The 2025-26 NHL regular season begins on Oct. 7. Leading up to the season opener, NHL.com is identifying six things to watch for each team. Today, the Seattle Kraken.
Last season: 35-41-6; seventh in Pacific Division, missed Stanley Cup Playoffs
Coach: Lane Lambert (first season)
Biggest challenge
Under new coach Lane Lambert, the Kraken need to work on keeping the puck out of their net this season. Seattle allowed 262 goals in 2024-25 (3.2 per game); only the San Jose Sharks (310), Chicago Blackhawks (292) and Nashville Predators (274) allowed more in the Western Conference. Seattle signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a four-year, $18 million contract on July 1 and hope the 27-year-old can help shore up a blue line already featuring Vince Dunn, Brandon Montour, Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, Ryker Evans and Josh Mahura. The Kraken will need to play better in front of goalies Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer to lower their goals-against this season; it's difficult to win games needing to score at least four goals every night. They will also have to overcome the early-season loss of forward Kaapo Kakko, who is expected to be out six weeks with a broken hand.
How they make playoffs
If forward Matty Beniers can regain the form of his rookie season, when he had 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 80 games and won the Calder Trophy, voted as the best first-year player in the NHL, Seattle could challenge for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth. Last season, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft had 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games. If Beniers can bounce back, the Kraken should have enough offense through the rest of the lineup to compete in the Pacific Division. A similar rebound by forward Jared McCann would also help Seattle's cause; he had an NHL career-high 40 goals in 79 games in 2022-23, but dipped to 29 goals in 2023-24 and 22 last season.
