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Kraken’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Ryan Winterton

Seattle Kraken center Ryan Winterton celebrates with goaltender Joey Daccord after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)

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Kraken’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Ryan Winterton

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jess Amato | Last updated Sep 5, 2026 11:00 AM ET

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Last season, the Seattle Kraken had their best start ever, winning their first home opener in five seasons since they joined the league. The Kraken were primed to be in a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving, a decent indicator of who will make the postseason. However, with two major losing streaks in December and at the end of the season, the Kraken finished with a 34-37-11 record.

There is no one person to blame for last season’s demise. Hockey is a team sport, and each player did their part to try and give Seattle a fighting chance at the postseason. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Some players had better performances than others. In this installment of the 2025-26 Kraken Report Cards, we’ll analyze and grade forward Ryan Winterton’s performance.

2025-26 Performance

In the 2025-26 season, Winterton played in 68 games and recorded 18 points via four goals and 14 assists, including one game-winning goal. This was Winterton’s third season playing on NHL ice, but it was his first full-time season. Winterton missed a few games due to illness and missed several games to be with family when his brother passed away in March. This was a difficult time for the entire Winterton family, but especially for Ryan, as he was very close with his brother.

It took Winterton nine games until he recorded his first NHL point of the season, an assist on Tye Kartye’s second-period goal. Five games later, he scored his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks. Winterton opened the scoring against the Sharks and, unfortunately, scored the only goal for the Kraken in that game. The Sharks took the victory, but Winterton recorded a fantastic milestone that will stick with him forever.

Winterton’s best point streak was a four-game streak from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5. He started the streak off with a goal and then recorded an assist in the three subsequent games.

Impact on the Kraken

Winterton spent his season on the bottom six, primarily on the fourth line. This was a great opportunity for him to get used to the NHL pace. He played alongside some veteran players, such as Frederick Gaudreau, who helped show him the ropes.

Winterton is a great flex player, playing at either the left or right wing, wherever the team needs him to be. He is a fast skater and is developing a strong shot. His skills will only continue to get better as he plays more.

Future With the Kraken

In the middle of the 2025-26 season, Winterton signed a two-year extension with the Kraken. He received an average annual value (AAV) of $1.125 million. The contract will kick into effect this season and take him through the 2027-28 season, when he will become a restricted free agent (RFA).

For now, he is locked in with the team and doesn’t have to worry about another contract for a couple more seasons.

Overall Grade

For the 2025-26 season, Winterton receives a B-. This was his first full season in the NHL, and he dealt with an incredible hardship. With everything Winterton endured, he performed at the NHL level every game and did his best to produce points for the team.

He also managed to have an impact on the score sheet in his first full season with the team. Winterton had played in a handful of games with the Kraken in 2023-24 and 2024-25, but as this was his first full season with the team, Winterton grew as a player. Now, he’ll know what to expect at the NHL level for the full season and will be ready to have a strong 2026-27 season.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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