We The Fans: With 16 More Games Remaining, Kraken Run Into Lightning in Seattle and Lose 6-2
The Kraken haven’t beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning at home in three years and never have they beat them in Seattle. They won’t be changing that fact this year as the team was defeated 6-2 by Tampa Bay with a hat trick and 5 point night from Nikita Kucherov. The Seattle Kraken gave up 2 goals in the 1st period and 3 goals in the third period that made a nationally televised game against a top team in the Eastern Conference feel pretty one sided. It has been weeks since my last blog as I had hoped that the Kraken would come sprinting out of the olympic break playing like every game was the last game of hockey they may ever play. The team is seemingly doing the opposite, and some players look to be going through the motions with repeating flat performances in games the team needed to win. The team has collected 8 of a possible 22 points and has a record of 4-7 in the eleven games since coming out of the olympic break and two of those games won were against the last place Vancouver Canucks. The team has a current record of 31-27-9 through 67 games played in the current 2025-2026 NHL Season. The team has a current goal differential of -12 on the season, even with a penalty kill that continues to be ranked 32nd. The new addition of Bobby McMann in Seattle has been a pleasant uptick in offense as he has scored 5 points in his first 3 games with the club, including 3 goals and 2 assists. He has shown he can provide an ability to get into the right places and get the puck on net. The Kraken also chose to extend Jordan Eberle to a 5.5M AAV, 2 years and 11 Million to keep the captain in Seattle for two more years, at which point he will be 37 years old. Jared McCann also broke a 10 game goal scoring slump with a goal in the second period to make the score 3-2.
The Kraken Goaltenders have been leaned on heavily to help the team find wins and the team needs to find a way to adapt and provide their goalies with goal support down this last stretch of the season. The Seattle Kraken are 15 games away from the end of the season and are currently tied with LA at 71 points, one point ahead of San Jose with 70 in the playoff race for 8th Place in the West. The team in 7th place currently is the Utah Mammoth with 76 points. With Eeli Tolvanen out day to day with an undisclosed upper body injury and Jaden Schwartz back on the IR after taking a skate to the face in the Team’s recent 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The Kraken need their forwards to lock in and find a way to adapt and make plays. The Kraken say they want to develop young players, but they are not a team that puts young players in position to develop. Every action and decision this franchise has made this season has left fans with a deeper understanding of the game scratching their heads and wondering what the management in Seattle is thinking in terms of the future; as Seattle is giving out money for accolades to guys on the wrong side of thirty. They also don’t give younger guys top line opportunities, and it doesn’t take an expert to know that is the opposite of how you develop them. Shane Wright is a 2nd line center and it’s not like the Kraken are amazing in the face-off dot. Freddy Gaudreau was 0 for 8 in the face off dot for Kraken last loss at home to the St. Louis Blues.
Lane Lambert has a defensive system that works as well as any of the other teams in the NHL. This team needs to be more patient and creative, especially in the Offensive Zone. The Kraken have guys that can skate and handle the puck to pull defenders to the half wall and open up space net front, in the bumper slot, or behind the net. It takes talent, skill, and an ability to adapt to continue to win in the NHL as from the start of the season every team is focused on getting better. The whole reason the teams do anything during the season is to try and get better and find ways to win. The Kraken continues to utilize the same game plans, embrace the same mindsets, and try the same tactics that simply have not worked well enough for the team to comfortably reach the playoffs. For guys who have trouble finishing chances and hitting the corners of the net, why is the offense designed around trying to get guys to do complex things that they clearly can’t do well? With all the knowledge, strategy prowess, and playing experience between the coaches and players it seems mind boggling that no one can figure out how to simplify the offense and help the team improve so that we aren’t bottom 3rd of the league in scoring???
Almost once a game someone gets caught obviously puck watching which results in a goal. Not to mention the absolute drop off in miles skated from where the team started the year, when they forechecked and created turnovers for their chances. The Kraken have slower aging vets trying to play a system built for young, fast technical skaters, and big strong forwards. The team often has to rely on defense to jump into the play like forwards and chance getting caught of position to compensate for that exact reason, with the experienced veterans still making the same mistakes of the 20 year olds who get sent to Coachella Valley in the league below, also known as the AHL for those who are new to hockey. The veterans within the forward group need to find a way to continue to elevate their play as a lot of what the Kraken have done lately is becoming relatively stagnant; It seems worth mentioning that teams know what you want to try and do as well as who you are looking for 67 games into a season. The Kraken have always found their success by committee, and the team needs to use their depth to be as tough to defend as possible. It’s not about playing for the name on the back, it’s about playing for the logo on the front and the city that truly shows up and loves this team.
The team spends so much energy all game trying to play perfect defense and then still breaks down and gets scored on anyways. Realistically, the league is too talented and you aren’t going to stop all of these talented players from getting their chances, but to continue to lose games and try to do the things that other teams clearly aren’t struggling to defend or taking 11 minutes to get the first shot on goal, from a dump into the offensive zone is pathetic. Offense is the easiest way for the Kraken to improve their defense. You can’t get scored on if you are the team actively trying to score. In regards to a search for the solution in Seattle, the head coach seems to believe it lies with the players. I feel it could be in part due to his assistants ability to adapt. San Jose has an easier schedule and Los Angeles wants to make the playoffs for Kopitar’ final year. If the Kraken are going to figure out the season and make a run, then maybe that run starts with making the other team work harder to defend our guys, chase, and clear the puck. The Kraken never really look to enter and cycle the puck and force guys to skate with them, rather they try to run set plays that are often overly predictable or dump it in from the red line and try and win it back. The Kraken have seemed more focused and consistent in regards to winning individual puck battles, but often can’t produce anything of substance offensively without puck luck or some kind of defensive breakdown. I believe it is this impact in play from the opponent that often results in the Kraken playing at the level of their opponent.
I want playoff hockey back in Seattle, but the Professional Hockey in Seattle lately has not been worth the price of admission. Management wants to play games that matter in March and through the end of the season, but with the current performance of the team; Seattle may not find themselves playing games that matter in April. Figure it out for the sanity of the Kraken Faithful. I honestly wish I had confirmation someone from the organization reads my blog. I feel like it's important to note: I’ve never meant any disrespect and my intentions have only ever been to try and improve the team and help bring a Stanley Cup to Seattle.
LET’S GO KRAKEN!!!
Very Respectfully,
Caleb Nance