A day that began with the rousing news that Kraken forward Jordan Eberle had re-signed with the Seattle Kraken for two more years ended with disappointment as Seattle dropped a tight-checking contest to the visiting Winnipeg Jets, 3-0. Both teams struggled to possess the puck through the neutral zone and establish offensive zone time for much of the first 30 minutes, but the Jets seized control over the back half of the game, controlling the pace and frequently hemming the Kraken in their own zone.
“We just didn’t have a lot of energy tonight,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said postgame. “We saw that momentum really turn in the second period.” He noted the Kraken “couldn’t find that burst of energy to get us going on the right track [again].”
The Kraken had a handful of dangerous looks throughout the game, but could not convert. On the other hand, Winnipeg’s stars delivered in the third period. First, Mark Schiefle beat Joey Daccord from the low slot at 7:15 in the period. After that, Adam Lowry knocked home a point-black rebound shot at 11:28 in the final frame. Winnipeg then added an empty-netter to cap off the win.
The Kraken entered Monday night with points in eight-of-ten games, a run that had started to close the gap in the Pacific Division.
Even with this loss, Seattle remains just six points out of playoff position. But the schedule is starting to run out. Here are our three takeaways leaving Climate Pledge Arena after this one.
Takeaway #1: Schwartz injured
Jaden Schwartz left in the first period with an apparent injury. We didn’t see anything in Schwartz’s last shift to indicate what the injury might be, but he was grimacing as the puck dropped following an icing call midway through the shift.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol didn’t have an update on Schwartz postgame, but Hakstol was quick to disclaim the loss of Schwartz as a turning point in the game. “What [Schwartz] does specifically at the net front obviously is important [in] a tight-check, defensive-style game,” Hakstol said. “But that’s not the difference in the hockey game.”
The Kraken do not play again until Tuesday, so the team will have time to evaluate Schwartz’s injury and the forward will have time to recuperate. With luck this relatively light stretch in the schedule will minimize the time he misses. But if the team is without Schwartz for several games going forward, the depth of the team–already stretched by the Alex Wennberg trade–will be further tested. This is a tough position to be in with every point so important.
Takeaway #2: Kraken ran out of gas in the second half of the game
This one started as a low-event slog. Both teams struggled to create offense. A mix of tight defensive play and unforced giveaways were to blame on both sides.
Winnipeg was quicker to right the ship in the second period though. While Seattle escaped the second without conceding a goal, Winnipeg was driving play toward Seattle’s end more consistently. Seattle generated just four shots on goal to Winnipeg’s nine.
“You look at the long change in the second period. It’s a big deal when you start with the puck and fresh legs versus defending and just doing your best to get off the ice. You’re not setting up the next line and [you’re] not putting that line in the best spot when they have to come out and defend,” Hakstol said.
Ultimately, Winnipeg carried that second period momentum over into the third period and the Kraken couldn’t find a response. Winnipeg outshot Seattle 14-5 in the final period and outscored Seattle 3-0.
“We didn’t execute well enough to push momentum our way,” Hakstol said. “I’m not disappointed with our effort. Our guys worked. It was a night where I just didn’t feel like we had a lot of gas in the tank.”
Takeaway #3: Kraken need to turn the page quickly
The team entered the game aglow in the optimism of Eberle’s re-signing and a successful road trip. It exited on a notably somber note after a flat effort.
When asked how he’d approach the team to make sure it still has the belief that it can push for the playoffs, Hakstol kept it simple. He said the key was to “just go back to work tomorrow. There’s no magic to it.”
Tomas Tatar had a similar message, saying the team’s goals were still out there for them. The team just needed to turn the page. “We know what we have to do to get in. This was just one game. We put it behind us.” He noted that the next game against Las Vegas is “huge” because it’s against the team “they want to catch” in the standings.
Tatar is right, but time is running short on this Kraken season. The team needs the turnaround to start Tuesday against Las Vegas.
Not sure if that was an order from the season ticket sales office, but the season is over. If Vegas continues to slide after the trades they just made, that would be a really big surprise.
Disappointed at how inactive Francis was at the deadline. Draft picks are what this team needs, not aging vets. He did very little to improve the Kraken for the future. What exactly is the Year 4 plan?
Why not play the final 10 games to give NHL looks to Wright, Winterton, Ottavainen, and Morrison, to see how the team might look with a post-Wennberg, post-Schultz lineup.
I feel like you live in a bizarro world where improving your team when you’re likely out of the playoff race is a smart thing to do at the deadline when prices are high. You also don’t play Wright and burn a year for no reason. Comments on SoH always come from people who like to rail on coaching or management yet show little understanding of what’s actually happening with the team.
There goes the neighborhood.
What an inane comment, but then again so is that handle.
Let’s see, Justin Schultz is on an expiring UFA contract, so if we don’t trade him for a pick at the trade deadline, we can just wait until the summer when we can… Oh, that’s right, we can do nothing in the summer, as he is no longer Kraken property. How could I be so thick?
Played hockey for 20 years. You?
Francis himself called out yesterday that they’re in the worst spot: they’re in the middle. I think the market dissolved on Wennberg until it was just the Rangers, and unfortunately the Dunn injury forced them to pull back on Schultz unless someone offered something better than a 4th for him.
While I agree they’re likely not going to be a playoff team due to their inconsistency, I also accept that selling Tuna, Bellemare, or Schultz wasn’t going to get them anything decent in this market (and the guys mentioned from the AHL would just sit for the most part in the suite watching).
This off-season they need to take a hard look at everything with this team and organization and act aggressively towards getting themselves into the consistent cup contender window fastest and out of being mid.
Absolutely no confidence in this team. It’s a crap shoot every game. You never know who’s going to show up. They had 2 days rest!
Would love to see some of the boys from Coachella.
I guess one silver lining is that Burakovsky looked great, he was the best Kraken skater last night. I was looking forward to cheering Eberle extra hard after his extension, but he was mostly AWOL. And oh man, the Oleksiak-Borgen turnover routine on the breakout is getting really tedious this season. Bottom line is this team is not even remotely competitive without Dunn.
If only we had goaltending…
Oh… wait… .926 over the last three months.
Nevermind
I actually called it before the season — after never having a goalie with an over-.900 season, they’d get 2 this year… and miss the playoffs anyway. I wish I had posted it in writing.
When asked how he’d approach the team to make sure it still has the belief that it can push for the playoffs, Hakstol kept it simple. He said the key was to “just go back to work tomorrow. There’s no magic to it.”
Magic aside I’m just wanting 🔥H to get this team to play consistent hockey, hopefully he’s running out of time quickly.
Last 40 Games 20-14-6 57.5%
Last 30 Games 18-10-2 63.3%
Last 20 Games 9-9-2 50.0%
Last 10 Games 6-3-1 65.0%
How consistent would you like us to be?
We had a poor start, that’s not been the case since.
Open your eyes and switch the script.
…. and since Joey took over in net three months ago, the Kraken have a .629 win percentage – 11th in the league.
Another takeaway: the Jets are pretty good!
Yes they definitely are pretty good, I’m more concerned about the overall inconsistency this team has under H. I think when you see what we are seeing it’s the coaches fault, if they never looked or played well then it would be a different story. I see so much regression in players like Tanev and kartye who I’d consider your energy players, it looks to me like H is basically an energy vampire. I feel like he has a very rigid system that he wants his players playing and is not adjusting for players styles or allowing much free flow when the situation could allow for it. You see it in his comments about players…. We’ve been working with Daccord to play the puck less is a perfect example. Daccords game was a lot better before H asked him to play the puck less…..
Agree. It’s the coach’s job to drive energy out of the players. I like Hak and I suppose the players do, too. I just don’t feel the hunger for a championship coming through when he speaks. That matters.
Jets… only team in the league with better goaltending than Seattle over the last three months… by .0005 SV%.
Yes they will be an interesting team to watch in the playoffs, I don’t feel they are good enough but goaltending can win series.
Tyler Toffoli was a smart pickup.