The Seattle Kraken have cooled down drastically since their hot start to the season, but there's still plenty of time for them to turn things around when they return from the Christmas break.
With the Seattle Kraken on Christmas break, posting a 15-14-6 record and sitting in sixth place in the Pacific Division, there are several things they would like to remain, change drastically and improve.
They started the season out hot, sitting in third place in the division for a long stretch of time. The month of December wasn’t too kind to their record, but with a three-game win streak before the break, maybe things are changing for the better.
The Kraken have several things on their Christmas wish list, most notably increased offensive production, but today we’ll be looking at five things the Kraken want for Christmas this year.
More Ice Time and Production From Shane Wright
Shane Wright has been unable to garner the trust needed to earn a larger role under coach Lane Lambert. Wright plays a steady two-way game, and the Kraken are winning most of his minutes, but Lambert still looks to Chandler Stephenson far more frequently than he does to Wright.
This season, Wright is averaging just 13:51 of ice time in 35 games. He’s notched just six goals and eight assists for 14 points, but that is in large part due to the limited ice time and role. He’s exclusively played on the third line this season, away from top scorers Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen. Expecting him to produce as a fourth overall selection with just 1:38 of power play time isn’t completely fair.
Wright does have more to offer, as his shooting percentage is uncharacteristically low this season. But greater opportunities could go a long way in solving his and the team’s offensive production issue.
Matty Beniers Offensive Game Blossoming
Matty Beniers has become one of the premier two-way centers in the NHL, and it’s been like that for about three seasons now. The highest-paid forward on the team deserves to play the most, and he and Stephenson do. Although Beniers’ defensive game has really blossomed, they need more offensive production from their franchise player.
He’s scored just four goals and 20 points this season, on pace to finish with just nine goals and 46 points. With his size and speed, Beniers should be a threat to score every night, but that’s not the case right now.
If he can find that offensive game he’s possessed his entire life, the Kraken would pose a greater threat. Until then, they have a stout defensive center earning $7,142,857.
More Consistency From Joey Daccord
Joey Daccord is playing in the first year of a five-year contract he signed last season, and so far, his numbers have taken a dip. He hasn’t played poorly this season, but the Kraken organization had become accustomed to him stealing games, and this season, he hasn’t done it as much.
His last five games have been stellar, registering a save percentage above .900 percent in each game, but consistency issues plagued him prior to this. It’s a real positive sign to see Daccord perform like this, and if he can continue to play at this level in 2026, the Kraken could be a playoff contender.
Berkly Catton’s First NHL Goal
Berkly Catton’s development doesn’t have as much of an impact on the current Kraken roster as it does for the future of the franchise. Catton could be playing in the WHL and world juniors this year, but he’s shown more than enough at the NHL level to keep him with the big club.
Although the goals and points haven’t followed his overall play, there’s a sense that it will come soon. Catton brings an element of speed and offensive creativity that the forward group lacks, and his goal for 2026 is to score his first career NHL goal and build momentum off of it.
Jared McCann's Improved Health
When he is in the lineup, Jared McCann looks like his usual self, but his issue this season has been staying in it. He’s played just 11 games this year, scoring five goals and eight points. He’s dealt with lower-body injuries on three separate occasions, and he isn’t expected to return before the New Year.
McCann returning to the lineup and remaining healthy would help solve some of the offensive production issues with Wright and Beniers. Players would be able to move into more comfortable roles, and Beniers would get a linemate he feels comfortable playing.
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