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Published on:

9th Sep 2025

2025 NHL Summer Cooler - Seattle Kraken

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive deep into the least inspiring of the 32 NHL teams heading into the 2025–26 season: the Seattle Kraken.

After a quick taste of playoff success in their second year, the Kraken have slid into irrelevance—27th overall last season, a questionable coaching hire in Lane Lambert, and little improvement made during the offseason.

They’ve got some exciting prospects like Shane Wright and former Calder winner Matty Beniers, but the goaltending is shaky, the power play regressed, and the club is still searching for its identity in a league that has passed them by.

🧊 IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Kraken preview: What’s not exciting about this roster

[00:38] Lane Lambert replaces Dan Bylsma—why?

[01:30] Vegas comparison and pressure from early success

[02:15] Offseason moves: Marchment, Lindgren, Gaudreau, Capo Kakko

[03:00] Notable re-signings: Caco, Cartier, Mahura

[03:45] Quiet exits: Burakovsky, Pezzetta, Eno fallout

[04:30] Matty Beniers: Calder winner or sophomore slump?

[05:30] Power play problems: Jessica Campbell’s unit slides to 23rd

[06:00] Key players who must improve: McCann, Beniers, Wright

[07:00] Goaltending woes: Grubauer, Daccord, and Matt Murray

[08:30] Shane Wright outlook: 60-point potential?

[09:00] Adam Larsson’s shocking +22: One bright spot on defense

[09:30] Why Seattle’s ceiling might be the middle of the pack (at best)

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Lane Lambert’s hiring feels uninspired, and it's unclear what he brings that will move the needle after Bylsma’s brief run.

Ron Francis stepped aside as GM—another odd move that raises more questions than answers.

Seattle’s goaltending is a liability. Grubauer is in serious decline, Daccord is serviceable, and Matt Murray is a gamble.

Scoring is shallow. No Kraken forward hit 30 goals last year. Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, and Shane Wright must elevate.

Shane Wright remains a wild card. If he breaks out this year, it could provide much-needed momentum.

🎯 FINAL WORD:

For a team entering its fifth season, Seattle feels directionless. The Kraken are clinging to past flashes of success while failing to deliver the growth fans expected. Without big years from their young stars and a serious turnaround in net, expect another year adrift—closer to the lottery than the playoffs.

🔗 RESOURCE LINKS:

🎥 YouTube: NHL Wraparound Channel

🐦 X (Twitter): @NHLWraparound

🎤 Neil Smith: @NYCNeil

📘 Vic Morren: Vic on LinkedIn

📸 Instagram: @NHLWraparound

🎵 TikTok: @NHLWraparound

👍 Facebook: NHL Wraparound on Facebook

🏒 HASHTAGS

#SeattleKraken #NHLWraparound #SummerCoolers #LaneLambert #DanBylsma #JessicaCampbell #RonFrancis #JasonBotterill #MasonMarchment #RyanLindgren #VinceDunn #BrandonMontour #AdamLarsson #FrederickGaudreau #MattMurray #JohnHayden #JoshMahura #TyeKartye #KaapoKakko #AndreBuroskovsky #JoeVeleno #MikeyEyssimont #JaredMcCann #MattyBeniers #JadenSchwartz #JordanEberle #ShaneWright #JoeyDaccord #PhilippGrubauer #EeliTolvanen

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.