Seattle Kraken 2024-25 Season Schedule Preview – Hockey Writers – Seattle Kraken
NHL teams revealed their regular season calendars in July. All 82 team days are important. But beyond these circumstances, it is worth highlighting some special nights and sequences. It may be because one's preferred franchise is playing a historic or regional rival, because it is a rematch of last season's finals, or because the new signing will be facing former teammates. There is no bad choice. Today we look at the key sequences in the Seattle Kraken's 2024-25 schedule. These moments of the season may reveal a lot about where the club stands in relation to last season's disappointments with their 31 league rivals. Let's talk.
October: Puck Drop Versus Close Competition
The Kraken open the season at home on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Despite the Global Series featuring New Jersey and the Buffalo Sabers (Oct. 4 and 5), the Kraken hosted a first-ever game at the unusual start time of 4:30 pm before other games later that night.
The premise of this game as a point of interest goes beyond the fact that it's the season and the home opener. The guests that afternoon will be St. Louis Blues. Before the wheels really started to fall off for the Kraken last season, St. Seattle ended up finishing behind by 11 points, but that was due to a disappointing final week of play, including a loss at St. Louis. Opening night (opening day?) will make for an interesting measuring stick as to which, if any, contenders have made strides in the offseason.
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Likewise with the team's next tournament. After a few days off, they went to Minnesota to play the Wild on Saturday, October 12. The latter also missed the postseason, finishing the regular season with 87 points to the Kraken's 81. Actually, another club that Seattle fought against. plenty of time in the second half of last season to punch their ticket to the playoffs.
We will find out early how this team plays under new coach Dan Bylsma.
With a little selfishness, the author would like to point to Seattle's Oct. 29 against the Montreal Canadiens in La Belle province. It was the only time all season that the writer was able to watch the club in person.
November: Water Wars
There was an intense rivalry late last season when the Kraken hosted the toothless San Jose Sharks. In a rare display of determined aggression, the hosts fired 50 times on San Jose's net, but could only score once in a 3-1 upset loss. Granted, the Kraken's postseason aspirations were over by then, but the loss was as upsetting as it gets. Two things can be true at the same time; the Krakens were far away but losing to the Sharks, at least at home, was inexcusable. Such mistakes cannot be repeated in 2024-25. Matches against Pacific Division rivals, especially those with steep climbs to climb, must be seen as opportunities to score a few points.
How about eight points?
As of Nov. 25 to 30, Seattle plays the Anaheim Ducks twice (the 25th away, the 27thth at home) and the Sharks twice (the 29th away, 30th at home). Yes, San Jose drafted Macklin Celibrini but that alone does not make them world beaters. The Chicago Blackhawks had Connor Bedard last season and he was awful. If Kraken fans are to be believed, less than seven points – through overtime or a shootout loss – would be a lost opportunity. This is a quartet of “taking care of business” games.
December: Beasts of the East
Of course, some Seattle fans are looking forward to December 17th against the Ottawa Senators and the 19th.th against the Blackhawks as good opportunities for easy points. Before getting there, the Kraken must go through a killer lineup of Eastern Conference powerhouses. Just as playing against the bottom dwellers can mean a lot, so can competing against clubs that could be Stanley Cup contenders in June 2025.
Related: 4 goals for the Seattle Kraken for the 2024-25 season
Sunday at 8th Seattle spends the afternoon in bustling Manhattan to play the New York Rangers, who captured the Presidents Trophy last season and reached the Eastern Conference finals. That concludes the road trip in New York state.
They return home to play the non-champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday the 10thth as Brandon Montour faces his former side. Two days later they hosted the big, bad Boston Bruins. To complete it, Saturday the 14thth sees the Tampa Bay Lightning strike in the Pacific Northwest. Talk about war testing.
January: Road Trip
The Kraken will be going on several road trips this season. However, this one in mid-January feels like it will be especially important. For the record, Seattle has three of a five-game streak, but this is a formidable East Coast road trip. Since Jan. 9 to 16, Seattle will play five times, four in the Eastern time zone.
In addition, several games are against Eastern Conference versions of the Blues and Wild; teams that played high quality hockey last season but just missed the play-offs. At 9th the Kraken visit the Columbus Blue Jackets, 11 p.mth they meet the Buffalo Sabers, the Detroit Red Wings on the 12thththe Pittsburgh Penguins at 14thand finally the Winnipeg Jets on the 16thth.
Some fans may recall that the Kraken had a successful road trip in 2022-23 that played a big role in helping the team finally make the playoffs. That same mojo will be needed again in January 2025.
February: Fewer Games As 4 Nations Face-off
As has been the case for the past few seasons, the league reduces the load on teams in February. NHL 4 Nations Face-Off
The festivities, which replace the All-Star Game, will take place during an extended break where players and coaches can take time to reset. Seattle only plays seven games all month.
That said, the weekend in Florida (22n.d and 23rd) against the Panthers and the Lightning will be on the lookout.
March: Western Contenders
Think of this sequence as the Western Conference's version of what was discussed in the December calendar.
The Kraken played five of 22 gamesn.d on the 31stSt, with four teams competing in the Western Conference finals last season. How can it be four when only two clubs can reach that far? Well, because they visit the Edmonton Oilers on the 22ndn.dtreat them on the 27thth (after playing the Calgary Flames on the 25thth), then hosted the Dallas Stars for a duo on the 29thth and 31St.
Besides matchups against the Rangers, Panthers, and Bruins, these are the most important home games for the Kraken. Last season, this team recorded only 17-18-6. That's not good enough for a playoff push. Some will bemoan the poor planning of the NHL, but when one is in the trenches, one must make the most of it.
April: The Last Home Stretch
There is a certain poetic beauty to the end of the common period. Assuming Seattle is the best outfit in 2024-25, by April they will be, at the very least, solidifying their playoff position or, at worst, still fighting for one. After another five-match road trip, they will host the Blues on Saturday the 12thth and finally the Los Angeles Kings on the 15thth.
In a perfect world, the Blues would be in Seattle on the 15thth (booking their season-opening tour), but it's close enough. The Kings are a divisional rival that makes for a compelling measuring stick, especially when both are headed to the playoffs.
As mentioned in the introduction, every game has importance. The bottom line is that whoever the 2024-25 Kraken is, these are the games and moments of the season that will go a long way to define it. With only two months to go, the countdown continues.
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