Seattle Kraken Fall Out of Playoff Spot After Loss to Avalanche

Kraken drop fourth straight, lose ground in wild card race

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:49am

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The Seattle Kraken fell out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference after a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. The Kraken looked overmatched against the league-leading Avalanche, who scored three unanswered goals in the first period to take control of the game. The loss, Seattle's fourth straight, dropped them a point behind the San Jose Sharks for the second wild card spot.

Why it matters

The Kraken had been clinging to the final playoff spot, but this loss, coupled with the Sharks' win earlier in the day, has knocked Seattle out of the postseason picture for now. With 18 games left, the Kraken still have time to regain their footing and secure a playoff berth, but this lopsided defeat against the powerhouse Avalanche is a concerning setback.

The details

The Avalanche jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, with goals from Martin Necas, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nicolas Roy. Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans scored a shorthanded goal in the second period to make it 3-1, but Colorado quickly restored their three-goal advantage. Nazem Kadri and Joel Kiviranta added late goals for the Avalanche, who outshot the Kraken 34-22 on the night.

  • The Kraken have lost four straight games and six of their last eight since the Olympic break.

The players

Seattle Kraken

The NHL hockey team based in Seattle, Washington.

Colorado Avalanche

The NHL hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, and the league leaders with 97 standings points.

Bobby McMann

A forward acquired by the Kraken at the trade deadline who has been unable to join the team due to visa issues.

Lane Lambert

The head coach of the Seattle Kraken.

Jason Botterill

The general manager of the Seattle Kraken.

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What they’re saying

“It's extremely disappointing right now, the uncertainty. We traded for him for a reason, to help our hockey club. Having him not be available to help our hockey team hurts our hockey team.”

— Lane Lambert, Head Coach (Kraken Audio Network)

“But they had a history of playing in the United States, so they have their green card, or permanent residence card, or they have citizenship already. It's a little bit out of our hands.”

— Jason Botterill, General Manager (Kraken Audio Network)

What’s next

The Kraken have 18 games remaining in the regular season to try and regain a playoff spot. Their next game is against the San Jose Sharks, a crucial matchup in the wild card race.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the Kraken's struggles since the Olympic break and the challenges they face in overcoming a depleted roster and visa issues with a recent trade acquisition. If they are to make the playoffs, they will need to quickly turn things around and find a way to overcome the powerhouse Avalanche, who appear poised to be their first-round opponent.