Kraken's Wright: Frequent scratches 'frustrating' but 'I want to be here'
Seattle Kraken rookie Shane Wright's NHL career hasn't gotten off to the start many probably expected for the youngster.
After plenty of talk about going first overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright fell into the Kraken's clutches at No. 4, and he's since been scratched for exactly half of Seattle's 12 games this season.
Wright was on the sidelines for four consecutive games before finally getting back into the lineup during Thursday's 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
"Of course it's frustrating, not playing," Wright said in an interview with The Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith. "Obviously you want to be in the lineup every night. You want to be that guy, relied on by the coaches.
"Obviously I want to be here long term," the center continued. "It's definitely the only goal and where I want to be, and I think that I can be here.
"I think I can improve, prove to the coaches, prove to my teammates, that I belong here. ... So I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I stay here."
Wright logged a career-high 13:45 of ice time against the Wild while stepping in for the injured Jared McCann on the third line. Before Thursday's uptick, Wright averaged just under seven minutes per game.
The 18-year-old's limited usage kickstarted a debate in the hockey world about whether the Kraken should ship Wright back to the OHL - since he cannot be sent down to the AHL - so he could develop while shouldering more responsibility and playing time.
Seattle head coach Dave Hakstol is unperturbed by the discourse.
"Anything on the outside, that’s outside of our control," Hakstol said. "What we can control is on the inside, and that's the most important thing. ... Communication has to be clear and honest and open, and we know that we have that with Shane.
"We know what we have in Shane. He's going to be a great player."
However, there is a clause in the agreement between the NHL and CHL which could allow Wright to spend some time in the AHL. As TSN's Darren Dreger reported on "Insider Trading," an under-20 player whose rights belong to the CHL like Wright can be sent to the AHL one time for a two-week conditioning stint if he is scratched for five games in a row.
Dreger added it's "very likely" Wright will stay in the NHL with the Kraken.
Wright is also dealing with being four games away from burning the first year of his entry-level contract, but he says he'll "worry about that more when the time comes."
The young forward has logged one assist and one shot on goal in six games of NHL action so far.