Seattle Kraken management and ownership might not be giving Kraken fans enough credit.
Kate Shefte of the Seattle Times wrote, “The Kraken aren’t willing to commit to losing and sending fans streaming toward the exits with the promise of a brighter future.” Other local and national media have voiced the same worry, especially with the expected return of the expansion NBA Sonics.
Here’s an alternative take: what Kraken fans want most is to know their team has a plan it will commit to, stick with, and publicly acknowledge. If ownership shows vision, an already forgiving Seattle fan base will weather short-term pain for long-term contention.
Kraken Coach Sees The Future, And Likes It
Here’s what coach Lane Lambert said to his prospect-laden lineup in the visitors’ dressing room at the Saddledome, after Seattle youngsters had produced a 4-2 win Sunday over the Calgary Flames.
“I’m proud of the effort,” Lambert said before meeting the media. “There was a lot of honest commitment, blocking shots, battling in certain areas. It wasn’t pretty, but you found a way to win. I like the way we stuck together. You had each other’s backs. Well done.”
That’s a exciting formula Kraken fans will get behind, mistakes nonwithstanding, while they wait for wins to come on a regular basis.
Pacific Division Proof Of Concept
Patience through prospects, by the way, is exactly what the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks are banking on.
The approach has already paid dividends for three other Pacific Division rivals: Edmonton, San Jose and Anaheim. All three underwent painful multi-year rebuilds, as prospects learned together on-the-job. Throw in some draft lottery ping-pong ball luck, and the Cup window is now either open (Oilers) or opening wide (Sharks, Ducks).
The Kraken actually should have committed to a youth movement last season, perhaps even earlier. But that’s water under the Zamboni. Seattle TV voice John Forslund says the key word for the 2026-27 Kraken should be “direction,” not necessarily “wins.”
“What I want to see is clarity. That’s been the issue over the last couple of seasons. It’s almost unfair to lead the fans down a path of any kind of expectations today. I want a transition to younger players, where you can actually see a path to the future.”
Scott Maxwell of Daily Faceoff joined the chorus. “Will this season be the one that makes it obvious for Jason Botterill to commit to a rebuild? The public demands it. The Kraken have toiled in mediocrity, too good to have high draft picks but too bad to make the playoffs.
“The Kraken have spent the last three seasons doing a whole lot of nothing. And yet they continue to double down on their ‘win by committee’ team build and accumulate middle-lineup talent instead of hitting the reset button.”
In Part 2 of this analysis, why building expansion winners takes time – and that time is nearing.
