Seattle Kraken’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Josh Mahura

Two games later, he scored his first (and only) goal in Kraken colors, the overtime winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mahura signed with the team as a free agent on July 3, 2024, and in 64 games with the team in 2024-25, his nine points were all assists. This was a great moment in Mahura’s career with the Kraken.

Impact on the Kraken

Mahura didn’t suffer an injury or get sent down last season; he was just consistently a healthy scratch. The Kraken had three goaltenders and seven defensemen, and while keeping extra players is a good idea in practice in case of injury, the coaching staff didn’t change the lineup often, leaving Mahura off the ice. 

When he did play, he was paired with Oleksiak on either the second or third pairing and finished the campaign with a plus-8 rating. Oleksiak is now with the Vancouver Canucks after signing a two-year, $10 million deal as a free agent on July 1.

Future on the Kraken

Mahura is entering the last season of his two-year contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer at 28. Management did not add any defensemen this offseason, so he might finally get his chance to play a full season in Seattle. Although he is entering his ninth NHL campaign, he has only played a full 82-game schedule once, with the Florida Panthers in 2022-23.

He could begin the season paired with a veteran blueliner like Ryan Lindgren or Brandon Montour. He could also be paired with the younger Ryker Evans, who is entering his third season as a full-time NHLer, to solidify the third painring. The Kraken have options to slot Mahura into the lineup.

Overall Grade

For the 2025-26 season, Mahura receives a C. He didn’t have much opportunity to show what he is capable of defensively. He managed to score his first goal with the team, which is a great accomplishment for his offensive performance.

Mahura is receiving such a low grade, not because of his lack of performance, but because of a lack of ice time. When he was on the ice, he did a great job of defending the opposing team from getting the puck and scoring goals. He had a plus-8 for the season, which is a testament to his ability to deny the opposing team goals.

Since Oleksiak is no longer on the Kraken, the team will no longer have an issue regarding carrying an extra defenseman. This will allow for Mahura to have more ice time in the upcoming season; the 2026-27 season could be Mahura’s chance to really shine in Seattle.