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It was a step back in 2024-25 for the Seattle Kraken, as they finished seventh in the Pacific Division. The front office brought in some solid new pieces this summer, such as the Kraken trading for Mason Marchment and signing Ryan Lindgren. Still, if the club is going to take the next step, they need a few young stars to breakout.
The team needs to find some players to have big seasons in 2025-26. In 2024-25, they were 16th in the NHL in goals scored while also sitting 23rd on the powerplay. Further, they struggled on defense, sitting 24th in goals against per game and 21st on the penalty kill.
Many players saw their progression stall last year. After going from a career high of 35 points before joining Seattle, Jared McCann broke that mark in 2021-22 with 50. Then, he exploded onto the scene with 40 goals and 30 assists in 2022-23. Since then, he has yet to hit the 30-goal mark, and his production has stalled. He amassed 62 points in 2023-24, and then 61 points last season.
Matty Beniers has also failed to return to his peak. He found the back of the net 24 times in 2022-23 while amassing 57 points. It would be a 20-point drop in 2023-24, but a small rebound in 2024-25 with 20 goals and 23 assists. While these top players for the Kraken need to return to form if the franchise hopes to return to the postseason next spring, other players need to step up as well.
Shane Wright has big breakout potential
With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Kraken selected center Shane Wright. He played in 16 NHL games between 2022-23 and 2023-24, scoring five goals and adding two assists. The center would display his skill at the AHL level in 23-24, though. He lit the lamp 22 times while adding 25 helpers in just 59 games in the AHL. Then, in the playoffs for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, he amassed 13 points in just 12 games.
Wright entered 2024 training camp with confidence, and it showed. He would make the NHL roster and have a solid season. While playing in 79 contests, the Canadian beat the goaltender 19 times while adding 25 assists. Further, he had 13 points on the powerplay.
The next step for Wright is finding consistency in his game. In the first two months of 2024-25, he scored just seven points, which included three multi-point games, while he failed to record a point in 18 games. The middle of the season saw signs of a breakout, as he scored points in 24 of 36 games, but the scoring drought would hit again at the end of the season. In March 2025, he scored in just two of 15 games to end the month with three points. If the center can find consistency, he will bloom into a 50 to 60 point scorer, which will make a big difference for the club.
Ryker Evans can prove he is a top defender
Ryker Evans is currently penciled in as a third rotation defender, but he could grow into a top pairing player. He was the No. 35 overall pick by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft. He spent time in the WHL with the Regina Pats before joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds. In 2023-24, the blue liner would break into the NHL. The Canadian found the back of the net once, adding eight assists in 36 games.
Then, in 2024-25, he demonstrated more offensive skill, lighting the lamp five times with 20 assists. He ran out of steam later in the season, though. It was 16 points in the first two months of the season, but just nine the rest of the way, including not having a single point in his last eight contests.
He did prove to be a physical presence overall. Evans would dole out 123 hits while blocking 106 shots. Still, like his offensive production, his physicality waned throughout the year. If he kept the production of his first 25 games over all 73 games he played, he would have led team defensemen in points, hits, and shots blocked during the season. If the Canadian can return to his early-campaign production for a full year, he could emerge into a top-level defender on the team.
Will Kaapo Kakko finally break through?
The front office just signed Kaapo Kakko to a three-year extension this summer. This was after a mid-season trade brought him over from the New York Rangers. The Fin struggled overall as a Ranger. The former No. 2 overall pick never blossomed into a top-end player with the franchise, having his best season in 2022-23. That year, he played 82 games, scoring 18 goals and 40 points.
The Kraken put Kakko in a position to succeed last season. In 49 games, he found the back of the net 10 times while adding 20 helpers. His advanced stats showed a major improvement in those 49 contests. He had the highest IPP, individual point production, of his career. Further, he had the highest rates of scoring chances created and high danger chances created. His defense also improved, with 20 blocked shots in just 49 games, the highest rate of his career.
For Kakko, it is about continuing the production he had when he landed in Settle. He is expected to join the top line with Jaden Schwartz and Beniers. If he continues at the same rate, Kakko will be a 50-point producer, making him one of the most impactful forwards on the team.
For Wright, Evans, and Kakko, all three players have shown sparks of serious potential. But none of them have shown true consistency in their careers. If they all can be consistent contributors in 2025-26 — and take another step forward — the Kraken will have a much better chance to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next spring.
