Friday’s announcement by the Kraken was that Shane Wright, center for the Kraken, has been assigned to the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.
Wright, who celebrated his 19th birthday Thursday in a memorable fashion, led Team Canada to a Gold Medal at the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Halifax, NS. Wright’s Canada goal made it 2-0. This was crucial because Czechia had scored two goals in the final minutes of overtime.
Wright was a part of eight Kraken games, and scored his first NHL goal against Montreal Dec. 6. He was then loaned out to Team Canada that day. His teammates in Seattle and his coaches were impressed by his toughness and poise on the ice. He was also eager to get to know all the details required for the NHL, such as how to play pucks off the walls or what it takes to keep the net front for rebound and tip-in chances.
Francis said, “We are very proud of Shane’s performance at World Juniors. He helped captain Team Canada to the gold medal.” He has a promising NHL career with the Kraken, and now has the opportunity to coach his junior team in their quest for a Memorial Cup. We are looking forward to following him throughout the season, and we wish him all the best.”
Wright’s assignment is not unusual. It is a common path for North American top prospects. Even those who are selected in the Top 5 to 10 spots in the NHL Draft, Wright’s reassignment was no surprise. A teenager who makes it to the NHL out of camp is rare. However, he or she stays with the team after nine games. A young prospect who appears in more than 10 NHL games during a season “burns” the three-year standard entry contract all NHL rookies are required to sign.
Examples abound: Matty BeniersHe was just 19 years old when he was named an NHL All-Star in his first season. Mason McTavish was a promising forward for Anaheim, scoring seven goals and 15 assists as a rookie. He also played with Memorial Cup champion Hamilton last year (on the same line with Ryan Winterton, 2021 Kraken third rounder) before playing in the 2022 World Junior Championship.
Wright lost a whole year due to the pandemic. Each NHL GM will tell you that the lost year slows down every OHL player’s growth.
Another example: Chicago Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews, a future Hall of Famer and three-time Stanley Cup Winner, will induct his fellow-center player on the strength of their two-way play. Toews was No. Toews was drafted No. 3 in 2006 NHL Draft. As an 18-year old, he was not selected for the Chicago roster. Instead, he returned to NCAA University of North Dakota with Dave Hakstol as his coach. This season saw him grow as a leader and player for the team that reached the Frozen Four.
The NHL has only allowed Wright to join the Seattle junior hockey team. This is per an agreement between the NHL and the elite Canadian Hockey League. It includes the OHL (Old Hockey League), Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The just-turned-19-year-old, who won a gold medal on his birthday Thursday, isn’t eligible for the American Hockey League because there is a long-standing protocol that if an 18-year-old or 19-year-old (age as of the start of the hockey season) doesn’t remain on the NHL active roster, the player must return to his junior team.
The Kraken loaned Wright, an AHL affiliate of Coachella Valley in November for a conditioning assignment. A team can send five players who have missed at least five games consecutively to the NHL for up to five games, or a maximum period of two weeks. This tool is often used by teams to help with everything, from helping players find more ice-time like Brandt Clarke in Los Angeles (2022-223). Clarke, a crucial defenseman and teammate of Wright during the 2023 gold medal team, was an important player.
Wright was a star with the AHL Firebirds. He scored four goals in five matches and got top-line shifts during the 5-on-5 and power play.
Wright participated in Kraken training and development camps. He was part of the active roster for the NHL’s season. Wright worked hard during morning skates and practices, making sure he wasn’t late to go. Additional development was done with Paul McFarland, assistant coach and Matt Larke, player development coach.
Wright was on the ice for less than 10 minutes in six of eight Kraken contests. The other contests took 11 and 14 minutes. This is less about Wright’s potential as a young center, but more about Kraken’s roster of NHL-trained forwards for a team with a current record of 21-12-4.
As recently as Thursday’s victory in Seattle, Coach Dave Hakstol stated that “a good player” was what he meant. [forward] Who deserves to be in our lineup?” is an active scratch every game night. Ryan Donato The scratch was made by forwards on Thursday Morgan Geekie While newcomer, he sat out 2 games Eeli Tolvanen He waited 19 days before seeing his first Kraken action, but he made the most of the opportunity this week by scoring two power-play goals as well as a primary assist in Edmonton’s game-winning goal Tuesday.
Kingston currently ranks fifth in the OHL Eastern Conference. This will increase the team’s chances of winning in the OHL playoffs. It also increases the chance for Kingston to advance to the Memorial Cup which is the championship tournament for all three CHL leagues. It is easy to see how the OHL’s Eastern Conference teams struggle to earn that trophy.