The second group of Seattle Kraken players to skate in a preseason game performed much better than the first group, which was destroyed 6-1 by an unimposing Calgary Flames roster on Sunday. Still, that second group of Kraken came out on the losing end to the Canucks, though this contest had a more palatable 3-1 final score.
It was the second very feisty game Seattle has played, suggesting that coach Dan Bylsma’s emphasis on physical play could differ from that of former coach Dave Hakstol.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 3-1 Kraken preseason loss to the Canucks.
Takeaway #1: Fisticuffs and shenanigans
There were plenty of extracurricular activities in this game, including two fights and several skirmishes of varying intensity. Bylsma said after Sunday’s game that he wanted his team to be the aggressors when it came to physicality, rather than reacting later in the game, as the Kraken did against the Flames. Well, it seems he can just throw John Hayden into the lineup, and he’ll get his wish.
Hayden demonstrated why he’s valuable to the Kraken on Tuesday and made a strong case for being kept around as a depth forward.
After Logan Morrison was blindsided by a hit from 6-foot-6 Vilmer Alriksson, Hayden quickly jumped over the boards and wasted no time going after the much bigger forward. It was a spirited fight that lasted nearly a minute.
Later in the game, when fellow giant Tyler Myers—whom Hayden fought in last year’s preseason after Myers injured Matty Beniers the season before—went after new prized defenseman Brandon Montour, Hayden again came to the rescue. He quickly intervened, wrestling Myers away from Montour.
Then, as Brandon Tanev fought Mark Friedman after several earlier attempts, who was at the center of the commotion? You guessed it, Hayden.
Now, is fighting the most important part of hockey these days? Certainly not. But how many times last season did we see bad hits go unpunished by Seattle? How often did opposing teams come into Climate Pledge Arena and push the Kraken around? If nothing else, this team is sending early signals that it won’t back down from a physical game, and Hayden’s willingness to constantly be in the middle of the action can only help his chances of staying on the NHL roster.
Takeaway #2: Ben Meyers impresses
Another player competing for one of those elusive final roster spots is newcomer Ben Meyers, who—like Hayden—fits the mold of a potential 12th, 13th, or even 14th forward. The 25-year-old, 5-foot-11 forward has 67 career NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Anaheim Ducks, and 62 AHL games with the Colorado Eagles.
Chandler Stephenson had been centering the line between Andre Burakovsky and Jaden Schwartz during training camp, but Meyers was surprisingly slotted into that line Tuesday while Stephenson stayed home. Bylsma indicated Tuesday morning that the switch had more to do with Stephenson than getting a look at Meyers, explaining, “Each one of us is in different stages of camp and bumps and bruises, and it’s just a quick adjustment.”
Bylsma also had glowing things to say about Meyers, though, whom he had faced several times previously at the AHL level.
“I have seen Ben play in two, three American League games,” Bylsma said. “I feared him playing in a few more against CV, because he brings speed, brings intelligence, he brings a lot of—in his own way—compete. And so I don’t have to fear it anymore, I can expect it.”
All that talk made me wonder if the team did want to get a good, hard look at what Meyers could do. Sure, he was filling in for Stephenson, but Meyers was placed in a position to succeed between two veteran players.
Meyers made good on his opportunity, scoring Seattle’s lone goal off a 2-on-1 rush with Schwartz just 10 seconds into the third period. He nearly tied the game with six minutes left after another partial break with Schwartz.
I’m not ready to say Meyers is pushing for a spot on the team, but it’s encouraging to see players get a chance and make the most of it. If he doesn’t end up making it, he showed Tuesday he could be relied upon in a pinch.
Takeaway #3: Andre Burakovsky looks awesome
I’ve been keeping a close eye on Andre Burakovsky in camp because… well… he’s hard to miss out there. He has been flying around, looking stronger and faster than we’ve ever seen him in Kraken colors.
The oft-injured forward confirmed that he had a productive offseason, where he was able to focus on training rather than rehabbing injuries, as he did the two previous summers.
I wondered how his practices would translate into game action, and he did not disappoint on Tuesday. Burakovsky was everywhere, and when he had the puck, he looked dynamic, making it seem like the Canucks had no chance of taking it off him.
Aside from creating the above chances, Burakovsky led the Kraken with three shots on goal and came within inches of tying the game with three minutes left, only to be thwarted by a sprawling Arturs Silovs save.
Please stay healthy! Please stay healthy! Please stay healthy!
Bonus Takeaway: Strong start by Brandon Montour
I’ve loved what I’ve seen from Brandon Montour so far. He’s slick on his skates and makes a lot of smart decisions with the puck. He was a big addition for this club.