Seattle Kraken
A preview of the 2026-27 NHL season for the Seattle Kraken, including predictions from VSiN NHL Expert Jonathan Davis. For all other NHL team previews, check out our NHL page.
Key Additions: Mackie Samoskevich, Curtis Douglas
Key Departures: Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, Jamie Oleksiak
Overview
For the third consecutive season and fourth time in five seasons, the Seattle Kraken failed to make the playoffs. The Kraken were sitting in third place heading into the Olympic break but won just seven of their final 23 games. Looking to improve their offense, they tried to acquire Artemi Panarin (impending UFA) from the Rangers prior to the trade deadline, but Panarin had zero interest in signing an extension, which ultimately quashed the trade. They had a deal in place in the summer with Dallas to acquire Jason Robertson, but Robertson, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency, turned down a seven-year, $105 million deal ($15 million AAV) from the Kraken. On the positive side, Seattle landed defenseman Chase Reid with the seventh pick in the Draft. He is the first-ever defenseman selected by the Kraken in the opening round.
Offense
The Kraken scored 224 goals last season, which put them near the bottom of the rankings at 28th overall. Seattle is in dire need of a dynamic goal scorer and playmaker, but two players who could have filled those vacancies turned them down: Artemi Panarin and Jason Robertson both rejected trades and lucrative contract offers from the Kraken. Only once in their five years since entering the league has Seattle cracked the top 15 in goals scored, and that was the 2022-23 season (5th overall), when they made their only playoff appearance.
Jordan Eberle led the team with 26 goals and 55 points. Eberle’s 55 points were only good enough to put him at 103rd in league scoring. Matty Beniers and Jared McCann both finished with 20 goals. Beniers has yet to match or surpass the 24 goals and 57 points he scored as a rookie three seasons ago, and Jared McCann, who scored 40 goals in that same season, has yet to reach 30 goals in any of the three seasons since his 40-goal outburst. Shane Wright, the 4th overall pick in 2022, has yet to get on track. After scoring 19 goals and 44 points in 2024-25, he slumped to 12 goals and 27 points last season. Over the summer, Wright requested a trade.
Defense
Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour provide the offense from the back end. Both players lit the lamp 11 times last season, and Dunn was on his third straight season with exactly 11 goals. Dunn is in the final year of his deal ($7.35 million AAV), and neither the Kraken nor Dunn has declared their intentions beyond this season. Montour is joined by Ryker Evans in the second pair. The 24-year-old Evans is entering his fourth season and is showing that he has the potential to play heavy minutes. In two of his previous three seasons, he was averaging just under 20 minutes a night. Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury round out the top six. Like the forward group, Seattle doesn’t have a stud on the back end, which is part of why the Kraken are not playoff contenders.
Goaltending
After back-to-back seasons with a sub-three goals-against average and a save percentage above 90%, Joey Daccord saw his goals-against average rise above three (3.03) and his save percentage fall to .897. On the positive side, Daccord saved his best for games against the Division rivals, going 11-4-1. It was a bounce-back season for Phillip Grubauer, whose win total increased from eight to thirteen, his goals against average decreased by almost one goal per game (.86), and he had a save percentage above .900 (.909) for the first time in five seasons.
Player to Watch
The Kraken have been desperate to find pure goal scorers. They may have found one in Bobby McMann, who they acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at last year’s trade deadline. McMann scored 10 goals in 18 games for Seattle and finished the season with a career-best 29 goals (19 goals with Toronto). Seattle believes he is a big part of their future and signed him to a six-year, $34.5-million extension in the summer.
Outlook
Go online and search for the definition of mediocre, and up comes “Seattle Kraken.” My criteria for being a Stanley Cup contender is that you need to have two above-average centers, a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman, and an elite goalie. Seattle has none of that. I would expect another season where the Kraken finish near the bottom of the Pacific Division and in the bottom third of the league standings.
Team Futures
Regular Season Points: 81.5 (Over -115, Under -115)
To Make the Playoffs: (+500)
Miss the Playoffs: (-800)
To Win the Division: (+12000)
To Win the Western Conference: (+20000)
To Win the Stanley Cup: (+40000)
2025-26 Recap
Record: 34-37-11 (6th Pacific Division, 27th overall)
Over/Under: 38-40-4
Home Favorite: 5-5 // Home Dog: 14-17
Road Favorite: 1-0 // Road Dog: 14-25
Win Score 4 or more: 22 of 34 // Lose Give Up 4 or more: 34 of 48
Puck Line Wins: 21 of 34 // Puck Line Losses: 33 of 48
Front End Back-to-Back: 7-6 // Back End Back-to-Back: 6-7
Points Leader: Jordan Eberle – 55
Goal Leader: Jordan Eberle – 26
Teams First Goal Leader: Jordan Eberle – 11
Assist Leader: Vince Dunn – 33
Shots on Goal Leader: Vince Dunn – 179
Blocked Shots: Adam Larsson – 163
Depth Chart
Forwards
Bobby McMann / Matty Beniers / Jordan Eberle
Jared McCann / Shane Wright / Berkly Catton
Mackie Samoskevich / Chandler Stephenson / Kaapo Kakko
Ryan Winterton / Frederick Gaudreau / Jacob Melanson
Defense
Vince Dunn / Adam Larsson
Ryker Evans / Brandon Montour
Ryan Lindgren / Cale Fleury
Goalies
Joey Daccord / Philipp Grubauer
