Jared McCann Hits the Injured Reserve: Another New Injury For Seattle Kraken

Just when you thought the Seattle Kraken might actually have some offensive consistency this season, the injury bug decides to take another bite out of their forward corps. Jared McCann, who was off to what some might generously call a “decent” start to the 2025-26 campaign, has officially been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Staying healthy for more than a few games is too much to ask in the Emerald City, and it just stinks for McCann.

The McCann Conundrum: From Hot Start to Hospital Bed

Let’s paint the picture here, folks. Jared McCann came out swinging to start the season, looking like he might actually justify that contract extension the Kraken handed him. Three goals in his first three games? One assist to boot? That game against the Montreal Canadians made hockey fantasy owners were practically salivating. But then reality set in faster than a Seattle coffee shop closing at 2 PM.

The 29-year-old forward went completely cold, managing a big fat zero in his next two outings before this mysterious lower-body injury decided to crash the party, and it was clear he was playing hurt. Now he’s missed three straight games, and the official IR placement means we can stop pretending he’s going to appear in the lineup anytime soon, magically. It is yet another injury the Kraken have to deal with in the present and the future.

The Seattle Kraken, meanwhile, are sitting pretty in second place in the Pacific Division with a 4-2-2 record. Not bad for a team that seems to collect injured forwards like they’re Pokémon cards. There is so much potential with this Kraken team with the strong start and if they keep it up then they could have a deep run in the playoffs.

Looking Ahead: Can McCann Stay Healthy?

Here’s the million-dollar question that Kraken fans and fantasy owners alike are asking: when McCann does return from this latest setback, can he actually stay in the lineup long enough to make an impact? His track record suggests we shouldn’t hold our breath with his injury history.

The forward has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but consistency has been about as elusive as a parking spot in downtown Seattle during rush hour. This latest injury only adds to the frustration surrounding a player who has all the tools but can’t seem to stay healthy long enough to use them effectively. The Seattle Kraken depth is going to be fully tested here, and it will be interesting if they call up a prospect from their pool. They have intriguing options, which is a plus.

The Bottom Line

McCann’s placement on injured reserve is eligible for activation whenever he’s healthy enough to return, which could be tomorrow or could be weeks from now. That’s the beauty of lower-body injuries in hockey – they’re about as predictable as a coin flip.

For now, Kraken fans will have to content themselves with watching their team try to maintain their surprising early-season success without one of their more talented forwards. And fantasy owners? Well, you might want to start scouring the waiver wire for a replacement.

The NHL season is long, and injuries are part of the game. Although the NHL really needs to change how teams identify injuries on there injury reports. These lower-body and upper-body labels are ridiculous, vague, and lame. What sucks is when a player like McCann goes down just as he was finding his rhythm, it’s hard not to feel like the hockey gods have a twisted sense of humor. Hopefully, he has a smooth recovery and can return to the Kraken this season.