Kraken Add Douglas
When he was claimed off waivers from the Utah Mammoth by the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 6th, 2025, then 25-year-old Curtis Douglas hadn’t played an NHL game yet. The 2018 4th-round NHL Draft pick of the Dallas Stars was trying to find a way to the big show with his 3rd different franchise.
After playing 26 games for the Bolts, picking up two assists and racking up 92 penalty minutes, he was waived at the latest trade deadline, March 6th, and added to the Vancouver Canucks roster.
Based on the reaction on local Vancouver radio, you’d think he was the second coming of Nikita Zadorov, although Douglas is a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward who’s not very effective, while 6-7, 255-pound defenseman Zadorov definitely can be.
It was remarkable how giddy a couple of the hosts were. Maybe, given the miserable NHL season in British Columbia, they were just hoping for some fights. Douglas had two with the Canucks. One on March 28th against fellow behemoth Adam Klapka of the Calgary Flames and the other on March 12th against Anaheim Ducks thug Jeffrey Viel.
Douglas finished his 12-game run with the Canucks with one goal and one assist. His lone NHL tally came in that same Anaheim game against Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal in the first period.
There’s no doubt the Kraken need to be tougher to play against, but a somewhat old time enforcer approach might be missing the mark. Douglas will be an imposing figure in front of the net and a threat to drop the mitts … when he’s not watching from the press box.
He got a two-year deal from the Kraken for $1.25-million per season.
Earlier Kraken:
— Strike! Kraken Prospect Aces Mariners Debut
