The 2025-26 Kraken Playoff Race Is Must-Watch Hockey
First-year head coach Lane Lambert, hired in May 2025 alongside GM Jason Botterill after the franchise blew up its previous regime, has the Kraken sitting at 29-24-9 and clinging to the second Western Conference wild-card spot with roughly 20 games left. At the March 6 trade deadline, Botterill acquired power forward Bobby McMann from Toronto — 19 goals and 135 hits in 60 games — while also locking up captain Jordan Eberle to a two-year extension, signaling an unmistakable all-in mentality. Finnish forwards Kaapo Kakko and Eeli Tolvanen are back from the Milano Cortina Olympics with gold-medal confidence, and Joey Daccord's elite goaltending remains the engine keeping this team in the race. The question is whether the group that went 15-6-3 in the six weeks before the Olympic break can rediscover that form fast enough to reach the postseason for only the second time in franchise history.
Release the Kraken: What Makes This Fanbase Different
In just five seasons, Kraken fans have built a genuine identity around sea-creature mythology, the teal-and-deep-sea-blue color scheme, and the rallying cry of 'Release the Kraken' that shakes Climate Pledge Arena — the world's most energy-efficient arena — on every power play. The eco-conscious venue resonates deeply with Seattle's Pacific Northwest culture, and the fanbase reflects it. Mascot Buoy shows up far beyond the rink, appearing at charity events and holiday grocery giveaways alongside players, while the team's One Roof Foundation drives Indigenous community outreach, including skating sessions at the Kraken Community Iceplex with students from the Muckleshoot Tribal School. This isn't just a hockey crowd — it's a community.
Seattle vs. Vegas: The Pacific Division's Defining Rivalry
The Vegas Golden Knights are the Kraken's fiercest rival — and the most painful one. Seattle's best-ever season in 2022-23 ended in a gut-punch Game 7 second-round loss to Vegas, one win away from the conference finals. In 2025-26, the Golden Knights have held first place in the Pacific Division for most of the season, sitting five points ahead of Seattle post-Olympic break. Every head-to-head with Vegas carries playoff-seeding implications: the difference between a division berth and a wild-card slot could mean drawing one of the Central Division's behemoths — Colorado, Minnesota, or Dallas — in round one. That's the stakes every time these two share the ice.
Kraken Fans Need One Briefing That Cuts Through the Chaos
Three head coaches in five years. Back-to-back losing seasons in 2024 and 2025. A front-office teardown and rebuild — all while trying to track a wild-card race that shifts nightly. Kraken fans don't have time to refresh eight different tabs before work. Scoutcast delivers a personalized audio briefing every morning built specifically around the Kraken: standings updates, Lane Lambert's latest press conference takeaways, Joey Daccord's save percentage trends, and trade deadline fallout — all in under five minutes. Whether you're commuting across the 520 bridge or hiking Tiger Mountain, you'll never miss a move that matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Kraken offer season ticket memberships through their official site, with waitlist options for full-season packages and partial-plan availability at Climate Pledge Arena. With the team in a playoff push, demand is high — check SeattleKraken.com for current inventory and pricing tiers.
As of mid-March 2026, the Kraken sit at 29-24-9 in the second Western Conference wild-card spot, three points ahead of Nashville and one point behind Utah for the first wild-card slot. With roughly 20 games remaining and a crammed schedule, every game is essentially a playoff game.
Lane Lambert was hired in May 2025 after the Kraken dismissed Dan Bylsma following back-to-back losing seasons. Lambert brings NHL head coaching experience and familiarity with several current Kraken players, including Bobby McMann, who played under him previously. He's the franchise's third head coach in five years.
Yes — and he's staying. Eberle was signed to a two-year contract extension at the March 2026 trade deadline, locking up the veteran captain through at least the 2027-28 season. His 19-goal pace in 2025-26 makes it one of the best seasons of his 16-year career.
The rivalry is rooted in shared Pacific Division real estate and a painful playoff memory: Vegas eliminated Seattle in Game 7 of the 2023 second round, one win short of the conference finals. In 2025-26, Vegas has led the division most of the year, keeping the head-to-head stakes as high as ever.
Seattle acquired forward Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 6, 2026, sending a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick in return. McMann brings 19 goals, 135 hits, and elite skating speed to a Kraken roster in desperate need of playoff-push energy.
The AHL affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds have produced some of the Kraken's most exciting pipeline talent, including top prospects Jagger Firkus and Jani Nyman, both among the AHL's top scoring leaders alongside veteran center Logan Morrison in the 2025-26 season.