The Kraken's Brutal Truth: Four Playoff Misses in Five Years and a Roster That Needs Serious Help

The exit interviews are done. The season is officially over. And Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill and CEO Tod Leiweke stood in front of the cameras this week to face the music: another playoff miss. This is the fourth time in five years the Kraken have watched the postseason arrive without them. The painful part? For most of the season, it actually felt like something was working.

Lambert Squeezed More Out of This Team Than Anyone Had a Right to Expect

Here's the thing about Year 1 under coach Lane Lambert: he kept the Kraken competitive way longer than this roster had any business being. For three-quarters of the season, they played so far beyond what seemed possible that playoff hope wasn't crazy talk. Sure, that hope was fueled partly by the fact that the Pacific Division was dreadful, but five and a half months of believing? That's not something you take for granted with a team like this.

Lambert's style of hockey wasn't always beautiful to watch, but he made something out of nothing. His willingness to bench veterans in favor of young call-ups showed he wasn't afraid to shake things up. And here's what matters most moving forward: the players respected him. Exit interviews made it clear that Lambert got a roster that was mostly established to buy into how he coached and his system. They may not have always played the smartest brand of hockey, but they played his way. That respect means Lambert's first year has to be viewed as a success, and it's why Botterill is already involving Lambert heavily in planning meetings for next season. His voice carries weight in the organization now.

But let's be real: respect is nice, but wins are what matter. We still need to see more from Lambert on the ice to buy into higher ambitions like a perennial playoff team.

The Roster Needs a Serious Overhaul

After the Olympic break, the Kraken fell apart going 7-17-2 down the stretch. That collapse exposed what everyone's been worried about: what they have isn't working. Botterill said this week he wanted to upgrade his forwards, and frankly, it's past time to stop banking on the underperforming expansion draft core coming through like it did in 2023.

Matty Beniers looks safe. Berkly Catton, weak as his rookie numbers were, probably stays. Chandler Stephenson's contract will be tough to move. But everyone else should at least be on the table. The front office needs to be willing to make tough calls and let some familiar names go, even if it stings. They got Bobby McMann in the door, which is a solid move, and they'll need to pay him to stay. He's fast, talented, and here right now. That matters.

The Kraken have other action items too. They can't afford to overpay for anyone when there's serious work to do across the entire roster. The question now is whether Botterill and company have the stomach to actually make the moves necessary to turn this around.

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