Deep Freeze: Seattle Kraken’s Recent Struggles Continue

The 2024-25 NHL season has not been kind to the Seattle Kraken. They have struggled for a second straight season and are stuck in the bottom five of the standings. Dave Hakstol was fired from his head coaching role after last season, but how much has his replacement, Dan Bylsma, helped this team? After a heartbreaking loss to the Winnipeg Jets, some serious questions need to be asked about the direction of this organization.

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New Contracts Have Not Helped

Chandler Stephenson

Two major additions in the offseason included forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour. These both looked great additions at first, but at what price?

Signing Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year deal is not ideal. He is mainly considered a middle-six-forward who brings good experience to the team. The problem is that he stands in the way of some younger players. Shane Wright is still a promising young center who has to play behind Stephenson in the lineup.

The good news is that Stephenson has put up good numbers in his first season with Seattle. The forward currently has 30 points in 45 games played. Assuming that everyone goes alright, Matty Beniers and Shane Wright should eventually be the first and second centremen on the team. By that point, Stephenson will serve as a depth player with a pricy contract of over $6 million a year. It will be interesting to see how management handles that contract moving forward.

Brandon Montour

Brandon Montour was another major addition to the Seattle Kraken. He started off the season extremely strong, but has slowed down since. He is the top-scoring defenseman on the team and fits in well on the Kraken blueline.

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Montour was also locked in on a seven-year deal making just over $7 million a year. This deal seemed more promising because Montour played a crucial role in winning the Stanley Cup last season with Florida. He can play big minutes against top-line players and be effective off the rush.

Are these players that a team should build around? Stephenson and Montour are great, but they are not superstars who can carry a team. That seems to be a problem with the Seattle Kraken. They do not have enough star power other than Jared McCann.

Kaapo Kakko

A lone bright spot for Seattle recently has been the addition of Kaapo Kakko. The former second-overall pick has been a nice pickup. He was traded for defenseman Will Borgen along with a couple of draft picks.

Kakko has been playing on the first line where he has recorded an impressive 10 points in 13 games. It seems like a change of scenery has been a successful change for the winger who had recently struggled in New York.

Kraken Might be Struggling Now, But The Future Looks Bright

A positive note is that the Seattle Kraken has a good core of prospects. Young players Shane Wright and Ryker Evans have already made an impact at the NHL level.

They also have some players of the future down in the AHL. Eduard Sale, Jani Nyman, and Jagger Firkus have been having solid seasons in the AHL. Each of them has the potential to be a useful player for the Seattle Kraken at a later time.

Eduard Sale had recent success at the 2025 World Junior Championship. He was the captain of Team Czechia and helped them capture Bronze in an epic shootout win against Sweden. Berkly Catton has been a star in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs for the past few years. He serves as the top prospect for the Kraken after being drafted 8th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

Can the Seattle Kraken turn their recent struggles around?

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