Ryan Winterton’s first full NHL season gave the Kraken a little more depth, a little more pace, and a reminder that development in the bottom six still matters.
Winterton appeared in 68 games for Seattle in 2025-26 and finished with 18 points, scoring four goals and adding 14 assists. He also picked up one game-winning goal.
For a player in his third season on NHL ice, it was the first time he was in the lineup full time, and the season came with some real personal weight as well. Winterton missed a few games because of illness and also stepped away for several games in March after his brother died.
The source material makes clear how hard that stretch was for the Winterton family, and especially for Ryan, who was very close with his brother.
The offense came in fits early on. Winterton needed nine games before getting on the board, and his first point of the season was an assist on Tye Kartye’s second-period goal.
Five games after that, he scored his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks. That goal opened the scoring for Seattle, though it also ended up being the Kraken’s only tally in the game.
Even in a loss, it was still a milestone moment for Winterton.
His best run came later in the year. From Dec. 29 through Jan. 5, Winterton put together a four-game point streak, starting it with a goal and then adding assists in the next three games.
Most of his time was spent where young forwards often learn the hard way: in the bottom six, mostly on the fourth line. That role gave him a chance to adjust to the NHL pace while playing alongside veterans like Frederick Gaudreau, who helped him along.
Winterton’s game fits that kind of spot. He can line up on either wing, he skates well, and his shot is still coming along.
Seattle already showed its trust in him with a two-year extension in the middle of the 2025-26 season. The deal carries an average annual value of $1.125 million, starts this season, and runs through 2027-28, when Winterton will become a restricted free agent.
For the season, Winterton gets a B-. He made it through his first full NHL campaign, produced at the level Seattle needed from him, and did it while handling a deeply difficult personal situation. Now that he’s got a full year under his belt, the Kraken should have a better sense of what they have - and Winterton should have a clearer runway into 2026-27.
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