TheHockeyNews.com is ranking the NHL's 32 teams for their performance throughout the off-season, with today's focus being on the Seattle Kraken. Can they push for a spot in the playoffs after an eventful summer?
In their brief history as the NHL’s newest franchise, the Seattle Kraken have been underwhelming.
Since making the Stanley Cup playoffs in their second season, where they managed to defeat the Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game series, Seattle has finished between sixth and seventh in the Pacific Division.
The Kraken entered the off-season with the financial freedom to improve, but they still have $18.4-million in cap space with few impactful additions and the top free agents off the board.
In TheHockeyNews.com’s new series rating each team’s off-season, the Kraken rank 29th-overall. Let's break down why.
Additions:
Mackie Samoskevich (RW)
The Kraken’s only acquisition of the off-season so far is a third-line winger who produced 12 goals and 32 points for the Florida Panthers last year.
After finishing 28th in the league in goals-for, it's hard to believe Mackie Samoskevich will improve the team's scoring struggles, making this a confusing decision for the organization.
Samoskevich at least has winning pedigree, suiting up for the Florida Panthers during their 2025 Stanley Cup run. That’s a good thing for a Kraken franchise still trying to figure out its identity.
GM Jason Botterill did make a pitch for Dallas Stars RFA winger Jason Robertson, who ended up rejecting a blockbuster trade to the Kraken that came with a massive extension attached to it. That moment highlighted the challenges the Kraken still face in establishing themselves as a destination for top NHL talent.
Botterill deserves credit for taking a big swing, as Robertson could have transformed Seattle’s stale offensive attack. However, the NHL is a results-driven business, and the organization ultimately came up short.
Extending Bobby McMann to a six-year, $34.5-million deal was also fine decision, but not enough necessary steps have been taken to inject elite talent on this roster.
Departures:
Eeli Tolvanen (LW), Jaden Schwartz (LW), Jamie Oleksiak (D)
The three veterans the Kraken lost aren’t superstars by any means, but for a team lacking depth at every position, their absence could hurt.
Eeli Tolvanen is still searching for a contract and as previously mentioned, Seattle has the cap space to retain him. There's a possibility of a late reunion, but with Tolvanen most likely moving on, they'll need someone to replace his 36-point production from last season.
Jaden Schwartz will be joining the Avalanche after an injury-riddled season, only appearing in 50 games. However, he's just one year removed from a 26-goal, 49-point campaign when he was able to dress for 81 games.
Losing Oleksiak makes Seattle’s defense even less-formidable than it’s been throughout the franchise's history. The 33-year-old is no longer in his prime, but he provided decent minutes that they haven’t adequately replaced.
There has also been speculation on the future of Shane Wright. The 22-year-old is entering the final season of his entry-level contract, and he hasn’t developed into a needle-mover in Seattle.
Although there's no question it would be agonizing for Kraken fans to see Wright traded to another team and develop into the type of top-tier talent they hoped he’d become.
When you can’t develop your top picks into potent NHLers, you’re not going to go very far. Unfortunately for the Kraken, that's been the reality so far.
The Bottom Line:
The Kraken are the epitome of a mushy middle team. They haven't been good enough to make the playoffs, but haven't been bad enough to acquire generational talent through the draft.
There have been a handful of bright moments for the Kraken, but they are proving that progress isn’t linear. Until some elite players enter the organization, it's difficult to image they can be expected to contend with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights near the top of the Pacific Division.
The 2026-27 season presents another chance for Seattle to build momentum and prove it can move beyond the growing pains of expansion.
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