The Seattle Kraken entered the 2026‑27 season ranked 29th out of 32 teams in The Hockey News’ annual assessment, a placement that underscores a career spent hovering around the league’s middle tier.
Since their expansion debut in 2021, the franchise has endured a pattern of playoff disappointment, failing to qualify for the postseason in four of its first five seasons and never advancing beyond the second round.
The 2022‑23 High Point
The 2022‑23 campaign remains the franchise’s most successful to date, delivering a 46‑28‑8 record and 100 points that secured fourth place in the Pacific Division. The Kraken rode that momentum to a seven‑game victory over the Colorado Avalanche before falling to the Dallas Stars in a similarly grueling series.
This offseason the roster experienced a modest shuffle. Forward Mackie Samoskevich joined from the Florida Panthers, while forward Bobby McMann signed a six‑year extension. At the same time, the team said goodbye to Eeli Tolvanen, Jaden Schwartz and Jamie Oleksiak, creating voids in depth and experience.
Sports analyst Adam Proteau has described the Kraken as a ‘mushy middle team’ — neither strong enough to force major draft acquisitions nor weak enough to justify a full rebuild, a label that captures the uneasy equilibrium the club currently inhabits.
The path forward hinges on acquiring elite talent capable of shifting the balance, a task made more daunting by a lack of high‑impact prospects and a front office that has so far resisted sweeping changes.