The NHL Just Set the Kraken on a Wild Four-Game Sprint, and We NEED Them Ready

Alright, Emerald City, listen up, because this just dropped, and it’s a HUGE deal for our Kraken! The NHL just rolled out the 2026-27 preseason schedule, and it's basically a blink-and-you-miss-it affair. Our boys are only getting FOUR exhibition games before the puck officially drops on an expanded 84-game regular season. Four games! After missing the playoffs for the *third straight year* with that 34-37-11 record last season, this is an immediate, intense test for a team that desperately needs to find its rhythm fast. We’re talking about a full-on sprint right out of the gate, with zero room for error.

Our Preseason Schedule Is Here, and It's Packed Tight

So, what does this whirlwind schedule actually look like? It all kicks off at home on September 19th against those pesky Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena. Barely 24 hours later, the boys are on the road heading to the Saddledome to face the Calgary Flames on September 20th. Talk about a brutal back-to-back right away! Then, we get a little breather before welcoming Calgary to Climate Pledge Arena on September 24th, giving us 12s another chance to cheer them on at home. The preseason wraps up quickly with another road trip to Vancouver to battle the Canucks on September 26th. Seriously, it's just two home games, two road games, all over eight days. Get ready to snatch up those tickets when they go on sale later, because these games are going

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to feel like regular season intensity!

Why So Short? And Why GM Botterill Is Already Feeling the Heat

Why the sudden chop from six games down to four? Well, the NHL decided to expand the regular season to 84 games, which means preseason had to give. This isn't just a minor tweak, folks. Our General Manager, Jason Botterill, is already feeling the pressure, and he’s not mincing words about it. He said, and I quote, "Everything’s going to happen extremely fast this year. We have to get down to our team very quickly." You hear that? "Very quickly." After three seasons without a playoff appearance, the pressure is on for the Kraken to not just be good, but to be *great* from day one. This condensed preseason means the coaching staff, the players, everyone, has to hit the ground running. There's no time to experiment, no time to ease into it. They need to figure out those lines, nail down the defensive pairings, and get Joey Daccord warmed up like never before. This shortened schedule means zero excuses. The Kraken have to use every single minute of those four games to build chemistry and cohesion. It's an early test of character, an immediate challenge to show us, the fans, that this year is going to be different. We need them to gel, to play with that urgency Botterill is talking about. So, get ready to scream your lungs out, Seattle, because our Kraken are about to embark on a season that starts in hyper-drive, and we’re going to be right there with them, pushing them every step of the way!

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