The Kraken wrapped up a five-game homestand with a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, a game that could arguably be considered their worst of the season. Until that game, the Kraken had been competitive in every game, even when outplayed. Carolina is a strong team, and losses like that will happen, but to walk away with only one point out of a possible six in the final three games of the homestand raises questions about just how good this team is this season. My answer: I really don’t know.
The Kraken are 4-4-1, with several performances that inspire optimism about the team, but also some areas of concern. Before the season started, I would have likely been content with this record at this point. The first nine games of the schedule were neither particularly easy nor overly challenging, with five of the nine matchups against playoff teams from last season, implying that a .500 points percentage for this season might be acceptable.
Insights to date
It is way too early to know if any of these insights will persist over the entire season, but here are a few things that have stood out over the first nine games.
Compete
One noticeable improvement this season is the Kraken’s compete level and their ability to bounce back when trailing. Even in the Carolina game, where they were badly outplayed for two periods, they managed to claw back with a goal from Jared McCann to get within one. They couldn’t close the gap, but they generated several good looks at the net after McCann’s goal, hinting at a momentum shift. Although it was their worst game of the season, they still managed to give themselves a chance in the third period.
Scoring
Another early insight is that the team seems to be scoring more this season. They are averaging 3.0 goals per game, compared to 2.2 through the first nine games last season. Their shooting percentage is 10.5 percent, which isn’t great, but it’s an improvement from last season’s 9.1 percent. According to Natural Stat Trick, however, the Kraken have averaged fewer high-danger shots this season, which might indicate another issue—they aren’t generating as many quality shots as last year. This could be related to the small sample size and the varying quality of opponents so far this season, but it could be indicative of a problem.
Face-offs
The Kraken won only 31 percent of face-offs in the second period of last Thursday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg scored twice in that period, so I went back and reviewed the goals for the entire game to see if any face-off losses were linked to goals against. They weren’t; possession had changed hands multiple times since the previous face-off on all Winnipeg goals. Longtime readers and listeners know we’ve discussed the (un)importance of face-offs for some time, but it’s worth checking in on this topic periodically.
I’ve added face-offs—specifically, ‘shot attempts after a face-off’—as an area for deeper investigation in the coming weeks. That list is getting long.
Other Musings
- One concerning trend is that the Kraken have routinely given up the first goal of the game this season. In six of the nine games, they’ve allowed the first goal, going 2-3-1 in those games. While that record is better than the league average, it’s not a habit they should continue.
- Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes marked the first time this season that Andre Burakovsky didn’t see any ice time on the power play.
- It was great to see Matty Beniers get going with two goals against Winnipeg on Thursday, including the late third-period tip-in goal that tied the game.
- The reunited line of Beniers, Jared McCann, and Jordan Eberle seems to be working well. That trio has scored four goals over the last two games, though they’re currently the only line producing.
- Oliver Bjorkstrand is averaging 14:30 of ice time this season, nearly two minutes less than last year. This is partly due to more penalty-kill time for the team and his reduced power play time early on. Regardless, I’d like to see him get more ice time.
- I’ve liked the power play this season; the Kraken seem to have several zone-entry options and more variety once they establish possession. One thing that surprised me in the Hurricanes game was Bjorkstrand playing on the left point in a couple of early power plays. In at least one later opportunity, he returned to his usual right point, but neither position generated any shot attempts. This is something I’ll keep an eye on over the next few games.
- Nothing would please me more than seeing Shane Wright put up a couple of points against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
- Just a reminder: the Kraken are still off to their best start in franchise history,
- At this point in the 2022-23 season, the Seattle Kraken went on an incredible run, securing 25 out of a possible 28 points from games 10 to 23. This feels like a great time to put together a similar stretch.
- Speaking of incredible stretches of play, the Everett Silvertips have been on fire this season, with a record of 12-2-0 and six consecutive wins. Their next home game is on November 9, and the Kraken have no game that night.
Performances of the week
- Sawyer Mynio (SEA-WHL) – Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman and Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio recorded seven points over his last four games.
- Carson Rehkopf (BRA-OHL) – Kraken forward prospect Carson Rehkopf posted six points in two games over the weekend for the Brampton Steelheads.
- Jared McCann (SEA) – Last week, I mentioned that Jordan Eberle is having the best season start of his career. This week, I’m highlighting Jared McCann for his own strong season start.
Goal of the week
I just love how smooth this looks.
Misa ➡️ Rehkopf 🤩 pic.twitter.com/uAdpPwL3RC
— Brampton Steelheads (@OHLSteelheads) October 26, 2024
The week ahead
Maybe it’s just my nerves talking, but this feels like a crucial week in the early stages of the season for the Kraken, as they head to eastern Canada for games against the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ottawa Senators, followed by a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Boston Bruins. Coincidentally, all three Canadian teams currently sit at a .500 points percentage, identical to the Kraken. Regardless of their records, I don’t think any of these games will be easy, and this week should serve as a good benchmark for the team. Securing four out of eight points would be acceptable, but earning five or more would be a nice confidence boost for the season.