We’re kicking off a new series here at Sound Of Hockey: “Western Conference Wednesdays.” Every other Wednesday, we’ll check in on what’s happening elsewhere in the West as Seattle battles for playoff positioning. Each edition will feature news and notes on teams competing with the Kraken for spots, what their current trends are, and how the Kraken compare in the standings.
As of now, the Western Conference is clogged full of teams just outside the playoff picture, with many failing to separate themselves from the pack. The Kraken have been playing some mediocre hockey lately, going 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, and if they continue that trend, it will get tougher and tougher to jump over teams in the standings. Seattle currently sits at 15-16-2, with 32 points, four points out of a wildcard spot and needing to pass three teams to claim the final playoff berth.
Teams that linger in the middle of the pack this far into the season often stay there or fade out of the playoff race entirely, especially if they decide to sell in advance of the NHL Trade Deadline. That said, a few teams can and have made late surges, like Tampa Bay last season, which was 14-13-5 on Dec. 18 before climbing into the first wild card spot in the East. So, while it’s not impossible for the Kraken to turn things around, they’ll still need a lot to go right to make a push for the playoffs.
But it’s still relatively early, and the teams ahead of Seattle are facing their own struggles. Let’s take a closer look at the teams currently in the mix with the Kraken, starting with the Colorado Avalanche.
Avalanche solving goaltending woes?
One of this season’s bigger letdowns thus far has been the Colorado Avalanche, who are currently tied with Calgary for the final wild card spot in the West. At 36 points, they’re four points ahead of the Kraken but would miss the playoffs if the season ended today.
The Avalanche’s offense hasn’t been an issue—they’re tied with Vegas for the second-most goals scored in the conference, with 108. Despite having less depth with their forward group than seasons past, stars like Nathan MacKinnon (leading the league in points) and Mikko Rantanen (fourth in points) continue to drive production.
What’s held the Avs back is largely their defense and goaltending situations. With six different starting netminders used since the beginning of the season, the most of any team in the league, Colorado ranks tied for second-most goals allowed with San Jose at 114. And with a league-worst .870 save percentage, general manager Chris MacFarland needed to make a change.
After swapping Justus Annunen for Scott Wedgewood on Nov. 30, Colorado acquired Mackenzie Blackwood from the Sharks for a few assets just over a week ago, which has fueled their more recent success of four wins in their last six games. So, Colorado looks more formidable now than it did a couple weeks ago, but the shallower roster has shown signs of wear and tear this season.
The Kraken will face the Avalanche on Sunday. Head-to-head has been tough for Seattle, which has lost three straight to Colorado, including a 0-2-0 record this season.
Avalanche record: 18-15-0; 36 points
Upcoming schedule: @ San Jose (Thu.), @ Anaheim (Fri.), vs. Seattle (Sun.)
Utah’s Finding Its Youthful Identity
Much like the Kraken in their inaugural season, it was uncertain how the Utah Hockey Club would fare with their new identity in a market still growing the sport. However, every game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City has been a sellout by its arena standards (the current hockey capacity is only 11,131), proving hockey is gaining traction in the area.
On the ice, Utah is holding its own in the playoff race, sitting three points out of the final wild card spot. Much of its production comes from youth, with former Seattle Thunderbird Dylan Guenther leading the team with 13 goals, and Logan Cooley contributing 19 assists and 28 points, both in 30 games played. The future looks bright for the young franchise.
Utah will make its first-ever visit to Climate Pledge Arena to face the Kraken on Dec. 30. Before that, they’ll play four of their next five games against teams currently ahead of them in the standings.
Utah record: 14-11-5; 33 points
Upcoming schedule: vs. Vancouver (Wed.), @ Minnesota (Fri.), @ Nashville (Sun.) // @ Seattle (Dec. 30)
Some shifting in St. Louis
The St. Louis Blues, like many teams fighting for spots, have undergone significant changes this season. After underperforming under then-head coach Drew Bannister, the Blues quickly scooped up Jim Montgomery after he was fired by the Bruins. The change has had an immediate effect, with the Blues going 6-3-2 in Montgomery’s brief tenure, in which they have outscored opponents 32-24.
This week, the Blues added veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from Anaheim for a second-round pick and Jeremie Biakabutuka, hoping to bolster their defense and help goalie Jordan Binnington. With defenseman Torey Krug out for the season and Nick Leddy’s status uncertain, this move was crucial for St. Louis’ playoff hopes. The Kraken won’t face the Blues for a couple of months, but they’ll need to keep an eye on a team that’s starting to find its footing.
Blues Record: 15-15-3; 33 points
Upcoming schedule: vs. Calgary (Thu.), @ Nashville (Sat.), @ Winnipeg (Sun.)
Other Headlines:
- Former T-bird forward Keegan Kolesar signed an extension for three years with Vegas, $2.5m AAV
- Defenseman Travis Dermott was placed on waivers by Edmonton and claimed by Minnesota
- Ducks forward Trevor Zegras will miss six weeks after surgery for a torn meniscus
Now that they have left the mess in Phoenix behind, the future looks pretty good for the Yetis. Once they get their injured D back, they could actually do something in the first round of the playoffs if their on-again, off-again goaltending switches on at the right time.
You have to believe the Avs will figure a way to get in, with three of the best players on the planet in their lineup.
Vancouver as well with Miller and Demko back. Hughes and Co. will push them in.
St. Louis looks like a dark house, as does Calgary, but MoneyPuck does not like either of them, so there is that.
Of course, MoneyPuck gives the Kraken a 6% chance of getting in. Now that the Dunn and Sprong effects have withered way, all that is left is the Kakko effect. Maybe it means something, we will see.
Yes, Ebs will be back as well most likely before the end of regular season but we’d have to be knocking on the door before his return could help us.