When newly re-signed Kraken forward Jacob Melanson was traded to Acadie-Bathurst of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League during the 2020-21 season, he didn’t even know at that point he was draft-eligible. His new teammates had to point it out. That June, he was drafted by the Kraken in the fifth round of Seattle’s inaugural NHL Draft.
“I started practicing with Bathurst and a few other teammates were being ranked in the NHL draft,” said the happy 23-year-old Melanson Thursday night. “They were talking about it, and it came to mind that I was in my draft season. After a few games, I finally got calls from some teams. Trevor Steinberg, our Maritimes scout, loved the way I played. We talked quite a bit, and I knew Seattle was very interested. Once the Seattle pick was up in the fifth round, I was kind of excited to see if Seattle might take me. It was a dream come true.”
Friday morning, the dream morphed into an even dreamier reality as Kraken General Manager Jason Botterill announced the team had signed Melanson to a three-year deal ($1.45M average annual value) starting this season.
“We’re excited to re-sign Jacob,” said Botterill. “He brought a lot of physicality and energy to our group last season, and we’re looking forward to seeing more from him these next few years.”
Melanson made the most of being called up during last season. He was an instant fan favorite for his bruising, fearless style of play. His impact was evident in his registering a team season-high 188 hits in just 36 games. The performance ranks eighth overall among all Kraken skaters in franchise history for hits in a single season. He added five points (two goals, three assists) in 2025-26, including his first career NHL goal Jan. 5 in Calgary.
“I’m feeling awesome,” said Melanson when asked about his emotions during a phone conversation. “My fiancé [Belle Ashley] and I are over the moon to have the deal done and be back in Seattle for another three years. She loves it here. I love it. It's an amazing fan base.”
After his strong play for the Kraken, Melanson returned to be part of another deep postseason run for American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley. He contributed a goal and four assists, plus an abundance of physical play. He provided a veteran presence beyond his years.
“My time in Seattle [last season] was great,” said Melanson. “I learned so much up there. Being able to go back for that run in CV, I went down there with the mindset of being a leader ... it's a young team with a lot of guys in their first and second years. I was looking to show them how to play the hard way, which not many players want to do anymore. I was trying to teach those guys you can still make it up to the NHL even if the points aren’t coming. It’s about hard work, use your physicality as a strength and keep working.”
That’s sound advice and a mindset that clearly earned Melanson his celebratory mood Thursday night.
Over four career AHL seasons, Melanson has totaled 163 penalty minutes and 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 132 games. Tellingly, he was consistently on the ice to protect leads late in games.
Before going pro, the Amherst, Nova Scotia, native notched 184 points (96 goals, 88 assists) in 170 career QMJHL games over the course of four seasons (2019-20 to 2022-23), including a final year in which he scored 25 goals for Acadie-Bathurst before being traded to Sherbrooke in the “Q” where he notched another 25 for a 50-goal regular season. He added eight more goals in the ensuing postseason for Sherbrooke.
Melanson broke his collarbone twice in juniors – part of why being draft-eligible slipped his mind – and suffered a broken leg with the AHL Firebirds during the 2024-25 season after a strong training camp with Seattle. The injury likely slowed down his ascent to the NHL, though he made his debut with the Kraken that spring on March 6, 2025, at Nashville.
“Since being drafted, I always tried to believe I could chase my dream to play in the NHL,” said Melanson. “After my first pro year, I knew where I could get there if I kept chasing my dreams of playing in the NHL. I had that good run at camp, making it pretty far [before final roster cuts]. There was adversity and ups and downs, but I was confident I could keep pushing through. Last season was amazing. I got to learn the pace of the NHL game. I came into this summer confident that I could play at this level. Getting the contract is a cherry on top. I’m just thrilled to be back.”
