Meet the Newest Seattle Kraken: Curtis Douglas – The Hockey Writers – Seattle Kraken

On Wednesday, July 1, the excitement for the 2026-27 NHL season really kicked off, with the opening of free agency. Any player without a contract who was an unrestricted free agent had the opportunity to sign with a new team.

While the Seattle Kraken were relatively quiet in all the frenzy, they did pick up a new player, signing forward Curtis Douglas to a two-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.25 million. We’ll dive into his NHL career to get Kraken fans up to speed on who this new forward is.

Douglas’ Entry Into the NHL

Douglas was drafted in the fourth round, 108th overall, by the Dallas Stars in the 2018 NHL Draft. However, he didn’t touch NHL ice right away. Before he was drafted, he played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts and the Windsor Spitfires. Douglas continued to play with the Spitfires for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, where he played in 128 games and recorded 113 points.

By the 2020-21 season, Douglas spent half the season in the Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL), where he went on loan. He also played his first game in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Belleville Senators. He played in a total of 11 games and recorded four points via one goal and three assists.

For the 2021-22 season, Douglas played with the Toronto Marlies. This was his first full season in the AHL, playing 67 games and recording 34 points. Following his performance in this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed him as a free agent. He was back with the Marlies, but not for long. He only played 13 games with them for the 2022-23 season before he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes.

Douglas spent two and a half seasons with the Coyotes’ AHL team, the Tucson Roadrunners. He played in 170 games and recorded 58 points via 23 goals and 45 assists. Right before the start of the 2025-26 season, the Utah Mammoth placed Douglas on waivers, and on Oct. 6, the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed him.

On Oct. 9, 2025, Douglas played his first NHL game. He spent 5:09 on the ice amongst 11 shifts and recorded five penalty minutes. On Nov. 12, 2025, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on Scott Sabourin’s goal. He played a total of 29 games with the Lightning before they placed him on waivers. On March 6, 2026, the Vancouver Canucks claimed him off waivers. He played in 14 games with the Canucks and scored his first NHL goal on April 12, 2026, against the Anaheim Ducks.

Throughout the entirety of the 2025-26 season, Douglas recorded 108 penalty minutes. He plays his enforcer role well and will be a nice addition to a Kraken team that is lacking in this department. With the recent departure of Jamie Oleksiak on defense, Douglas’ 6-foot-9 height will be a benefit to the Kraken at forward.

How Douglas Fits in Seattle

Douglas only played half a season in the NHL in 2025-26, but he still has the chance to make a big impact with the Kraken. With Jaden Schwartz signing with the Colorado Avalanche, that leaves an open roster spot with the Kraken forwards.

The spot could go to Douglas, or one of the other forwards on the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, has the chance to finally make it onto the Kraken roster full-time. Jani Nyman made the initial 2025-26 roster but was sent down to the AHL in the middle of the season. Jacob Melanson also received a call-up to the Kraken and played 36 games with the team throughout 2025-26. Both players made a decent impact with the team, but still needed time to train up with the Firebirds to get ready for full-time NHL play. Melanson was a restricted free agent (RFA), but the Kraken extended a qualifying offer before free agency opened, keeping his rights with Seattle.

Douglas will need to have a strong performance in training camp to make the Kraken’s opening night roster. The 6-foot-9 enforcer will still make a great addition to either the Firebirds or the Kraken. There will be a lot of pressure riding on training camp for many players, but Douglas especially, as he tries to prove himself to his new team.