Next Big Thing? Jani Nyman Dazzling For New-Look Kraken

Jani Nyman prepares for the start of a drill during a Seattle Kraken practice.

The Seattle Kraken essentially took a stick of dynamite to the 2024-2025 season ahead of the NHL trade deadline earlier this month. Gone are Oliver Bjorkstrand, Yanni Gourde, and Brandon Tanev. In the aftermath, players like Michael Eyssimont and Cale Fleury are getting more playing time. 

Now nearly two weeks removed from dealing away some key veterans, it's clear the Kraken want to see what the young pups in the organization can do. 

Another skater that is set for a bump in ice time is Jani Nyman. The 20-year old right winger made his NHL debut on March 12 against the Montreal Canadiens. All he did was notch a power play goal in his NHL debut to spark a comeback overtime win in Montreal. He didn't appear to be overwhelmed by the moment. He got right to work making an impact, which bodes well for his future.

Nyman scored his second career goal on Sunday against Winnipeg. He kicked off the scoring in that game with yet another power play goal, making each of his first two career goals of the special teams variety, an area the team has struggled for most of their existence.

As mentioned, Nyman is very young, having been born in 2004. Seattle liked him enough to draft him out of the Finnish leagues in the second round (49th overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Less than a year ago, Nyman made his AHL debut for Coachella Valley. Now, he's set to get plenty of time in front of the rabid fans at Climate Pledge Arena in the Kraken deep and light blue and red threads. It's easy to endear yourself to the fanbase when you score two goals in your first three NHL games. 

From the wing spot, Nyman is a dual-threat athlete, impacting both sides of the ice. He definitely has a top-six winger upside with more seasoning. Before he arrived in Seattle, the average age of the team was just over 28 years old. He sits eight years younger, just getting his first taste of NHL hockey.

Kraken general manager Ron Francis hinted that the Kraken will not engage in a full-scale rebuild. He mentioned the draft picks and cap space acquired post-trade deadline will aid in their pursuit of more sustainable success for 2025 and beyond.

Is Nyman a trade piece to be dangled this coming offseason, or the next big thing to arrive on the ice in Seattle? While names like Matty Beniers and Shane Wright dominate the conversation, don’t be surprised if he puts himself right up there as part of Seattle's exciting young core to build around moving forward.