The Seattle Kraken spent the last couple days back in the friendly confines of Kraken Community Iceplex for the first time in three weeks, following a lengthy 4 Nations Face-Off break that led into a three-game road trip.

There have been several interesting nuggets from their late-week practices, including Yanni Gourde continuing his progression toward a return from sports hernia surgery (he skated in a red non-contact jersey Thursday but was a full participant on Friday), Tye Kartye heading to Coachella Valley on a conditioning loan, and Nikke Kokko remaining with the big club as he enjoys what is expected to be a relatively brief first stint in the NHL.

I also caught up with Jared McCann for the first time since he broke his scoring drought with a game-winning goal against the Florida Panthers last Saturday and gained some insight into his mindset during the slump.

We have all that and more in this Kraken Notebook.

McCann’s confidence returning

McCann leads the Kraken in scoring this season with 43 points, tallying a respectable 15 goals and 28 assists in 60 games. But considering he was in a league of his own as Seattle’s most reliable goal-scoring threat for his first three seasons in deep sea blue—amassing 96 goals in that span—he’s off the pace we expected heading into 2024-25.

Before he took Adam Larsson’s saucer pass and ripped it past Sergei Bobrovsky at 7:03 of the third period against the Panthers, he had notched just two goals in the previous two months, both of which came on empty nets. His confident finish to secure Seattle’s 2-1 victory in the Sunshine State was a breath of fresh air for fans, players, and coaches alike.

“I mean, I hadn’t scored in a while before that, so it was good to kind of get the confidence back,” McCann said. “Obviously, I’ve just got to keep shooting the puck. I’ve hit probably three or four posts the last couple of games here, so they’ve got to go eventually.”

Players are keenly aware when things aren’t going their way, and McCann knew he had been gripping his stick too tightly.

“It sucks, but I’ve been through it before with, obviously, other teams. I’ve been through droughts before, but I’m just trying to contribute in any way I can, whether it’s setting somebody up or generating offensive-zone chances. You don’t always have to score. I just try to contribute as much as I can.”

Even though he hasn’t been scoring at his usual clip, McCann is on track to set a career-high in assists. However, he insists he hasn’t changed his approach.

“I still feel like I’m a shoot-first guy, but I do think there were opportunities last year where I could have passed the puck a little bit more. But [Shane Wright’s] been doing well for us, and we’re just trying to get him the puck as much as we can right now.”

Head coach Dan Bylsma is encouraged by McCann’s recent play, pointing to his 14 shots on goal in three games since the break as a sign the 28-year-old winger could be regaining his scoring touch.

“I think it’s just good to see him get a goal there, but better to see him underlining his game with being a pointed shot guy, not just a shot from distance, not just flippers on net,” Bylsma said. “Where they’re coming from and the quality of those shots are huge indicators for his game.

“He’s shown a history of scoring in a lot of different ways, and that’s the focus, the process, and that’s why getting the result and the game-winning goal in Florida was big.”

SOH creating drama in the room

When McCann spoke about being productive despite his goal-scoring struggles, he unsolicitedly praised linemate Wright’s performance and mentioned trying to set him up as much as possible.

Meanwhile, McCann’s other linemate, Andre Burakovsky, was sitting nearby, listening in. This is key context for what happened next.

I asked McCann if he was excited about Jordan Eberle’s recent return from a serious pelvis injury that had kept him out since Nov. 14 and if he hoped to play with him again—without considering that reuniting McCann and Eberle would mean splitting up McCann and Burakovsky.

McCann replied, “I hope so. It’s up to the coach, but he’s been grinding the last couple of weeks—”

At that point, Burakovsky interrupted and jokingly berated McCann for completely writing off his current linemate. I won’t repeat what Burakovsky said since I wasn’t interviewing him directly, but he gave McCann a hard time for confirming he wanted to play with Eberle. It led to a good chuckle between McCann and me before he continued discussing Eberle.

“No, it’s just, [Eberle’s] been grinding the last couple of weeks here, and obviously he’s been working really hard to get back into game shape. And the last couple of games here, obviously, we haven’t been playing our best, but he’s a big part of our team. We’re just happy to have him back.”

Kartye partye in Coachella Valley

We suspected a move was coming with Tye Kartye, and the team confirmed it Thursday, sending him to the Coachella Valley Firebirds for a conditioning stint.

The 23-year-old winger hasn’t played since Feb. 8. Although Mitchell Stephens had already been sent down to the AHL, Kartye hasn’t been used much at center, so even with Stephens’ demotion, there wasn’t a clear path to playing time for Kartye.

By sending him down on a conditioning loan, the Kraken do not have to expose him to waivers, and he can remain with the Firebirds for up to 14 days. His salary still counts against the cap, though.

This seems like an ideal scenario for both the Kraken and Kartye. He needs playing time, and we’ve seen him dominate at the AHL level before. Hopefully, this stint gives him a confidence boost for when he returns, perhaps after the NHL Trade Deadline, when he could be relied upon more.

Gourde getting closer

Gourde, widely viewed as a trade candidate ahead of the March 7 deadline, is inching closer to returning from hernia surgery that has sidelined him since Jan. 2. On Thursday, he wore a red non-contact jersey and participated in the first half of practice. By Friday, he graduated to full participant, though he was rotating with recently recalled Ben Meyers on the fourth line.

Bylsma said Gourde is unlikely to play Saturday against Vancouver, but I’m predicting he’ll be ready to go Tuesday when the Minnesota Wild visit.

Trade deadline chatter heating up

As the NHL Trade Deadline approaches, players inevitably start thinking about their futures. Even those hoping to join a contender must face the reality that they could be packing up and moving to a new city with new teammates, coaches, and staff at a moment’s notice.

I’ve sensed it in the dressing room, too—plenty of chatter is happening behind the scenes, and players who could be moved are well aware of their situations.

“It’s hard not to think about that stuff, realistically,” McCann said. “We obviously haven’t had our best year, and at the end of the day, it’s a business, and [the front office] has to do what they have to do if it makes the team better.”

McCann himself has been through a deadline deal and understands its impact.

“I’ve been traded on the deadline, and it obviously sucks picking up and moving, but it’s just part of the business.”

Bylsma also acknowledges how much this time of year weighs on players.

“It’s part of being a pro,” he said. “And it’s something you have to… go with it. Go with the controllables, and go with what you can control, and stay focused on playing your best hockey, and let the cards fall when they fall.”