Bigger Roles, Bigger Stat Lines: 2 Kraken Set to Break Out This Season

The NHL preseason is still a month away. Seattle Kraken news is slow as we enter the dog days of summer and the NHL offseason, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel with hockey not being that far away from returning, as camp opens in September.

Let’s take a look at the Kraken roster as it stands today and discuss two breakout candidates. When naming a “breakout” candidate, this does not necessarily mean they are going to compete for the Hart Trophy. It means that they could be poised to take another step in their development and even put together career years.

Ryker Evans, D

Evans is a 24-year-old left-shot defenseman, selected 35th overall by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft. It has been a slow burn for Evans since then, rising through the ranks of the WHL and AHL, earning his stripes in Regina and then Coachella Valley. Over the last two seasons, he finally set himself into the main rotation of blue liners in Seattle, playing in 73 games in 2024-25 and 67 last season for the Kraken.