season appearance, it is hard to say that the rebuild is complete. Realistically there are still two to three more years before the Kraken mold themselves into a competent playoff team again.
However, with these ten names continuing to lead the team, they are on a good path to a return to glory in the coming years.
