Top Ten Kraken Goals To Live By 

An impromptu chat with a couple of Kraken staffers this week got the three of us involved in some franchise trivia about big goals scored in the team’s first four seasons.

It surprised me how many signature goals the team had already scored for a franchise that’s only played in 342 total contests including playoffs. And I figured, what’s wrong with looking back at some of those moments and ranking them in a top ten? The Kraken may not have a lot of history as a franchise, but they’ve already experienced moments that other teams have not encountered going on a half century or more.

So, with a fifth season looming and training camp just a month away, let’s look back at what I consider the 10 most important goals in franchise history. These aren’t necessarily the prettiest goals: Brandon Tanev had two highlight reel eye-poppers the first two months of Kraken existence. He also had the first game-winning goal in franchise history – albeit into an empty net with the opposing goalie pulled.

No, when I say “important” I am referring to goals that will stand the test of time. That when you look back years from now, you’ll say, “Oh yeah, I get why that’s on the list.” Feel free to disagree and send me your lists either by email or Twitter. The point is to recognize these for what they are and celebrate them.

10. Ryan Donato – Oct. 12, 2021, at Vegas: Donato’s was the very first goal in Kraken franchise history at 11:32 of the second period in the season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights. He wasn’t exactly on most bingo cards for this honor. At least, not the way Hall of Famer Newsy Lalonde was when scoring the first goal in Montreal Canadiens history some 115 years ago. Perhaps more like journeyman George “Paddy” Patterson scoring the first Toronto Maple Leafs goal in 1927. In any event, Donato’s backhand effort off a net front rebound keyed his team’s comeback from 3-0 down that saw them tie it in the third only to lose late when current Kraken centerman Chandler Stephenson kicked the…er, redirected the puck into the net with his skate.

9. Jared McCann – Oct. 30, 2023, at Tampa Bay: I chose this goal because the Tampa Bay Lightning were absolute misery for the Kraken their first two seasons. It was the Lightning, after all, who’d halted the Kraken’s franchise record eight game win streak in January 2023 with a decisive 4-1 win right at Climate Pledge Arena. Then, on the team’s second road trip of 2023-24, the Kraken blew a two-goal, third period lead and found themselves in overtime. That’s where McCann leaned into a slapshot that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy to deliver the Kraken’s first and thus far only win facing their Florida-based nemesis.

8. Andrei Burakovsky – Nov. 29, 2022, at Los Angeles: Some consider this 9-8 overtime win the most exciting Kraken game they’ve ever seen. After all, who doesn’t like a goal scored every 3:45 of regulation? Um, coaches. Then-Kraken coach Dave Hakstol referred to it as “shinny” hockey, which is old-school for labelling it one of the worst-played games in NHL history. But Burakovsky’s wrist shot goal from the right faceoff circle in overtime means it’s a game Kraken fans can laugh about because their team won. Not that Kings fans weren’t laughing. The entire NHL is still laughing, especially when watching replays of Burakovsky’s goal and seeing “8-8” up on the TV score-bug graphic.

7. Jordan Eberle – Nov. 4, 2021, vs. Buffalo: It took the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers 2 ½ seasons to register their franchise’s first hat trick, but barely three weeks for Eberle to turn the inaugural “trick” for the Kraken. He capped a three-goal night at 8:06 of the final period in a comeback victory over the Sabres, the Climate Pledge Arena fans sending caps cascading down from the stands right after his slap shot between the pads of onetime Spokane Chiefs netminder Dustin Tokarski. Sure, thousands of fans and quite a few rink ushers seemed perplexed by all the objects littering the ice. But that’s the beauty of a first season and hometown faithful were quickly introduced to some NHL tradition and fun.

6. Brandon Montour – Oct. 29, 2024, at Montreal: Jordan Eberle might have registered the Kraken’s very first hat-trick, but Montour becoming the team’s first defenseman to get one was arguably more notable. Montour also set a club record for points in a game by a defenseman with four, which he matched later in the season against Montreal as well. The Kraken saw a team record three defensemen score five times in this 8-2 rout, with Montour capping his hat trick late in the third on a one-timed power play slapper from the left circle.

5. Jared McCann – April 10, 2023, at Arizona: It took the Nashville Predators 23 seasons to get a campaign of 40 or more goals out of somebody. But the Kraken needed only two as McCann’s third period snapshot from the left circle in the third-to-last regular season game gave him an exact 40 goals. McCann holds practically every goal-scoring record in franchise history and has naturally been a part of some of the biggest Kraken moments. Notable among them: Last November’s home overtime breakaway winner giving the Kraken their first-ever victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at Climate Pledge Arena.

4. Vince Dunn – Dec. 28, 2024, at Vancouver: After going winless their first six tries against the Canucks, the Kraken have certainly flipped this Pacific Northwest rivalry script. Never more so than when they found themselves trailing 4-1 in this road game with only 4:45 remaining in regulation. Somehow, Jaden Schwartz popped two goals in those closing minutes and Dunn another to tie things up. But none of it would have mattered had Dunn not sealed the deal with his second of the night at 2:15 of overtime when he beat Thatcher Demko on a clear-cut breakaway. It was only the third time in 107 years of NHL regular season play that a team had won after trailing by three goals with 4:45 or less to play.

3. Adam Larsson – March 21, 2023, at Dallas: Everyone remembers the team’s first playoff appearance. But the Kraken might not have gotten there without Larsson’s late season help in overtime against the Stars. The Kraken were being chased by Nashville for the final Western Conference playoff spot and faced quite a road gauntlet with Dallas, then back-to-back games against the Predators and another in Minnesota. Lose all four and the Preds could have caught them. The Kraken had never won in Dallas and managed to blow a 4-2 lead in the final four minutes of regulation. But Larsson made it all good in overtime by streaking down the right side and deking goalie Jake Oettinger. The Kraken went 1-0-1 in the ensuing Nashville games and got clobbered in Minnesota as expected. But the critical two points in Dallas took huge pressure off and they clinched a playoff berth two weeks later.

2. Brandon Montour – March 12, 2025, vs. Montreal: When we talk about goals standing the test of time, Montour’s breakaway marker four seconds into overtime should hold up a half-century from now. Everything about the fastest overtime goal in NHL history makes a repeat unlikely: from the risky defensive alignment put out by Montreal, to the tremendous jump Montour got off-the-draw, to his firing home a quick shot without resorting to a deke. There was literally no way to score quicker. The Kraken comeback victory from two goals down in the final 10 minutes of regulation nearly cost the Canadiens a playoff berth. Montreal still owns the record for the fastest Stanley Cup Final overtime goal at nine seconds in 1986, but they haven’t scored one as quick as the Kraken’s in their 115-year existence and likely never will.

1. Jordan Eberle – April 24, 2023, vs Colorado: Forget the Kraken winning their debut playoff series in seven games. That series would likely have been done in just five games with the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche moving on victorious had Eberle not fired home a loose puck off a Game 4 net front scramble in overtime. The goal sent Climate Pledge Arena into a frenzy that still sends chills down your spine when you watch the replay today. More importantly, it tied the emotion-charged series 2-2 instead of the Avs grabbing a 3-1 lead heading back to Colorado for Game 5. Instead of facing elimination on the road, the Kraken had all the momentum and stole Game 5 in Denver. Ultimately, they survived long enough to pull out Game 7 on the road as well. But none of it happens without Eberle’s goal. Could have been Jaden Schwartz scoring, but his point-blank rebound shot deflected off a skate and went straight to Eberle. Funny how the biggest players usually position themselves for the biggest moments. And that’s why the team’s captain still has the franchise’s signature moment goal.