With nothing else going on in the Seattle sports world on Monday, the Kraken had the full attention of the local sports fandom (right?). Sadly for those fans, the guys on the ice didn’t have their best against the Flyers and fell 5-2 in Philadelphia.

“Not sharp. We were not sharp,” Kraken coach Lane Lambert said. “It wasn’t our best effort, that’s for sure. We have to be better.”

It was a night of firsts: Berkly Catton’s first NHL game and point, the first time the Kraken trailed by more than a goal this season, and their first regulation loss of the year.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 5-2 Kraken defeat to the Flyers.

Takeaway #1: Berkly Catton immediately gets on the scoresheet

The Kraken were already injury-riddled before they announced Monday morning that their best goal scorer, Jared McCann, was out day to day with a lower-body injury. McCann joined an ever-growing injury ward that already housed Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Freddy Gaudreau, while Seattle also continues to miss Brandon Montour, who is away from the team on a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.

McCann being out meant five regular players were unavailable for this game.

In stepped 19-year-old top prospect Berkly Catton, who had been waiting in the wings as a healthy scratch since breaking training camp with the team. With his parents in the building after flying from Saskatoon to Calgary to Atlanta to Philadelphia, Catton got on the scoresheet just seven minutes into his first NHL game.

Featuring wholesome Catton parent content…

The goal is now Eberle from Fleury and Catton, BTW. #SeaKraken https://t.co/LzqI8oDUx8 pic.twitter.com/ArRfXxkAnC

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 20, 2025

Matty Beniers hustled to the corner to pick off a bad Vladar clearing attempt, then rimmed it around to Catton at the right hash marks. Catton simply pulled it off the wall and tapped it to Cale Fleury at the point, who ripped a shot toward goal. Eberle got a piece of it, and just like that, Catton became the fourth Kraken player to record a point in his regular-season debut.

“I think my first touch of the game was an assist, so that was pretty cool,” Catton said.

I do believe the Kraken were trying to keep him as a healthy scratch long enough to make him eligible for a rehab stint in the AHL. But with McCann out, that forced the Kraken’s hand and pushed Catton into the lineup.

All in all, it was a solid first outing for the youngster, who nearly scored in the second period and didn’t have any glaring turnovers or costly mistakes, finishing plus-one in 13:49 of ice time.

Takeaway #2: Tough night for Joey

On a night when the Kraken were facing Dan Vladar—a backup goalie who has oddly had Seattle’s number since their inception—their own netminder, Joey Daccord, had an uncharacteristically rough night.

Daccord allowed five goals on 21 shots through two periods before being lifted and replaced by Philipp Grubauer.

Two of the goals against, both scored by the red-hot, red-headed Owen Tippett, were of the “wanted that one back” variety. The first of those came just two minutes after Eberle had given the Kraken an early 1-0 lead.

As a dumped-in puck rattled around behind the Seattle net, Daccord corralled it and had options, with Jamie Oleksiak and Ryan Lindgren both available in the corners. He waited far too long to make a decision, though, and by the time he went to move it, Sean Couturier snuck up behind him and stripped him of the puck. It eventually got to Tippett, who chipped it into an open net.

1st period is in the books. 2-1 Flyers. #SeaKraken jumped out to a 1-0 lead, scored by Jordan Eberle and created by Berkly Catton’s first career point.

But then Philly took advantage of a Joey Daccord Adventure™️ (video of that here) and added a PPG. pic.twitter.com/L9HsWVU5Ch

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 20, 2025

The other stinker was the one that effectively sealed the game for the Flyers. Seattle had gotten back within two goals after falling behind 4-1. If the Kraken had scored again before the second intermission, they might have entered miracle comeback territory. Instead, off a 3-on-3 rush with four minutes left in the frame, Tippett threw it at Daccord from a sharp angle. Reading pass, Daccord got too deep in his net and left the short side open. The puck squeezed through.

5-2 Flyers. Joey gets too deep in his net, and it leaks through.

Owen Tippett’s second of the game. pic.twitter.com/D7X71iPXdX

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 21, 2025

Grubauer came in for the third period and looked solid. It will be interesting to see what the Kraken do in goal Tuesday for their first back-to-back of the season. Does Grubi go right back in after stopping six of six shots Monday? Or does Matt Murray get his first look of the season?

Meanwhile, at the other end of the ice, Vladar improved to 7-1-1 all time against the Kraken.

Takeaway #3: Jani Nyman is a weapon on the power play

…but we already knew that.

Jani Nyman’s utilization in a fourth-line role with no power-play time to start the season wasn’t particularly bothersome to me—except that it didn’t give him many chances to showcase his best asset: his howitzer of a shot.

With injuries piling up and Nyman’s steady play earning him more trust, he’s quietly worked his way up the lineup at 5-on-5 and, with McCann out, finally got a look on the power play Monday.

After scoring at even strength on Saturday in Toronto, Nyman cashed in again against Philly, this time on the power play after Beniers pulled a loose puck out of a bevy of humanity and snapped it over to an open Nyman, who sent it home for his third goal of the season.

LI’L JANI! 🚨

Beniers pulls a loose puck out of the pile, and Jani Nyman scores for the second game in a row. PPG.

4-2 Flyers pic.twitter.com/1HbOBb5Ppj

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 21, 2025

It was a smart play by Beniers to recognize that with the puck in the slot, all four Flyers penalty killers had collapsed to try to gain control. Once it squirted out to Matty, he didn’t force it back into the pile. Instead, he pulled it out and passed it to Nyman, who had the much better angle.

Back to Nyman… It was especially fun to see him rip two one-timers in a row in the third period, one that rang hard off the glass and another that rang even harder off the post.

Yeah, Jani Nyman on the power play is fun. pic.twitter.com/uO1ou5vC76

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 21, 2025

One would have to think that Nyman—and his wicked shot—will get more opportunities with the man advantage moving forward.