Wright ready to build on late call-up: 'I can really make a difference here'

Shane Wright is ready to prove he can play for the Seattle Kraken full-time this season after he impressed with the club during a brief call-up in April.

"Taking that experience of having some success (in the NHL), and obviously being able to contribute offensively, too, is always a good feeling for me," the 20-year-old center told NHL.com's Darren Brown. "I'll be able to bring that to camp, that confidence and that feeling (of), 'Hey, you know? I can belong here. I can really make a difference here in this league and have a prominent role as well.'"

Wright appeared in eight NHL contests this past campaign - a three-game stint in November in which he went without a point and a five-game spell near the end of the regular season in which he registered four goals and one assist. That second stretch was highlighted by a three-point night against the Anaheim Ducks.

The 2022 fourth overall pick spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, amassing 22 goals and 47 points in 59 regular-season outings before adding 13 points in 12 playoff games during the team's run to the Calder Cup Finals.

It was a much-needed change of pace for Wright, who was constantly on the move in 2022-23. He spent eight games in the NHL, another eight in the AHL, had 20 outings with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, and represented Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship.

Newly hired Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma served as the Firebirds' bench boss for the last two seasons and acknowledged that it was a "whirlwind last couple years" for Seattle's top forward prospect.

"I think this year served as a great opportunity for him to establish himself as a player," he said. "Just put his head down, play 72 games, play playoff games, and work on his game and develop as a person and as a player. I think that's clearly evident. It was great to see his progression throughout the year."

Wright, meanwhile, is excited to make the step to the NHL alongside Bylsma.

"I love Dan as a coach," he said. "I think overall, just the way he kind of gets his message across and how he motivates, how he kind of connects with the players, to me, I really like that. ... He's so passionate, and he's very detailed."

The three players drafted ahead of Wright - Juraj Slafkovsky, Simon Nemec, and Logan Cooley - all played a full-time role for their respective NHL teams this past season.

Wright said in July that he's "had to learn what it's like to be a pro."

The Kraken failed to reach the postseason in 2023-24 after making it the previous year.