Meet the Kraken: A best- and worst-case forecast for the 2025-26 lineup

Here’s a look at the expected 2025-26 Kraken lineup with a brief best-case scenario and worst-case description for each player with their points and games from last season:

Forwards

C Matty Beniers

2024-25 stats: 20 goals, 23 assists in 82 games

Best case: The rookie of the year version of Beniers returns but with more maturity to his game as a two-way center.

Worst case: Beniers continues to struggle rediscovering the impact he had in his rookie season and the “we spent a No. 2 pick on him” questions get louder.

F Shane Wright

2024-25 stats: 19g, 25a in 79 games

Best case: Wright builds on his strong close to last season and tops 30 goals and 75 points and looks more like a top-line center.

Worst case: Wright’s first full season is followed up by a sophomore slump as his production can’t match last season.

F Chandler Stephenson

2024-25 stats: 13g, 38a in 78 games

Best case: Playing a more disciplined structure comes to benefit Stephenson, and he takes a jump offensively while being less of a liability defensively.

Worst case: Year 2 of Stephenson only adds to the narrative that seven years at $6.25 million per season was one of the more outlandish contracts in recent memory.

F Frederick Gaudreau

2024-25 stats: 18g, 19a in 82 games with Minnesota

Best case: Gaudreau provides unexpected productivity playing in the bottom six and is a standout on the penalty kill.

Worst case: Gaudreau isn’t able to make an impact at any position in the lineup, and his presence becomes a hindrance to younger players getting time on the ice.

F Jordan Eberle

2024-25 stats: 9g, 17a in 42 games

Best case: The captain is fully healthy and despite his age (35) performs at a high enough level that there’s talk of a couple of more years in a Kraken jersey.

Worst case: Eberle stays healthy, but the Kraken are so far out of contention he’s flipped to a contender at the trade deadline.

F Kaapo Kakko

2024-25 stats: 10g, 20a in 49 games with Kraken after trade from Rangers

Best case: Kakko recovers from the broken hand suffered in preseason in time to lock down an Olympic roster spot with Finland.

Worst case: Kakko’s broken hand costs him more than six weeks. He struggles to get into the rhythm of the season after returning and misses out on the opportunity to play in the Olympics.

F Jared McCann

2024-25 stats: 22g, 39a in 82 games

Best case: The leading scorer for the Kraken is again the leading scorer, topping his career high of 40 goals and lifting the entire offense.

Worst case: McCann remains one of the leading scorers, but the Kraken are so bad he ends up being traded at the deadline.

F Jaden Schwartz

2024-25 stats: 26g, 23a in 81 games

Best case: In honor of a “Spaceballs” sequel being announced, the Kraken hold “May the Schwartz Be With You” night late in the season.

Worst case: The Kraken trade one of their original players at the deadline, forcing “May the Schwartz Be With You” night to be canceled.

F Mason Marchment

2024-25 stats: 22g, 25a in 62 games with Dallas

Best case: Marchment instantly becomes a fan favorite for the combo of his gritty play in front of the net and his noticeable mustache.

Worst case: Marchment doesn’t mesh the same way he did in Dallas, and it’s clear he’ll only be in Seattle one season. His mustache, though, remains elite.

F Eeli Tolvanen

2024-25 stats: 23g, 12a in 81 games

Best case: Tolvanen might not have a set line at 5-on-5, but he establishes himself as a force on the top power-play unit.

Worst case: “Tolvy Time” means never establishing a defined role and his game struggles in a contract year. He’s another player moved at the deadline.

F Jani Nyman

2024-25 stats: 3g, 3a in 12 games; 28g, 16a in 58 games with Coachella Valley

Best case: Nyman’s shot is so prolific the Kraken have no choice but to keep him in the lineup, and he becomes a force on the power play unit.

Worst case: Nyman is stuck on the shuttle between Coachella Valley and Seattle, and his game stagnates.

F Berkly Catton

2024-25 stats: 38g, 71a in 57 games with Spokane in the WHL

Best case: For the second time in their brief history, the Calder Trophy winner for rookie of the year plays for the Kraken.

Worst case: The concerns about Catton’s size prove to be valid, and he’s not yet ready for the NHL. Catton eventually ends up back in the WHL with Spokane.

F Tye Kartye

2024-25 stats: 6g, 7a in 63 games

Best case: The new Kraken staff comes to love Kartye’s tenacity and willingness to accept being a fourth-line menace, while also picking up his offensive production.

Worst case: Kartye can’t find a stable role and ends up on the shuttle bouncing between occasional stints in Seattle and long stretches with Coachella Valley.

Defensemen

D Adam Larsson

2024-25 stats: 7g, 21a in 82 games

Best case: The Big Cat continues to be a stalwart on the top defensive pairing even in his 15th season. He still doesn’t smile (much).

Worst case: Like many of the core players from the inaugural season getting older, Larsson starts to lose a step. And he still doesn’t smile (much).

D Vince Dunn

2024-25 stats: 11g, 28a in 62 games

Best case: Dunn’s game takes a major leap from the past two seasons, and he’s back to being the high-scoring blue liner from 2022-23, when he posted a career-high 64 points.

Worst case: The production decreases from the past two seasons — partly because of injury — continue and even Dunn’s future with the team starts to be questioned.

D Brandon Montour

2024-25 stats: 18g, 23a in 81 games

Best case: Montour continues to be one of the most exciting players on the ice, and his offensive contributions are only enhanced by the better defensive structure.

Worst case: Montour is too much of an offensive freelancer to fit into the new defensive structure, and it becomes a challenging season for him and coaches.

D Ryan Lindgren

2024-25 stats: 4g, 18a in 72 games with Rangers

Best case: Lindgren wasn’t a highly regarded free agent signing, but he becomes a strong counter to Montour and his defensive mindset fits with the overall philosophy.

Worst case: Lindgren’s free agent contract — four years at $4.5 million per season — didn’t look great in the summer, and it looks worse after his first season.

D Jamie Oleksiak

2024-25 stats: 4g, 13a in 82 games

Best case: In a contract year, Oleksiak finds a different gear. He’s better defensively and uses his massive size to show a physicality that’s been absent at times.

Worst case: Another of the original Kraken on an expiring contract, Oleksiak continues to see his play backslide and is moved at the deadline.

D Ryker Evans

2024-25 stats: 5g, 20a in 73 games

Best case: Evans misses the first couple of months dealing with an injury but it doesn’t impact his game when he returns. He becomes a better puck mover at the offensive end leading to more scoring chances and the two-year contract looks smart.

Worst case: Evans’ second full season in the NHL shows more problems than promise and it starts with missing time due to the injury. His season is derailed from the start and hurts his development.

D Josh Mahura

2024-25 stats: 0g, 9a in 64 games

Best case: Mahura showed his value last season, and he becomes an important piece with Evans missing time to start the season. His play earns himself more ice time even after Evans returns.

Worst case: Mahura struggles as he’s called upon to play often because of injuries or underperformance by the expected primary six defensemen.

G Joey Daccord

2024-25 stats: .906 save percentage; 2.75 goals against in 57 games

Best case: “Starting in goal for the United States in the gold medal game of the Milan Olympics, No. 35, Joey Daccord!”

Worst case: “Starting in goal for Coachella Valley, No. 35, Joey Daccord.”

Goalies

G Philipp Grubauer

2024-25 stats: .875 save percentage; 3.49 goals against in 26 games

Best case: The belief the Kraken management showed in Grubauer pays off, and he becomes a perfect backup complement to Daccord.

Worst case: Grubauer’s time with the Kraken comes to an end. He’s either relegated to Coachella Valley or finally bought out.

G Matt Murray

2024-25 stats: .934 save %; 1.72 goals against in 21 games with AHL Toronto

Best case: Murray wins the backup job out of training camp and proves to be the solid backup needed after the struggles Grubauer had last season.

Worst case: Murray ends up being called upon to play a lot for the Kraken because of issues — injury or performance — with Daccord.