Berkly Catton Out Through Olympic Break
- The Seattle Kraken will be without one of their up-and-coming prospects through the upcoming Olympic break. Earlier today, the Kraken announced that Berkly Catton will miss Seattle’s next three games due to an upper-body injury. Catton, who missed several weeks in December due to a separate injury, has scored five goals and 11 points in 40 games throughout his rookie campaign.
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Kraken Open To Trading Shane Wright
1/29/2026: A little over a week after the initial reports emerged that the Kraken were considering trading Wright to acquire a dynamic top-six scoring winger, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta issued an update on Wright’s situation.
According to Pagnotta, not only are the Kraken seriously considering dealing Wright, but now “word has spread” that Wright himself may also be seeking a change of scenery, and that the relationship between the player and club in this case “may be on the ropes.”
As one would expect, Wright was unwilling to go into great detail when asked by the media about his name surfacing in trade rumors. He told the media, including local outlet Sound of Hockey, that he’s “not too worried” about the reporting and speculation surrounding his future.
As we covered last week, Wright has been unable to gain the trust of first-year head coach Lane Lambert, who has thus far been unwilling to grant Wright the greater lineup role most expected him to earn this season. It could be that the slowed pace of Wright’s development has frayed the player’s relationship with his team, potentially helping pave the way for a deal that allows him to continue his career elsewhere.
1/22/2026: The Seattle Kraken are reportedly open to trading 2022 No. 4 overall pick Shane Wright as they pursue adding an impactful top-six scorer, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Pagnotta wrote yesterday that the Kraken have “been searching for a top-six forward,” and believe including Wright in a deal could be the key to landing a caliber of player that makes a real impact on their team.
That Seattle is even considering trading Wright would have been a stunning development before the start of the 2025-26 season.
Entering the season, Wright looked well on the way to becoming a long-term core piece in Seattle.
His development path in years prior endured a few stops and starts, but 2024-25 was Wright’s first campaign as a full-time NHLer, and he blossomed.
He scored 19 goals and 44 points, the second-most points by a Kraken center and production that was just seven points behind 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky.
Wright’s encouraging NHL campaign ensured he was viewed as a key cog in the Kraken’s future plans. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman ranked him as a top-25 U23 player in the entire NHL, writing that Wright “has no noticeable flaw in his toolkit” and “could be a second-line center on a top team or a fringe 1C on a lesser team.”
In a league where quality centers are always in high demand, he looked to be an asset for the Kraken that got as close to “untouchable” status as anyone on their roster. The belief was that Wright and 2023 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers would form a formidable backbone of two-way centers through whom the Kraken could anchor their forward lineup.
Wright’s 2025-26 season has, unfortunately, appeared to change the team’s calculus looking into the future. While Wright saw real developmental gains under former head coach Dan Bylsma, that momentum appears to have largely stalled under new coach Lane Lambert, even as Lambert keeps the Kraken in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.
The hope for Wright was that after finishing the year as one of Seattle’s top scorers despite earning just 14:04 time on ice per game, he might be able to earn a greater role in his sophomore campaign, and something that could consequently power an even greater developmental leap.
That has not happened so far. In fact, it’s been the opposite. Wright has struggled to gain a foothold in Lambert’s lineup, averaging just 13:43 time on ice per game, with a second-unit role on the power play and no role on the penalty kill.
For a variety of reasons, including his role, Wright’s production has declined steeply. He’s scored 17 points in 49 games, which is just a 28-point 82-game scoring pace. His shooting percentage appears to be a major culprit, as he converted shots into goals at a nearly 21% rate last season, but is hovering at 9.3% this year.
Wright’s shooting ability was generally assessed by scouts to be his most high-end offensive tool, so the fact that he is struggling to find the back of the net this season only compounds concerns about the current state of his development.
With Wright’s current situation in mind, it can’t be a huge surprise to see his name surfacing in trade rumors. It may have come as a great surprise entering the season, but Wright’s development appears to have stalled to the point where a trade is only a natural thing to consider.
Whether that would be the best idea for the Kraken is, of course, a matter of debate.
On one hand, Wright remains an undeniably talented center on a team still short of high-end pivots. While his struggles this season may have shifted his projection in the eyes of some evaluators, the reality is he is still just 22 years old. There’s still reason to believe he can end up becoming the high-end second-line center scouts have long believed he’d develop into.
Impactful two-way top-six centers don’t grow on trees, and any deal involving one, even a potential future player for that role, becomes a difficult deal to win.
Trading Wright this season would also be, undeniably, “selling low” on a player who was a premium draft pick and high-end prospect. This season has been the low point of Wright’s career since being drafted, so it would be an inopportune time for Seattle to trade him, from a pure value standpoint.
On the other hand, the Kraken could badly use a dynamic offensive creator, and even the high end of Wright’s projection doesn’t include a realistic possibility of him becoming one. Centers are in demand across the NHL to a severe degree, and even with his struggles in 2025-26, Wright still figures to command a significant amount of value if dealt. There’s no doubt that if he were dangled in a trade, the Kraken would have the buying power to be able to land the kind of winger that fits their clear need for a dynamic offensive creator.
When considering what kind of player the Kraken could target if they indeed shop Wright, they could either leverage his age, pedigree, and positional value to land a more established scorer than Wright is at this moment (perhaps even adding other assets to swing a deal for as high-end of a target as possible), or they could target a winger in a similar developmental situation to Wright who happens to better fit the kind of talent profile they’re targeting.
If they elect to pursue the latter tactic, a name such as Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson checks a lot of boxes. He was the No. 5 pick of the draft before Wright’s, and like Wright, appeared to be nearing “untouchable” status in his market after 2024-25.
He scored 57 points in 68 games, looking every bit like the hyper-skilled, dynamic offensive creator he was drafted to be. Also like Wright, Johnson’s 2025-26 season has been virtually unrecognizable compared to the year prior.
A player such as Johnson, even with his struggles this season, would require a significant trade asset in order to pry loose — which is where Wright could come into the picture. The idea of a Wright/Johnson deal is entirely speculative, of course, as there have been no firm reports of who Seattle might be targeting specifically.
But when examining the league-wide landscape for players who could be a fit in a Wright deal, his name emerges as an intriguing possibility, as both players look like they could benefit from a change-of-scenery transaction.
Regardless of what player Seattle might target — or if they end up even trading Wright at all — Pagnotta’s report underscores how important Wright is to the Kraken’s future.
He’s either going to get his development back on track and become a valuable two-way pivot in Seattle, or the team will leverage his trade value to acquire an impactful roster addition. Either way, his progress is one of the key storylines to watch in Seattle moving forward.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Kraken Recall Jacob Melanson, Place Ben Meyers On IR
The Seattle Kraken will be down a hot hand for the final two games of their current homestand. Depth forward Ben Meyers has been placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury that has him out week-to-week. Meyers scored three points in his last two games. The Kraken have responded to his injury by recalling forward Jacob Melanson in a corresponding move.
It isn’t entirely clear when Meyers sustained his injury. He played through the final minute of action in Wednesday night’s win over the New York Islanders and recorded one point and one shot in the contest. Meyers didn’t appear to be nursing an injury in his final shift but will now land on the shelf for a minimum of one week and three games. He will be eligible to return on January 29th, when the Krkaen host the Toronto Maple Leafs to close out a six-game homestand.
Meyers has chipped his way up to Seattle’s third-line with a strong, two-way effort as of late. He ranks third on the offense in hits (15) and second in penalty-kill ice time (20:41) since the start of 2026. On the year, Meyers has recorded 11 points, 36 hits, and 40 shots on goal in 31 games. He’s proven to be a responsible veteran near the bottom of Seattle’s lineup, a role that could be hard to replace with an AHL call-up.
Melanson has been a responsible piece of the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ lineup this year, with 16 points and 28 penalty minutes in 26 games. He has carved out a top-six role and ranks third among Firebirds forwards in plus-minus with a plus-seven. That diligence hasn’t quite translated to the top flight, with Melanson boasting only four points and a minus-two in 15 NHL games this season. They are the first NHL games of his career, except for his NHL debut, which he made at the end of last season.
That inexperience could be a motivator as Melanson looks to make himself comfortable in a bottom-six role in place of the toolsy Meyers. He will compete with Tye Kartye for a spot in the lineup. Kartye has recorded seven points and a minus-seven in 37 games this season.
Kraken Activate Brandon Montour
The Kraken announced Thursday that they activated defenseman Brandon Montour from injured reserve. To open a roster spot, they reassigned forward Jacob Melanson to AHL Coachella Valley.
It’s an ahead-of-schedule return for the puck-mover, who underwent hand surgery shortly before Christmas. He was initially expected to miss at least four weeks, but returns with several days to spare.
Last year, Montour led Seattle’s defense with 41 points in 82 games after cashing in with the Kraken on a seven-year, $50MM deal in free agency. He’s been overtaken again now by Vince Dunn, but is still having a reasonably productive year with six goals and 16 points in 27 outings. He’s averaging 21:56 of ice time per game and is having a great year in the possession department, leading Seattle rearguards with a 51.3 CF%.
That possession control makes Montour an increasingly important factor on a Seattle team that is abysmal at generating quality scoring chances but has been propped up by semi-sound defense and elite goaltending. They control just 41.4% of high-danger chances at 5-on-5, but have nevertheless cashed in on them by a score of 31-24.
Melanson had seen consistent ice time as of late, temporarily leapfrogging Tye Kartye on the depth chart, but his waiver-exempt status made him the logical odd man out. After making a one-game NHL debut last year, he’s scored a goal and four points in 15 games this time around. The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick in 2021 and has 14 points in 23 AHL games.
Kraken Activate Chandler Stephenson, Reassign Oscar Fisker Molgaard
The Seattle Kraken have returned to a fully healthy forward core. The Kraken announced that they’ve activated Chandler Stephenson from the non-roster list and have reassigned Oscar Fisker Molgaard in a corresponding roster move.
Stephenson was placed on the non-roster list only three days ago, as he and his wife were expecting the birth of their child. He missed two games for Seattle, and the team earned a split decision, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes before beating the New York Rangers.
He’s expected to reprise his role as the team’s second-line center, where he’s played relatively well this season. He’s third on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 27 points in 42 games, averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. Additionally, he’s been the best faceoff taker on the team, winning 52.4% of his draws.
Still, there is reason to believe that his production may dip relatively soon. Stephenson is averaging a 38.6% CorsiFor% at even strength, far and away the worst output of his career. However, it’s not an issue unique to Stephenson, as the Kraken themselves are 31st in the league in terms of possession quality, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks.
Meanwhile, Fisker Molgaard returns to AHL Coachella Valley after failing to appear in a game with Seattle throughout the duration of his recall. He’s skated in two games for the team this season, registering an assist while averaging 6:00 of ice time per game. He’s understandably been far more productive with the Firebirds, scoring six goals and 18 points in 30 games with a -5 rating.
Kraken Activate Jaden Schwartz, Move Chandler Stephenson To Non-Roster Status
The Kraken will get a key offensive contributor back in their lineup tonight as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve activated winger Jaden Schwartz off injured reserve. To make room on the roster, center Chandler Stephenson has been granted non-roster status.
Schwartz has been out since late November with a lower-body injury, one that derailed what had been a solid start to his season. The 33-year-old had eight goals and seven assists through his first 23 appearances before being sidelined while averaging over 17 minutes per night of ice time. That came on the heels of a 49-point effort last season, his highest point total since the 2019-20 campaign when he was still with St. Louis.
Schwartz is in the final season of a five-year, $27.5MM contract signed for Seattle’s inaugural campaign but he has dealt with injury issues in four of those give seasons. Still, he remains one of their more intriguing potential trade chips heading toward the deadline in March. That is, if the Kraken wind up being sellers. They’ve won eight of their last ten games to get into a playoff spot and getting Schwartz back should only bolster their attack, one that sits 27th in goals scored heading into today’s action. If they stay in the mix, he’s unlikely to move but if they fall out of the race, he’s a strong candidate to be dealt.
However, they won’t have their full lineup available just yet with Stephenson’s removal from the roster. The 31-year-old is tied for second on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 16 assists in 42 games while he’s averaging 19:58 per game of ice time, a career high. However, it appears his removal from the roster is for a good reason, as Kate Shefte of The Seattle Times relays (Twitter link) that his wife is expecting to give birth shortly. That suggests Stephenson’s absence should be a short-term one which is important given his role as their top middleman.
Latest On Jordan Eberle
The Philadelphia Flyers announced mid-game that star Travis Konecny would not return due to an upper-body injury.
Konecny has yet to miss a game this season, recording 37 points in 41 games, and notching the team’s only tally of the night as they lost in overtime to Toronto. Although he did not return for the third period, the forward was seen doing a television interview at the intermission beforehand, which hopefully indicates that his injury is not serious, and the decision was for more precautionary reasons.
Philadelphia has continued their winning ways of late, impressively second in the Metropolitan, and they will cross their fingers that their second-leading scorer will not miss any time. The team is right back in action on Saturday, hosting Tampa Bay.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Shortly before their home tilt against Minnesota, the Seattle Kraken shared that forward Jordan Eberle will not play, with an upper-body ailment. The team will be missing their captain for the first time this season, who somewhat surprisingly has turned back the clock in 2025-26, on pace for his best season with the Kraken. The 35-year-old has 15 goals in 41 games, after finding the back of the net just 26 times in the last two seasons combined. Eberle could return as soon as Saturday in Carolina, as the team hopes to fend off competitors in the Pacific Division and earn their second-ever playoff appearance.
- Zayne Parekh’s return to the Flames lineup will be delayed, as the defenseman has been listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury, as reported by Eric Francis of Sportsnet. Although not immediately clear, it is most likely that the ailment comes from Parekh’s time leading Team Canada in the World Junior Championship. With just one point in 11 games so far in the NHL, Calgary is in no rush with their 19-year-old prized prospect, and in the meantime, Hunter Brzustewicz will hold his spot in the lineup. Parekh could return Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
Kraken Recall Oscar Fisker Molgaard
Fresh off being named to Denmark’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, center Oscar Fisker Molgaard has been recalled by the Kraken, the team announced. They’ve been operating with an open roster spot for quite some time, so no corresponding move is required.
Molgaard, 21 next month, was a second-round pick in 2023. Just two years on from being drafted, he’s already got NHL games under his belt. Seattle recalled Molgaard for a pair of games in November, recording an assist and going 5-for-7 on faceoffs in the process, before being swiftly returned to AHL Coachella Valley when Jared McCann returned from a lower-body injury.
Now, with Jaden Schwartz on injured reserve and Eeli Tolvanen dealing with an illness, Fisker Molgaard will get another crack at entering the lineup. Even if he’s just around for a few games as an extra forward, it’s an indication of how pleased the organization has been with his development. The lanky 6’0″ pivot had a pair of strong seasons in Sweden’s top league with HV71 after being drafted, notching 40 points in 88 games before coming to North America.
In his first season of pro hockey stateside, Molgaard ranks fourth on Coachella Valley in scoring with a 6-12–18 line in 30 games. A good skater with a great shot, he’s been the centerpiece of Denmark’s national junior teams for several years and already has three World Championship appearances with the senior team under his belt, including a great showing in 2025 with seven points in 10 games. He figures to slot into the Danes’ top-six forward group at the Olympics alongside fellow NHLers Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nikolaj Ehlers, Lars Eller, and Jonas Rondbjerg.
Latest On Jaden Schwartz
Schwartz suffered a lower-body injury against Dallas on November 26. Despite struggling to create offense, currently last in the league in that category, Seattle holds a Wild Card spot, and has stayed afloat without their key forward. A pending UFA in the final year of his five year deal worth $5.5MM per season, on paper the 33-year-old could be a trade candidate. However, especially given their status in the playoff mix, it is thought that the Kraken would like to retain Schwartz into the twilight years of his career as a leader on a young forward core, with a Stanley Cup under his belt.
Kraken Reassign Jani Nyman
The Kraken announced they’ve reassigned left winger Jani Nyman to AHL Coachella Valley. With no immediate need for a roster spot, it looks to be a performance-based demotion for the 21-year-old. Matt Murray and Jaden Schwartz are due for IR returns at some point soon, though, so they won’t need to open a roster spot for one of them when it happens.
Nyman, 21, has had a relatively quick ascension since being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. While the 6’4″, 220-lb winger may look like a power forward on paper, he’s not all that physical. It’s his goal-scoring ability that led to his pickup, recording over a point per game in Finland’s second pro division in his draft year.
After two successful campaigns in Finland’s top flight post-draft, Nyman arrived in North America for the 2024-25 campaign. He led Coachella Valley with 28 goals in 58 games, earning a late-season call-up to Seattle. He didn’t look out of place at all with the Kraken, putting up three goals and six points in 12 games down the stretch.
That led to Nyman capturing an opening night job with Seattle in the fall as he entered year two of his three-year entry-level deal. However, ice time has been harder to come by compared to last year’s recall, averaging 10:42 per game with a spattering of different linemates, although he’s seen most of his time with Shane Wright down the middle. The production hasn’t been there as a result, limited to four goals and six points through 24 games.
Nyman had also been a healthy scratch for the last three games, not a great use of development time for a player who still profiles as a potential long-term top-nine piece. Instead of 10 minutes per game in the NHL, he’ll now be ticketed for closer to 20 in the minors.