2026 Season Preview: Seattle Kraken
The Kraken have made the playoffs once in their first five seasons as a team. Will they finally take a step in the right direction this season?
To suggest the Seattle Kraken have struggled to find their identity as an NHL franchise has been a bit of an understatement. They took a very different approach to building their roster than the Vegas Golden Knights did, and half a decade later it certainly shows. While expansion can surely be a challenge, this team needs to find a way to establish themselves in this league sooner rather than later.
2025-26 Outcome
Regular Season Results: 34-37-11
Three wins shy of a .500 record, 79 points in the standings which left them sixth in the Pacific Division, the Kraken were one of the least relevant teams in the 2025-26 season. While that may sound harsh, it’s not the worst thing in the world for a group that clearly wasn’t a playoff team. With a surplus of prospects and some younger players still trying to find their way in this league, the Kraken could be on the cusp of a breakthrough but need several things to come together before that can happen.
Who’s In and Who’s Out
It’s clear from this list the Kraken didn’t do much adding this offseason. They let Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jamie Oleksiak all walk to unrestricted free agency. Their only significant addition came in the form of a trade in which they acquired Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers in exchange for the 25th overall pick and a conditional 2027 second round pick (the higher of the two Seattle owns). A bit of a steep price to pay for Samoskevich alone, but chances are he’s a better player than anyone Seattle would select in those spots and certainly helps them now.
When you compare Samoskevich to either of Schwartz or Tolvanen, he might be a slight upgrade. Losing Oleksiak however, weakens their blue line a bit. The important thing to keep in mind is Seattle has a ton of young talent that could be ready to take that next step sooner rather than later.
