Last year, three members of the Seattle Kraken helped Team USA win its first IIHF World Championship since 1933. What Joey Daccord, Matty Beniers and Mikey Eyssimont (now with Boston) accomplished in 2025, Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren hopes to defend starting Friday.
The World Championship, hosted by Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, runs from May 15 to 31. Lindgren, who hails from Burnsville, Minnesota, is the sole member of the Kraken on the 2026 US squad. No Seattle players are on Team Canada’s roster.
One other Kraken is participating in the 2026 Worlds, goalie Philipp Grubauer for Team Germany.
Kraken Who Won’t Be There
Several countries which had participation from Kraken players at the 2025 World Championship and February’s Olympics won’t have their services this time.
For Team Finland, that means no forwards Kaapo Kakko or Eeli Tolvanen. For Team Sweden, their roster won’t include defenseman Adam Larsson.
In addition, two national teams will have to do without eligible Kraken players still busy in North America. Forwards Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (Denmark) and Eduard Šalé (Czechia) are occupied with the 3rd round of the AHL playoffs for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s top farm team.
Team USA In International Hockey
Wait, that 1933 date doesn’t sound right. Didn’t Team USA win the gold medal at the Olympics this past February? Of course they did, matching American men’s hockey victories in 1960 and 1980. But those are considered separate from the World Championships.
Olympics vs. World Championships
A crucial difference between the tournaments is roster construction. For this year’s Olympics, the NHL shut down for two weeks so teams had access to the very best NHL players. Most past Olympics were restricted to amateurs, the case for the other two USA gold-winning squads.
World Championship rosters, especially for USA and Canada, are made up of NHLers from teams that either missed the playoffs or were eliminated in the 1st round. The same is true, to a lesser extent, for Sweden, Finland, and other participating countries.
That’s why members of the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes, for instance, aren’t available to join their home nation’s teams. Many eligible players also decline the opportunity to participate due to nagging injuries, other commitments, or a desire to take a break from hockey after a grueling season.
The 2026 field of 16 includes two new teams, Great Britain and Italy. The take the place of France and Kazakhstan, squads that finished last in their groups at the 2025 tournament.
Lindgren Entering Kraken Year 2
Known as a shot-blocker, Lindgren was able to have an unusually healthy 2025-26 season. He played 76 games for Seattle, scoring two goals with seven assists, averaging 18:20 TOI. He’s entering the second of a four-year, $18 million free agent contract signed in 2025.
2026 IIHF World Championship Schedule – Games Involving Kraken Players
Friday, May 15
7:20 a.m. PT Finland vs Germany (Grubauer)
1:20 p.m. PT USA (Lindgren) vs Switzerland
Sunday, May 17
3:20 a.m. PT Great Britain vs USA (Lindgren)
1:20 p.m. PT Germany (Grubauer) vs Latvia
Monday, May 18
7:20 a.m. PT Finland vs USA (Lindgren)
1:20 p.m. PT Germany (Grubauer) vs Switzerland
Wednesday, May 20
1:20 p.m. PT USA (Lindgren) vs Germany (Grubauer)
Friday, May 22
7:20 a.m. PT Germany (Grubauer) vs Hungary
Saturday, May 23
3:20 a.m. PT Latvia vs USA (Lindgren)
1:20 p.m. PT Austria vs Germany (Grubauer)
Monday, May 25
7:20 a.m. PT USA (Lindgren) vs Hungary
1:20 p.m. PT Germany (Grubauer) vs Great Britain
Tuesday, May 26
7:20 a.m. PT USA (Lindgren) vs Austria
Thursday, May 28
Medal Round Begins
Sunday, May 31
8:30 a.m. PT Bronze Medal Game
1:20 p.m. PT Gold Medal Game
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken ECHL Team Faces Eviction From Home Arena
