Jacob Melanson

Jacob Melanson (born April 22, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 131st overall by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

Melanson played bantam hockey with the Truro Bearcats of the Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League during the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. He then joined the Weeks Major Midgets of the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League while serving as an affiliated player for the Amherst Ramblers during the 2018–19 season. Melanson was then selected 15th overall in the 2019 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League entry draft by the Quebec Remparts.

Melanson then joined the Acadie–Bathurst Titan in the 2019–20 season. Melanson was then drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the fifth round, 131st overall, in the 2021 NHL entry draft. He stayed with the Titan until he was acquired by the Sherbrooke Phoenix during the 2022–23 season. On July 13, 2022, Melanson signed a 3-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken.

In a Kraken preseason game on September 26, 2022, against the Edmonton Oilers, Melanson received the first suspension in Kraken franchise history, with an illegal check to the head against Oilers forward James Hamblin with 2:42 remaining in the second period. He received a match penalty and was suspended two games.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2016–17 Truro Bearcats NSMBHL 33 19 6 25 48 2 1 0 1 4 2017–18 Truro Bearcats NSMBHL 31 44 32 76 76 2 3 3 6 8 2018–19 Weeks Majors U-18 NSU18MHL 32 20 21 41 63 3 1 1 2 6 2018–19 Amherst Ramblers MHL 1 1 2 3 0 3 0 0 0 2 2019–20 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 39 3 7 10 19 — — — — — 2020–21 Acadie–Bathurst Titan QMJHL 18 8 11 19 26 5 2 1 3 16 2021–22 Acadie–Bathurst Titan QMJHL 54 35 21 56 85 8 4 2 6 10 2022–23 Acadie–Bathurst Titan QMJHL 27 25 19 44 35 — — — — — 2022–23 Sherbrooke Phoenix QMJHL 32 25 30 55 20 14 8 7 15 12 2022–23 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0 2023–24 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 62 6 12 18 87 18 2 4 6 18 2024–25 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 42 8 5 13 48 6 1 2 3 10 2024–25 Seattle Kraken NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2025–26 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 28 9 10 19 28 11 1 4 5 16 2025–26 Seattle Kraken NHL 36 2 3 5 32 — — — — —NHL totals 37 2 3 5 32 — — — — —