Shane Wright, Seattle Krakem (photo by Jen Goldberg, courtesy of Emerald City Hockey).
Seattle Kraken rookie Shane Wright has had a roller coaster last half of the year. And now there is a new wrinkle.
As a teenager, he was highly touted as a future NHL star. After being projected as the top overall pick in 2022, he slid down the ranks and fell into the Seattle Kraken’s lap at fourth overall.
Some organizations thought Wright had an attitude problem and would bring issues to the locker room. Maybe they overlooked the huge amount of talent he brings to the table. But with every rookie not named Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, or Sidney Crosby, there are growing pains.
In six months, Wright has gone from a top-five NHL pick to a healthy scratch for 5 games to a conditioning stint in the AHL, and now the Seattle Kraken loaned him to Team Canada for the World Junior Hockey Championship. Oh, and let’s not forget he scored his first career NHL goal!
One day, December 6, 2022, will be the answer to a trivia question – when did Shane Wright score his first NHL goal? It was on the Seattle Kraken’s home ice during the first game back from his 14-day conditioning stint with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Who was it against? None other than Montreal, the team who had the opportunity to select him with the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Wright ended up logging the most ice time of his young NHL career. When asked postgame how he felt about scoring his first goal, the young forward said:
“It is a pretty cool accomplishment and milestone, for sure. It is great to have these opportunities to create some momentum for the team. I am trying to continue building on my confidence. The AHL stint helped me adjust to the speed of the game and (scoring 4 goals in 5 games) really helped my confidence level.”
A reporter asked Wright if he had any added motivation to score against Montreal, the team that overlooked him at the draft. His response? “Maybe a little, but it was more important to me to score in the NHL after coming from my conditioning stint to show everyone the experience I gained. It did not matter who I was playing – I just wanted to show the time in the AHL helped me.”
There has been plenty of criticism about how Seattle Kraken General Manager Ron Francis and Head Coach Dave Haksol have handled Wright’s development. It is clear that Shane Wright has talent. He is too good for the Juniors and is ineligible to play full-time in the AHL because he’s only 18 years old.
Many believe Wright should be playing top-line minutes in the NHL, which is the only way he’ll continue to gain experience. In reality, allowing Wright to continue working with the coaching staff and further develop the mental side of the game will go further in his bright career.
Others feel that sending him back to the OHL is the best move. I think this would be a Grade A mistake.
Sure, it would give him ice time. But it would also stunt his growth.
Wright would put up 2-3 points a night, set franchise records, and skate circles around the other team as if it were a drill and they were the pylons. It’s hard to improve playing against inferior talent.
His 4 goals in 5 AHL games show that he’s ready to play as a professional. Wright just needs to hone his skills and develop confidence at the NHL level.
The young sniper gets a great opportunity to represent his country and play at the international level donning the red Maple Leaf for Team Canada at the WJC.
He’ll get plenty of playing time to stretch his legs before returning to the Seattle Kraken. Coach Dennis Williams should give Wright plenty of top-line minutes against the best young hockey stars in the world. This will further build his confidence so he can pick up where he left off against Montreal.
If I were a betting man, I expect to see Wright come back from the WJC and solidify a spot in the Seattle Kraken lineup, playing alongside someone like Yanni Gourde. If anyone knows about the grind it takes to make it in the NHL, it’s Gourde.
To create an everyday spot in the lineup for Wright, Francis will likely trade one of the team’s plethora of forwards.
Wright isn’t likely to play 20 minutes a night this season, which is okay. Fans will have plenty of opportunity to see Wright pot some highlight reel goals in the coming years. For now, tune in to the World Junior Championships beginning on December 26 to watch his growth.