Shane Wright’s NHL career gets off on a disappointing note

Well, this probably isn't how Shane Wright saw his National Hockey League career starting off. 

Not only was he infamously not taken 1st overall this past summer in the 2022 NHL Draft despite numerous projections, he also infamously stared down the staff of the Montreal Canadiens after his name was finally called by the Seattle Kraken with the 4th pick (though he did the diplomatic thing and said that there wasn't any ill intent behind the glare). 

"Not at all. I was just kind of looking at the cameras in front of me," Wright explained to Jamie Campbell on Blue Jays Central ahead of a game between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. "To be honest, I don't really remember too much going up on stage. It was just kind of a whirlwind for me so. I wasn't intentionally trying to stare anyone down I guess maybe it looked like that from the video, but there was no intent to stare them down. Just kind of look at the camera and their table was right behind it so I guess it kind of looked like it but there's no intent behind that."

And now, despite having made the roster of the Kraken, he's been relegated to their 4th line for their season opener tonight after enjoying a less than stellar exhibition campaign during which he failed to light the lamp a single time. Take a look at a recent and rather harsh review from former Habs scout Grant McCagg: 

"Wright played his final exhibition game yesterday. No shots on goal and no shifts on the PP. In five exhibition games he picked up an assist and was 28 percent (13 for 47) on faceoffs. I suspect he'll get a 9-game trial. Hopefully, the stats improve or likely headed back to OHL."

Tonight's projected lines for Seattle's 1st game of the year against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center: