After the Seattle Kraken’s performance in the 2024-25 season, they are looking to have a better one in 2025-26. Ending the season with a record of 35-41-6, the Kraken were the second-worst team in the Pacific Division, sitting just above the San Jose Sharks.
Seattle has already had some shakeups with the coaching staff, firing their head coach, Dan Bylsma, and hiring their third coach in franchise history, Lane Lambert. The Kraken also have seven picks in the upcoming 2025 Draft, including a first-round and two second-round picks. More than likely, these players will play for the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, or their ECHL affiliate team, the Kansas City Mavericks. Regardless, there could still be some shakeups to Seattle’s line combinations. Let’s take an early projected look at what the Kraken’s lines could look like for the 2025-26 season.
Using PuckPedia as a guide, here are what some of the lines could look like.
Forwards
Jaden Schwartz – Matty Beniers – ????
Jared McCann – Shane Wright – Jordan Eberle
Eeli Tolvanen – Chandler Stephenson – Andre Burakovsky
???? – ???? – ????
Pending restricted free agents (RFAs): Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye
Pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs): Michael Eyssimont
One of the biggest question marks regarding the top line is whether or not Seattle will re-sign Kaapo Kakko, who will be an RFA come July 1. Kakko was traded to Seattle on Dec. 18 in exchange for Will Borgen, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. While Kakko had a slow start to the first 30 games of his season with the New York Rangers, he quickly started finding his stride in Seattle. In the 49 games he played with the Kraken, Kakko recorded 30 points via 10 goals and 20 assists. Assuming he is re-signed by the Kraken, he would slot right back into the top line alongside Matty Beniers and Jaden Schwartz, who are both signed through to the end of the 2025-26 season.
The second and third lines are set for the most part as well. The two lines flip-flopped this season, switching between whether the six players would play in the top six or the bottom six. A large factor in this was Jordan Eberle having to sit out for three months as he recovered from pelvic surgery. Due to this, Bylsma didn’t want him to play as much in case he aggravated the injury again. Jared McCann, Shane Wright, and Jordan Eberle will likely take to the ice as the second line, while Eeli Tolvanen, Chandler Stephenson, and Andre Burakovsky will spearhead the bottom six.
Related: 3 Kraken Targets at 8th Overall in 2025
The fourth line prompts lots of questions for the Kraken, as two of the three forwards could hit the free agency market. Michael Eyssimont was traded to the Kraken from the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 5 in exchange for Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kyle Aucoin, and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 Draft. In addition to Eyssimont, Seattle also received a second-round pick in the 2025 Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 Draft, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 Draft. In 20 games with Seattle, Eyssimont recorded six points via four goals and two assists. He also recorded a plus-1 and averaged 10:26 time on ice (TOI). He was a solid late addition to the Kraken’s fourth line, and it could go either way on whether or not they re-sign him.
Tye Kartye could also potentially hit the free agent market, but as an RFA. He played in 63 games and only recorded 13 points via six goals and seven assists. This was his second season in the league, and it appeared he got caught in a sophomore slump. Once again, whether or not the Kraken re-sign him could go either way.
Several players from Coachella Valley slotted into that fourth center slot, the latest being John Hayden. Seattle just re-signed him to a two-year contract, so there is a chance that he plays a full season, after only playing 20 games in 2024-25.
Defense
Vince Dunn – Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak – Brandon Montour
???? – Josh Mahura
Pending RFA: Ryker Evans
The first two defense pairings are set. Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson are a duo to be reckoned with and have been the top pairing for the past season. Brandon Montour slotted into the second pairing with Jamie Oleksiak. Montour made a strong impact on the Kraken after they signed him at the beginning of the 2024 offseason. In 81 games, the defenseman recorded 41 points via 18 goals and 23 assists. Montour also made NHL history, scoring the fastest overtime goal at four seconds. He just finished the first year of his seven-year contract with Seattle, so he is signed through to the 2030-31 season.
The big question mark comes with the third pairing, as Ryker Evans will be an RFA come July 1. With Josh Mahura re-signed for another two-year contract, it is all a matter of finding him either a new defense partner or re-signing his current one.
Goaltending
After this past season, it is clear that Joey Daccord is the starting goaltender for the Kraken. Before the start of the 2024-25 season, he signed a five-year contract, so Seattle has him through to the 2028-29 season. He played in 57 games and recorded 27 wins, including two shutouts. Daccord was overworked this season, after only sitting out for 25 games. While he is a great goaltender, the Kraken still need a strong goaltender who can back him up to make sure he doesn’t get overtired.
Philipp Grubauer still has two more years on his contract, taking him through to the 2026-27 season. After he was placed on waivers in the middle of the 2024-25 season, it is unclear if he will be moved down to the Firebirds at some point during the 2025-26 season. If this is the case, the Kraken have two great goaltenders to select from in Ales Stezka and Nikke Kokko. Stezka and Kokko played one game each in the 2024-25 season. Stezka’s game resulted in a loss, and Kokko went into the crease to defend it after Daccord was pulled, so he technically didn’t win or lose. Regardless, they each have one game of NHL experience under their belt in case they are called up to back up Daccord in the 2025-26 season.
Botterill is Starting Seattle Off on the Right Foot
Like all the NHL teams, the Kraken are looking for a winning season in 2025-26. Jason Botterill, the Kraken’s new general manager, has started Seattle off on the right foot. He has already signed some smaller names to extensions: Mahura and Hayden. As July 1 creeps closer, and with $19 million left in cap space, signing Kakko should be his priority. This will put the Kraken in a great spot with their top line. Then, once free agency begins, they will just need to focus on their bottom six and third defensive pairing, pending no trades.
