Matthew Wood spent Tuesday morning on a line with Chandler Stephenson and Freddy Gaudreau, the Kraken’s first clear step in fitting the new right wing into the lineup before facing the Flames. It was a small practice change, but it told the story of where Seattle wants him: close to the puck, close to veteran voices, and ready quickly.
Wood arrived from Nashville on Sunday in exchange for Shane Wright, and the move landed hard enough to catch him off-guard. By Tuesday, though, he was already speaking like someone settling in fast. He said it was his first day in Seattle, that he was happy to be there, and that he was excited to get to work with everyone. Lane Lambert said the setup with Stephenson and Gaudreau was meant to make the transition easier while Wood learns a system the Kraken use a little differently.
The adjustment matters because Seattle has been scoring with real depth. The Kraken entered Tuesday tied with Carolina with 14 players who had scored multiple goals, and they ranked seventh in the NHL at 3.57 goals per game. That kind of production gives them room to test a new piece, but it also raises the bar for how quickly Wood has to fit in. He said he sees himself as an offensive player, someone who likes to score goals, while also stressing that the defensive side of the puck matters and that he wants to keep improving all parts of his game.
There is, however, no clean answer yet on how long this look will last. Lambert has a habit of mixing lines when he sees a fit, and Tuesday’s practice also showed a couple of other moving parts. Berkly Catton, Kaapo Kakko and Shane Wright formed the kid line, with Mackie Samoskevich taking Wright’s spot in that trio. Wright had three goals and one assist on that line, but had been held to one goal over the last 10 games, so the shuffle was not just about Wood. It was about finding something that works before the next game starts.
That next game comes against the Flames, and the Kraken know exactly what they want to clean up after their last meeting in Calgary. They won only 38% of puck battles in that loss, a number that points to the kind of detail work Seattle has been pushing since Sunday. Jacob Melanson was also back on the ice Tuesday in a no-contract red jersey after a serious chest injury on opening night more than a month ago, though Lambert said there is still no definitive timetable for his return. For Wood, the immediate task is simpler: learn fast enough to keep up with a team that expects him to help now.
