Kraken Prospects Open Preseason With 4-2 Win Over Canucks

The Seattle Kraken opened their preseason with a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, Sept. 19. Jani Nyman scored on a power play at 8:29 of the first period, and defenseman Ty Nelson added a goal with five seconds left in the period.

Oscar Fisker Molgaard helped set up Seattle’s third goal in the third period, finding Freddy Gaudreau, who fed Logan Morrison in the slot. Canucks forwards Braeden Cootes and Arshdeep Bains then brought Vancouver within a goal before Jake O’Brien scored off a pass from Jacob Melanson to restore the two-goal margin. Joey Daccord stopped all 14 shots he faced in the first two periods before Nikke Kokko took over in goal.

Molgaard centered a line with Nyman and Gaudreau. Kraken coach Lane Lambert said the young center looked sharper than he had during the recent Prospects Showcase: “He just keeps getting better when sort of the structure of the game gets better,” Lambert told the team’s website. “I thought he played very, very well.” Molgaard, whom Seattle selected 52nd overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, played 13 NHL games last season.

Seattle has four preseason games scheduled this fall. The Kraken travel to Calgary for their second exhibition on Sunday, giving more prospects a chance to show where they fit before the regular season.