Kraken Become Last Team Without Captain

The Seattle Kraken have options when it comes to filling their captaincy role.

Feb 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Kraken left wing Jared McCann (19) celebrates with center Matty Beniers (10) after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

With Clayton Keller being named captain of the Utah Hockey Club, the Seattle Kraken now stands as the only NHL team without a captain. The Kraken are about to enter their fourth season in the league and have only had one captain in that time.

When the Kraken opened up shop as a franchise in the NHL, they named veteran defenseman Mark Giordano as their first captain. Not even a full season later, they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Kraken have been without a captain since the 2022 trade deadline. They’ve had some names that could take over as the locker room leader, but no one has stuck out as true captain material.

They don't need to fill the captaincy role for the 2024-25 season, but the Kraken do have a few names that could fit as the second captain in franchise history. Names like Jordan Eberle or Jared McCann come to mind right away.

They’ve been there since the start of the franchise and are some of the most recognizable names for hockey in the Pacific Northwest. Same goes for defensemen like Vince Dunn or Jamie Oleksiak.

To be captain in Seattle, however, it would be smart to focus on someone who is committed to being around for a while. This is what makes Matty Beniers a prime candidate.

Beniers just signed an eight-year contract with the Kraken and was their first-ever draft pick in 2022. He played 10 games of their inaugural season, then followed that up with a 2022-23 campaign where he won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

Age might make Beniers a premature captain in the NHL, seeing that he’s only 21, but he has a bright future, is expected to be a leader, and can lead the Kraken to glory.

Outside of Beniers, Dunn and McCann would be other top candidates. They have three years remaining on their contracts and will likely be approached about extensions when the time comes.

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