Seattle Kraken Seek Playoff Berth After Winter Olympics Break

The Kraken look to join the Mariners and Seahawks in the postseason with a strong finish to the regular season.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 11:19pm

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The Seattle Kraken return to play this week after the NHL's Winter Olympics break, currently sitting in third place in the Pacific Division as they look to make the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. The team was playing well before the break, winning six of their last eight games, and is hoping to recapture that momentum down the stretch.

Why it matters

The Kraken's playoff push comes as the city of Seattle has seen its other major sports teams, the Mariners and Seahawks, make deep playoff runs this season. A Kraken postseason berth would continue the excitement around professional sports in the city.

The details

The Kraken have just 26 games to play in 50 days to close out the regular season schedule. They currently sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 63 points, the second-best mark the team has had through 56 games in its five-year history. The team will need to find its legs quickly, with a back-to-back against the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues coming out of the break.

  • The Kraken return to play on Wednesday, February 28 and Thursday, March 1 with back-to-back games against the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues.
  • The NHL trade deadline is on March 6.
  • The Kraken have 26 games to play in 50 days to close out the regular season schedule.

The players

Jared McCann

A forward for the Seattle Kraken who was part of the team's playoff run last season.

Vince Dunn

A defenseman for the Seattle Kraken who was also part of the team's playoff run last season.

Lane Lambert

The head coach of the Seattle Kraken.

Kaapo Kakko

A Kraken player who won a bronze medal playing for Finland in the Winter Olympics.

Eeli Tolvanen

A Kraken player who won a bronze medal playing for Finland in the Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“It's exciting. I've been on both sides of it where we've been out at this point, so you want to be playing for something at this time.”

— Jared McCann, Forward (FOX 13 Seattle)

“A vacation is always nice, but I think the way we were playing and the feeling that we had in the dressing room right before the break was pretty good, and it's hard to let go of that and then get away from that.”

— Vince Dunn, Defenseman (FOX 13 Seattle)

“The way we were playing, we all wish we could have just kept going. But we knew the break was coming and the important thing was you played well going into the break and that was our focus.”

— Lane Lambert, Head Coach (FOX 13 Seattle)

What’s next

The Kraken will need to quickly find their rhythm coming out of the Olympic break, with a back-to-back against the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues on February 28 and March 1. The team will then return home to face the Vancouver Canucks on March 4.

The takeaway

The Kraken's playoff push comes at an exciting time for sports in Seattle, with the Mariners and Seahawks both making deep postseason runs this season. A Kraken playoff berth would continue to build momentum and excitement around hockey in the city.