full

full
Published on:

28th Jul 2026

Spring Cleaning – Seattle Kraken

Spring Cleaning – Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken entered the 2025-26 season with modest expectations and once again fell short of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite an encouraging start and stretches of strong play, extended losing streaks, inconsistent offense, and limited development from several young forwards kept Seattle stuck in the middle of the Western Conference. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine the front-office transition from Ron Francis to Jason Botterill, the organization’s revolving door behind the bench, and why the Kraken may still be several years away from becoming a true contender.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00:00] The Kraken are eliminated from playoff contention on April 11 after missing the postseason for the fourth time in their first five NHL seasons. Seattle’s only playoff appearance remains its surprising second-year run to Game 7 of the second round.

[00:00:25] Lane Lambert completes his first season behind the Seattle bench after replacing Dan Bylsma. The Kraken entered the year hoping offseason additions could provide more stability and help the club move closer to a Wild Card position.

[00:00:45] Mason Marchment, Ryan Lindgren, and Frederik Gaudreau were among the veterans added to strengthen the roster, although Marchment was later traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

[00:01:00] Seattle begins the season with an encouraging 11-5-5 record. The goaltending tandem of Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord also performs better than expected and gives the team a chance to compete early.

[00:01:20] The positive start quickly disappears during a damaging 1-9-1 stretch between mid-November and mid-December. Although Seattle responds with an 8-0-2 run, the club never finds lasting consistency.

[00:01:40] The Kraken suffer at least three consecutive regulation losses on six separate occasions. Those repeated slides prevent the team from building momentum or remaining firmly involved in the playoff race.

[00:02:00] Scoring remains one of Seattle’s biggest weaknesses. The Kraken finish among the NHL’s lowest-scoring teams and fail to receive the expected growth from several important forwards.

[00:02:20] Jared McCann has not replicated the 40-goal season he produced in 2022-23. Matty Beniers appears to have settled into the range of a 50-point player rather than developing into a dominant first-line center.

[00:02:40] Shane Wright also continues to fall short of expectations attached to his high draft position. His limited progress becomes another major concern for an organization that needs its young players to drive the next stage of growth.

[00:03:00] The conversation turns to Seattle’s leadership transition. Ron Francis, the franchise’s original general manager, is departing after previously moving into the role of team president.

[00:03:20] Jason Botterill now assumes complete control of hockey operations. Neil questions the organization’s direction and notes that Botterill’s previous tenure as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres produced mixed results.

[00:03:45] Seattle’s constant coaching changes also come under scrutiny. The franchise has moved from Dave Hakstol to Dan Bylsma and now Lane Lambert, yet no coach has been able to create sustained success.

[00:04:10] The Kraken’s lone breakthrough came during their second season, when they defeated the defending champion Colorado Avalanche before pushing the Dallas Stars to seven games in the second round.

[00:04:30] Botterill enters the 2026 NHL Draft with eight selections, including two first-round picks. Seattle owns its original selection and the pick acquired from Tampa Bay in the Oliver Bjorkstrand trade.

[00:04:50] The Kraken also hold multiple selections in the fourth and seventh rounds, giving the organization additional opportunities to strengthen a prospect system that must produce more impact players.

[00:05:10] Seattle projects to have approximately $4.3 million in cap space. That provides some flexibility, but likely not enough to completely reshape the roster through free agency.

[00:05:30] Unrestricted free agents include Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, trade-deadline acquisition Bobby McMann, and original Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak.

[00:05:55] Vic does not expect Seattle to be significantly better next season. The Kraken may not be a bottom-tier team, but the roster currently appears trapped between rebuilding and legitimate playoff contention.

[00:06:20] Neil believes Seattle will remain around the Wild Card conversation, but major offseason work is required to move the organization higher in the standings.

[00:06:40] The episode concludes with uncertainty surrounding the Kraken’s immediate future. With a new decision-maker, another head coach, limited scoring, and several unresolved roster questions, Seattle must establish a clear organizational direction before it can become a consistent playoff team.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for NHL Wraparound Podcast

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.