The Kraken Had Too Many Goalies, Then None at All. Here's What Happened Next

The Seattle Kraken went from a good problem to a crisis in about 48 hours. One day they had so many NHL-ready goalies that someone was always sitting out. The next day, everyone was hurt, away, or unavailable, and the organization was in full scramble mode heading into Saturday's matchup against Calgary.

Here's how it unraveled: Philipp Grubauer got injured on April 6 in Winnipeg. Joey Daccord played through a fall onto the ice Thursday and actually led Seattle to a 5-4 shootout win over Vegas, stopping four of five Golden Knights players. But he was banged up enough to miss practice Friday and wasn't available Saturday. Then there was Matt Murray, the veteran goalie GM Jason Botterill signed last summer specifically for moments like this. Murray was away from the team due to a family matter. He'd appeared in five games before landing on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, came off IR on March 10, and has backed up occasionally since, but hasn't seen game action since getting hurt.

Bringing Up the Kids

The Kraken had no choice but to call up their minor league prospects. First came 22-year-old Nikke Kokko, then 25-year-old Victor Ostman from their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. Both had appeared in relief last season but had never started an NHL game. Neither had been recalled this season because, well, there were too many goalies in the system.

Kokko and Ostman had been splitting time evenly with the Firebirds. Kokko carries a 3.10 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. Ostman has a 2.77 GAA and the 12th-best save percentage in the AHL at .907. Both have two shutouts for Coachella Valley.

Kokko's Moment

Kokko got the start Saturday against Calgary and delivered when it mattered. He was nervous before the game but settled into his pregame routine and played like he belonged. He allowed the first goal but then backstopped the Kraken to a 4-1 win, making 26 saves.

"He looked calm," teammate Matty Beniers said. "A calming presence in net calms the bench, calms the players."

The rookie showed some personality too. Late in the game with Calgary pulling goalie Devin Cooley for an extra attacker, Kokko launched the puck down the ice toward the empty net, trying to score. Calgary's Morgan Frost picked it off midair, but no damage done. After the game, when Kokko told the Climate Pledge Arena crowd he was going for a "goalie goal" before Daccord could get one, the place erupted. Daccord is known for his bold puckhandling and his desire for an empty netter. Kokko said he's wanted one for years and has had a few chances, though only one was really solid.

Coach Lane Lambert had no issue with it, as long as Kokko stayed smart about it. "If there's a time and a place for it, OK?" he said.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.