2026-27 Seattle Kraken Season Preview

The Seattle Kraken enter the 2026–27 season with a largely unchanged roster after a quiet offseason that saw them add one key forward, re-sign a late-season acquisition, and say goodbye to several veteran depth pieces. Things haven’t gone the Kraken’s way of late, and they’ll be in tough to claim a wild-card spot.

Key Additions

Mackie Samoskevich (RW) – Acquired from Florida on June 21st in exchange for the No. 25 pick in the 2026 draft and a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The 23-year-old scored 12 goals and 20 assists in 77 games last season, bringing speed, skill, and middle-six scoring punch. He’s expected to slot on the third line with Yanni Gourde and Jaden Schwartz’s replacement.

Bobby McMann (LW) – Re-signed to a six-year, $34.5 million deal ($5.75 million AAV) on July 1st. The 30-year-old scored 10 goals and four assists in 18 games last season after being acquired from Toronto, bringing physicality, net-front presence, and middle-six depth. He’s expected to play a second-line role.

Curtis Douglas (C) – Signed a two-year, $1.55 million deal ($775,000 AAV) on July 1st. The 26-year-old brings size, physicality, and bottom-six depth, expected to play a fourth-line role.

Key Subtractions

Jaden Schwartz (LW) – Signed a three-year, $9 million deal with Colorado on July 1st. The 34-year-old had 10 goals and 18 points in 68 games last season, a significant loss of veteran leadership, two-way play, and middle-six scoring.

Eeli Tolvanen (LW) – Remains unsigned as a free agent. The 27-year-old had 15 goals and 21 assists in 75 games last season, a notable loss of scoring punch and depth from the bottom six.

Jamie Oleksiak (D) – Signed a one-year deal with Vancouver on July 1st. The 33-year-old had five assists in 68 games, removing physicality and depth from the third pairing.

Matt Murray (G) – Departed in free agency. The 32-year-old had a 3.09 GAA and .891 save percentage in 25 games, a loss of veteran goaltending depth.

Impact on 2026–27

Samoskevich adds scoring and speed to the middle six, while McMann’s extension provides stability and net-front presence. The departures of Schwartz, Tolvanen, and Oleksiak remove veteran presence and depth. The Kraken will be pushing for their first postseason appearance since 2023, but would need a lot of things to go right. They’ll likely be on the outside looking in again this season.

Salary Cap Situation

Projected cap hit – $85,594,463
Roster – 23/23
Projected cap space – $18,405,537
Deadline cap space – $85,016,052

Seattle Kraken Depth Chart