The Seattle Kraken will have a Philipp Grubauer problem during 2026-27. They just don’t know what it is yet.
Of two concerns, the more likely is that the German goaltender won’t be able to replicate his strong 2025-26 season.
Let’s review Grubauer’s largely middling regular season career in Seattle. The Kraken signed him to a six year, $35 million deal in 2021 to cover up the defensive lapses young franchises are prone to. In years 1-4, Grubauer was largely unable to do that. His save percentages, with league average in parentheses: .889 (.907), .895 (.904), .899 (.903), and .875 (.900). His goals-against averages: 3.16 (2.92), 2.85 (2.97), 2.85 (2.91), and 3.49 (2.81).
Certainly far from Grubauer’s burden alone. The goalie was critical of former coach Dan Bylsma’s free-wheeling approach in 2024-25.
“Really, really hard,” he said this spring looking backwards a year. “Probably one of the hardest in my career. There was like a breakaway (against Seattle) each period. I don’t know what system we played, if there was a system.”
But neither did he provide the eraser to Kraken skater mistakes. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion with the Capitals even endured a demotion to AHL Coachella Valley. “It’s part of being a professional, going down there, working hard, helping the young kids, coming back up here, training hard in the summer and basically leaving it all on the table and proving people wrong.”
Veteran Kraken Goalie Became Comback Kid
Prove it he did in 2025-26, posting by far the best numbers of his Kraken career (2.65 GAA, .909 save %) – better by wide margins in each category than league average. To Grubauer’s credit, he had taken advantage of retooling his game during what he could have considered a minor-league exile.
“Pretty happy with the improvement and the steps I’ve made. I think going down helped me to be a better goalie, helped me to read situations a little bit different and adjust my game.”
It’s not a coincidence that the goalie coach who worked with Grubauer at Coachella Valley, Colin Zulianello, was promoted to the Kraken last season.
Grubauer added kudos for Kraken coach Lane Lambert’s stricter defensive structure. “You look at last year compared to this year, it’s been night and day. I can only think of a handful of games where we went into the last period and we didn’t have a chance. Five guys are working back. It allows us to take a step back and read the game a little bit different.”
All that provides hope Grubuaer can maintain his re-discovered talents. Still, he turns 35 in November, and must prove his first four Kraken regular seasons were the anomaly.
Oddly enough, the other potential Grubauer problem occurs if he performs ably again next season. We explore that in this space tomorrow.
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