The Seattle Kraken have the opposite of a long and storied history, breaking into the NHL as an expansion team and the league's 32nd franchise in 2021-22. After the incredible success of the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural campaign — the franchise marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final back in 2018 — expectations were probably a little too high for the Kraken from the get go.
And Seattle performed more like most expansion teams in their maiden season, winning just 27 games, finishing eighth place in the Pacific Division and not coming anywhere close to a playoff spot. But the sophomore year was a revelation; the Kraken put together a 46-win, 100-point season before defeating the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in a wild seven-game upset. They then took the Dallas Stars to seven games in Round 2, coming within one win of advancing to the Western Conference Final in just their second year of existence.
That incredible success corrected itself in 2023-24, with an elevated shooting percentage and a couple of career-best campaigns crashing back down to earth. The Kraken finished sixth in the Pacific and missed the postseason for the second time in three tries back in April, and the squad will look to rectify that in a weak division this upcoming season.
Now that we've approached the real dog days of summer, let's talk about the 10 greatest Seattle Kraken players of all time — that is, of the past three years.
1) Jared McCann
Although Jared McCann wasn't great for the Kraken in their unbelievable 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff run, he's still undoubtedly the best player in franchise history. The 28-year-old leads the team in goals (97) and points (185) in 241 games, and owns the highest points-per-game clip at 0.77.
Under contract until 2026-27, one of the franchise's original draft picks in 2021 has become an offensive force in Seattle, including registering the club's first 40-goal season in 2022-23. The NHL All-Star is beginning to separate himself from an organization that doesn't really have any star players, both past or present, and he should be a key piece of the equation for the next few seasons at least.
2) Jordan Eberle
Jordan Eberle is forever etched in Kraken lore after scoring the franchise's first goal back in 2021. The veteran was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers back in 2008 and also played for the New York Islanders, but has found a home in Seattle.
The 34-year-old is right behind McCann with 64 goals and 162 points in 253 regular-season contests, and he added another 11 points in 14 postseason games. He was a key piece of the team that beat a powerhouse Avalanche club, and nearly upset the Stars a few weeks later. He's the first NHL All-Star in team history, and his leadership qualities should continue to be indispensable to a young Kraken squad.
3) Yanni Gourde
After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, Yanni Gourde has emerged into a key piece of the puzzle with the Kraken. He's the franchise's all-time postseason leading scorer, amassing a fantastic 13 points in 14 games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He's no slouch in the regular-season either, sitting fourth with 129 points in 235 contests. Gourde is now a mainstay in Seattle; this is a player who isn't afraid to go to the dirty areas, is excellent on draws, and knows what it takes to win. As an undrafted player, the 32-year-old has carved out a fantastic NHL career. He's an important regular-season contributor, but knows how to up his game in the playoffs, which is exactly what this team will need if and when they return to the dance.
4) Vince Dunn
Vince Dunn is without a doubt the greatest defenseman in Seattle Kraken history, and he's earned a spot as one of the top-four best players, period. With a fantastic 145 points in 213 regular-season games, he earned a four-year, $29.4 million contract extension back in 2023.
Dunn has run the powerplay in Seattle for years, and has emerged into one of the better offensive D-men in the National. Just look at his 46 points in 59 games in 2023-24, or the 64 in 81 the season before. He also contributed in the lone playoff run, adding a respectable seven points in 14 playoff tilts.
It'll be interesting to see how his role changes with Stanley Cup champion Brandon Montour now in the fold, but the 27-year-old seems to get better every year — and he'll continue to be an absolutely crucial piece of this Kraken roster.
5) Oliver Bjorkstrand
Oliver Bjorkstrand has quickly become a fan favorite in Seattle despite only playing two seasons with the club. After being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets, he put up 45 points in his first season and followed it up with 59 over a full 82-game slate in 2023-24.
He was an NHL All-Star for the first time last season, and currently sits fifth all-time with 112 points in 177 games. He's a clean, crafty player who shows up in the playoffs, as evidenced by his eight points in 14 postseason tilts. He became a franchise hero after scoring both goals in Game 7 on the road against the Avalanche, helping to slay the dragon and win Seattle its first and only playoff round. The Danish forward is locked up for two more seasons in Seattle.
6) Jaden Schwartz
A Stanley Cup champion with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Jaden Schwartz has emerged into a mainstay on the Kraken since joining the squad in the expansion draft two years later. The 32-year-old sits eighth in all-time points, with 47 goals and 103 points in 184 games in both the regular-season and playoffs.
Schwartz is a key veteran leader who knows how to win and has been part of this roster since the beginning. He's under team control for two more seasons, and will again play a top-six role in 2024-25.
7) Matty Beniers
Although Matty Beniers is coming off a ghastly sophomore slump, he was electric in his rookie season with the Kraken in 2022-23. The 21-year-old broke onto the scene with 24 goals and 57 points in 80 games, winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.
Fans in Seattle will be hoping this player can return to form in 2024-25, but as the first Kraken skater in history to win Rookie of the Year, he's already earned a spot on this list. The NHL All-Star is already sixth all-time in scoring and is a future cornerstone of the franchise.
8) Philipp Grubauer
Despite conceding the starting role at times to Joey Daccord last season, Philipp Grubauer is the greatest goalie in the history of the Kraken. He holds the record for most regular-season wins in franchise history with 49, and was strong in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording a respectable 2.99 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.
He remains the first marquee goalie in Seattle, and has been lights out at times during his tenure with the club. Like Bjorkstrand, his heroics in Game 7 against the Avalanche (his former team) will long be remembered; he made 33 saves in the decisive victory.
It'll be interesting to see how many starts the 32-year-old gets in 2024-25 with Daccord now in the fold, but he's under team control until 2027-28 and should continue to be a rock between the pipes.
9) Andre Burakovsky
Despite playing just 98 games for the Kraken, Andre Burakovsky broke onto the scene with 39 points in 49 games in 2022-23. Although he was injured when the Kraken upset the Avalanche — the team he won a Stanley Cup with in 2022 — he remains one of the most skilled players on the roster.
Under team control for another two seasons, the two-time champion (he also won with the Washington Capitals in 2018) remains a key piece of this franchise if he can stay healthy. He only played 49 games in each of his two seasons in Seattle, but if he can put together a few full campaigns, he should continue climbing up the all-time points list.
10) Alex Wennberg
The only player on this list to not still be playing for the Kraken, Alex Wennberg still deserves a spot. He joined Seattle in the expansion draft and played nearly three full seasons with the club before being traded to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline and signing with the San Jose Sharks in the offseason.
Still, the 29-year-old has amassed 107 points in 236 career games with the Kraken, good enough for seventh all-time. The Swede was also an important part of the team's playoff heroics, chipping in seven points in 2023. He won't long be remembered in Seattle, but he was a complementary piece of this roster for almost three full years — and that's enough to earn him the No. 10 slot.
Honorable mentions: Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Tanev
Follow Us
Subscribe