Kraken- Tough to Figure

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With the National Hockey League celebrating its Christmas break, it’s a good time to look back at the Seattle Kraken’s 2025-26 season.

However, this Kraken team raises more questions than answers?

Is this the Seattle team that had its best regular season start in their brief NHL tenure with 20 standings points in the first month of the season, or the team that won only one game in 11 and went almost a month without a win in regulation time. Recently, thrown into the mix, the Kraken have won their last three games.

After ending their latest losing streak (of four games) with a win over the San Jose Sharks, the Kraken went on to post a California sweep- beating the Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. On the road, no less.

Adding to the `this shouldn’t be happening’ vibe – the Kraken were without two of their best scorers, Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann, and their two best (only?) offensive defensemen, Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour.

There are some reasons for optimism. The Kraken goaltending has been pretty good. At the break, Joey Daccord has a .904 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average. Philipp Grubauer, who was sent to the minors at one point last season,  has had a rebound campaign (.911, 2.59). Both goalies have stolen a few standings points this season. Statistically, Matt Murray has had the best season but has only played parts of five games due to an injury. The veteran netminder boasts a .922 % and a 2.21 GAA.

Scoring goals is more of a problem for the Kraken than preventing them. Captain Jordan Eberle’s the leading scorer on the Kraken with 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points. That places him 123rd among all players in the National Hockey League. The Kraken don’t have a player in the top 100 in points. Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen ranked 134th and 135th respectively.

Some other positives for the optimists- Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann, two of the Kraken’s top scorers since the team began , should be back from his injury shortly after the new year. Kaapo Kakko, who has the potential to be a high scorer, has returned from his early season injury and is starting to look like his old self again.

Standings-wise, Seattle currently ranks 10th overall in the Western Conference, with eight teams earning a playoff berth. The Kraken 15-14-6 overall, are three points behind Los Angeles and Utah for the final playoff spot.

The bad news- there’s such a logjam in the Western Conference. Literally, all 16 teams are still in the playoff hunt. Seattle’s tied with two other teams, Nashville and Calgary- with 36 points. (The Kraken are seeded above them because of fewer losses). Chicago, the 16th place team is only seven points out of the playoffs. That’s a lot of teams to contend with.

Plus, one never knows what trade deadline deals will be made that could effect the standings. Actually, this whole season looks unpredictable as the NHL will take virtually all of February off so that current NHLers can compete in the Winter Olympics.

TORRENT WIN

For the first time ever , Seattle’s two major league hockey teams played on the same night- last Tuesday, Dec. 23. And both emerged victorious.

In Climate Pledge Arena’s `home game’ the Seattle Torrent defeated a tough Montreal Victores team, 2-1. Alex Carpenter and Julia Gosling had the Seattle goals and Hannah Murphy stopped 37 shots in the Torrent net. Murphy’s been the winning goaltender in Seattle’s three regular season victories. Seattle has three wins, three losses and an overtime loss in their initial season in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

The Torrent resume play tomorrow when they face the New York Sirins in Dallas as part of the `PWHL Takeover Tour’ where current teams play in cities that are in line for a PWHL expansion team.

With the compact schedule due to the NHL taking most of February off due to the Olympics, the Kraken play the second of four back-to-back contests when they host Philadelphia tomorrow and Vancouver, Monday night. 

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