Shane Wright Could Be Fed To Sharks Monday After Callup By Kraken

Shane Wright (above photo) has become the latest forward addition to the Kraken Kiddie Korps.

Wright joins March callups from AHL Coachella Valley Logan Morrison and Ryan Winterton. A fourth rookie, defenseman Ryker Evans, has spent most of the season in Seattle after starting with the Firebirds.

Wright has scored 20 goals and 23 assists in 56 AHL games this season, helping the Firebirds to the top of the Western Division standings.

However, he's been limited to three goals in his last 19 games.

2022's fourth overall choice in the NHL Draft could suit up Monday when the Kraken begin a three game road trip in San Jose.

The Sharks have had four losing streaks of nine or more games, snapping their latest skid Saturday via a 4-0 shutout of St. Louis. The Kraken used back-to-back victories last week over Anaheim to erase their second eight game losing streak of 2023-24.

Saturday's Not All Right For Kraken

Seattle's four game homestand concluded with a thud, in the form of a 3-0 shutout by the Dallas Stars. According to AP, "Seattle will finish the regular season as the only NHL team winless at home on Saturdays."

Three Is The Winning Number

The Kraken offense has been on a yearlong starvation diet, cranking out a measly 2.6 goals per game. Only the Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks - all three in the midst of major rebuilds - have scored less.

The shame is that improved goaltending and attention to defense has earned Seattle the 8th best goals-against, 2.84 per game.

Shocking statistic: when the Kraken can muster three goals or more, they've only lost two times in regulation all season (25-2-9).

Kraken Must Escape "Mushy Middle"

At The Hockey News mothership, columnist Adam Proteau isn't waiting for the end of this season to forecast what the Kraken should be doing for 2024-25.

Proteau lumps the Kraken with St. Louis, Minnesota, and Calgary in the "Mushy Middle" of the Western Conference. "It’s better to be either in the playoffs or far, far away from them, and that’s the challenge for those four teams next season."

For Seattle specifically, the prescription continues to be stay the course. "Seattle GM Ron Francis is well-aware he has to be patient with his team. The Kraken have $19.7 million in projected cap space next season, but we suspect Francis won’t use all of it and aim to carve out some cap flexibility to use during the season.

"Another season or two of relative misery for Seattle should pay off down the line, and that’s probably preferable to another season like this one."