Michael Eyssimont and Jacob Melanson are set to make their Seattle Kraken debuts tonight against the Nashville Predators. 

With the trade of Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstand, as well as the healthy scratching of Brandon Tanev for trade protection reasons, the Kraken have three open spots in their lineup that need to filled.

Eyssimont, the forward who came over to the Kraken in the trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning will make his Kraken debut, playing in his 58th game of the season. He's scored five goals and 10 points and will be a valued addition to their bottom six, providing speed and aggressiveness on the forecheck. 

“I try to put away all the process, moving parts and everything that comes with it in the rearview mirror for a second, then just focus on playing a hockey game,” said Eyssimont during this morning's post skate media scrum. “I’ve played some one thousand hockey games in my life. So just trying to go in there and treat it like playing hockey because that's what it is.”

Melanson, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, will make his NHL debut tonight. He made his AHL debut last season, scoring six goals and 18 points and has followed that up by recording seven goals and 10 points in 27 games.

The 21-year-old has dealt with injuries this season but maintains his hard-working mindset. 

“I told myself at the start, you’ve gotta go through adversity to do anything in life,” said Melanson. “I knew it was going to be a little road bump for me [understatement but typical Melanson toughness]. That I had to keep working. Obviously, it just makes these times even better.”

As the Kraken continue to offload veteran players, the expectation is that more Coachella Valley Firebirds players will make their NHL debuts. 

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