It all started on September 19, when Dan Bylsma first took charge of the Seattle Kraken during training camp. From that moment, he felt the drive to accomplish something special with the team.
"I really enjoyed and was enlightened by the mindset of 'Ebs' (captain Jordan Eberle) and the guys in that room," Bylsma said after the Kraken's 3-2 season-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues at Climate Pledge Arena.
"We all feel like we have something to prove—whether it’s from last year or, in my case, my last stint as an NHL head coach seven years ago. Every one of us is determined to turn this around and do whatever it takes to put a winning product on the ice. That mindset was clear during training camp, not just tonight."
Despite the loss, Tuesday marked the beginning of a new chapter—the Bylsma era—as the Kraken aim to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which they reached in the 2022-23 season, their second year in the league. Bylsma, hired as Kraken head coach on May 28, previously led Coachella Valley, Seattle's AHL affiliate, for two seasons.
The game was also historic for Jessica Campbell, who stood alongside Bylsma as the first woman to serve as a full-time assistant coach in the NHL. Campbell, Bylsma’s assistant in Coachella Valley, joined the Kraken on July 3.
The crowd at Climate Pledge Arena gave a hearty cheer for trainers and staff during pregame introductions, but when Campbell's name was announced, the arena erupted. She remained composed through most of the applause, though a slight smile crossed her face as the camera panned to Bylsma.
"I was waiting to see if I’d get as loud a cheer—it wasn’t," Bylsma joked, drawing laughs.
“There are a lot of firsts for us this season,” he continued. "Ebs being named captain is long overdue, and it's great to see him take the ice in that role. Shane Wright is also stepping up as a full-time NHLer, which is a big moment for him. And, of course, Jessica Campbell, as the first female coach in the NHL, is not just great for her but for the entire sport."
Bylsma and Campbell are aiming to lead the Kraken back to success, after the team reached the Western Conference Second Round two seasons ago but fell to the Dallas Stars in seven games. Last season, however, was a struggle, with the Kraken finishing sixth in the Pacific Division (34-35-13). Offense was a major issue, as they ranked 29th in the NHL with an average of 2.61 goals per game and 25th in shots on goal, averaging 28.6 per game.
While Tuesday's game didn’t end in a win, it offered plenty of positives. The Kraken jumped to a 2-0 lead and were outshooting the Blues 21-7 midway through the second period, dominating the first period and applying heavy pressure on St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.
“Tonight was special,” said captain Jordan Eberle. “Obviously, not the result we wanted. We played a strong 56 minutes, but a sleepy four minutes cost us.”
That four-minute lapse proved decisive, as the Blues surged with three goals in just under two minutes during the second period, flipping the game.
Despite the disappointing result, the Kraken remain optimistic and focused on the bigger picture.
“First one’s out of the way,” said defenseman Vince Dunn, who scored the Kraken’s first goal of the season just 27 seconds into the second period. “We’ve got 81 more games, and I’m confident we’ll bounce back from this.”
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