Kraken’s Jekyll-and-Hyde Play Continues to Plague Seattle
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4735"]
Seattle Kraken center Frederick Gaudreau (89) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images [/caption]
You know that friend or family member that spends several years in college, not knowing what they want to do when they graduate? They declare and undeclare major after major, switching career paths faster that Indiana Jones replacing the idol in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
That is the Seattle Kraken in 2025-2026. They cannot decide if they are playoff team or not. During certain stretches, they look like they can compete with anyone. They get back into a playoff spot and look like they will have postseason hockey in Seattle. Then, out of the blue, they look like a team playing hockey together for the first time in their lives.
Three weeks ago, the Kraken defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, the top team in the Eastern Conference. Then they turn around and lose St. Louis Blues, one of the worst teams in the NHL. They recently won two straight against their rival Canucks on the road and then defeated the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Once again, they looked like a competent team headed towards a playoff berth. However, their last two games would say otherwise- two straight losses, one to Tampa Bay and the other to the middling Predators.
Head coach Lane Lambert certainly is frustrated with this up-and-down nature. He’s used terms such as “catastrophic” when discussing recent mistakes the team has made.
Their last two games, they are being outscored 9-3. That was after outscoring their previous two opponents 11 to 4.
They are currently on an extensive six-game road trip. They won’t return to Climate Pledge Arena until April 2. Not only that, but they are playing some good teams on the road.
Next up is Saturday against a solid Columbus Blue Jackets squad with 12 more points in the standings than Seattle. They swing by both Florida teams before squaring off with a Buffalo team who is tied for first in the Eastern Conference.
They end the road trip in Edmonton, facing an Oilers team the Kraken are chasing in the Pacific Division. This is a critical road trip for Seattle.
Bobby McMann arrived at the trade deadline from Toronto to try and give the Kraken an offensive boost. He certainly did in the first two games, notching five points (three goals, two assists). The team looked like it had turned a corner towards being a playoff team with McMann in the fold.
However, he has been quieter in the last two games, despite notching another goal. Mirroring the inconsistencies of Seattle as a team. As it stands now, the Kraken are one point out of a playoff spot. The Los Angeles Kings currently reside in the final Wild Card spot in the West.
Having lost six of their last eight games, the Kraken are in a precarious spot sitting just outside the playoff picture with less than a month left in the regular season. If they plan to get to the postseason for the second time in franchise history, there’s no more time to delay making a late season surge.
