Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Puck drop: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Scripps Sports (Panthers regional), Prime Video/KONG (Kraken in some markets)
The Kraken wrap up a five-game Eastern road trip against a Panthers team riding consecutive wins powered by Brady Tkachuk’s back-to-back hat tricks. This is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season between the clubs.
Projected Rosters / Key Personnel
Kraken notables: Jared McCann (strong early scoring), Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, Jordan Eberle, Vince Dunn, Adam Larsson, and goaltenders Joey Daccord (probable) or Philipp Grubauer.
Panthers notables: Brady Tkachuk (hot with consecutive natural hat tricks), Matthew Tkachuk (point streak), Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones. Goaltending options include Jacob Markstrom (day-to-day) or Akira Schmid/Cooper Black.
Injury Reports
Kraken:
Brandon Montour (lower body) — day-to-day (injured vs. Tampa Bay).
Ryan Lindgren (upper body) — out (IR, expected several weeks).
Jacob Melanson (chest/vascular issue) — out indefinitely.
Jake O’Brien (lower body) — out.
Panthers:
Aleksander Barkov (lower body) — out 6–8 weeks (LTIR).
Brad Marchand (leg) — out (~6 weeks).
Jonah Gadjovich (upper body) — out.
Jacob Markstrom (undisclosed) — day-to-day.
Radko Gudas (undisclosed) — day-to-day.
Both teams are missing key pieces, particularly Florida’s top-six and defensive depth, while Seattle is shorthanded on the blue line.
Key Player Matchups
Brady Tkachuk / Matthew Tkachuk vs. Kraken defense: Brady has been unstoppable with consecutive hat tricks; Matthew is on a multi-game point streak. Seattle’s defensive pairings (Dunn, Larsson, etc.) will be tested against Florida’s physical, high-event style.
Jared McCann / Matty Beniers vs. Panthers structure: Seattle’s top scorers face a Florida group that ranks high in penalties and can be chaotic.
Special teams: Kraken power play has been stronger early (~24%); Panthers take many penalties, creating opportunities. Florida’s penalty kill will be under pressure.
Goaltending: Daccord/Grubauer for Seattle vs. Markstrom (if available) or Schmid for Florida. Early-season form favors Seattle’s netminders slightly in some samples.
Recent Team Forms
Kraken: 5-2-1 overall (strong 4-1-1 on the road). Coming off a 4-3 OT loss at Tampa Bay after a solid Eastern swing (wins over Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit). Positive goal differential (+8 early) and competitive play.
Panthers: 4-2-2 overall (mixed home results). Back-to-back wins, including a 3-2 OT victory over Vancouver fueled by Brady Tkachuk’s heroics and a high-scoring 7-3 win at Columbus. They generate chances but have been high-event and penalty-prone.
Series History
Seattle holds a solid all-time edge in some counts against Florida (recent meetings mixed, with both teams claiming wins in prior seasons). Games have often been competitive, with totals varying. This is the first 2026-27 matchup.
Game Odds
Seattle Kraken 6
Florida Panthers – 185
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 16, 2026
