The road to Shane Wright’s current place in the NHL with the Seattle Kraken has had its ups and downs. Some of the worst downs came quite recently when he was a healthy scratch for three games from Nov. 17 through Nov. 23. He has since returned to the lineup and played better, but how has his season gone? What kind of a player is Wright? How much can being a healthy scratch help? Let’s discuss.
Wright, the Kraken’s 2022 First-Round Draft Pick
Ah, the summer of 2022. What a time. The NHL held its Draft in Montreal at the Bell Centre that year. The best and brightest young hockey players converged in La Belle Province, as did each NHL club’s overseers and scouts.
There is a wonderful picture taken by The Hockey Writers’ resident photographer Amy Irvin of Juraj Slafkovsky, Shane Wright, and Logan Cooley close together on a rooftop in the Old Port of Montreal. They looked chuffed to be in town and enjoying the sun.
Slafkovsky would be the first overall selection of the entire class, staying in town to represent the Montreal Canadiens. Cooley’s name would be called by the then-Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Hockey Club) as the third overall pick. Wright wasn’t far behind. The relatively new Kraken, prepping their sophomore season of existence, opted for the Ontario native with the fourth overall pick.
But it would take time for Wright to transition to the big league. He was present at rookie camps in 2022 and 2023. However, the organization felt his place was in the American Hockey League (AHL) with Seattle’s affiliate franchise there, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
AHL Training Ground, NHL Baby Steps
Through the 2022-23 and 2023-24 NHL seasons, Wright adorned Kraken colors only 16 times (eight games in each campaign). He barely saw any action in the first of those two seasons, averaging no more than 8:29 of ice time. Still, he notched his first NHL goal and assist for two points. The minutes in the following season were higher, averaging 13:32, as was the productivity. He potted four goals to go along with an assist.
His effort in the AHL with the Firebirds impressed more, especially in 2023-24 when he accrued 47 points in 59 matches (22 goals, 25 assists).
There are a few key elements to this part of the story. Number one, he was a high draft selection. Sooner or later the permanent transition to the NHL would happen. Two, the Firebirds were excellent in 2022-23 and 2023-24, reaching the Calder Cup Final both times. They lost to the Hershey Bears twice, but it was a heck of a ride. Third, current Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma led the Firebirds then. He saw firsthand what Wright was capable of.
While nothing was officially said, the moment Bylsma got the job in Seattle, it was hard not to see the writing on the wall. Surely, Wright was to join his AHL coach.
Wright’s Early November Blues
That guess was eventually proven accurate, but not before his third rookie camp. Nevertheless, after showing leadership with his fellow youngsters, some even younger than him, Wright made the cut.
And yet, after more than a dozen games in the NHL over the previous two campaigns, much success in the AHL, and still working under Bylsma’s guidance, 2024-25 has been hit-or-miss. The 20-year-old has suited up for 20 contests, scored a pair of goals, added a trio of assists, has a plus-3 rating, and averages 12:27 of ice time.
Those aren’t abysmal numbers for someone so young. However, it’s been tricky finding a comfortable place for him on the team. Or rather, he’s had a rough go of carving out his spot in the lineup. Case in point, MoneyPuck, a brilliant website, carries forward line statistics for combinations that have played at least 50 minutes. There are no such trios featuring Wright.
Related: How the Kraken Can Overcome the Loss of Captain Jordan Eberle
As per Natural Stat Trick, the centre has logged 40:54 with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen, 44:49 with Jared McCann and Matty Beniers, 14:46 with Andre Burakovsky and Tolvanen, and fewer minutes with a plethora of other combinations.
In fact, Wright’s performances in November were muted. On Nov. 16 in a game at home against the New York Islanders, he logged 8:34, registered zero shots on goal, lost five faceoffs out of a possible seven, and finished with an expected goals for (xG) of 0.0. Not 1.0. or 0.5, but 0.0.
Bylsma’s mind was made up. Wright, completely healthy, was nowhere to be found in the lineup on Nov. 17 versus the New York Rangers, Nov. 20 against the Nashville Predators, and Nov. 23 away to the Los Angeles Kings.
Ducks Bring Out the Best in Wright
Healthy scratches send a message. Furthermore, Bylsma and Wright already have a close working relationship from their AHL days. One is tempted to assume that whatever was said behind closed doors was courteous, professional, and maybe even encouraging despite the bad news.
Which brings us to this Thanksgiving week. The center found himself back in the lineup in time to face the Anaheim Ducks twice (Nov. 26 and 28). The first game, Monday in Anaheim, was excellent. Wright contributed a goal and a helper en route to a 3-2 victory.
Despite the club suffering defeat on Wednesday, he contributed a direct assist on Bjorkstrand’s second-period goal that levelled the terms 2-2. He also registered three shots on goal and finished with a plus-1 rating even though the Kraken lost by three.
There are a few reasons why this was predictable. First, Wright is a bright, young talent who wanted to let his teammates know that he is still a valuable member of the roster. He had something to prove, and that he did. Second, he plays well against the Ducks. Toward the end of last season, he totalled three points via a pair of goals and an apple in a 3-1 victory in Anaheim.
The onus remains on him. Granted, the onus is always on every player to show up and play hard, but in Wright’s case, he needs to be a bit more consistent. Productivity (goals, assists, shots, xG, Corsi%, Fenwick%, faceoff wins) needs to appear on the stats sheets against rivals headquartered elsewhere than Anaheim, California. He can do it. His coach knows he can. It might take time, but Wright has a terrific opportunity to shift the conversation about the oft-overlooked Kraken.
