SEATTLE, Wash. — The Seattle Kraken are off to their strongest season start ever, even as the team continues to struggle offensively, averaging just 2.65 goals per game, the fourth lowest mark in the NHL.
Seattle’s season-high five-goal outburst in Thursday’s comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets offered hope that more scoring may finally be on the way. The victory lifted the Kraken to 8-4-5 and moved them within two points of the Pacific Division lead.
Their performance has drawn comparisons to low-scoring playoff teams of the past, including the 1969–70 Oakland Seals, who reached the postseason despite averaging only 2.2 goals per game. Former Seals defenseman and Poulsbo resident Bert Marshall, now 82, laughed at the parallel, noting that the Seals succeeded only because their division was filled with struggling expansion teams.
By contrast, the Kraken have succeeded on the strength of elite team defense, ranking 7th in the NHL at 2.76 goals allowed per game. Their current pace projects to a franchise-record 101 points, more than enough to contend for a playoff berth.
Still, head coach Lane Lambert says offensive improvement is essential. Lambert highlighted that Seattle generated 187 shot attempts over their previous three games, but more than 100 of those were either blocked or missed the net entirely.
“We’ve got to have a shot-first mentality,” Lambert said. “We can’t defer to passing. We need pucks to the net.”
Injuries have contributed to the slow offensive output. A group of key scorers who produced 99 goals last season—Jared McCann, Eeli Tolvanen, Mason Marchment, Kaapo Kakko, and Freddy Gaudreau—have combined for just seven so far. Several are currently injured or just returning to the lineup, which Lambert believes will help spark better production.
Lambert has also experimented with roster adjustments, including shifting center Shane Wright to the wing to create more shooting opportunities.
Thursday’s five-goal performance showed the kind of scoring burst the Kraken will need more frequently to avoid an 82-point pace that won’t qualify for the postseason.
Still, with strong defensive structure and signs of emerging offense, Seattle remains confident it can build on its record start.
https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/upon-further-review-making-the-most-of-every-goal