The Seattle Kraken faced the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8. It was the Kraken who were victorious in the game, with a 7-5 win.
However, this game was also cause for celebration for one of their players. Mitchell Stephens played in his 100th NHL game.
Today’s game versus the Rangers was Mitchell Stephens’ 100th career @NHL game.
— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) December 8, 2024
He also recorded his first point as a member of the Kraken with an assist on Brandon Tanev’s second-period goal.
Congrats, Mitchell! pic.twitter.com/FJUNulxzzo
Stephens was able to celebrate the milestone night by earning an assist off of Brandon Tanev’s goal.
Early Years
Stephens was picked by the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second round of the 2015 Draft, selected 33rd overall.
He did not start playing in the NHL until the 2019-20 season. In the interim time between when he was drafted to when he began in the league, Stephens split his time between the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Stephens played in 180 games for the Spirit between 2013-14 and 2016-17. From 2015-16 he was an alternate captain and from 2016-17 he was the captain of the Spirit. He scored 62 goals and earned 73 assists for a total of 135 points.
From the 2015-16 season until the 2021-22 season, Stephens played with the Syracuse Crunch on and off as well. He played in 135 games for the Crunch during these six seasons. He scored 37 goals and earned 47 assists for a total of 84 points during his time with the Crunch.
He did not start in the NHL until 2019-20, but what a season for him to start. Stephens played in 38 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning that season, scoring three goals and earning three assists for a total of six points. While the numbers seem a little low, he was able to earn an even greater achievement. He was part of a Stanley Cup-winning team, achieving this honor in just his first season in the league. Stephens played in seven postseason games, but did not earn any points. He went on to play in seven games in the 2020-21 season, but only earned one assist.
Stephens also played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens, as well as their AHL affiliates the Grand Rapids Griffins and Laval Rocket, before being picked up by Seattle as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1, 2024.
Time in Seattle
So far this season, Stephens has played in five NHL games with the Kraken and 11 games with their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. With the Firebirds, he has scored three goals and earned one assist for a total of four points this season.
This game against the Rangers marked his fifth as a Kraken, as well as his 100th game played in the NHL. What better way to celebrate than by earning a first assist with his new team?
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With six minutes left in the second period, the Kraken had the puck in their zone. Tye Kartye had a hold of the puck, but was being pressured by the opposing team. Seeing Stephens open, he passed it to him. Stephens, skating behind the net, passed it to Brandon Tanev. Tanev was wide open in front of the net. He was able to find his mark and score the second of seven goals the Kraken would go on to score later.
Congrats to Mitchell Stephens on a milestone 100 NHL games and earning his first point as a Kraken!
