The Kraken have placed forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Jake O’Brien on injured reserve to start the year, the team announced. Seattle won’t need any further roster moves to submit a compliant opening-night roster tomorrow; their camp roster has been slimmed to 25 players for nearly a week.

O’Brien is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury that’s plagued him throughout camp. It obviously torpedoed the 2025 eighth overall pick’s chances of breaking camp, and he was expected to be a strong candidate for a spot after a strong post-draft showing with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. Now 19 years old, though, the Kraken had less reason to stash him on the roster in a depth role when he’s eligible for an AHL assignment anyway. He’ll likely be headed to Coachella Valley once he’s healed, and since he won’t count against the cap as a player on a two-way contract who didn’t log any NHL time last season, there’s no immediate implication for the Kraken’s roster management.

Samoskevich’s absence is obviously more concerning, but less severe. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body issue, so it could be close to a minimal IR stint. The placement can be backdated to Sep. 24, his last preseason appearance against the Flames, theoretically making him eligible to return for the Kraken’s regular season opener against the Flames on Thursday. They likely wouldn’t bother with the IR placement if he would be an option then, though, so a return to action during their back-to-back against Edmonton and Calgary next weekend is more likely.

Acquired from the Panthers for a pair of draft picks in June, Samoskevich was a first-round pick by Florida back in 2021 and is now entering his third full NHL season. He’s ticketed for a top-nine gig after back-to-back 30-point seasons for the Cats, a role that bruiser Jacob Melanson could get a look at, filling in spot duty out of the gate. Ironically, O’Brien would likely get a look in Samoskevich’s top-nine vacancy if he were available.

With both O’Brien and Samoskevich out, it looks like the Kraken will be carrying 13 forwards and eight defensemen to start. Last on the depth chart among blue-liners is Ville Ottavainen, a 2021 fourth-rounder who made his NHL debut back in 2024-25, who will presumably hit waivers once Seattle needs a roster spot for Samoskevich.