The Seattle Kraken had a fast start to the season, with many of their games going into overtime to allow them the most possible points, even if they didn’t win. Due to this, the Kraken were quickly in a playoff spot. Unfortunately, now they are in a bit of a slump, losing their last six games. With a current record of 11-10-6 and a total of 28 points, they are now in sixth place in the Pacific Division.
There are several factors that could have stemmed from this, including the countless injuries they have accrued throughout the season and their lack of scoring chances. Let’s take a look at some of the news and rumors surrounding the Kraken for this week.
Catton on IR, Meyers Called Up
The biggest piece of news this week: Berkly Catton was placed on injured reserve (IR). With his absence in the forward group, Ben Meyers was called up from the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team.
The young rookie has played 21 of the Kraken’s 27 games this season and has recorded five assists. For the season, he has averaged a total of 12:25 on the ice and played mostly in the bottom-six forward group. Catton is a player who refuses to quit. He has been trying to score his first NHL goal for a while and has had some good looks, taking 17 shots this season, but no puck has crossed the goal line just yet.
This marks Meyers’ second call-up of the season. He has played in nine games and recorded three assists. With the Firebirds, he has played 11 games and recorded 13 points via nine goals and four assists. Meyers has been in the organization since the 2021-22 season but has only played 84 career NHL games. His experience in the NHL, though, makes him the best possible forward to call up with Catton out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Oleksiak a Healthy Scratch Twice
For the last two games, Jamie Oleksiak was a healthy scratch. He has been with the team since its inception in the 2021-22 season. He has been a large part of the defense, something the Kraken have struggled with.
During this past offseason, Sportsnet released a list of 20 players to watch over the summer. In the list, the author, Nick Kypreos, mentions Ron Francis wanted to move Oleksiak during the 2024-25 season but decided to keep him in the long run.
Oleksiak is in the final year of his $4.6 million contract. The defense has continued to struggle. Is Oleksiak being a healthy scratch a sign that Francis is ready to move him? Brandon Tanev was a healthy scratch for a few games before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft during the 2024-25 season. Are we about to see a similar fate for Oleksiak?
Milestone Moments
Two Kraken players reached milestones in their NHL careers in the past week. Vince Dunn recorded his 300th point while Chandler Stephenson played in his 600th game.
Dunn not only recorded his 300th NHL point, but he also played in his 300th game as a Kraken. As a member of the team since the beginning, Dunn has been a major part of the organization on the defensive side. While the defense has struggled throughout the time, as mentioned above, Dunn and Adam Larsson have kept the top pairing alive. He continues to be a strong two-way defender, picking up points along the way as well.
Dunn recorded his 300th point off an assist on Larsson’s goal on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. Dunn will remember this milestone for years to come, as he recorded it with his defense partner.
Related: Kraken’s Vince Dunn Records 300th NHL Point
Stephenson has had a storied career in the NHL as well. He began his career with the Washington Capitals in the 2015-16 season, where he remained partway through the 2019-20 season. He played a total of 168 games with the Capitals and recorded 33 points. He also helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2017-18.
On Dec. 3, 2019, Stephenson was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. He finished out the 2019-20 season with the Golden Knights and played there until the 2023-24 season came to a close. Stephenson played 327 games with Vegas and recorded 237 points. Again, he helped Vegas win the Cup in 2022-23.
Stephenson signed as a free agent with Seattle during the offseason ahead of the 2024-25 season. He signed a seven-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $6.25 million. Since then, he has played 105 games with the Kraken and recorded 65 points.
Stephenson continues to be a great offensive addition to this current Kraken team. Congratulations to him on his 600th NHL game.
Players close to a milestone:
- Kaapo Kakko – ten games until 400th NHL game
What’s Next for the Kraken?
The Kraken will close out their four-game homestand when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
