The Seattle Kraken’s Tuesday practice came with a fresh look, and not just because the team is between games. With Wednesday’s matchup against the Calgary Flames on deck, Seattle skated in preparation for a quick turnaround against the same opponent it faced Friday.
The biggest change was Matthew Wood’s arrival on the ice. Seattle acquired the forward from the Nashville Predators on Sunday in the Shane Wright trade, and Wood was immediately slotted into practice on a line with Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau. It was his first skate with the Kraken in his new colors.
Not everyone was available, though. Curtis Douglas did not take part in practice, and the team said on social media that he is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Douglas logged just 4:29 in the Kraken’s last game before leaving after a fight with Flames forward Adam Klapka early in the contest. He went down hard on the ice, and that may have been the moment the injury happened.
Seattle brought Douglas in during the offseason, signing him to a two-year contract in free agency. When he has been in the lineup, his role has been limited, with the Kraken seemingly using him mainly as a physical presence.
There was at least one encouraging sign elsewhere on the ice. Jacob Melanson skated for the first time since getting hurt, working in a red, no-contact jersey. It’s a step forward for a player who led the Kraken in hits last season and also gives Seattle some offense along with that bruising edge.
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Krakens Newest Addition Already Hints At A Bigger Role
Matthew Wood was on the ice for his first practice with the Kraken after arriving in a trade from the Nashville Predators, a quick introduction that gave Seattle its first real look at the newest piece in the room. The young forward sounded pleased with the move and with the change of scenery, while coach Lane Lambert offered an early read on Woods style and how he might fit as he settles into the group.
For the Kraken, the timing makes Wood an intriguing addition because there is still plenty to sort out around how he will be used and how quickly he can get comfortable in the system. Lamberts comments suggested the team sees more than just a depth option here, and Woods first day with the club was enough to hint that his role could grow sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Larsson Says This Kraken Trip Feels Personal For One Reason
Adam Larsson has spent enough time in the Nordic hockey world to know how much the game is tied to place, and the Kraken defenseman said the trip to Helsinki carries a familiar kind of weight. Ahead of Seattles NHL Global Series games in Finland, he talked about growing up in Sweden and seeing the same deep local loyalty that shapes hockey culture across the region, where hometown teams mean a little more and the community tends to follow along closely.
For Larsson, the appeal is as personal as it is professional, because this is the kind of stage where friends and family can be in the building to watch. Goalie Philipp Grubauer offered a similar perspective from Germany, describing a hockey upbringing that felt connected to the broader European game and saying Finland brings back those memories, which gives this trip a different feel as Seattle prepares for a rare overseas showcase. [Read more 🡒]