Daccord Banged Up, Getting Evaluated
- Already missing Philipp Grubauer, the Kraken could be without their other netminder as they look to keep their very faint playoff hopes alive. Team radio host Mike Benton relays (Twitter link) that Joey Daccord was feeling sore after Thursday’s game and was undergoing evaluation today. If he’s unable to suit up Saturday against Calgary, the team will have to recall someone (likely Victor Ostman) from AHL Coachella Valley with Niklas Kokko probably in line to make his first NHL start in a must-win game if they want to avoid elimination from the playoffs. Daccord has a 3.03 GAA with a .896 SV% in 47 games this season.
Kraken Recall Nikke Kokko, Matt Murray Away From Team
The Kraken announced that goalie prospect Nikke Kokko has been recalled from AHL Coachella Valley under emergency conditions. He’s replacing third-stringer Matt Murray, who’s taken a leave of absence for a family matter. He will serve as the #2 behind Joey Daccord, potentially for all of Seattle’s five remaining games if Murray is away for that long. Usual backup Philipp Grubauer is unavailable after leaving his start on Tuesday with a lower-body injury.
Kokko was a second-round pick in 2022 and is in his second season with Coachella Valley after logging parts of three seasons in Finland’s Liiga with Kärpät and Pelicans. He made his first NHL appearance in relief last season but allowed two goals on six shots against the Blues in an eventual 7-2 loss. He’s spent all of this season in the AHL, where he’s split the crease evenly with undrafted 25-year-old Victor Östman. Kokko’s come out with the worst numbers of the two, logging a .903 SV%, 3.10 GAA, two shutouts, and an 18-10-2 record in 34 outings.
The 22-year-old Kokko is the #15 prospect in Seattle’s pool and the second-ranked goalie behind #13 Kim Saarinen, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. He’s had flashes of elite play here and there in Finland and in the minors, but his year-to-year inconsistency to date and subpar one-on-one reads mean he could very well top out as a third-string option long-term.
Murray’s absence will, for now, prevent him from getting back between the pipes for the first time since November. He missed over half the season with a lower-body injury before being activated from injured reserve back on March 10, but he’s yet to see game action since, with Daccord and Grubauer handling all of the starts and relief appearances. The 31-year-old veteran was excellent in a brief look at the beginning of the season, earning a .922 SV% and 2.21 GAA in five appearances despite a 0-2-1 record, which should be enough to land the pending unrestricted free agent another offer this summer.
Ron Francis Leaving Seattle Kraken
The front office changes will continue around the NHL. This time, it’s with the Seattle Kraken, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the President of Hockey Operations, Ron Francis, will be stepping down from his role. The Kraken organization later confirmed Friedman’s report, noting that Francis will step aside at the end of the regular season.
Technically, Francis has only been the Kraken’s President of Hockey Operations for one season. Before this year, he was the team’s General Manager for six seasons, even before they began playing in the league. Jason Botterill took over General Manager duties ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Although Francis crafted the team that qualified for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs and subsequently knocked out the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, it’s been tough going in Seattle ever since. In their five seasons, the Kraken own a 174-187-44 record, without a clear pathway out.
There are several reasons for this. First, Francis invested a lot of money in questionable free agent signings. Philipp Grubauer, Andre Burakovsky, Alexander Wennberg, and Chandler Stephenson were all signed for relatively top dollar at the time, and the Kraken haven’t gotten a solid return on investment on any of those players.
Secondly, Francis built too safe a roster. As previously mentioned, while there could be some game-changing prospects on the way, Seattle’s forward corps is entirely built of middle-six pieces, save a few. The team attempted to acquire Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers before the Olympic break, but the star Russian player was not interested in moving to the Pacific Northwest.
The fact that Panarin didn’t want to come is evidence of another issue entirely. Despite reasonable complaints about teams in no-income tax states, the Kraken have not been able to take advantage of this benefit like other teams. That’s been an important factor in how this team has become so directionless so quickly.
Regardless, this move will enable Botterill to take full control of the front office’s decision-making process going forward, or it may help Seattle adopt a more aggressive strategy. There should be multiple options available to them, and they’ll have plenty of time to make a concrete decision.
As for Francis’ future, there’s a strong likelihood he’ll be linked to the open position with the Toronto Maple Leafs. At the end of his playing career, the Sault Ste. Marie, ON native, waived his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to the Maple Leafs, where he finished his 23-year career.
Philipp Grubauer Leaves Start With Lower-Body Injury
The Kraken’s already slim playoff hopes were effectively dealt a death blow with last night’s 6-2 loss to the Jets. Now 1-7-2 in their last 10 games, the loss came with additional bad news as the team announced Philipp Grubauer‘s departure from the game in the second period was due to a lower-body injury, not a standard pull.
It may not have been anything more than a minor strain, considering his reason for leaving wasn’t immediately obvious. He departed the game roughly 1:10 after allowing a Kyle Connor power play one-timer that extended Winnipeg’s lead to 3-1.
Nonetheless, with six games left in Seattle’s season, it’ll be a year-ender for Grubauer if it’s anything serious. The Kraken aren’t mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, but would virtually need to win out in order to secure a playoff berth, along with the Kings failing to get five of 10 remaining points and the four other teams ahead of them – the Predators, Sharks, Jets, and Blues – all failing to gain significant ground.
If so, it’ll be a quiet end to what was a resurgent season in a lighter workload for Grubauer. The 34-year-old was arguably Seattle’s biggest free agent splash prior to its inaugural season, signing a six-year, $35.4MM contract in 2021 to serve as the team’s first starting netminder. At the time, he was coming off a third-place Vezina finish with the Avalanche and had posted a .918 SV% and 2.38 GAA in 113 games across three seasons as Colorado’s starter/1A option.
As Grubauer began to see 50-plus games a year for the first time in Seattle, his numbers immediately suffered. He was arguably the worst starter in the league from the drop, recording a .889 SV% and 3.16 GAA in 55 showings to allow 33.7 goals above expected behind an otherwise strong first-year Kraken defense, per MoneyPuck.
That string of sub-.900 save percentages continued over the next several years, while Grubauer consistently remained below-average in advanced stats like GSAx. By year three, he had lost the starting job to up-and-comer Joey Daccord and was even placed on waivers last season. Seattle’s lack of confidence in Grubauer was clear last summer when, after being unable to shed his contract, they opted to sign veteran Matt Murray as a high-cost third-string option to a one-year, $1MM deal and start the year carrying three netminders.
Daccord has remained Seattle’s clear-cut #1 in terms of usage, but Grubauer has done more than enough this season to re-establish himself as an NHL-capable backup heading into the final year of his contract. In 27 starts and four relief appearances, he’s compiled a 13-11-4 record with a .910 SV% and 2.59 GAA. Not only are those numbers better than Daccord’s, but he ranks 11th in the league in save percentage (min. 20 games played) and leads Seattle with 5.7 goals saved above expected, his best figure since his Cup-winning season as Braden Holtby‘s backup in Washington in 2017-18.
If Grubauer can’t return in the next week-plus, look for Murray to get at least one more start to close out his season. The veteran hasn’t dressed since Nov. 15 due to a lower-body injury, but was activated from injured reserve back on March 10, so he’s available.
Winterton Returns Following Leave Of Absence
Kraken winger Ryan Winterton has returned to the team, relays Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. He stepped away for a leave of absence following the death of his brother following a cancer battle. However, since he hadn’t been on the ice for two weeks before rejoining the team Thursday, he was a scratch against Utah and it’s unclear when he will ultimately return to Seattle’s lineup. Winterton is in his first full NHL season and has four goals and 14 assists in 62 games while logging 11:47 per night of playing time.
Shane Wright Out Due To Injury
Bryan Rust of the Penguins is out tonight against Detroit with a lower-body injury, shared by the team right before puck drop. It’s unexpected considering that he played a full game last night against the Islanders, putting up two points. In his place, Avery Hayes comes into a game with both the Penguins and Red Wings desperate to pick up two points with playoff spots up for grabs.
The 33-year-old took a maintenance day last Saturday, but he’s mostly been healthy this year. Rust is having one of his best seasons, with 61 points in 67 games, good for second best on the team. He is closing in on his career best of 65, set last year, also playing the most throughout his 12-year career, averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time.
Hayes, a 23-year-old undrafted rookie, by no means will match Rust’s speed and skill, but the fellow Michigan native has made a name for himself as a potential bottom six fixture. Hayes has three goals in 12 games, earning his time after strong AHL efforts with 35 points in 39 games.
With games weighing as much as ever, Rust will likely return Thursday in Tampa Bay.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Islanders forward Simon Holmström is absent for tonight’s crucial game in Buffalo, noted by Stefen Rosner of NHL.com. As a result Anthony Duclair will slot into a top six role. Holmström is thought to be day-to-day with an upper-body ailment. A first rounder back in 2019, the now 24-year-old has steadily grown into a solid secondary scorer for the Islanders. With one more tally he’ll tie last season’s breakout 20 goal campaign. A brutal loss last night against division foe Pittsburgh dealt a blow to New York’s playoff odds, but they’re still clinging onto the third spot in the Metropolitan with seven games to go. Holmström will hope to be back helping matters by Friday as they host Philadelphia. Whatever happens in the coming days, hardly anybody would have expected his team to have the season they’ve put together.
- Seattle’s Shane Wright is sidelined tonight with his own upper-body injury, per the team. Unlike those listed above, the Kraken are close to elimination from the playoffs unless something shocking happens. Either way, they’ll take on the Oilers one man down. One a top draft prospect, selected fourth overall in 2022, Wright’s development has stalled out in Seattle. Last year he showed promise with 44 points, but he’s followed that up with just 26 in 72 games. Still, he has been durable, not missing a single contest until today. At even strength Wright has not moved the needle like he’s capable of, and he’s not been able to hold down a top six role, averaging 13:49 a night. Subject of trade rumors earlier in the year, assuming he returns later this week, there’s a strong possibility it’ll be his final games for the club.
Kraken Reassign Logan Morrison
3/29: Morrison has been re-assigned to AHL Coachella Valley, the team announced this morning. The forward was scratched in both games on the big club, as McCann returned last night. Seattle will be back at it Tuesday in Edmonton in dire need of points in an attempt to sneak into Wild Card berth. Meanwhile, the 12th ranked Firebirds will be pleased to have their leading scorer back.
3/27: The Seattle Kraken have recalled forward Logan Morrison from the AHL under emergency conditions. He will help Seattle address a slew of injuries, including to Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, and Ryan Winterton.
Morrison played in his NHL debut on March 26, 2024 – nearly two years ago to the day. He totaled four NHL appearances that season and recorded no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-one. Morrison has been with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds ever since. He carved out a top role on the Firebirds with back-to-back 40-point seasons over the last two years. With that footing, Morrison has taken off this year. He leads Coachella Valley in goals (27) and points (56) through 61 games. He has added 40 penalty minutes and a plus-22, also career-highs for the young professional.
The 23-year-old winger could be set to play in his fifth NHL game as the Kraken seek out a right-winger to fill out their depth chart. Seattle has operated with 11 forwards and seven defenseman recently, creating room for Cale Fleury to play in four games this month. He has one point and a minus-one in those appearances, bringing his season totals up to three points in 21 games. With that quiet stretch, and a 1-4-0 record in their last five games, Seattle could look back towards a traditional lineup structure to provide a spark.
Shane Wright Leaves Game With Injury
- In tonight’s game between the Seattle Kraken and Buffalo Sabres, the former will leave with some injury concerns for their center corps. After only 3:36 of ice time, the Kraken announced that center Shane Wright exited the game due to injury. Wright was not obviously injured during a specific play, but he had been hurt in Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which means he may have started tonight’s game in discomfort.
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Kraken Recall Oscar Fisker Molgaard
The Kraken announced Wednesday that they’ve recalled center Oscar Fisker Molgaard from AHL Coachella Valley. The team reassigned right-winger Jani Nyman to Coachella Valley in the corresponding move.
Fisker Molgaard, 21, lands his fourth recall of the season. He suited up twice for the team in November, didn’t get into a game on his second recall in January, and entered the lineup a third time in February before the Olympic break as a send-off before he represented Team Denmark in Milan.
Seattle has to be pleased with how their 2023 second-round pick has developed thus far. The 6’0″ two-way pivot has impressed mightily in professional environments in the three seasons since draft day, suiting up for the Swedish Hockey League’s HV71 until coming to North America last year. He had an 18-29–47 scoring line in 129 career SHL games before joining Coachella Valley, including a 19-point effort in 38 games last season.
As a rookie in the AHL, the Dane has immediately settled in as one of the Firebirds’ top producers. With 10 goals and 32 points in 46 games, he sits fourth on the team in scoring. Combined with his already attractive international resume – he’s represented Denmark at three straight World Championships and had three points in four Olympic contests – the question now becomes simply how high Fisker Molgaard will climb on Seattle’s depth chart over the next few years, not whether he’ll be an NHL talent or not.
They’ve been trialing him as a fourth-line pivot at points this season, and he hasn’t looked out of place with an assist, a +1 rating, and a 58.3% faceoff win percentage in his three NHL outings so far while averaging just 6:14 per game. With the Kraken opting to dress 11 forwards and seven defenders for last night’s shootout loss to the Panthers, Fisker Molgaard could re-enter the lineup again in a fourth-line role tomorrow night in Tampa.
Nyman has been on Seattle’s roster for the past week. He got into back-to-back games but had a horrific go of things defensively, posting a -4 rating against the Blue Jackets last Saturday in just 8:15 of ice time, leading to him being scratched against Florida last night. Seattle is still waiting for the gifted goal-scorer, who has a 4-2–6 scoring line across 26 NHL outings this year, to develop the other areas of his game in the AHL.
Ryan Winterton Takes Leave Of Absence
The Seattle Kraken announced today that forward Ryan Winterton has taken a temporary leave of absence to attend to a family matter. The Kraken did not provide further detail and requested that the privacy of Winterton and his family be respected. As is always the case with situations like these, what happens on the ice is secondary. With that said, Winterton’s absence does have lineup implications for a Kraken team that is still under pressure to chase down a playoff spot.