Photo Above: Shane Wright of the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

These certainly aren't the circumstances under which Shane Wright hoped to make his season debut with the Seattle Kraken, and Ryan Winterton his NHL debut.

Forwards Wright and Winterton were recalled from AHL Coachella Valley for tonight's Kraken game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

At Seattle's practice Wednesday, forward Jordan Eberle sustained a deep cut to his upper leg when teammate Jaden Schwartz lost his balance and his skate blade contacted Eberle. According to the Seattle Times, a second player was also hurt at the same practice.

The unpleasant sports reality is that injuries are often the door that opens opportunities for prospects.

“How Ryan has played in the first seven games, he’s showed really well," Firebirds coach Dan Bylsma told The Desert Sun. "He’s played with Shane and they’ve been producing. The two games in San Jose, they were kind of the lead line in how we want to play, so it doesn’t surprise me from that regard.”

Wright, the Kraken's 2022 top draft choice (4th overall), had a 2022-23 season only a travel agent could love. He started in Seattle, went down to Coachella Valley, captained Team Canada to a World Junior Championship, on to Windsor of the OHL, and finally back to the Firebirds for their playoff run to the Calder Cup finals.

This season with Coachella Valley, he's scored four goals in seven games.

"I think that's a direct result of him having some continuity, having some stability, just getting to play hockey," Bylsma said. "Not worrying about the outside eyes and words and all that other stuff. He's just been focused on working on his game and being a player and that has showed."

Winterton, a 2021 3rd round pick, has also impressed in the first seven games of his AHL career. To hear Byslma tell it, Winterton deserved the promotion, but wasn't expecting it.

"He was shocked and overjoyed and you could feel the emotion go through his brain. 'I'm getting called up? Holy Christmas, I'm going to the National Hockey League.' 

"It was (a phone call) I'll never forget, but at the same time it's not one he shouldn't have expected. In a brief time here, he's shown what kind of player he is."

The 4-6-3 Kraken are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. The Avalanche defeated Seattle 4-1 in their first meeting, Oct. 17 at Climate Pledge Arena. The three-game season series will conclude at CPA on Monday, Nov. 13.