The Seattle Kraken season opener is here! For the first time ever, the Kraken open the season at home. And it’s a true “Opening Day” game with puck drop at 1:30 pm PT. Roster questions have been answered. Last practice skates completed. It’s time for the games to count. We’re ready to go.

So, now is as good a time as any to lock in our hot (or lukewarm) Kraken-related season predictions so that all can bask in their accuracy and glory six months down the road. It’s time for another Kraken Roundtable with the gang.

First goal of the season

Curtis Isacke: Like last year, we’re going to kick this off with a silly one: Who scores first and why? 

I’ll start us off and say Brandon Montour. Sure, he only had eight goals last season, but the energy and good vibes he brought all camp seem to match the electricity of Opening Day. We know he’s a clutch performer. But scoring the first goal of the season for his new team, after hoisting the Stanley Cup in his last meaningful game, would be next level. Lock it in.

Darren Brown: Curtis, I’ll see your Brandon Montour, and I’ll raise you a Chandler Stephenson out of spite for you. For those who don’t know, Curtis hasn’t been the biggest proponent of the Stephenson signing, so I think it would be pretty funny if he gets things rolling for Seattle this year and just slams it right in Curtis’s face from the jump. The Chan Chan Man did also score the game-winning goal for Vegas with a debatable kick-in in Seattle’s first ever game in the inaugural season, so he owes Kraken fans some good feelings on Opening Day.

Blaiz Grubic: Andre Burakovsky is my pick to score the Kraken’s first goal of the season. He’s shown flashes of brilliance and is eager to rebound from a disappointing injury-riddled season. With his talent and the team’s offensive focus, I am hopeful for a strong campaign. He has looked good in the preseason and at training camp, so I am tapping No. 95.

John Barr: I was going to go with Burakovsky, but now that Blaiz has picked him, I’ll choose someone different. I’m going with Eeli Tolvanen. For the most part, he has looked pretty good in the preseason, which makes me think he had a solid offseason of training and will be ready to start on time.

Most improved player or aspect of the team

Curtis: Give us an aspect of the team that you are optimistic about or excited to see go to the next level.

Darren: I’m really interested to see how the power play does this year. It struggled mightily at times last season, and it got so stagnant. The Kraken have upgraded personnel, and they’ve been practicing a lot at being more dynamic. Getting Montour as the quarterback on the second unit makes things pretty interesting, too, because now there are theoretically two dangerous puck movers dancing across the blue line with him and Vince Dunn and lots of talent on both units.

I know they didn’t score much with the manpower advantage in preseason, but I do like where this thing is headed. If the Kraken power play units don’t click on Day 1, give them some time. 

John: Goal scoring. It was Seattle’s biggest weakness last season and therefore has the most opportunity to improve. The gains will come from the entire group. I anticipate some rebounds from Beniers and Burakovsky, plus the additions of Montour and Stephenson will open up opportunities for others. Based on his preseason play, I am optimistic on Shane Wright’s contributions to light the lamp this season. 

Blaiz: The Kraken’s center depth has significantly improved. Following the departure of Alex Wennberg at the trade deadline, the team struggled at center, and once Dunn got hurt on the blue line, the season was effectively over. 

However, with the acquisition of Stephenson and the emergence of Wright, the Kraken have strengthened their center depth. This has forced Yanni Gourde to move to the fourth line, which is not a slight against his abilities, rather a testament to the team’s overall improvement.

Curtis: John and Blaiz both touched on this tangentially, but Wright is the biggest reason for optimism in my mind. He had a strong scoring season as a 19-year-old in the AHL last year, but beyond the points, his smaller contributions, confidence, and play speed really blossomed at that level. 

We only have a few games from last year and the exhibitions this season, but I do think Wright is primed to carry over that play to the NHL level and reach the heights that some had predicted for him pre-draft. It won’t come all at once, and there will be some rough games along the way, but I’m a believer that Wright will get there.

Prospect you’re most interested to watch

Curtis: Is there a player not on the initial roster that has your eye this year? Why?

Blaiz: Eduard Sale, the 19-year-old prospect currently playing for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, is one I will be watching this year. Despite a challenging 2023-24 season, Sale impressed the Kraken brass enough to earn a longer look at training camp.

While he’s currently with the Firebirds, there’s a possibility he could be sent back to his junior team, the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, if he struggles. I’m looking for Sale to continue developing and showcase the potential that made him a first-round draft pick.

John: Sale is the same for me. I expect players like Berkly Catton and Carson Rehkopf to dominate on their respective CHL teams, but that means little until they start playing against older competition in the AHL or NHL. In my opinion, the Seattle Kraken need to take a more hands-on approach with Sale’s development. Despite his lack of production in the OHL last season, I think his time might be better spent in Coachella, under closer supervision. Of all the Kraken prospects who could return to play junior hockey this season, he looked the best in preseason games.

The criticism of Sale is his lack of drive to compete. This was true in his draft year and seemed to carry over into last season in the OHL. He can get away with it somewhat when playing against his age-group peers, but he’ll need to compete much harder in the AHL. That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if he sticks in the AHL.

Curtis: Sale is a good pick. For all of the discussion of his stagnated development, he is slated to be the seventh-youngest player in the AHL to begin this season, according to Elite Prospects. If he can simply hold his own and stick around the roster all year, as John suggests, it will be a solid step forward.

But, honestly, you could talk me into pretty much any of the “rookie” Firebirds: David Goyette, Jagger Firkus, Ty Nelson, Jani Nyman, and Niklas Kokko all amount to must-see television for me. For now, I’ll pick Kokko. Goalies are notoriously slow to develop, but Kokko already proved he was up to the challenge (and then some) in Liiga, earning an AHL assignment at age 20. It looks like he’ll be at least the fourth-youngest goalie in that league.

Darren: I’m staying on the Lleyton Roed bandwagon. I know he’s 22 years old and therefore should look a step ahead of the other prospects being considered here, but the organization clearly likes what it has seen from the undrafted signee out of Bemidji State University. And man, he was fun to watch in his one preseason game and throughout training camp. With his speed, I think he has an outside chance to play in the NHL relatively soon. 

Award the team MVP

Curtis: Whether it’s scoring goals, saves, vibes, or something else, who contributes the most to winning this year?

Blaiz: With a career-best 59 points in 2023-24 and his fifth 20-goal season, Oliver Bjorkstrand is well-positioned for continued success. During his seven years with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Bjorkstrand maintained a shooting percentage of 12.0. While his average dipped to 10.4 percent during his first two seasons with the Kraken, there’s potential for a positive regression. This could further boost his scoring numbers and increase his chances of winning the team MVP award.

Curtis: I’ll swerve here and say that if this team has a big rebound season, a major reason will be the change in mentality and approach from the coaching staff. Players have to get the goals and earn the standings points on the ice, no doubt, but we all saw a team that seemingly struggled with its confidence and identity for prolonged stretches last season. To the extent the Kraken avoid similar losing streaks this year, I think the staff will be a big reason why.

Darren: I made a hot take on the SOH Podcast that Brandon Montour will be viewed as the Kraken’s best player this season. I love what he brings to the table, and I think we’re going to see him used in so many different scenarios that the team will end up winning on his back some nights. 

John: I love the thought of Bjorkstrand or Burakovsky being the team MVP, but Jared McCann has been the best Kraken player from Day 1. In a way, it’s a boring pick, but it is also likely he continues to deliver. 

Predict the Kraken season

Curtis: Here is the big one. Give us your point total for the team, Seattle’s final place in the Pacific Division standings, and make a prediction on whether the team makes the playoffs. If so, how far do they go?

Curtis: Last year, I was alone among the panel in predicting the Kraken would miss the playoffs. I thought their talent level looked closer to a 90-point team once the shooting luck was stripped out. But even I underestimated just how hard the regression would hit. 

This year, Shane Wright looks primed to be an important “addition.” Montour and Stephenson are upgrades over pieces the team had last year too–though I think we are too quick to forget that Brian Dumoulin and Alex Wennberg were solid players and certainly not “the problem” the last year. 

“The problem” is the sliding offensive regression of an aging forward core. Jaden Schwartz, Yanni Gourde, and Jordan Eberle, to name a few, could bounce back and have Kraken-best seasons. Andre Burakovsky could stay healthy. But netting it all out, it’s more likely the contributions from the veteran group resemble last year’s production than the 2022-23 output. 

Overall I think the team has improved a bit, but perhaps only into the 91-92 point range. This could be enough in a suspect Pacific Division, but I’ll predict they’re on the outside looking in for the second straight year. Every point will be important. Buckle up. It starts today.

John: The 91-92 range sounds a bit optimistic when you cross reference the national outlets rolling out their predictions. These national outlets seem to think that this season’s team is roughly inline with last season’s team. That is insane. I will peg them at 93 points, and they will jump over the Kings and the Golden Knights in the standings this season to finish third in the Pacific. Who’s going to tell me off?!?!?

Darren: I’m so hilariously optimistic sometimes. I read both of your predictions and thought, “No, no! That’s WAY too low!” I really do feel good about this group, though, especially when coupled with the bounce of a new and energized coaching staff in place. If the Kraken can stay healthy, I say they make the playoffs with 96 points and win their opening-round series before being bounced again in Round 2. 

Blaiz: On paper, the Kraken have assembled their strongest roster in their young franchise history. They have the potential to be a competitive team, and if they can regain confidence in their goal-scoring abilities, they could surprise some teams.

I see the Kraken as a borderline playoff team. My prediction is they will finish with 95 points and secure fourth place in the Pacific Division. The Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings did not do enough in the offseason, and the Kraken will leap-frog them in the standings. This allows the Kraken to slip into a Wild Card spot.

Once in the playoffs, anything is possible. While I’d love to see the Kraken pull off another upset, a first-round exit is more likely given the competitive nature of the postseason.

Predict the Stanley Cup

Curtis: Finally, give us your Stanley Cup Final matchup and champion. If your crystal ball is clear enough, feel free to elaborate further. For my part, I think the West might have the three best teams overall in Dallas, Colorado, and Edmonton. The heart rejects Edmonton and, to some extent, Colorado. If I remember correctly, I had Dallas emerging from the West and defeating Carolina in the Stanley Cup Final in our pre-playoff prediction last year. Without much new to go on, I guess I’ll just double down on that prediction here: Dallas over Carolina. 

Darren: I was very high on Dallas last year as well and thought it was the most balanced team in the league. I say they get over the hump this year. I’m also going to do the most ridiculous thing I can think of and say the Leafs will make the Final out of the East. They are undeniably talented, and I actually think Craig Berube cracking the whip will be a good fit for that club. I’ll go Stars over Leafs. 

John: I generally hate predicting anything positive for the Pacific Division’s Canadian teams, but the Edmonton Oilers have improved offensively, and they were obviously close last season. I think they can win it all. That prediction could fail miserably if their goaltending falters, and I’d be okay with that.

The Eastern Conference seems more open than the West. The trendy picks from the last couple of years, Florida and Carolina, have both taken a step back. That leaves the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins as potential contenders. I’ll take the Rangers over the Bruins, but they’ll still lose to the Oilers in the Final.

Blaiz: Western Conference: I’m following John’s prediction and selecting the Edmonton Oilers to make a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They maintained a strong core, losing Warren Foegele but acquiring valuable additions like Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to easily offset any offensive losses. Given their impressive performance last season, the Oilers are well-positioned to win the Stanley Cup this year. My dark horse pick in the West is the Nashville Predators.

Eastern Conference: Believe it or not, I agree with Darren. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been a perennial playoff failure, but with their strong offensive core led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, they are always a threat. If the Leafs can remain steady in their defensive play and goaltending, with the guidance of new bench boss Craig Berube, they could make a deep playoff run and reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Darren: NOBODY picked the Kraken? Sheesh.