Seattle Kraken: where things stand

The Seattle Kraken have opened the 2026–27 season with a 2–1–0 record, combining an emphatic home performance with a narrow road defeat. After beating Calgary 6–1 in the opener, Seattle fell 3–1 to Edmonton before responding with another 6–1 victory over the Flames. The latest result restored momentum and placed the Kraken among the Pacific Division’s early four-point teams.

Seattle’s attack was immediate and balanced in the rematch. Berkly Catton, Mackie Samoskevich and Bobby McMann scored within the opening eight minutes, turning the game into a rout before Calgary could settle. Samoskevich, acquired during the offseason, announced his arrival with two goals in his first Kraken game, while Shane Wright and captain Jordan Eberle also scored. Joey Daccord reinforced the result with 32 saves, giving Seattle dependable goaltending behind a team that has produced 13 goals in its two wins.

The early identity under head coach Lane Lambert is still taking shape, but the Kraken have shown pace, scoring depth and the ability to answer disappointment quickly. Catton’s goal and assist added to the impression that Seattle’s younger forwards can contribute immediately, while established leaders such as Eberle remain central to the team’s stability. The next test comes October 6, when Seattle hosts the Vegas Golden Knights at Climate Pledge Arena. Vegas enters at 1–1–0, making the matchup an early Pacific Division measuring stick for a Kraken team seeking to turn a strong start into sustained form.

Seattle’s season has opened with a sharp split: a commanding 6–1 victory over Calgary and a 3–1 defeat at Edmonton. The Kraken’s opener showcased a balanced attack and strong defensive structure, with Jordan Eberle, Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn, and Ryker Evans among the players speaking afterward, while head coach Lane Lambert emphasized the team’s readiness and execution. The result also gave Seattle an early advantage in its lone scheduled meeting with Calgary so far, though the Flames now return to Climate Pledge Arena on October 4.

The Edmonton loss was more tightly contested than the scoreline might suggest. Seattle stayed within reach until the Oilers broke the tie late, and Bobby McMann provided the Kraken’s only goal, converting on the power play. The game also marked Mackie Samoskevich’s debut after his activation from injured reserve, a timely addition to the forward group. That return came as Jacob Melanson moved to injured reserve with an upper-body injury and was listed as week-to-week, creating an early test of Seattle’s depth.

At 1–1, the Kraken have offered two contrasting portraits: an explosive, cohesive team in Calgary and a competitive group undone by a late Edmonton push. Lambert’s challenge is to carry the opener’s pressure and discipline into the rematch with Calgary, while integrating Samoskevich and managing Melanson’s absence. The next game provides an immediate opportunity to reestablish momentum at home.

The Seattle Kraken have opened the 2026–27 regular season with an emphatic statement, defeating the Calgary Flames 6–1 on the road to move to 1–0. The result offered an encouraging early glimpse of a team seeking greater consistency and offensive authority after last season’s uneven finish. Vince Dunn led the attack with a goal and two assists, while Joey Daccord provided a strong foundation in net by stopping 24 of 25 shots. Their performances reflected the balance Seattle will need: defensive mobility and puck movement from the back end, coupled with dependable goaltending when opponents generate pressure.

The Kraken now face a significantly more demanding test against the Edmonton Oilers on October 3. Edmonton enters its home game at 1–0–1 after an overtime loss to Vancouver and a wild 9–7 victory in the rematch, suggesting that Seattle may encounter a dangerous attack but also opportunities against a defense still searching for structure. Seattle’s clean opening win gives it momentum, although recent history favors Edmonton, which has won the teams’ past three meetings.

The early season also carries a personnel complication: Mackie Samoskevich is listed on injured reserve after practicing in a non-contact jersey. Seattle’s depth, including emerging forwards such as Berkly Catton and Shane Wright, will therefore matter immediately. For coach Dan Bylsma, the challenge is to turn Thursday’s sharp performance into a repeatable identity: pressure opponents, defend responsibly, and receive steady goaltending.

The Seattle Kraken have opened the 2026–27 NHL season with emphatic momentum, overpowering the Calgary Flames 6–1 on the road. Jordan Eberle, beginning his sixth season as captain, scored the team’s first goal, sparking a three-goal opening period that also featured Vince Dunn and Frederick Gaudreau. Seattle’s attack remained productive after intermission, with Chandler Stephenson, Matty Beniers, and Kaapo Kakko adding goals.

Dunn led the offensive charge with a goal and two assists, while Jared McCann contributed three assists and Beniers finished with a goal and an assist. Joey Daccord provided an equally encouraging foundation in net, making 24 saves and surrendering only one late goal. More broadly, the Kraken’s defensive effort was the defining feature of the victory: Calgary managed only 14 shots through the first two periods, a sign of disciplined structure under head coach Lane Lambert.

The result gives Seattle an early 1–0 record and a needed positive start after last season’s sixth-place Pacific Division finish. The club also made a late organizational move, acquiring winger Devin Kaplan from Philadelphia, though he is expected to begin with the AHL affiliate rather than immediately affect the NHL lineup. Seattle’s next test comes October 3 in Edmonton against an Oilers team coming off a 9–7 victory over Vancouver, promising a sharper challenge for the Kraken’s defense and goaltending.

The Seattle Kraken enter the 2026–27 regular season trying to recover from a disappointing finish and establish a clearer identity. Last season, Seattle stood in playoff position around the Olympic pause but collapsed afterward, going 7-17-2 down the stretch and finishing 27th overall with 79 points. The offensive burden remains significant: the Kraken averaged only 2.73 goals per game, among the NHL’s lowest marks, while their power play converted at a respectable but hardly transformative rate.

Continuity may offer an advantage. Seattle made relatively few major changes, retaining a core led by Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, Jordan Eberle, Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson. Beniers is also embracing a larger leadership role, a development that could matter for a team seeking more consistency and accountability. Younger forwards such as Shane Wright, Berkly Catton, Ryan Winterton and Mackie Samoskevich represent potential sources of internal improvement, although Samoskevich is currently day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The immediate test is on October 1 in Calgary, where Seattle faces the Flames. The Kraken’s preseason showed promise on the power play but raised concerns about penalty-killing discipline. Head coach Dan Bylsma’s challenge is to turn that uneven preparation into reliable five-on-five offense, cleaner special-teams play and a steadier defensive structure. For now, Seattle looks less like a finished contender than a team betting on continuity, youth and better execution to reverse last season’s slide.

The Seattle Kraken enter the 2026-27 season with a cautiously optimistic but still unsettled feel, leaning on a deeper sense of camaraderie and a preseason that showed flashes of speed, structure, and buy-in under Lane Lambert. The team’s own reporting says the group feels more connected than in recent seasons, with veteran leadership and a 3-1-0 preseason providing some early momentum, even as the organization still works to prove it can avoid the late-season fades that have held it back. Mackie Samoskevich has been one of the most talked-about additions, praised for his pace and shot-first mentality, while Bobby McMcann, Curtis Douglas, and the existing core add a different edge to the forward group.

There are reasons for concern, though. League-wide previews still view Seattle as a lower-tier club in the Pacific Division, with offense again the clearest question mark and some analysts still projecting a bottom-half finish. The Kraken also appear to be managing at least one injury issue, with Samoskevich described as day-to-day after an upper-body problem. Still, the roster has recognizable structure around Chandler Stephenson, Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, Vince Dunn, Brandon Montour, Adam Larsson, and Joey Daccord, giving Seattle enough veteran quality to compete if its young forwards take a real step. Their next test comes October 1 on the road against the Calgary Flames.

The Seattle Kraken are in the final stretch of preseason camp with Lane Lambert using these exhibition games to sort out roles, chemistry, and the last roster decisions before the regular season begins. Their latest look has centered on a top group of Matty Beniers, Mackie Samoskevich, and Jared McCann, while another line featuring Berkly Catton, Shane Wright, and Kaapo Kakko has been described as needing more cohesion on the forecheck. The club has also been giving prospects and younger depth players a real chance to show they can keep pace in camp, even as the veteran core gets managed carefully under preseason usage limits.

There is also a clear injury-management element to the week. Jake O'Brien has been working back separately in a non-contact setting after a lower-body issue, which has kept attention on his recovery rather than immediate game impact. With the Kraken heading to Vancouver for their final preseason game, the emphasis is on practice detail, line fit, and trimming the roster rather than any standings chase. The overall picture is of a team still sorting itself out, but with enough established pieces to suggest a fairly competitive camp atmosphere and a few open questions left for one last exhibition test.

Seattle’s camp has the feel of a team sorting out details rather than reinventing itself, with Lane Lambert using the preseason to test new looks, push veterans through limited exhibition appearances, and give younger players a real chance to force their way in. The Kraken have already used early games to evaluate combinations such as Jared McCann with Matty Beniers and Mackie Samoskevich, Bobby McMann with Chandler Stephenson and Jordan Eberle, and Kaapo Kakko with Berkly Catton and Shane Wright, while also looking at defensive pairings built around Vince Dunn, Adam Larsson, Ryker Evans, and Brandon Montour.

Training camp has also centered on special teams experimentation and depth competition, including the possibility of using Mackie Samoskevich and Bobby McMann in penalty-kill roles. Veterans with heavy NHL mileage are being managed carefully under the preseason workload rules, which has made each appearance matter more for players trying to win jobs. Philipp Grubauer has handled key minutes in goal, while Nikke Kokko has been in the mix behind him. With the Sept. 26 exhibition in Vancouver up next, the focus remains on cuts, assignments, and which prospects can translate camp energy into a roster spot before opening night.

Seattle’s preseason picture is centered on Lane Lambert’s camp, where the Kraken are still sorting out roles, chemistry, and the final edges of the roster rather than thinking about any standings race. The opening-week look has emphasized competition among the forward groups, with Matty Beniers centering a fast unit with Mackie Samoskevich and Jared McCann, Chandler Stephenson working between Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann, and a young third line under close watch with Berkly Catton in the middle, Shane Wright shifting to the wing, and Kaapo Kakko on the other side.

The camp mood has also been shaped by evaluation opportunities for prospects and depth players, plus the usual preseason business of cuts, assignments, and injury caution. Recent reporting noted that Jake O'Brien has been in the mix after an encouraging start before a lower-body issue made his status day-to-day, while the team has continued to give goaltending looks and keep lanes open for younger players pushing for jobs. On defense, the Kraken have their veteran core in place with Adam Larsson, Brandon Montour, Vince Dunn, and Ryker Evans leading the blue line conversation.

With only one exhibition on the immediate schedule, tonight’s home preseason game against the Calgary Flames is another chance for Lambert to test combinations, see who can sustain pace, and narrow the camp picture before the roster gets trimmed further.

The Kraken enter the preseason’s stretch run with a camp that still feels unsettled in a few key spots, even after the roster has already been pared down. Recent reporting has centered on a trimmed group of 25 players, a sign that the staff is moving from broad evaluation to sharper decisions on depth roles, waiver exposure, and final bubble jobs.

One of the clearest stories is the forward competition around the younger, high-upside options. Jake O’Brien made an immediate impression in his preseason debut, then landed in day-to-day status with a lower-body issue, which has temporarily slowed what had been a strong push for a roster spot. That opens more room for others in the same lane, including Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Ben Meyers, while the club continues to sort out which prospects are ready for NHL minutes and which are better served by more time elsewhere.

There is also a veteran spine to the group. Chandler Stephenson, Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle, and Vince Dunn give the Kraken established centers, scoring touch, and puck movement, while Brandon Montour and Adam Larsson anchor the blue line. Seattle’s camp has increasingly looked like a team trying to blend that core with emerging talent, while still managing injuries and the final round of cuts. The next checkpoint is the home preseason game against Calgary on September 24, a useful final exhibition test before opening night.

The Seattle Kraken are opening training camp with a clear emphasis on sorting out roles rather than chasing regular-season urgency, with Lane Lambert and Jason Botterill using the preseason to test combinations, evaluate young talent, and trim the roster toward opening night. Early camp looks have featured Matty Beniers between Jared McCann and Mackie Samoskevich, Chandler Stephenson flanked by Bobby McMann and Jordan Eberle, and several younger forwards getting long looks as the staff decides who fits best in the middle six and on the fringe of the roster.

There is also a strong developmental thread running through camp, with Berkly Catton, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Shane Wright, Jani Nyman, Ryan Winterton, Jacob Melanson, Julius Miettinen, and Ryden Evers among the players trying to force their way into bigger opportunities. On defense, the coaching staff has already mixed established pairs like Vince Dunn with Adam Larsson while also experimenting with Brandon Montour, Ryker Evans, Joshua Mahura, Ryan Lindgren, and Cale Fleury in different looks. Goaltending remains another area to monitor, with Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer headlining the group while younger netminders get exposure. The team’s next preseason test is on the road against the Calgary Flames, a useful chance to keep sharpening chemistry before camp decisions start narrowing the picture.

The Seattle Kraken open preseason play at home against the Vancouver Canucks on September 19, with training camp focused on sorting out depth roles and giving young players a real look. Shane Wright is a central storyline after saying he wants to prove he can be an everyday NHL forward, and his camp performance will help determine where he fits in a crowded group that also includes Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Kaapo Kakko, Shane Wright, and several others competing for ice time. The team’s camp tone appears veteran but unsettled, with prospects and bubble players pushing for jobs while the coaching staff experiments with combinations and evaluates who can handle more responsibility. Goaltending is another area to watch, with Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer still the expected pair and the rest of the goalie group competing for developmental or depth roles. A recent prospect feature on Jani Nyman also underscored how the Kraken continue to blend youthful upside with NHL-ready expectations. With no standings implications in preseason, the emphasis is entirely on evaluation, conditioning, and early chemistry as Seattle begins to trim the roster and clarify roles for the weeks ahead.

Seattle opens training camp with more intrigue than certainty, and the early focus is on sorting out roles rather than chasing anything that resembles a standings race. The club’s first real test comes in its preseason exhibition at home against Vancouver on September 19, but the bigger story is how the roster takes shape over the next few days. Reports from camp have highlighted a wide group of players getting looks, including younger forwards and defensive depth options, while veterans such as Chandler Stephenson, Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Matty Beniers, and Shane Wright help set the tone for the group.

The blue line remains a major talking point, with Adam Larsson, Brandon Montour, Vince Dunn, Ryker Evans, Ryan Lindgren, Joshua Mahura, Cale Fleury, and Alexis Bernier all part of the mix as the staff experiments with pairings. In goal, Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer remain the key names, with younger goaltenders also in camp as the organization evaluates depth. The overall feel is one of competition and evaluation: prospects are trying to force their way into the conversation, returnees are working to reestablish themselves, and coaching decisions are still fluid. Seattle enters the exhibition slate trying to define its identity for a long season ahead, starting with a useful first look against Vancouver.