Kraken's top prospects to watch at 2024-25 training camp
The Seattle Kraken missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024. It was a disappointing outcome for the NHL's second-youngest franchise considering how they performed the year before. Seattle made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023. And the Kraken defeated the Colorado Avalanche in round one before taking the Dallas Stars to Game 7 in round two.
The Kraken loaded up in NHL Free Agency in the hope of making the playoffs in 2025. With training camp now underway in the NHL, we aren't too far off from the beginning of the regular season. Seattle begins their playoff push with a contest against the St. Louis Blues on October 8.
The Kraken want to make the postseason, as mentioned. However, this team is going to see some younger players step up and take roster spots. With this in mind, here are two Seattle prospects worth watching as training camp progresses across the league.
Shane Wright may finally arrive
Shane Wright has been talked about a lot over the last few seasons. He went fourth overall to the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NHL Draft. He entered the draft as the consensus top pick. However, the Montreal Canadiens picked Juraj Slafkovsky as Wright slipped to Seattle. Slafkovsky recently signed a contract extension with the Canadiens, but Wright's career in Seattle has not gone as envisioned.
That said, Wright did have a promising season in 2023-24. He played primarily for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL. And he certainly found his stride. Wright scored 22 goals and 47 points for the Firebirds this past year. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, he added four goals and 13 points in 12 games.
Wright is confident heading into Kraken training camp, and there is good reason for this. He has a legitimate chance to make the team's roster this fall. In fact, he may be a breakout candidate for the Kraken this upcoming season. It all comes down to how he performs in training camp in the coming weeks.
Wright still has a lot of upside that could see him become a top-six player in this league. If he can show that upside in training camp, his spot on the roster may be a guarantee. He is certainly one of the more interesting prospects Seattle is bringing to their training camp this fall.
Ryker Evans has a shot to make the Kraken roster
Ryker Evans is a former second-round pick of the Kraken from the 2021 NHL Draft. He made an incredible impression with the Regina Pats after being drafted, scoring 47 points in 61 games. The following season saw him make his debut in professional hockey. And in 2023-24, he earned a call up to the NHL.
Evans even played the majority of his season with the Kraken in 2023-24. In 36 games, he scored one goal and nine points for Seattle. He went back to Coachella Valley for the Calder Cup Playoffs. In the postseason, he scored four goals and 10 points in 18 games.
Evans is also a Kraken breakout candidate given his performances from a season ago. He is likely to start as a bottom-pairing defenseman if he makes the team. However, he could certainly move up the lineup before long.
Evans could certainly establish himself as a legitimate NHL defenseman this season. He could make things tough on the Kraken front office with a good performance in training camp. It will certainly be interesting to see how the Calgary, Alberta native performs in the coming weeks.
