Three New Year’s Resolutions For the Seattle Torrent

Covering the Seattle Torrent this season has meant holding two truths at once. The underlying numbers often say this is a team chasing play. The results and the context around them tell a different story: this expansion group is already more competitive than expected.

With the calendar year turning to 2026, here are three New Year’s resolutions Seattle should take seriously, along with the reminder that real positives are already built into this season.

#1: Show Up for Corinne Schroeder because she’s still giving you a chance

This one is straightforward. When Corinne Schroeder gets to be in net, she is busy. Too busy. Through her three starts with Seattle she’s posted a rough 3.3o goals-against average and an .889 save percentage, numbers well below what a true anchor goalie should be delivering.

But it's not all about the net. Seattle regularly comes close to giving up more than 30 shots a night and have left Schroeder to face long stretches of pressure without support. In the Dec. 21 loss to Boston, she stopped over 90 percent of what she saw and kept the game reachable well into the third period even while Seattle was outshot by a wide margin. That’s been a recurring theme.

And while Schroeder has kept games from spiraling too much, the combination of defensive lapses in front of her and stretches of below-average numbers from Schroeder herself have left Seattle in spots where the team has to score just to stay in games.

The resolution: tighten net-front defense and slot responsibility so strong goaltending results in wins, not just pretty box scores.

#2: Flip the shot script without losing sight of the results

Okay, Seattle gets outshot a lot, and those possession numbers come with consequences. In the loss to the Fleet, Seattle managed only 27 shots to Boston’s 38, and struggled to control play. That’s not a sustainable template against the tougher teams.

Still, Seattle is winning some of those games like in their Dec. 23 win against the Montréal Victoire who outshot them 38-23. That tells us two things: the Torrent do damage when they get chances, and they can beat strong teams even when they are not controlling the run of play.

That is actually a positive. Shot share is easier to fix than finishing talent. Systems can adjust, breakouts can tighten up, the forecheck can evolve. The ability to score when it matters is already there.

The resolution: improve puck possession and shot volume so Seattle is not depending on efficiency alone, but keep leaning into the timely finishing that is already getting results.

#3: Turn star power into steady five-on-five offense

Seattle did not build this roster by accident. Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter are still among the most dangerous players in the league, and Hannah Bilka has been right with them. When Seattle scores, its top-end skill usually plays a role.

But there’s a gap between individual skill and five-on-five structure. In big moments Seattle still relies too much on isolated rushes or special teams plays rather than pressure built off possession. That was evident in games like their 3-0 loss to Minnesota and the 3-1 loss to Boston, where offense dried up.

There’s real offensive talent here, and players getting their first goals of the season in the same game is a positive sign that depth is developing. The downside? Even with three different goal scorers against the New York Sirens in the Dallas stop for this season’s Takeover Tour, Seattle still couldn’t close the deal.

The resolution: build line chemistry and offensive habits that make five-on-five scoring repeatable because the talent is already strong enough to support it.

The bottom line

Seattle does not look like a typical expansion team, but it also doesn’t look like an early contender yet. The Torrent are competitive often enough, they’re finding the back of the net, and a handful of true first-time goals show there’s developing depth.

But the truth is also this: the Torrent make things harder on themselves than they need to. Goaltending keeps bailing them out, scoring comes in streaks instead of stretches, and too many winnable games slip away late. And that's all solvable.

There’s enough talent, enough buy-in, and enough foundation that you can easily picture this team finding a gear they haven’t shown yet. The pieces are already in the room, now it’s on Seattle to make that foundation feel like the start of something real instead of just the potential for it.