The 9^th installment of the 32 thots hallmark series includes everyone’s favorite toothless man child, Rex.

The Seattle Kraken (Rex Leak) had a solid season this year, taking big steps with a winning record but likely missing the playoffs.

• Record: 43-29-5 (4th in Pacific Division)
• Power Play (PP): 19.7% (13th) – League average, not a major weapon but respectable.
• Penalty Kill (PK): 82.38% (12th) – Above average and dependable defensively.
• Goals For (GF): 2.84 (22nd) – Biggest weakness. They struggled heavily to generate offense compared to other top teams.
• Goals Against (GA): 2.56 (5th) – Outstanding defense and goaltending, one of the best defensive units in the league.

Summary:
Seattle was a true defense-first team this year. Despite being one of the hardest teams to score against, their low goal scoring hurt their chances to dominate games. The Kraken clearly leaned on strong goaltending and defensive structure but lacked the firepower needed to compete with elite offensive teams.

Forwards:
Your forward group has strong star power at the top with Jack Hughes, Brady Tkachuk, and Johnny Gaudreau. These three alone can carry an offense. William Eklund brings youth and upside. However, the middle and bottom of your lineup lacks consistent secondary scoring. Players like Jake Evans, Pierre Engvall, Anthony Mantha, and Tyler Bertuzzi are serviceable but inconsistent. Depth scoring will be an issue against deeper teams. This group is top-heavy and would benefit from more support players that can contribute offensively.
Grade: B

Defense:
You are very strong at the top of your blueline with Miro Heiskanen and Rasmus Dahlin – two legitimate franchise defensemen. Michael Matheson is a useful puck mover. However, the rest of the defense is fairly average. Players like Radko Gudas, Matthew Benning, and Michael Anderson are more suited for third-pair roles. You lack depth beyond your top three. The elite top-end saves this group.
Grade: B+

Goaltending:
Your current NHL tandem of Karel Vejmelka and Pyotr Kochetkov is solid but not elite yet. However, your future goaltending pipeline is absolutely loaded with prospects like Dustin Wolf, Joel Hofer, Sebastian Cossa, and others like Remi Poirier and Colten Ellis. This is one of the best long-term goalie setups in the league. Right now, your goalies are good enough to compete, but in 1-2 seasons they could become a major strength.
Grade: B (Current), A+ (Future)

Prospect Pool:
Your prospect pool is deep, especially with goaltenders. Filip Bystedt, Koehn Ziemmer, and Owen Beck are solid forward prospects with top-six upside. You also have a ton of goalie prospects, which could become valuable trade assets if they develop. However, after the top-end names, most of your forward and defense prospects project as middle to bottom-six NHL players or depth defenders. You could use another elite blue-chip skater prospect to balance it out.
Grade: B

• Dylan Holloway and Juuso Parssinen are promising young NHLers. Holloway still needs to take a bigger leap offensively, but his upside is real.
• Kailer Yamamoto and Samuel Fagemo offer some middle-six upside, though Yamamoto has been frustratingly inconsistent.
• Raphael Lavoie has some nice goal-scoring upside if he can carve out a bigger NHL role.

• David Jiricek is the prize here. Huge upside, projects as a future top-pairing defender if his development continues well.
• Erik Gustafsson can put up points when he's in an offensive role but is getting older and moves around teams a lot.

Draft Picks: Your draft pick situation is decent, especially for 2025.

• 2025 SJS 1st –  This could be very valuable.
• 2025 COL 3rd, COL 6th – Middle/late rounders; minor value.
• 2025 MON 6th – Late pick.
• 2025 SEA 6th, SEA 7th – Depth picks.
• 2025 FLA 7th – Very late pick.
• 2026 SEA 2nd, 3rd, 4th – Good to have a cluster of picks in 2026; 2nd rounders can definitely yield impact players.
• 2026 DET 6th, SEA 7th – Late picks, not major value.

Overall draft capital grade: B-
(The San Jose 1st is a big asset. The rest are nice but won't likely net stars unless you draft really well.)

Summary:
You have some young talent (mainly Holloway, Parssinen, Jiricek) but not enough impact across the board. Your forwards lack punch beyond one or two names. Your defense is carried by Jiricek. Your draft picks, especially the San Jose 1st, could help turn things around with a strong 2025 draft.

You are in a good spot to compete now and a great spot for the future. You are light on secondary scoring today, but your elite skaters and goaltending pipeline will make you a serious threat in 2-3 years if you stay patient. Focus on adding scoring depth and you’ll be very dangerous.

Rex, this is not the summer to hold onto your Hudderite buddy. Trade your surplus of goalies so that you can be a serious threat in this league. It is time for you to come out of your cocoon and take this league by storm and become the man you were born to be.

FINAL TEAM GRADE:
B- (Currently)
A- (Future Potential)