The Seattle Kraken have recalled defenseman Ville Ottavainen from the Coachella Valley Firebirds, their AHL affiliate. The announcement came on Sunday, October 19, 2025. This move addresses the Kraken's defensive needs following Brandon Montour's temporary leave of absence due to a family matter and an injury to Ryan Lindgren. Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury after being struck in the face by a puck late in the third period during Saturday's 4-3 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ottavainen, a 23-year-old right-handed defenseman, offers the Kraken a sizable presence on the blue line, standing at 6'5" and weighing 225 pounds. Selected by Seattle in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Ottavainen has spent most of his time within the Kraken organization playing for the Firebirds in the American Hockey League (AHL).
While not necessarily known for dynamic offensive capabilities like Montour, Ottavainen brings a solid resume with a considerable amount of professional experience for a young defenseman. In 142 games with the Firebirds since the 2022-23 season, he has recorded 49 points (11 goals and 38 assists). He also contributed to two playoff runs with the Firebirds in 2024 and 2025, tallying five postseason points. His first full season with Coachella Valley saw him score 34 points in 70 games, helping the team reach game six of the 2024 Calder Cup Final.
Ottavainen previously played one game for Seattle during the 2024-25 season, which was the team's last of the season on April 15 against the Los Angeles Kings where he recorded one assist in 14:24 of ice time. He also participated in three preseason games with Seattle, recording 14 penalty minutes.
It's possible that Ottavainen will be given a chance on the team's second pairing alongside Josh Mahura. According to Puckpedia, Ottavainen is expected to play in Monday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers and will be paired with Mahura. With all eyes on Mahura after his overtime game-winning goal on Saturday, Ottavainen will be in good hands with him as his mentor.
The duration of Ottavainen's stay with the Kraken is unclear, as there has been no update on Montour's leave status. The team will likely evaluate the situation as Montour attends to his family matter and as Lindgren recovers.
