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Seattle Kraken Re-Assign John Hayden, Max McCormick To AHL

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The Seattle Kraken have sent two forwards back to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds: John Hayden and Max McCormick. The move opens up two roster spots that are now at GM Ron Francis’ disposal.

Hayden, 27, has played in three games for the Kraken this season. He’s operated in a depth role in each of those three contests, never crossing into double-digit minutes played in any of the three games. In that span, Hayden registered one goal, two blocked shots, and a hit.

Hayden’s made more of an impact this year at the AHL level, scoring 25 points in 34 games. His return to that level should help the Firebirds continue their run as one of the top teams in the American league.

McCormick, 30, has found similar success in the AHL but, unlike Hayden, didn’t manage to get into any NHL games during his time on the Kraken active roster. He got into 10 games for the Kraken last season, though, but he didn’t manage to get onto the score sheet.

In the AHL, McCormick is tied for first place on the Firebirds in scoring with 18 goals and 42 points so far this season. He’ll now head back to Coachella Valley where he will in all likelihood resume his role as one of coach Dan Bylsma’s most relied-upon offensive producers.

Latest On Joonas Donskoi

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After having a largely healthy 2021-22 campaign, Seattle Kraken forward Joonas Donskoi has been on long-term injured reserve (LITR) for the entire season thus far. Based on reporting released today, not only does it seem likely that Donskoi’s stay on the LTIR list will continue, it also appears that the future of his playing career is cloudy.

Donskoi told Finnish outlet Raahen Seutu that he had suffered the seventh concussion of his playing career, and is dealing with persistent symptoms including vision problems, vertigo, and headaches. Lingering concussion symptoms can be incredibly dangerous for any athlete, let alone one as experienced as Donskoi. Similar issues have prematurely ended the career of many NHLers in the past, and one wonders if Donskoi is unfortunately headed down a similar path. While the Kraken are definitely hoping that Donksoi, who has typically been a slam-dunk bet to score at least 30 points in any season, can return to the ice, it seems getting his personal health right is the absolute top priority.

Matty Beniers Out Day-To-Day

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The Seattle Kraken are in the midst of what is shaping up to be the best season in their (admittedly brief) franchise history. Powered by a balanced scoring attack and a well-rounded defense, the team currently sits at the top of the Pacific Division. One of the major individual success stories the team has had this season has been with rookie center Matty Beniers. Playing as a first-line center is one of the most difficult roles any NHL player can be asked to occupy, and can be extremely challenging for a young player or rookie to be able to handle. Beniers, who has scored 17 goals and 36 points in 47 games this season, has been extremely impressive, so much so that he was named to the All-Star Game.

Seattle Kraken Recall Max McCormick; Place Justin Schultz On IR

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The Seattle Kraken have moved Justin Schultz to injured reserve, as he deals with a week-to-week designation. In his place, Max McCormick has been recalled from the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

McCormick’s recall will cast doubt on the status of Matty Beniers, who was injured last night after Tyler Myers of the Vancouver Canucks threw him to the ice. Kate Shefte of the Seattle Times reports that Beniers wasn’t available for the third period.

That’s not to say the recall is undeserved. McCormick has been outstanding for Coachella, serving as captain and scoring 42 points in 38 games so far. The 30-year-old journeyman minor leaguer has transformed his game over the years, going from a physical instigator to a legitimate top-line AHL talent.

We’ll see if some of his former self appears in the NHL though. In 93 career NHL games, McCormick has 97 penalty minutes, including nine fighting majors. In ten appearances last season for the Kraken he failed to score a point.

Justin Schultz Out Week To Week

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The Kraken have been without Justin Schultz for the last week and it appears they’ll be missing him a little longer as team reporter Bob Condor mentions that the defenseman is now listed as being out week to week.  Schultz has done well in his first season with Seattle, notching 24 points in 42 games so far, already surpassing his point total from a year ago in 32 fewer contests.  With the All-Star break upcoming, it appears the earliest he’ll be able to return is February 5th.  For the time being, the team is keeping Schultz on the active roster.  If they need to open up a roster spot, they’ll be able to place him on injured reserve retroactively to the date of injury which means he could be activated at any time.

Seattle Kraken Recall John Hayden From AHL

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Jan 24: Up and down he goes. Hayden has been recalled once again.

Jan 22: The Seattle Kraken have announced that forward John Hayden has been re-assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The re-assignment opens a spot on the Kraken’s 23-man roster in order for GM Ron Francis to make any additional desired moves.

Hayden, 27, was originally recalled from Coachella Valley on January 16th. After four straight seasons as an NHL-only player who offered limited, low-scoring depth play to his team, Hayden got a chance to be a top AHL player when he signed a two-way deal with the Kraken over the summer.

He’s given the Kraken and Firebirds a great return on their investment, having scored 25 points in 34 AHL games. That performance earned Hayden his first NHL game of the season, and he skated in just over eight minutes in the Kraken’s shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche last night.

He now heads back to Coachella Valley where he’s expected to resume his role as a top-six forward for the team. The Firebirds have been one of the best teams in the AHL so far this season, and the return of Hayden to their squad should only bolster head coach Dan Bylsma as he attempts to fend off the Calgary Wranglers’ attempts to pass them for first place in the AHL’s Pacific Division.

January Calder Trophy Watch: Forwards

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The middle of the season is a common time for awards check-ins in the NHL, and for good reason. Enough sample size is under our belts to cross off some early-season hot and cold streaks, and it’s given some time for players to grow into impact roles for new teams.

That’s especially true with the Calder Trophy, tracking the best rookie in the league. Young players are especially susceptible to streakiness, for better or for worse. Many players’ seasons have evened out somewhat, and it’s as good a time as any to take a look at where things stand for a handful of top Calder Trophy candidates, this time at the forward position.

Forwards

Matthew Beniers, Seattle Kraken

Beniers stands as the clear front-runner for the Calder in most circles, and for good reason. He leads all rookies in goals (17) and points (36), and is playing serious minutes at 17:05 per game. He’s one point behind Andre Burakovsky for the Kraken lead in scoring, and he’s been a crucial part of Seattle’s improvement from basement dweller to playoff contender in 2022-23.

The 2021 second-overall pick was a “safe floor, unsure ceiling” type of player when he was drafted. With this kind of production so early in his career, Seattle can be optimistic that Beniers will hit his first-line center ceiling as his defense improves. He’s a poor 43.7% in the faceoff dot, but that’s been a problem for the entire Kraken squad, as they don’t have a single player over 50%.

Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets

Along with the rest of the Jets, Perfetti is thriving offensively under head coach Rick Bowness. He had a solid seven points in 18 NHL games last season, maintaining his rookie status, but this season leads rookies with 20 assists.

While he has thrived playing with some of Winnipeg’s top talent, Perfetti’s point production is impressive in its own right. Very little of his scoring has come on the power play, he has just four points there. He’s sixth on the Jets in scoring, and while he isn’t receiving top minutes quite yet, nearly 15 minutes a night is still fine for a player his age. Look for his goal-scoring to improve throughout the season, too; he’s shooting at just 8.2%.

Mason McTavish, Anaheim Ducks

After a 2022 World Juniors for the ages, McTavish has transitioned well to the NHL on a struggling team. Anaheim’s systems have been a mess all season, but McTavish has still managed 27 points in 45 games and is drawing some tough matchups in the top six.

Used on and off at the center position, McTavish is scoring without much support. He’s third on the team in points and his -14 rating is actually one of the better ones on the team. Selected immediately after Beniers in 2021, it’s looking like an incredibly strong top-five from that class.

On the cusp: Matias Maccelli and Dylan Guenther (ARI), Kent Johnson (CBJ), Jack Quinn and John-Jason Peterka (BUF), Wyatt Johnston (DAL), Juuso Parssinen (NSH), Noah Cates (PHI)

John Hayden Recalled From Coachella Valley

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  • Late Sunday, the Kraken announced (Twitter link) the recall of forward John Hayden from AHL Coachella Valley. The 27-year-old has impressed in his first taste of minor league action since 2017-18, collecting 13 goals and 12 assists in 34 games for the Firebirds.  With Jaden Schwartz listed as day-to-day, Hayden appears to be the insurance policy to ensure that there’s an extra forward available if needed.

Windsor Spitfires Acquire Shane Wright

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As first reported by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and affirmed by Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News, the Windsor Spitfires have acquired high-end Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright from the Kingston Frontenacs ahead of the OHL trade deadline.

Wright will be headed along with a conditional 14th-round pick in 2025, while Kingston will receive:

  • Ethan Miedema
  • Gavin McCarthy
  • 2nd round pick 2023 (OTT)
  • 3rd round pick 2023 (SOO)
  • 4th round pick 2024 (NIA)
  • 6th round pick 2024 (NIA)
  • 4th round pick 2025 (NIA)
  • Conditional 5th round pick 2024 (HAM)
  • Conditional 6th round pick 2025 (ER)

The move will allow Wright to compete for an OHL championship, something the Kraken obviously wanted as they delayed his return as long as possible. The 19-year-old center played eight games in the NHL, five in the AHL, and seven with Team Canada at the recent World Junior Championship before being sent back. He’ll now join a Windsor team that is on the heels of the London Knights for first place in the Western Conference and sits 23-9-4 on the year.

Selected fourth overall by Seattle last summer, Wright had 94 points in 63 games last season for the Frotenacs, after missing the entire 2020-21 season due to COVID restrictions. His contract with the Kraken will slide, meaning he will not become a restricted free agent until 2026 at the earliest. It could potentially even slide again, as he only turned 19 a few days ago. That means Wright still won’t be eligible to play in the AHL at the start of 2023-24, causing more headaches for the Kraken if they deem him not quite ready to compete at the NHL level.

Latest On Shane Wright

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After the Seattle Kraken assigned 2022 fourth-overall pick Shane Wright back to the OHL this morning, it quickly became apparent that he would not remain a member of his current team, the Kingston Frontenacs. They are fifth in the Eastern Conference, but at just two games over .500, OHL championship and Memorial Cup aspirations aren’t in their future this season.

Obviously, both for Wright personally and his development, it makes sense for him to be in a more competitive situation as he finishes out his junior career. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler today named the Ottawa 67’s, Barrie Colts, Peterborough Petes, and London Knights as “expected players” in a Wright trade, which would need to occur within the next four days. The OHL’s trade deadline is on Tuesday, January 10.

Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek added on, saying he didn’t think a Wright trade was necessarily imminent but that Kingston general manager Kory Cooper would meet with Wright, his family, his agent, and Kraken representatives to discuss trade options. Wright has a no-trade clause in his agreement with Kingston.

Ottawa may make the most sense for Wright, given their situation. The 67’s are first in the OHL, maintaining a spectacular 26-6-1-1 record through 34 games. Their strong suit is defense, surrendering only a league-best 87 goals. Scoring is a needed area of improvement, though. The 2023 draft-eligible Luca Pinelli is tied with the overage Cameron Tolnai for the team lead in scoring, although they both have just 39 points in 34 games. They’re solid totals but not staggering for the junior level.

Wright, who scored four goals in five games with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds and had seven points in seven games at the World Juniors, should clear the point-per-game mark by a mile. He still managed 94 points in 63 games with Kingston in 2021-22 despite not playing at all the season prior.

He also fits into Ottawa’s game plan as a defensively responsible center and could take some of the load from players like Pinelli to open up their offensive games.

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