Three Moves Kraken Can Make to Gain Momentum This Offseason
The Seattle Kraken just finished their fifth season in franchise history. For the third straight year, and fourth time in these five seasons, they missed the playoffs. Ron Francis has stepped down as president. Lane Lambert, as of now, remains the head coach.
This franchise needs some changes. They need some juice. They certainly need some offense. As a franchise stuck in the mud, it’s time to shake things up. Here are three moves the Kraken should make to reignite excitement among the fanbase.
Preview: Seawolves Host Undefeated Chicago Hounds, Need Old Mate Upset to Avoid Early-Season Hole
If there is any team that is an early favorite to win the 2026 MLR title, it is the Chicago Hounds. Over their first three matches, they have scored 131 points and given up 69 on their way to three convincing victories, and they’re the only team to get all five possible points out of each of their initial matches. The California Legion, who broke through an injury-knocked Seawolves side in the final minutes of the match last Sunday, found themselves out of their depth in their own road match against the Hounds. Seattle has the advantage of being the hosts, but it is still a tall task to take down what has clearly been the best team in the league during the first third and change of the 10-match MLR season.
Also on the line for the two teams is the Old Mate, officially known as the MLR Supporters Challenge Cup. The Old Mate comes from the very first MLR game ever played between the Houston SaberCats and NOLA Gold on April 21, 2018, and was taken by the Gold in their victory that game but then lost to the Austin Elite in the Gold’s following match. From then on, in an unbroken line of victors to the present, the Old Mate has gone from team to team in the manner of a boxing world title. While originally an unofficial title like the Raeburn Shield, the MLR formalized it before the 2026 season as the Supporters Challenge Cup.
According to the North American Rugby Database (NARDb), the Seawolves have held the Old Mate 20 times, with seven successful challenges against a Mate holder and 13 successful defenses of the Mate. The Seawolves last won the Mate with their Week 15 victory over the SaberCats last year, but were unable to defend the Mate against the Free Jacks in their following game.
Analysis: What Three Areas Do Gonzaga Bulldogs Need to Address This Offseason?
With the NCAA transfer portal now officially closed, the returns of Braden Huff, Mario Saint-Supéry, Davis Fogle, and Parker Jefferson to Gonzaga next season are all but confirmed barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Still, the Zags’ roster is in a more barren place than years past. Seven players from last season’s team entered the transfer portal, and four others exhausted their college eligibility. With transfer Isiah Harwell on his way to Spokane from Houston and three freshmen incoming, the Bulldogs have up to seven scholarship spots to fill, pending the return of walk-on Alonzo Metz.
Depth and versatility were key components to GU’s 31-4 campaign, making the coupling of quality and quantity imperative for Gonzaga as it recruits players in the portal. So with an influx of new faces on the horizon, what areas are to be prioritized for the Zags as they attempt to finalize their 2026-27 personnel?
2026 NFL Draft: Best Players Available for Seahawks Entering Day 2
While the Seattle Seahawks weren’t able to trade down as they hoped to recoup an additional draft pick or two in Thursday’s opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft, general manager John Schneider landed one of his preferred prospects to fill a major need at pick No. 32, nabbing explosive Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price as a natural replacement for Ken Walker III in the backfield.
Since Seattle didn’t manage to find a trade partner to move down, Schneider currently has only three more draft choices at his disposal, but two of those (No. 64, No. 96) are slated for Day 2. That’s great news in a draft class that features underwhelming depth overall, as the majority of their selections land in the sweet spot to find starter-caliber talent in the second and third round.
All options will be on the table for Schneider and company, as he likely will continue to seek out trade down possibilities with hopes of adding another pick on Day 3, where the Seahawks currently have just one pick (No. 188) in the sixth round. But staying put and choosing quality over quantity may be the best strategy for the defending champions at this point, especially with a handful of projected first rounders remaining available going into Friday.
Which prospects stand out as the best available targets for the Seahawks heading into Day 2 in Pittsburgh?
‘That’s My Bread and Butter’: Jadarian Price Eager to Bring Dynamic Skill Set to Seahawks’ Backfield
Like any incoming NFL hopeful, with consensus No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza being the exception to the rule, Jadarian Price didn’t know where he would land once the 2026 NFL Draft kicked off on Thursday night.
But throughout the pre-draft process, the Seattle Seahawks stood out as an interested suitor for his talents, sending several coaches and scouts to South Bend for an extended look at Price’s pro day workout. Among those who met with him, Thomas Hammock, who had recently left his head coaching post at Northern Illinois to join Mike Macdonald’s staff as the new running back coach, hit it off with the explosive prospect.
Their conversation continued a few weeks later via Zoom, with Hammock making sure to remind Price of when his Huskies came into Notre Dame Stadium and pulled off the upset in 2024, joking with the young back that he would have given him the ball more to avoid the defeat.
Seahawks Bolster Backfield, Select Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price With 32nd Pick
With best player available and arguably the team’s biggest need converging for the second consecutive NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks wound up sticking and picking with their 32nd overall pick, landing dynamic Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.
Seattle entered Thursday night with hopes of being able to trade down from No. 32, but several teams leap-frogged them back into the first round, including the New York Jets trading up for pick No. 30 and the Tennessee Titans moving up for pick No. 31, leaving no deal in place for general manager John Schneider to pull the trigger and land additional picks.
Living on the Sweet Spot, Two Mariners Dialed in to Open 2026 Season
You hear it the second you start playing baseball as a kid. “Find the sweet spot” on the bat. If you rope one to center field, you might hear a parent or coach yell “way to find the sweet spot!” They call it the sweet spot of the bat for a few reasons. In my personal experience, that was the spot on the bat where it didn’t even feel like you made contact. The contact between ball and bat was so optimal, that it didn’t reverberate into my hands at all.
Of course, for big leaguers, the sweet spot really means, the highest quality of contact. In fact, MLB’s glossary has an official definition for “the sweet spot.” It states, “colloquially, a player who hits the ball solidly is said to have gotten the "sweet spot" of the bat on the ball. The sweet spot classification quantifies that as a batted-ball event with a launch angle ranging from 8 to 32 degrees.”
So, it’s not necessarily a geographic location on the bat itself. Rather, it’s the quality of the contact, mostly considering the launch angle.
2026 NFL Draft Tracker: Will Seahawks Make First Round Selection at Pick No. 32?
Bringing in another exciting group of prospects from the college ranks, the 2026 NFL Draft will finally kick off from Pittsburgh on April 23, with a whopping six teams not holding selections in the first round.
Among those that will have a selection on Thursday night, the Seahawks hold the No. 32 spot at the tail end of the round by virtue of winning Super Bowl LX in February. But with only three other selections in the remaining six rounds, general manager John Schneider hasn’t been secretive about the franchise’s desire to move down and recoup draft assets, making it anyone’s guess whether the team actually makes a selection or not on Day 1.
Set to wait 31 picks before going on the clock regardless, assuming Schneider doesn’t pivot and unexpectedly trade up, Seattle will have plenty of time to weigh its options and call around seeking a potential trade partner.
How will the opening round play out? Check out our 2026 NFL Draft tracker early and often for the latest on every selection around the league.
Which Players Could Seahawks ‘Stick & Pick’ at No. 32 in 2026 NFL Draft?
John Schneider hasn't been secretive about his desire for the Seahawks to trade down from pick No. 32 at the end of the first round to acquire extra picks.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith examines a handful of prospects who could make Seattle's Executive of the Year change his mind if they remain available on Thursday night, including a trio of highly regarded cornerback talents.
Mariners’ Plan Finally Functions, but Questions Linger from Walk-Off Win vs. A’s
For better or for worse, the Seattle Mariners haven’t wavered from their game plan after losing 15 of their first 25 games. All across the team, the players have bought into the plan that the organization built, trusting the process to get them out of their current rut.
“I really rely on the hitting coaches to help us out every day, and they do such an incredible job, but I think it’s just staying on the process and having fun while playing, knowing that failure is your friend, and learning to accept it,” first baseman Josh Naylor told Mariners TV’s Ryan Rowland-Smith after hitting a walk-off single to salvage a 5-4 win in the team’s three-game series against the Athletics.
In a team sport, this stubbornness can be beneficial.
The best laid schemes of mice and men, to translate Robert Burns [1], often go awry. “No plan survives first contact with the enemy” goes a similar phrase often misattributed to 19th century Prussian general Helmuth von Moltke the Elder.
But trying to tweak a plan that is veering a bit off course can just end up making things a whole lot worse. For a baseball team, there are always going to be good and bad spells. The most effective plans have an inherent flexibility [2] - and if Seattle’s plans go fully off the rails, it will be because they are inflexible - but in the absence of anything else, believing in the process can end up being the best a struggling team can have.
3 Takeaways From Kraken Management’s Season-Ending Press Conference
The Seattle Kraken hosted a season-ending press conference with general manager Jason Botterill and CEO Tod Leiweke at Kraken Community Iceplex on Wednesday.
What were some of the biggest takeaways that provided a glimpse into how the team will operate over the offseason and beyond?
Gonzaga Baseball Rises Collegiate Ranks, Ties Program Record With 11 Consecutive Wins
The hottest team in college baseball resides in Spokane, Washington.
After taking its show on the road – by sweeping Saint Mary’s in Moraga and capturing a midweek victory in Pullman – Gonzaga baseball (24-14, 14-3 WCC) has now won 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the country and tying the program record for most wins in a row.
The Zags’ offense continues to produce at unprecedented levels, already eclipsing a program record in one notable category. Their 17 road wins are also the most for any team in Division I. And by beating several notable opponents on their schedule, the Bulldogs have put together a commendable resume that could give them favorable treatment when the postseason rolls around.
So what are the storylines for this team that can’t stop winning in the month of April?
5 Burning Questions for Seahawks Heading Into 2026 NFL Draft
With the Senior Bowl, scouting combine, and official visits all in the rearview mirror and OTAs kicking off across the league, the 2026 NFL Draft will finally commence on Thursday, April 23, providing an opportunity for the Seattle Seahawks to add young talent to their roster after capturing a Super Bowl title in February.
Unfortunately for general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks currently only have four selections, their fewest entering a draft since 2021. By virtue of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, the team also picks last in the first, second, and third round, a “reward” for reaching the top of the NFL mountaintop for the second time in franchise history that will undoubtedly complicate efforts to move down the board with less valuable selections.
One day away from the opening round kicking off in Pittsburgh, even if the Seahawks potentially won’t pick on Thursday night, there are still plenty of questions left to be answered this weekend as Schneider and Macdonald conduct their third draft together.
Still-Sleepy Mariners Suffer Sixth Loss in Eight Games, Lose Series to Athletics
SEATTLE, Wash. - The M’s didn’t look much worse on Tuesday night than they had all year. The problem was that they didn’t look any better, either.
All they have shown in the first 25 games of the season has been mediocrity, inconsistency, and a gradually weakening confidence in their own abilities. The team hasn’t fallen fully off the table, but as the drudgery continues seemingly indefinitely, the phrase “right now” will become an ever more faded addendum to the phrase “this team is bad.”
Because let’s be realistic: the M’s can’t bank on a 10-plus game win streak to propel them out of the herd every year at the last moment; at some point, they need to learn how to start the regular season strong and not let up. Lifeless 5-2 losses to a sneakily threatening divisional rival can only happen so often for a team with World Series aspirations.
Luis Castillo threw a decent outing, but a high pitch count and loss of secondary control late forced him out early.
For an organization used to unearned no-decisions, Luis Castillo’s five innings of two run ball was about the platonic ideal of a no-decision.
‘No Ceiling’ for Huskies Sophomore Cornerback Dylan Robinson
Dylan Robinson’s first start was quite a Big Ten baptism last year.
With senior cornerback Tacario Davis sidelined by injury, it was up to the true freshman to start against No. 1 Ohio State in a sold-out Husky Stadium. It wouldn’t be accurate to call it a baptism by fire, though, because he never really got burned by the Buckeyes and their receiving corps of first-round picks.
“I knew that my plan was to come in freshman year, and everyone's dream is to play the biggest game,” said Robinson after UW’s 10th spring ball practice on Tuesday. “Ohio State was the number one in the nation at that time. So I was just really blessed and grateful to be in those shoes, and I was just trying to keep football football.”
Analysis: Ranking Seahawks’ Positional Groups by Long-Term Stability
The Seattle Seahawks are fresh off the ultimate high, hoisting a Super Bowl trophy. But, even championship rosters come with expiration dates. As Seattle turns the page toward the 2026 season and beyond, the question isn’t just how good this team is right now, but how sustainable that success will be.
From looming free agents to aging veterans and thin positional depth, some areas of the roster are far more secure than others. With that in mind, here’s a full ranking of every position group on the Seahawks, ordered by how stable their future truly is.
Reign’s Jess Fishlock to Retire After 2026 Season
Jess Fishlock announced her retirement from professional soccer at the end of the 2026 season on Tuesday morning. The 39-year-old Seattle Reign legend has been with the team since the NWSL’s start in 2013, making her the last remaining Reign original after Lauren “Lu” Barnes retired at the end of the 2025 season.
Mariners Should Learn Two Lessons from Monday Loss to Athletics - But Will They?
The old adage goes as follows: you win a third of your games, you lose a third of your games, and it’s the third in the middle that counts. So it goes for baseball teams and aspiring politicians alike.
Monday’s game was squarely one of those middle games, but the reasons the Mariners lost 6-4 can be sorted into two camps: roster construction and roster usage. The M’s went 1-12 with runners in scoring position, but this is something the team basically just has to weather for the rest of the year when it shows up.
But as for the use case of Casey Legumina and when to take out the left-handed member of a platoon? The M’s and manager Dan Wilson got a couple pieces of useful information on Monday night.
That information, however, only goes so far as the Mariners will take it. But first, a little on the initial five and a half frames.
‘It’s No Secret With Us’: Seahawks Hoping to Trade Back in First Round, Plus Other Pre-NFL Draft Takeaways
Just four days away from kicking off the 2026 NFL Draft, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald aren’t planning to give away state secrets as they prepare for their third draft together.
With that said, however, since Seattle only has four draft picks heading into Thursday night, Schneider made sure to make it clear to potentially interested parties during the team’s annual pre-draft press conference on Monday that the Seahawks are indeed open for business trying to trade down from No. 32 overall to recoup a pick or two. In the event that does happen, it would mark the third time in his 17 drafts where the team has traded out of the first round completely, last doing so back in 2017.
“It's no secret with us, guys,” Schneider said with a wry smile. “I mean, we have four picks and we'll be looking to move back and people are usually understanding that, you know, I think we tend to trade backwards, trade back.”
Result Goes Gonzo in Cali, Bertranou’s Legion Power Through Seawolves in Final Minutes
Exhaustion and depth mean a whole lot in a rugby match. For almost 70 minutes on Sunday, the Seawolves went toe-to-toe with the California Legion on the road, withstanding the efforts of Gonzalo Bertranou, Billy Meakes, and Cassh Maluia and weathering their own propensity to penalties.
But in those last 600 seconds, the Seawolves - who had been forced by injuries to keep many of their forwards in for nearly the whole game - cracked under the relentless pressure. What was a one-point lead for Seattle became a 38-29 defeat, with the lone consolation being the four-try bonus point in the table.
Two Central Washington alumni notched inaugural tries during the first half as Seattle went out to an early lead.
One mistake in this game can go a long way for the other team. Through the first 13 minutes, the Legion threatened to score quite a bit, bringing the ball deep into Seattle territory twice as they pushed for quite a few meters after contact, as is their style. Early in the game with a ton of energy, however, the Seawall held firm even as they were pushed back to the brink.
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