Sheltered By Seattle: Wright Playing Well Despite Limited Role

Editors Note: It's not very typical that you publish an in-depth feature on a top-five NHL draft pick without having spoken to said player, but the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken) have declined all media requests for Shane Wright and have expressed that he won't be made available during the Calder Cup Finals. "We are keeping Shane off media availabilities," a team spokesperson said.

That is why Wright is not quoted in this story.

HERSHEY, Pa. - After another strong showing from Shane Wright in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals, Coachella Valley Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma admitted as much in his post-game press conference that he should probably elevate Wright's role from his current fourth line and no special teams duties.

"With how the game went - power plays and penalty kills - it kept us from getting him on the ice more," Bylsma said of Wright's limited ice time in Game 4 after his team's loss to the Hershey Bears, evening the Calder Cup Finals at two games apiece. "That's something I have to remedy as a coach."

It was the second straight game that Wright made an unbelievable - and clearly NHL-level - play to set up one of his linemates for a goal.

On Thursday in Game 4, it was Wright blazing down the left wing into the offensive zone before stopping on a dime and zipping a cross-ice pass through three Bears' defenders and right onto the tape of Austin Poganski for a game-tying first period goal.

"I mean playing with Shane, he makes my job a lot more easy," Poganski said of playing with Wright in these Calder Cup Finals games. "He's been making some really nice passes the last couple of games. He's grown as a player. So yeah, it's great playing with him. He set me up again tonight, so I'm thankful for that," he added, referencing Wright's primary assist on his goal in Game 2 back in Coachella Valley. "Just the confidence he has with the puck. He's able to see the ice. Like, I was behind three guys and he was able to sift it in there. He sees the game a little better than everybody else. He's a great skater and he's holding his own out here at such a young age, which is good to see."

Flash back to Tuesday's Game 3 in the third period and it was Wright again putting his speed, skill and vision of the ice on full display - coming down the right-wing and threading the needle through four Bears' players in Hershey's defensive zone on a tape-to-tape pass to Carsen Twarynski, who in his own right executed a smooth catch-and-release for a quick shot and a goal to start the Firebirds' third period rally in that game before they ultimately fell in overtime.

"He's got great speed, skill and vision with the puck, and it creates opportunities for others around him," Bylsma said when asked what is allowing Wright to make such an impact - especially the past two games.

Wright has assists in three straight games in the Calder Cup Finals.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Wright back on the Firebirds' power play, or moved up the lineup in advance of Saturday night's pivotal Game 5 in Hershey.

1-on-1 With Dan Bylsma's Thoughts On Shane Wright

Before the Western Conference Finals, Bylsma went 1-on-1 with InsideAHLHockey.com and went into great detail about the trials and tribulations that Shane Wright went through in his first season after being drafted by Seattle fourth overall in 2022.

We would have loved to also get Wright's perspective for a deeper look behind one of the top hockey prospects in the world right now, but we didn't want to waste these in-depth insights from Bylsma so we posted his full response after being asked about Wright's mindset and how he's handled his time in the AHL with Coachella Valley.

Question: Another player I wanted to ask you about is Shane Wright. Kind of had, you know, a really weird season for him - starting in Seattle, coming to you guys and then back to juniors and then coming back [to Coachella Valley in the AHL] what's sort of his mindset been like and and how has he sort of handled maybe, you know, a top pick not going straight to the NHL. How has he sort of handled that disappointment?

Bylsma: Well, you've described the year. It's certainly been a.... highs and lows and all over for Shane this season from starting with the draft and getting picked by Seattle, coming to camp as an 18 year old trying to get in the door in the National Hockey League is a difficult thing and then there's been five or six different stages of the season. He came to us for five games shortly before going to the World Juniors. He excelled at the World Juniors and played great there and then going back to junior and the injury getting injured in junior certainly part of that second half of the season for him there's a lot of difficult times, a lot of turbulent times and then the opportunity to come to us and help us out here, and he's embraced that. He's embraced the chance and the opportunity to help us out. He's jumped into games and done that - power play, scoring goals for us so far in the playoffs and as we go forward here - don't need to tip my hand too much - but he'll get that opportunity in this upcoming series (vs. Milwaukee) and hopefully after.

Question: This is kind of, you know, really beneficial for him to be with you guys and getting the playoff experience. People talk all the time about how you can't replicate this kind of, you know, intensity, but is it also a good spot for him because he doesn't have to be THE guy and, you know, maybe not all eyes are on him and maybe not as much pressure to just be a contributor on the team versus you know having to be THAT guy to lead the team?

Bylsma: That's really it. Like, I hope the opportunity he's getting is... he views it in that way and it's my message to him just you're a great player just go out and play. Don't worry about the summertime. Don't worry about the fall. Don't worry about any of the other outside stuff - we talked about the ups and downs and the turbulence maybe this year has provided for him. This is a chance for him to just go out and play. Go out and show what kind of player he is and not have so much scrutiny, so many eyes on him - just go out and be the player you are.

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