Shane Wright Demonstrates Promising Progress with Outstanding Performance in AHL

Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright has reached new heights with the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, regaining his confidence and excelling as a play driver in the Calder Cup playoffs.

If you've been sleeping on Shane Wright, it's time to wake up.

Since the Seattle Kraken selected the 20-year-old fourth overall in the 2022 NHL draft, his reputation as a top prospect has overshadowed his actual performance.

After slipping in the draft, Wright experienced a whirlwind year, splitting his time between the NHL, AHL, and OHL due to the CHL/NHL transfer agreement. This season, however, Wright received an exemption to play in the AHL instead of returning to the OHL, and it has paid off. He had an outstanding regular season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, tallying 47 points in 59 games and earning a spot on the AHL's top prospect team.

Wright has continued to elevate his play in the Calder Cup playoffs, particularly in the final against the Hershey Bears, with the Firebirds facing elimination in Monday night's Game 6. He has recorded 10 points in 11 playoff games, averaging 0.91 points per game�the fourth-highest mark for any U-21 AHL skater in the past 15 years with a minimum of 10 games played, according to ahltracker.com.

«His game has grown leaps and bounds this year,» Firebirds coach Dan Bylsma told TheAHL.com.

Not only have nine of Wright's 11 points been primary markers at even strength, but his overall game has shown significant growth. He has been a driving force in all three zones, demonstrating sharp attention to detail while handling a heavy workload that has increased as the stakes have risen. Wright logged the second-most even-strength ice time of any Firebirds forward (14:11), according to InStat. Throughout the playoffs, his impact during even-strength play has been substantial, boasting a team-high 63% expected goals-for percentage.

Above all, Wright appears to have restored his confidence.

He's playing with more assertiveness, leveraging his skating ability to control the game and consistently producing high-quality scoring chances in these playoffs.

The Kraken's decision to keep Wright in the AHL for most of the year has undoubtedly paid off, and he looks set to be a top-nine fixture with Seattle this fall.