The most cryptic comments of the Seattle Kraken offseason – and really, there’s not a close second – were uttered by forward Jared McCann, a Kraken since Day 1.
A bit of context for McCann’s statement. He turned 30-years-of-age on Sunday. A former Vancouver Canucks 1st round draft pick, he’s also played for the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Kraken selected McCann in the 2021 expansion draft.
Since then he’s become the franchise leader in both single-season and all-time goals and points. He’s second to Vince Dunn in career Kraken assists, and behind only Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak in franchise games played.
Overall, the 6-foot-1, 191 pound forward from Stratford, Ont. has played 720 games over 11 NHL seasons. In simple terms, McCann is a veteran through-and-through.
Well, What Did McCann Say?
At an end-of-season media availability, McCann said part of his responsibility as a veteran is, “For the young guys, trying to help them as much as I could this year with growing. I feel like they’re a huge part of this organization moving forward.
“I’m just going to focus on being a good teammate, being there for them when they need it and, you know, a shoulder to rest on if they need that.”
Then came the cryptic part. “But moving forward here, we need guys to buy in and to take this very seriously, especially this summer. The younger guys need to take it more seriously when it comes to, you know, things change if you don’t win.
“We beat some good teams, Carolina, Tampa. The (lack of) consistency has been haunting us. We’ll go through a stretch of games we’re playing great, and then a long stretch where nothing’s going our way.
“There were times this year where we weren’t playing our best, and maybe we need to start screaming at guys. I know that’s not always the answer, especially with the younger generation coming in now. But maybe something to learn from for next year.”
Kraken Under-25 Club
Seattle in 2025-26 suited up nine players currently aged 24 or younger (excluding late-season goalie call-ups Nikke Kokko and Victor Ostman, and the since-traded Tye Kartye).
- Kaapo Kakko, 24 (Forward, 65 games)
- Ryker Evans, 24 (Defense, 67 games)
- Matty Beniers, 23 (Center, 82 games)
- Shane Wright, 22 (Center, 74 games)
- Ryan Winterton, 22 (Forward, 68 games)
- Jacob Melanson, 22 (Forward, 36 games)
- Jani Nyman, 21 (Forward, 28 games)
- Berkly Catton, 20 (Forward, 66 games)
- Oscar Fisker-Mølgaard, 20 (Forward, 13 games)
Decoding McCann’s sentiment is tricky. Would some in the Kraken under-25 club benefit from less being comforted and more being held accountable? Did some youngsters fall short in work habits, study habits, discipline, or other areas expected of major league athletes?
These are the kind of “inside-the-dressing-room” issues of which the specifics rarely come to light. It’s unlikely the summary of the organizational audit shown to fans will speak to this issue – if it is, in fact, an issue.
But if McCann is indeed hinting at a lack of commitment on the part of some younger Seattle players, those bad habits need to be addressed and eliminated. The leadership group of Kraken veterans needs to set no-nonsense standards of workplace attitudes and the coaching staff needs to monitor and reinforce those standards. Both groups need to maintain a zero-tolerance policy, keeping alert for any backsliding.
Kraken Youth Movement Expected To Accelerate
As the veteran core of the Kraken inevitably gives way to a wave of maturing prospects, the need for younger players to demonstrate the best versions of themselves will only increase.
So next season, if the sound of raised voices is audible inside the dressing rooms at Climate Pledge Arena and Kraken Community Iceplex, we’ll have a hint as to why.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Forgotten Footnotes; And Paw Notes
