NHL

ANAHEIM, Calif. — An early stolen puck in the offensive zone and quick shot on net was the first sign Kraken forward Shane Wright was tuned in and ready to do some damage.

LOS ANGELES – One of the more bizarre streaks of the Kraken’s short history finally had its closing chapter written here Wednesday night by an offense that could barely get a shot off when it mattered.

Kraken prospect Shane Wright says he's learned plenty more about professional hockey since his last stint with the team four months ago. Namely, the No. 4 overall pick in the July 2022 NHL draft is figuring out how to hang on to the puck and play a better defensive style when away from it. And now, with limited games to see Wright play before next season, the Kraken ...

SEATTLE – 

SEATTLE – When the Kraken went out for a third-period power play, they were up by a goal. By the time it ended, they were trailing by one. Yes, you read that right.

Every pressure cooker needs an outlet valve and the Kraken’s wound up scalding their bystander opponents big-time Tuesday night with pent-up steam let loose early and often.

Had they bottled up the first 24 seconds of Monday night’s game and gone home, it would have been a perfect outing for a Kraken team in desperate need of one.

With a month to go in the Seattle Kraken’s NHL season and playoffs now looking like a wild dream more than a wild-card dream, here are a few thoughts on a season that wasn’t from Kraken writers Geoff Baker and Kate Shefte.

SEATTLE – Some line shuffling by the Kraken failed to jumpstart an offense missing in action much of this homestand, including Saturday night in a fourth consecutive loss.

SEATTLE – Trying desperately to hang around the playoff fringes, the Kraken once again found themselves playing catch-up hockey Thursday night in the final period for the third straight home game.

SEATTLE – The Seattle Kraken trailed the Vegas Golden Knights after Tuesday’s second period. That really wouldn’t do against the team holding the second wild-card playoff spot in the West, a position the Kraken want badly but had only have 18 games left to secure.

Ryker Evans is back, though he never really left.

SEATTLE – An emotional week of playing themselves back into contention and hoping their front office kept them there ended Friday night with the Kraken trying not to rapidly undo their newfound lease on life.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Kraken allowed two potentially backbreaking goals, one with nine seconds left in the second period and another with 77 seconds gone in the third.

CALGARY, Alberta — Under the shadow of Friday’s trade deadline, the Kraken were knocked around at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome, particularly their top defensive pairing. Still, Seattle took a 4-2 road win from the Flames, one of the teams ahead of them in the wild-card race.

CALGARY, Alberta – Forward Alex Wennberg was absent from the Kraken’s morning skate Monday because of “trade-related issues,” coach Dave Hakstol said.

SEATTLE – As a critical Saturday matinee performance ticked down to its conclusion, a desperate Kraken squad relentlessly pressed the Edmonton Oilers for a goal that would draw them even.

When Ty Smith was swapped along with a third-round pick for fellow defenseman John Marino in the summer of 2022, the left-shot defenseman said he never envisioned playing in the American Hockey League.

SEATTLE – Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, making his first back-to-back starts since Dec. 7-9, made a one-goal lead stand up longer than it had any business doing, and the Seattle Kraken eked out a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at Climate Pledge Arena.