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skateholyskate · 13 days ago

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Hi! As we start preseason, it’s come to my attention that Krakenblr has gained some community members who may not know the full depth of our beloved, tragic starboy. As we enter into a time of holding our breath to see if it’s finally his year, I wanted to fix that. So.

Shane Wright

A disclaimer: all of this is googleable and I honestly just wanted to get this out of my head so please forgive me for not linking! I can find any sources that you’re having trouble finding but also this one is emotional lol some are my own opinions but I’ve tried to be honest about those, too. This is not exhaustive; it’s about the ✨narratives.✨ let’s go!

Beginnings

Shane was born on January 5, 2004 in Burlington, ON to a non-hockey family.

Let me repeat that: his family does not play hockey. They were a soccer family, primarily. Hockey and its particularities are like a different planet for them.

They put Shane into hockey because he was freakishly good and competitive about everything, and he just fell in love with it.

He gets moved up an age group pretty regularly, but his dad recalls Shane being unphased by this. In fact, at 8, his dad remembers wanting to go with him into the dressing room, knowing it was full of boys much older than him. But Shane turned and reassured him, saying “No, I’m good. I’m good, dad.”

By 12, Shane has attracted the attention of scouts and his parents need to make the first of a few major decisions. His talent quickly outgrew his local teams.

Shane’s enthusiasm about the sport overshadows any qualms and discomfort they have, and he moves with his dad to a suburb north of Toronto to play with the Don Mills Flyers.

Of this time and adjustment, Shane remembers, “At the start it was really hard…not being able to see my mom every day.” But he adjusts. He always adjusts.

Don Mills Flyers (tw: death; grief)

The Don Mills Flyers gave him friends. Friends that were a year or two older than him, of course.

His best friends become Brennan Othmann (who is also born January 5) and Brandt Clarke.

They share a deep bond with the rest of their teammates, including goaltender Roy Pejcinovski.

Tragically and shockingly, Roy was killed along with his mom and sister in 2018.

They grieve together. The team notes that this made them “grow up,” this experience of mourning one of their own in such a brutal way. They play for one another and they play for Roy.

They continue to, as well. Many of the Don Mills Flyers still have RP74 in their Instagram bios or have other ways of remembering him.

I mention this not to romanticize grief or make Shane Wright tragic; another person’s death is not a storyline.

I mention this to say that when Shane Wright is called mature, it’s not precocious. It’s a reasonable response from anyone needing to confront very real injustice and grief very early in his life.

I also mention this because Shane Wright couldn’t take his time grieving. He needed to make a very important decision very quickly after.

Major Juniors

Scouts explain to Shane’s parents that he qualifies to apply for exceptional status, which would mean he would be eligible for the major juniors leagues a year early.

Shane’s mom remembers being dumbfounded “Why would this be happening now?” She feels he’s too young for this attention, for this to be moving this fast. But she listens to the pros and the cons.

Pros include that he would continue on his trajectory and not have to stay behind just because of his age. He would also be counted among those like John Tavares and Connor McDavid, who also were granted exceptional status.

Cons include that he would be watched even closer. That there might be a bullseye on him. That he wouldn’t be around his peers. He would be 15 against 19- and 20-year-olds.

Shane gets psychological testing done as part of this jump to exceptional status, testing his character and judgment as well as his willingness and readiness to make the jump.

He’s undeterred. He’s granted the status.

He’s taken, predictably, first overall in the OHL draft by the Kingston Frontenacs in 2019.

By December of that year, he’s named their alternate captain, making him the youngest player to wear a letter in the CHL.

It’s early, of course, but the hockey world loves early. Shane’s projected as the first overall pick for his draft year just as most every other exceptional status player is. It doesn’t matter it’s almost three years away.

But the world has other plans.

Disruptions

Every person has a COVID-19 story, and Shane Wright is no exception. The remainder of the 2019-2020 season is cancelled, as well as the entirety of the 2020-2021 season.

He’s also placed in an impossible position. Go against public health advice, probably moving away from his family again, to seek out ways to play? Or trust that things will go back to normal and he can return to the trajectory that hadn’t steered him wrong yet?

And this has never been explicitly stated, but I think I want to bring this up again: Shane Wright is a hockey player from a non-hockey family. To sacrifice one’s safety and health for this sport…it doesn’t make sense in the way it might have for others.

So he doesn’t.

He has a group of people he’s able to skate with, but it’s all casual.

Shane’s only hockey appearance is the 2021 IIHF Under 18 World Championships.

He does well!! Canada wins gold, and Shane finishes behind only Matvei Michkov for goals and points. He has more goals but ties in points with his teammate Connor Bedard.

It’s not enough, though. When it comes time for individual awards, Bedard gets the award for forwards from the media.

This is not…great. Shane’s running out of time and he knows it. Scouts know it. He needs to get ice time and be noticed if he’s going to defend the crown that’s been his to lose for years, that precious high draft pick in 2022.

2021-2022

The 2021-2022 season starts.

He is named captain, the youngest captain in the OHL ever.

But the season starts badly for Shane, who looks as rusty as any other person who couldn’t play hockey regularly for a year and a half might look like.

Shane had never been held to the same expectations as any other person, though. This was just the first time he fell short of those expectations.

He receives no grace. Being crowned the projected first overall pick comes with an uncomfortable throne.

Bob McKenzie of Sportsnet writes in January 2022 in his mid-season rankings that Shane has “left the door open for someone to unseat him.”

And while Shane does much better in the second half of the season, including getting his team to the second round of playoffs, it still ends shorter than he would’ve liked.

And then that’s it. All that’s left is evaluation of his work. And, of course, his character.

The Lead-Up

To understand what eventually happens at the draft, we have to talk about Juraj Slafkovsky. And to be clear, it is a pleasure to talk about Juraj Slafkovsky.

He rises to prominence and even national heroism during the 2022 Winter Olympics, in which he leads Slovakia to their first ever medal in men’s ice hockey.

He’s named MVP of the entire tournament. There’s very little to overstate about his performance.

He is, in fact, what many were waiting for: a figure to unseat Shane Wright.

Because it’s exciting, right? The talented Canadian boy who’s been projected for years isn’t fun anymore! That’s not a fun story! We’ve done that so many times before!

Shane is so mature for his age and coaches can’t say enough good things about him, blah blah blah.

Juraj Slafkovsky…he’s fun. The lead-up to the 2022 draft is allll Juraj and Shane, and Juraj is delightful. He’s still got braces on and his hair flops just right and he’s funny! He’s humble! He smiles and laughs!

Shane is as serious and earnest and honest as he’s ever been and for the first time, he begins to be punished for it. The same qualities that had helped to push him ahead of his peers are now used as indicators of ego, of taking himself too seriously, of feeling entitled.

When Shane is asked if he should go first overall, he says yes because he believes he should and he expects other prospects to say the same.

Juraj Slafkovsky is asked about this, and Shane’s words are twisted in the question. “When you hear Shane Wright say he deserves to go first, what do you think?”

Juraj smiles slyly, “That’s what he thinks. I think something different.”

When Shane is asked about being courted by Montreal, the team holding the first overall pick, he talks about the fancy dinner they take him to.

When Juraj is asked about his meeting with Montreal, he grins and says they didn’t have dinner but the conversation they had was even more delicious.

Juraj wins everyone’s hearts so effortlessly. Shane’s bald-faced, serious honesty looks bland at best and embarrassing at worst. It’s brutal.

But surely, following the natural effects of a pandemic and answering with serious maturity won’t be enough to take away all a kid has worked for, right?

The Draft

Draft day comes and it’s still a toss-up. Montreal’s fanbase has been thoroughly split by the time it comes as well.

They also happen to be in Montreal for the draft, meaning Shane-to-Montreal fans are in full force to welcome him into the draft, proclaiming their hopes that in just a few moments, he’ll be theirs.

That doesn’t happen though.

Juraj Slafkovsky is taken first. He becomes the highest drafted Slovakian ever.

Simon Nemec, Juraj’s dear friend, is taken second.

At third, Shane turns to his dad. “Arizona!” he’s seen saying, “I’m good with it.”

But that doesn’t happen either. Arizona takes Logan Cooley.

And at this moment, he’s not that far off from the 8-year-old who assured his dad he was okay when he walked into a locker room alone. He continues to clap and when he turns to his dad, Shane puts on a smile. But when he turns away, he has a sadder look on his face.

#4, Seattle Kraken

When Ron Francis chooses Shane Wright at fourth, I believe there’s a part of him that feels he was choosing himself.

Ron Francis was also once a projected first overall pick that dropped to fourth, but he went to a team that hadn’t intended on choosing him.

I want to say that Francis likely sees himself in Shane, and wants to make sure that Shane knows he is beyond wanted.

So when Francis steps to the podium and proudly announces his pick, he’s smiling like mad. He’s clearly so happy.

Which then makes Shane Wright’s awkward, steely-eyed reaction to shaking Bettman’s hand that much more noticeable.

Much has been said on this. I don’t know the truth. I think it’s just as likely and reasonable that Shane was staring down the Montreal table (as everyone assumed) as the other answer, which is just that he was overwhelmed and trying to hear what the handlers there were telling him.

Whatever it was, Shane’s fate was sealed at that moment. Montreal’s fanbase turned entirely on him, and so did many others.

2022

Shane doesn’t make the NHL roster. He isn’t really supposed to. The Kraken’s roster is fine without him and they’d rather let him develop.

Doesn’t matter how logical that is. He’s called bust. He’s called attitude problems.

Shane still gets a few NHL games. He looks fine but not quite ready, as you might expect from anyone his age.

Doesn’t matter the logic. He’s called a disappointment.

Shane is sent to the AHL for conditioning, because it’s something they can do. Famously, the Firebirds adore him and actually refuse to send him back up because they insist he attend the rookie holiday party like any other rookie.

Doesn’t matter, though. Fans outside the Kraken fanbase question what Shane Wright is doing in the AHL or in the press box. Montreal fans taunt him with Juraj’s name in his comments. They post gifs of Juraj’s goals in replies to tweets that mention Shane.

So it’s very predictable that when Montreal comes to play in Seattle in December, all eyes are on Juraj and Shane. (Who love each other, by the way) (have I said that? They’re liking each other’s insta posts all the time during this time period)

(Doesn’t matter.)

It’s very clear during this game that the Kraken want this game to be Shane’s. They play for him.

And it happens.

Shane Wright scores his first NHL goal against Montreal.

The Kraken lose the game but it almost doesn’t matter. The story is still his goal.

The media asks him about his goal in the scrum and while he initially brushes it off, he’s perhaps too honest and earnest for his own good as he acknowledges that, yes, it felt good to score against Montreal.

WJC 2023

After that, Shane goes to the World Juniors Championship, where he’s reunited with Brennan Othmann and Brandt Clarke. They’re all aware this is likely the last time they’ll be playing together as they’ve all been drafted to different professional organizations.

Shane is named captain. More question this choice than congratulate it. Fans simply can’t fathom that the kid they’ve decided has attitude problems is good.

The reality is that he’s the kid setting up the goal posts for the team, helping the equipment managers for the tournament. But you don’t hear that as much.

It doesn’t really matter. The story is Connor Bedard. And for good reason! He is truly magnificent.

Shane is solid but not magnificent in the way Connor Bedard is.

Canada still wins gold in a white-knuckle OT win.

They win on Shane Wright and Brennan Othmann’s birthday.

It’s a good day.

2023

Before and after the WJC, it’s rumored Shane wants a trade out of Kingston.

There are a few rumors about why.

One is that Kingston just isn’t competitive and he wants to win.

Two is that he doesn’t feel very safe there, that he’s being targeted and the team around him isn’t well-equipped to defend that or rally around him.

Three, of course by now, is that he’s got an attitude problem and he’s the worst kid ever.

And if you’re rolling your eyes or asking for proof or so annoyed by this, yeah lol. Yeah. It’s constant. The constant deluge of people who don’t give a shit about Shane’s development except to call him a lost cause for no reason is really something to behold.

But he’s traded out of Kingston, losing the captaincy in the process, and joins the Windsor Spitfires. Like let that sink in: he loses his captaincy. Whatever the reason for wanting a trade out of that team, he gives up leadership. It matters to get out of there.

It goes okay for him, but not great.

He also gets injured almost right away. Like when I say he’s getting targeted, I MEAN IT. These kids are brutal and they know that they can get noticed if they attack the kid that everyone else is watching.

After the juniors season concludes, he joins the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL for their playoff run, getting all the way to a heartbreaking game 7 OT loss in the finals.

And after that, his project is set: make it impossible for them to send him back to juniors.

2023-2024

Okay so. Here’s what we’re looking at during the start of the 23-24 season.

First, due to his exceptional status way back when, Shane should be eligible to join with either the AHL or the NHL (for those unaware, you have to put in a certain number of games/seasons in the juniors leagues before being eligible to go “pro” in the AHL.)

Second, though, due to all the injuries he incurred, he is technically one game short of eligibility. ONE. But this would mean he would have to sign an entire season with juniors.

Third, Ron Francis announces he’ll seek an exception.

The internet reaction is caught between making fun of him for not making the NHL, crying about him getting special treatment, and again calling his character into question.

It’s just the same shit. It’s the same. Shit.

He’s granted eligibility because it’s the right thing to do, and he’s actually able to enjoy a full season in one place.

He thrives with the Firebirds. He’s able to develop at his own pace without the pressure of a letter on his chest. He’s allowed to make friends and grow.

Shane becomes more comfortable joking in front of media, though still delivers the most earnest answers out of his peers that I’ve seen. He can’t turn it off, I fear.

Shane’s up a couple times with the Kraken which is great, too. He and Matty Beniers room together whenever he’s up with them and they report being close! It’s so good!

The Firebirds make it all the way to the finals and lose again and I don’t want to talk about that or I’ll cry.

Actually I want to cry maybe. Because in the immediate aftermath, Shane is seen skating to each and every one of his teammates, picking up their heads.

Like physically holding their chins up so they can face the handshake line.

Kneeling on the ice with those that can’t stand in the heartbreak.

He’s that guy.

But attitude problems, right?

2024

That brings us to right now.

After a summer of more training and development, Shane shows up at rookie camp. He’s there as a leader, pulled out before the rookie tournament.

Finally, he’s protected. He won’t be there to be beaten up, a sacrifice for some kids who want to be noticed.

Shane will likely make the NHL roster this year and it matters so much because of…all of this.

It matters because questions of his character and attitude won’t just vanish. If they haven’t disappeared by now, with all the evidence out there to the contrary, they won’t disappear ever.

Shane matters to Kraken fans because he has become the picture of our early identity. To be dismissed without even a chance to prove people wrong? That’s Kraken hockey, baby, and it’s Shane Wright’s professional trajectory thus far, too.

But his time may have arrived. So maybe ours has, too.

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