The Seattle Kraken are getting ready to host the Utah Mammoth for their first matchup of the 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) season. This game marks the second of a four-game homestand for the Kraken. With Seattle beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime to kick off the homestand, the Kraken will do everything they can to make sure they remain in the win column in this game.
Douglas remains out of the lineup
During the offseason, the Kraken signed forward Curtis Douglas to a two-year contract with an average-annual value (AAV) of 1.25 million dollars. The forward previously played for the Vancouver Canucks, where he played in 14 games last season and scored one goal and recorded one assist. When the Kraken signed Douglas, it appeared as though he was finally going to get his chance to play in the NHL full-time. Now, it doesn't look like the case.
For the eighth-straight game, Douglas is skating as an extra forward. Since he is not part of one of the four forward lines, he will likely be sitting this one out. Douglas last played in the Kraken's home opener on Oct. 4, only recording 7:46 of ice time.
Douglas was signed by the Kraken in the attempt to fill a role Seattle has been lacking: an enforcer role. He's not heavy in the offensive department, but with his size coming in at 6'7", he is great at laying players out on the ice. However, that is not the approach the Kraken needs right now. Seattle is in a good place in the standings to start off the 2026-27 season. They need to continue generating offense to try to remain high up on the leaderboard. With the 12 forwards the Kraken have on their roster right now, they are meeting those requirements.
Douglas was a great pickup for Seattle, but his time to play in the NHL full-time hasn't come just yet. His time will come, and the Kraken will be ready for him when the time is right. For now, they will continue to rely on the younger players, such as Berkly Catton and Ryan Winterton to provide the scoring edge Seattle currently needs.
Kraken have only beaten the Mammoth at home
Heading into this game, the Kraken have a 2-4-0 record against the Mammoth. The only two times Seattle has beaten the Mammoth were their first two games against them; both of these games were played in Climate Pledge Arena.
When the Kraken traveled to Utah in the 2024-25 season, that was the first time they lost to the Mammoth. In the 2025-26 season, Seattle was swept by the Mammoth in the season series.
Perhaps the home ice advantage will do the Kraken some good against the Mammoth tonight. Hopefully the Kraken can change the losing tide against the Mammoth and keep the winning momentum rolling during this homestand.
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