Seattle’s future appeared bright with Matty Beniers emerging as a standout young player. Unfortunately, he experienced a sophomore slump in 2023-24, finishing with 20 fewer points and deviating from the skills that defined his rookie success. The team hopes he can bounce back this season and contribute significantly to returning the Kraken to the playoffs.
While significant improvements may not be evident for the 2024-25 season, there is optimism in Seattle, hinging on the growth of their young talent.
Can Shane Wright finally make the jump?
Shane Wright’s story with the Seattle Kraken is well-documented. When the Montreal Canadiens secured the first-overall draft selection in 2022, it seemed like the stars were aligning for him to join his country’s most historic franchise.
However, hype began building around Slovakian Juraj Slafkovsky before the draft. It seemed unlikely that the Canadiens would pass on Wright to select a little-known European, but that became reality when Kent Hughes took the stage and made his first selection as the Canadiens’ general manager.
Canadiens fans believed they had just gifted the New Jersey Devils a can’t-miss prospect, but they too passed on him in favor of another Slovakian, Simon Nemec. The Arizona Coyotes also bypassed Wright for American center Logan Cooley, raising questions about Wright’s viability. The Kraken ultimately drafted Wright with the fourth overall selection, which many viewed as an epic steal.
Wright began the following season in Seattle but played a maximum of eight games before burning a year on his entry-level deal. The Kraken returned him to the Ontario Hockey League, where he played 20 games with the Windsor Spitfires and captained Team Canada to World Junior gold. After a first-round upset in the playoffs, Wright joined the American Hockey League and advanced to the Calder Cup Finals.
He stayed in Coachella Valley for the 2023-24 season, tallying 47 points in 59 games. He made promising strides in the NHL, appearing in eight games and scoring four goals, but the Kraken felt he wasn’t ready for full-time minutes.
It’s disheartening to see Shane Wright potentially waste another year in the AHL, so it’s time for the Kraken to determine if he’s ready for a full-time spot in Seattle.
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