The Hockey News ranked each NHL team ahead of the 2026-27 season, with the Seattle Kraken ranking 29th out of 32 teams.
The bottom line, Adam Proteau writes, is “The Kraken are the epitome of a mushy middle team. They haven’t been good enough to make the playoffs, but haven’t been bad enough to acquire generational talent through the draft. There have been a handful of bright moments for the Kraken, but they are proving that progress isn’t linear. Until some elite players enter the organization, it’s difficult to imagine they can be expected to contend with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights near the top of the Pacific Division.”
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The Kraken remain the newest team in the NHL, having joined the league in 2021. The team has struggled in its first five seasons, failing to make the playoffs in four of those seasons. In 2022-23, the team saw the most success, finishing the year with 100 points and a record of 46-28-8.
They placed fourth in the Pacific Division. The team defeated the Colorado Avalanche in seven games, advancing to the second round. However, they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Stars in seven games.
Heading into another season, the team made one big addition: Mackie Samoskevich. The right winger from the Florida Panthers was the only addition to the Kraken roster.
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The team extended Bobby McMann for six years; however, they also failed to acquire any other players.
The team lost three players: Eeli Tolvanen, Jaden Schwartz, and Jamie Oleksiak. The two wingers and one defenseman left gaps in the Kraken roster.
As the team heads into its sixth season in the NHL, it brings a roster similar to past seasons, when it had little success.
For that reason, it makes sense that Proteau ranked the Kraken 29th out of 32 teams.
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