The Seattle Kraken face the Anaheim Ducks on December 22, 2025, at the Honda Center, aiming to build momentum before the holiday break amid several injuries. Projected lineups highlight roster adjustments for both teams, with the Ducks leading the Pacific Division. Coach Lane Lambert has not confirmed the Kraken's starting goalie.
The Seattle Kraken (13-14-6) take on the Anaheim Ducks (21-13-2) at 10 p.m. ET on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Honda Center in Anaheim. This game marks the Kraken's second stop on a California road trip, following a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. With games in hand against Western Conference playoff contenders, Seattle seeks to gain standings points before the holiday break.
Injuries continue to challenge the Kraken. Defenseman Brandon Montour underwent hand surgery and is expected to miss four weeks after getting hurt in a third-period fight with Brent Burns during a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on December 16. Forward Berkly Catton has been out since December 6 but has resumed skating in a regular jersey since Saturday. Other sidelined players include Matt Murray (lower body), Jaden Schwartz (lower body), and Jared McCann (lower body). Josh Mahura steps in on defense for an extended stint.
Kraken coach Lane Lambert praised the team's recent third-period management after the Sharks win. "We did a better job of managing the puck in that moment," Lambert said. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who scored the game-winner, noted improvements: "That’s obviously been a little bit of an issue here lately, our third periods... We did a good job just sticking to it."
The Ducks, coached by Joel Quenneville, sit atop the Pacific Division with a 12-5-0 home record. They are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, including a win over Columbus after an 8-3 loss to Dallas. Forward Leo Carlsson (17 goals, 24 assists) misses his first game of the season due to a lower-body injury but is day-to-day and expected to return Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. Cutter Gauthier leads with 36 points, while rookie Beckett Sennecke has 28 points.
Kraken projected lineup:
- Forwards: Kaapo Kakko — Matty Beniers — Jordan Eberle; Eeli Tolvanen — Chandler Stephenson — Frederick Gaudreau; Jani Nyman — Shane Wright — Ryan Winterton; Tye Kartye — Ben Meyers — Jacob Melanson
- Defense: Vince Dunn — Adam Larsson; Ryan Lindgren — Jamie Oleksiak; Ryker Evans — Josh Mahura
- Goalies: Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord
Ducks projected lineup:
- Forwards: Chris Kreider — Mikael Granlund — Troy Terry; Cutter Gauthier — Mason McTavish — Beckett Sennecke; Alex Killorn — Ryan Strome — Frank Vatrano; Ross Johnston — Ryan Poehling — Jansen Harkins
- Defense: Jackson LaCombe — Jacob Trouba; Pavel Mintyukov — Radko Gudas; Olen Zellweger — Ian Moore
- Goalies: Lukas Dostal, Petr Mrazek
Frederick Gaudreau emphasized shot volume after leading with five shots on goal against San Jose: "It’s huge... There’s never a bad shot. And tonight was proof of it with a couple of good bounces."
Scratches: Kraken - Cale Fleury; Ducks - Drew Helleson, Nikita Nesterenko.
