Jacob Melanson

Jacob Melanson (born April 22, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right wing for the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL) under contract to 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 Maritime Hockey League during the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. He then joined the Amherst Ramblers of the same league. Melanson was then selected 15th overall in the 2019 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) 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 in 2022–23. On July 13, 2022, Melanson signed a 3-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken.

In a Kraken preseason game on September 26th, 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.