Seattle Kraken beat Sharks to snap 4-game skid after roster shake-up

Kate Shefte, The Seattle Times on Dec 21, 2025

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The Kraken ended their latest losing streak at four games, responding to a roster shake-up with a 4-2 road victory against the San Jose Sharks.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren’s first Kraken goal offered his team a third-period lead Saturday night. Unlike the previous two games, they held onto it.

Their most recent regulation win came a month earlier, Nov. 20. The Kraken (13-14-6) won their second game in 12 tries.

The previous night, Kraken general manager Jason Botterill called off the Mason Marchment experiment just 29 games in. He and Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell worked out a deal Friday night and reportedly pushed it through with less than 30 minutes to spare until the NHL’s holiday roster freeze took effect.

Botterill got a slightly better return compared to what he paid for Marchment in June. Columbus sent over a 2026 fourth-round selection and a 2027 second-round pick. Marchment is in the final season of a four-year contract that carries a $4.5 million cap hit. No salary was retained in the trade.

Marchment left the Kraken in San Jose. He scored in his first game with the Blue Jackets on Saturday night, just like he did in his first game with the Kraken on Oct. 9. Funny enough, both debuts were against the Anaheim Ducks.

With one fewer forward, the Kraken adjusted.

“As far as trade talks go, we’ll leave that to (Botterill),” Kraken coach Lane Lambert said. “We’ve had to shuffle our lines around a little bit here.

“It’s going to give some other players opportunities. That’s the way we’ve done it all year long, whether it be through injuries or now this situation.”

Ryan Winterton re-entered the lineup and Kaapo Kakko teamed up with Matty Beniers. Those two were together for a long stretch last season after Kakko was traded to the Kraken from the New York Rangers. Jordan Eberle, another longtime linemate of Beniers, was on his other side.

During the first period in San Jose, Igor Chernyshov stared down Joey Daccord (34 saves), but the Kraken goalie didn’t budge. Then came Macklin Celebrini, 19 years old and third in the NHL in goals with 53. The 2024 top overall pick tried and failed to bank the rebound in off Daccord’s skate.

Marchment might not have worked out, but the Kraken’s other 2025 offseason acquisitions — except for goaltender Matt Murray, who’s injured — picked up the slack Saturday. Freddy Gaudreau looked determined to spark the Kraken offense and put a game-high five shots on net, all during the first period.

Fellow summer pickup Lindgen was active throughout and second among Kraken defensemen in ice time. He led the team with 37 penalty minutes and was the one in the penalty box serving a slashing call when the Sharks scored their first goal on the power play.

The Kraken were barely keeping the Sharks at bay in the second period when Eeli Tolvanen scored an unassisted goal. Both teams jabbed the puck slowly down the ice until Tolvanen took over at the blue line. He sent a wrist shot between the legs of Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (28 saves).

It was encouraging, but the lead only held up for about four minutes. With Lindgren in the penalty box, Celebrini’s shot off a faceoff hit a Sharks player in front, went off Jamie Oleksiak’s back and landed in the crease for Adam Gaudette, who tapped in the rebound.

San Jose’s Collin Graf and Seattle’s Ryker Evans traded goals in the first two minutes of the third period, then Lindgren tossed a high shot at Askarov from well out. It made it through several passing players and in.

Seattle has allowed nine empty-net goals this season per StatMuse, tied for fifth-most in the NHL. It found itself in the unusual position of having the opponent’s net empty, and Chandler Stephenson sealed the win by scoring into the empty cage. Stephenson has points in eight straight games (five goals, four assists).

Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (upper body) missed a second straight game after suffering an apparent injury in a scrum Tuesday against Colorado. Lambert said he was continuing to be evaluated. Montour rolled around on the ice with Brent Burns and left immediately afterward. Seventh defenseman Josh Mahura subbed in for a second straight game.

Nineteen-year-old Kraken rookie Berkly Catton, Lambert said, is “getting close” to returning from an upper-body injury.

________