This is Off-Season Recap, a summer series where we’ll look at what the other 15 teams in the Western Conference have done ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season. So far in the series, we’ve looked at the teams in or around a playoff spot: Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Anaheim Ducks. In this article, we’ll look at the Seattle Kraken.

After missing the playoffs in their inaugural season, the Seattle Kraken burst onto the scene in 2022-23, reaching the postseason for the first time in franchise history. They didn’t just sneak in, either. The Kraken pushed all the way to Game 7 of the second round before falling 2-1 to the Dallas Stars. It was a major step forward.

In 2023-24, they took a step back, finishing 34-35-13 with 81 points, tied for sixth in the Pacific Division and well out of a playoff spot. The 2024-25 campaign wasn’t much better. Seattle went 35-41-6, earning more wins than the year prior but fewer points, and finished second-last in the Pacific, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks.

What made the Kraken so dangerous in 2022-23 was balanced scoring from top to bottom. That depth has faded over the past two seasons, and it’s becoming increasingly clear they lack a true superstar.

Matty Beniers’ breakout rookie season in 2022-23, which saw the former second-overall pick score 24 goals, 57 points, and win the Calder Trophy, was a driving force in Seattle’s success. But after a sophomore slump in 2023-24, he wasn’t much better last year, posting 20 goals and 43 points in 82 games.

The good news is that other young players took steps forward. Shane Wright, the 2022 fourth-overall pick, recorded 19 goals and 44 points in his first full NHL season after a strong year in the AHL. Kaapo Kakko also found his stride following a mid-season trade from the New York Rangers, finishing with a career-high 44 points, including 14 goals. On the back end, left-shot defender Ryker Evans broke out with 25 points in 73 games.

Seattle’s core also includes a mix of veterans and players in their prime. Captain Jordan Eberle leads a veteran group featuring Jaden Schwartz, Jamie Oleksiak, Adam Larsson, and free-agent signings Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson. Original Kraken Jared McCann and Vince Dunn remain key pieces, while Eeli Tolvanen hit a career-high 23 goals last season.

In net, Joey Daccord continues to quietly be one of the league’s more reliable goaltenders, posting a .906 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average in 57 games. Over the last two seasons, he owns a .910 save percentage and 2.61 goals-against average across 107 appearances.

With 2024 first-rounder Berkly Catton in the pipeline, there’s promise for the future. But the question is whether they’ve done enough for the present.

Seattle’s biggest free-agent signing was left-shot defenceman Ryan Lindgren, who inked a four-year, $18 million deal. They also added goaltender Matt Murray on a one-year contract and re-signed Evans, Kakko, Tye Kartye, and Cale Fleury.

The Kraken were more active on the trade front. On June 19, they acquired Mason Marchment from Dallas for 2025 and 2026 draft picks; Marchment scored 22 goals and 47 points last season. Two days later, they moved André Burakovsky to Chicago for Joe Veleno, who was promptly bought out. Their other notable move was acquiring Frédérick Gaudreau from Minnesota for a 2025 fourth-round pick; Gaudreau had 18 goals and 37 points in 2024-25.

Even with the additions of Gaudreau and Marchment, this year’s roster looks a lot like last season’s — essentially swapping Oliver Bjorkstrand for Marchment and Yanni Gourde for Gaudreau.

For Seattle to have any hope in 2025-26, their young players will need to take meaningful steps forward. They still lack elite talent at the top of their lineup, but if Catton makes the roster and adapts quickly, he could provide the top-six scoring punch they desperately need.

With no true superstar and a roster that looks much like last year’s, Seattle’s playoff hopes hinge on Beniers, Wright, and the rest of the young core taking a big step forward.