With only one game remaining in October, the Seattle Kraken have roared to the best start in franchise history. After last night’s 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Kraken have earned eight wins and 17 points in their first 13 games of the 2026-27 season, both the most in franchise history through 13 games. For reference, last season’s Kraken had a .615 points percentage (PTS%) through 13 games, fewer wins (six), and six combined regulation and overtime losses. The more important comparison is to the 2022-23 season, when the Kraken qualified for the playoffs for the first and only time in franchise history. That team had seven wins and four regulation losses over the first 13 games but rattled off eight wins between November 8th and December 1st, leading the Western Conference in PTS% (.717 through 23 games) as a result. The Kraken eventually fell off that torrid pace and finished with a wildcard spot. Still, a hot stretch in the second month of the season (including going 6-0 against Pacific Division opponents) set the stage for the franchise’s best season to date. The Kraken will play seven games against Pacific rivals from November 1st to November 28th, including back-to-back games against the division-leading Edmonton Oilers to close out the month. With four more November games against teams ranked 26th or lower in the league by PTS%, the Kraken could enter their first December game against the Dallas Stars, the first in the division and a contender for the conference lead. Is that far-fetched? Maybe so, as the Oilers lead the NHL in goals per game and are winning games thanks to their titanic triumvirate of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard, despite a rash of injuries. The Pacific’s other Stanley Cup contender is the Vegas Golden Knights, who are behind the Oilers by PTS%. While the Kraken and the Oilers face among the league’s easiest remaining schedules, the Golden Knights are closer to the middle of the pack and will only play two teams ranked 27th or lower in PTS% across all of November. Opponent strength only means so much when each team operates at a different level of control, determining how much they can exploit the softness of their upcoming schedule. Let’s look at how the three Pacific pacesetters are faring at five-on-five over a month of play. StatisticVegasEdmontonSeattleShots54.5%46.4%45.4%Expected goals53.8%46.5%41.7%Scoring Chances51.8%49%43%High-Danger Chances53.3%46%45.2% The numbers suggest that, despite the standings, the Oilers and Kraken are a tier below the Golden Knights in five-on-five play. That admittedly excludes the impact of special teams, goaltending, and finishing talent, but around 75% of any given game is played at even strength and should carry the most weight in analytical discussions. Still, the Golden Knights aren’t among the league’s elite at five-on-five. They rank inside the top 10 (but not the top five) in shot share and expected goals share....
At some point, you have to stop calling these games frustrating and start admitting there’s something seriously wrong with Oregon’s offense. Saturday’s...
