Pacific Division teams receive off-season grades

The Seattle Kraken have been graded 29th overall in their off-season performance, according to The Hockey News. Despite entering the summer with $18.4 million in cap space, the Kraken made minimal impactful acquisitions, securing only Mackie Samoskevich, who scored 12 goals and 32 points last season with the Florida Panthers.

This move raises questions about their ability to improve an offense that finished 28th in league goals-for. General Manager Jason Botterill attempted to acquire Dallas Stars RFA winger Jason Robertson, but the deal fell through, indicating challenges in attracting top talent.

The team also faced losses, including Eeli Tolvanen, Jaden Schwartz, and Jamie Oleksiak, which could exacerbate their depth issues. The Kraken’s struggles to develop key players like Shane Wright further complicate their future as they remain in a middle-ground position, unable to break into playoff contention while also missing opportunities for top draft selections.

With the current trajectory, it seems unlikely that the Kraken can compete with the top teams in the Pacific Division, such as the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights, unless they can secure elite talent moving forward.