The Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken clashed in a pivotal Western Conference matchup on January 8, 2026, at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. This contest, which doubled as Pride Night with specially designed jerseys by a local artist, promised intensity and drama, with both teams seeking to solidify their playoff credentials in front of a raucous crowd and a live broadcast audience on KONG and ESPN+.
Heading into the game, the Wild boasted a 25-11-8 record, good for third in the conference with 58 points. They’d endured a grueling road trip, posting a 3-1-2 mark and looking to cap things off on a high note before heading home. The Kraken, sitting at 20-14-7 and sixth in the West with 47 points, were riding a wave of momentum. Seattle entered the night on a four-game win streak and had earned points in their last nine contests, amassing a remarkable 8-0-1 record over that stretch. If the Kraken could pull off another victory, it would mark their longest winning streak of the season.
Both teams had plenty to play for, and the stakes were clear. The Wild had taken the first meeting between these squads back on December 8, 2025, with a convincing 4-1 win. Filip Gustavsson had been stellar in that game, stopping 23 of 24 shots to secure the victory for Minnesota. However, this time, it was Jesper Wallstedt’s turn in net for the Wild. Wallstedt entered the contest with an impressive 11-2-4 record, a sparkling 2.30 goals-against average, a .928 save percentage, and four shutouts in 17 games. Notably, this would be his first career start against the Kraken.
On the other side, the Kraken turned once again to Philipp Grubauer, who was coming off a personal four-game win streak where he allowed just one goal in each contest. Over those four games, Grubauer had posted a jaw-dropping 1.00 goals-against average and a .972 save percentage, stopping 137 of 141 shots. His season numbers stood at 8-3-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 14 starts. Grubauer had also recently been named Team Germany’s official netminder for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, a testament to his elite form. In his career against Minnesota, Grubauer had a 9-9-0 record, 2.90 goals-against average, and .896 save percentage in 19 games.
Seattle’s offense had found a new gear during their points streak, averaging 3.7 goals per game—a full goal more than their earlier season pace. A big reason for that surge? The much-discussed fourth line. Over the last nine games, at least one member of the Kraken’s fourth trio had scored in four of the previous five contests and five of the last seven. The energy and production from depth players like Ben Meyers and Tye Kartye, who recently connected for a key goal against Boston, have been vital to Seattle’s recent success. Even with the usual shuffling—Eeli Tolvanen returned to the ice after illness, while Jordan Eberle was a game-time decision due to his own bout of illness—the Kraken’s bottom-six forwards continued to deliver.
Jordan Eberle, Seattle’s leading scorer with 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists), had been particularly hot, notching eight points in his last eight games. However, his availability for this contest was in doubt, and head coach Lane Lambert admitted, “He’ll be a game-time decision.” Should Eberle miss the game, the Kraken would need even more from their supporting cast, especially against a Minnesota defense ranked third in the league at just 2.64 goals allowed per game.
Minnesota, meanwhile, featured two offensive dynamos in Kirill Kaprizov (24 goals, 49 points) and Matt Boldy (26 goals, 48 points), both on the cusp of reaching the 50-point plateau. The Wild’s attack was further bolstered by the recent acquisition of standout two-way defender Quinn Hughes from Vancouver, adding depth and skill to a blue line already among the league’s best. Marcus Johansson, a former Kraken forward now with the Wild, had quietly amassed 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points—numbers that would top the current Seattle roster.
Statistically, the Wild held several advantages. Their power play ranked ninth in the NHL, while the Kraken’s sat at eleventh. Minnesota’s penalty kill, however, was only 27th, while Seattle’s was dead last at 32nd. Both teams had shown a knack for winning when scoring at least three goals: the Wild were 21-2-4 in such games, while the Kraken had notched 41 points in similar situations, despite playing three fewer games.
On the injury front, Minnesota listed Zach Bogosian as day-to-day and Daemon Hunt as out. For Seattle, Eeli Tolvanen was day-to-day with illness, while Jaden Schwartz, Matt Murray, and Brandon Montour remained sidelined with various ailments.
Projected lines for the Kraken included McCann-Beniers-Kakko up top and Tolvanen-Stephenson-Gaudreau on the second unit. The Wild countered with their high-powered top six, anchored by Kaprizov and Boldy. With both teams boasting depth and star power, the game was billed as a clash of Western Conference titans—one of three so-called “behemoths” alongside Colorado and Dallas, according to league observers.
Historically, these matchups have been tight-checking and fiercely competitive. The Wild’s edge in offensive firepower was balanced by the Kraken’s recent goal-scoring surge and Grubauer’s Olympic-level goaltending. Both teams had allowed nearly identical goals on the season—Minnesota 119, Seattle 120—though the Wild had played three more games. Special teams loomed as a potential difference-maker, with neither team excelling on the penalty kill.
As the puck dropped in Seattle, fans on both sides braced for a contest that could easily spill into overtime or even a shootout, given the defensive prowess and recent form of both netminders. “Let’s not expect any shootouts in this one. Except, of course, the official shootouts that come after a deadlocked overtime. That does loom as a possibility,” one columnist quipped, capturing the sense of anticipation in the air.
No matter the result, this game stood as a litmus test for two playoff hopefuls. The Wild sought to cement their status atop the conference, while the Kraken aimed to prove their recent streak was no fluke. With stars on both sides, raucous fans in the stands, and playoff implications on the line, hockey lovers were treated to a midseason showdown with all the trimmings. As the action unfolded, all eyes remained glued to the ice—and the outcome, still in doubt, promised to shape the Western Conference race in the weeks ahead.
