The Kraken find themselves down 2-1 in a best-of-seven series to the Colorado Avalanche heading into tonight’s pivotal Game 4 matchup. As one can expect from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it has been quite the roller coaster of a series. We got the thrills in Game 1, the suspense in Game 2, and Game 3 was a combination of thrills and terror all in one. It is nice to know the Kraken are making sure we get the full playoff experience.
After mitigating the damage of the big guns of the Colorado Avalanche over the first two games, Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon had three points, while Mikko Rantanen had two in Game 3 on Saturday night. They came as advertised, and the Kraken will need to minimize the impact they have on the game Monday if they expect to win.
Despite the outcome, Saturday night was special and something I literally dreamed of for many years. Playoffs have a way of igniting a fanbase that will drive future fans, viewership, and hockey players. I am so proud of the Kraken organization and know this is just the tip of the iceberg in what we can expect from this organization.
Face-off possession goals
There is no secret that the Kraken struggled in the face-off circle during the regular season. That narrative has persisted into the playoffs with Seattle winning just 43.6 percent through three games. However, we have established that face-off percentages are not what they are cracked up to be.
Alison Lukan breaks it down well, but there are plenty of examples of why “face-off wins” are not always a great representation of actual outcomes. Here is an example of when Seattle “lost” the face-off and one when they “won” the face-off. After gaining that perspective halfway through the season, I’ve started to watch face-offs differently. Instead of focusing on what happens on the dot, I have been looking at the entirety of the play. My eyes (and probably my heart) felt like the Kraken allowed too many goals after a face-off in their zone in the first three games. There were two goals within 10 seconds of a face-off in Game 2 (Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews), and then in Game 3, the Avalanche added another one (Makar). Let’s look at the numbers.
It is true that the Kraken have allowed more goals off face-off scenarios this playoff, but looking at goals over three games is hardly a good sample to draw any conclusions. Over the season, the Kraken were right in line with the league average (.29 times per game). If we want to expand the sample, we can include shot attempts after a face-off. In addition to goals, shot attempts include shots, missed shots, and blocked shots. Here are how all playoff teams look in terms shot attempts against within 10 seconds of a face-off.
The chart shows that the Kraken are allowing more shot attempts after face-offs than average, but there is not that much difference between the Kraken and the Avalanche other than more of the Avalanche shot attempts are finding the back of the net. Calling it luck is probably a cop out, since I am sure the coaches can find some kind of breakdown in all the goals scored within 10 seconds of a face-off, but luck does play a part in it. Adding a few more games to the observations still will not create a strong sample, but it will be interesting to see if there will be a regression to a normalized number.
Coachella Valley Firebirds advance
The Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate has advanced to the second round of the AHL playoffs with a convincing 5-1 victory in Game 3 of a best-of-three first-round matchup against the Tucson Roadrunners. Shane Wright notched his first AHL playoff goal. Wright’s goal was assisted by recently signed 2022 second-round draft pick, David Goyette, for Goyette’s first professional point. The Firebirds will now face the Colorado Eagles in a best-of-five series that starts Wednesday in Colorado.
Kraken themes for the week ahead
Colorado is a fast team that still has the capabilities to challenge for the Cup while Seattle is a scrappy new kid on the block that no one gave a chance at winning this series. Legends are made from moments like these, so let’s root for some legendary moments and for the Kraken to shock the world by winning this series.
Other Kraken Musings
Morgan Geekie was out of the lineup in Game 3 to welcome the Geekie family’s first child, Gabby. Congratulations to the Geekie family.
With the new dad power, we should expect Geekie to notch at least two goals tonight, right?
Philipp Grubauer has been stellar in the first three games of the series, but the Kraken will need him to be even more stellar if they are going to have a chance in this series.
It was nice to see the Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, and Matty Beniers line get on the board Saturday night when Beniers scored. Even beyond that goal, they were much more noticeable out there. Let’s hope that continues.
Zone entries appear to be the big challenge for the Kraken power play right now. The power play did get on the board on Saturday night, but that was off a face-off inside the zone and came with 40 seconds left in the game.
My heart won’t be able to take it, but I would love for some new Kraken fans to experience overtime hockey.
Player Performance / Stick Taps
Yanni Gourde (SEA) – Yanni has been having a great series against the Avalanche. He has directly or indirectly created so many chances that do not necessarily show up on a stat sheet.
Joey Daccord (CVF/SEA) – Our good friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, Joey Daccord, is 2-1 with a .942 save percentage in his three playoff starts with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Jagger Firkus (MJW/SEA) – Firkus had eight points over the last three games for the Moose Jaw Warriors and has a point in every WHL playoff game for the Warriors. Moose Jaw is trying to fight off elimination as they take on the Winnipeg Ice. If the Warriors win, Game 7 will be Wednesday night.
If you have any questions, comments, or observations, don’t hesitate to leave something in the comments, and I will do my best to get back to you. In the meantime, Go Kraken!!!!
Before I dive into Seattle Kraken prospects, let me share a few memories about Andy Eide, who – in my opinion, was the preeminent champion for hockey in the Puget Sound region.
When I first took the job at the Everett Herald to cover the Everett Silvertips, my predecessor, Jesse Geleynse, gave me the inside scoop on how to cover the Tips beat, and who I should get to know. One of the first people he mentioned was Andy.
So I got to know Andy. He covered the Seattle Thunderbirds for ESPN 710, and we shared stories, information, and advice – well, I mostly asked him for advice. He was always willing to hop on my podcast or just shoot the breeze.
Andy was a veteran Western Hockey League reporter, and I leaned on him for his expertise. The way he cultivated relationships was so admirable. He knew everything about the WHL, seemingly. He was plugged in, informed, and a damn good writer, to boot.
Andy worked his ass off. He was writing about hockey in Seattle before it was cool. The way Andy covered the T-Birds, without a consistent paycheck dangling in front of his face, was inspiring. He didn’t do it for financial reasons or to boost his ego; he did it because he loved the sport and believed he could cover hockey at the highest level.
Back when I really knew Andy, we were both vying for roles covering the professional team in Seattle, but there wasn’t a single drop of jealousy with Andy. We both wanted each other to succeed and seeing him accomplish his goal of covering the Seattle Kraken brought me immense joy.
He opened many doors for me, including introducing me to John Barr and Darren Brown. I don’t think I would be writing for Sound Of Hockey without Andy’s kindness.
Above all, in addition to being an excellent hockey writer, Andy was a better person. Rest in peace, my friend.
Kartye named AHL’s top rookie
Kraken forward prospect Tye Kartye was announced as the American Hockey League’s rookie of the year this week.
The 21-year-old center posted 57 points in 72 regular-season games for Coachella Valley but really clicked toward the second half of the season. Kartye notched 42 points over the last 40 games of the season, and his 23 goals led the team during that stretch.
Max McCormick scored two goals and added an assist, Ryker Evans dished out three helpers, and Joey Daccord stopped 45 shots to lead Coachella Valley to a 5-1 Game 1 win in its best-of-three series with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Notable: Shane Wright was in the lineup for Coachella Valley and could be a nice boost to their playoff run. Wright, who was traded to Windsor at the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) trade deadline, was knocked out of the junior playoffs prematurely as the top-seeded Spitfires were swept in the first round.
The Firebirds, the second-seeded team in the Pacific Division, can advance with a win in Game 2 on Friday night at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California.
Goyette signed to ELC
After a terrific season for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves with 92 points (41 goals, 51 assists) in 63 regular-season games, the Kraken signed 2022 second-round pick David Goyette to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Like Wright, he was assigned to Coachella Valley after his junior season ended in the first round of the OHL playoffs on a professional tryout, but he wasn’t in the lineup for the Firebirds in Game 1 of the playoffs. He played in two AHL regular-season games and didn’t reach the scoresheet.
Firkus on a tear
Kraken forward prospect Jagger Firkus has been an offensive engine for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League playoffs, with 18 points in eight games. After sweeping the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round, Moose Jaw is deadlocked, 2-2, with the Winnipeg Ice, considered a favorite to win the WHL Championship, in the Eastern Conference semis.
Around the OHL
Ryan Winterton will play in the Western Conference finals with the London Knights against the Sarnia Sting. Winterton, who missed the first half of the year and was traded to London at the deadline, boasts 11 points in nine playoff games.
Ty Nelson has been productive for the North Bay Battalion with 12 points in 10 games, including four goals from the blue line. His teammate and fellow Kraken prospect Kyle Jackson has nine points in 10 games. North Bay is tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with the Barrie Colts.
There could be a battle between Kraken prospects in the Eastern Conference finals, as Tucker Robertson and the Peterborough Petes lead their series, 3-1. Robertson has six points in eight games. Are the Petes and the Battalion on a collision course?
In the ‘Q’
Jacob Melanson has 11 points in eight games, and the Sherbrooke Phoenix are rolling in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs. The Phoenix are undefeated, having swept both Blainville-Boisbriand and Drummondville.
Overseas
Forward Jani Nyman’s season is over, after Ilves won the Bronze Medal game in the Liiga playoffs. The second-round pick in 2022 notched an assist in the 3-2 win, his only point of the playoffs – Nyman played in six of 12 playoff games.
Goaltender Niklas Kokko, a second-round selection in 2022, was loaned back to Hermes of the Mestis, Finland’s second league, and he’s played in three playoff games with a .917 save percentage and a 2.31 goals against average (GAA).
Local tidbits
The Seattle Thunderbirds are moving onto the WHL’s Western Conference finals after sweeping the Prince George Cougars. Arizona Coyotes first-round pick Dylan Guenther and Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Brad Lambert have led the way for Seattle with 15 points each. Up next: A showdown with the Kamloops Blazers, the eventual Memorial Cup Host – Kamloops hold an automatic bid to the Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League’s grand prize – who are fresh off a sweep of the Portland Winterhawks.
Former Everett Silvertips goaltender Dustin Wolf was named the AHL’s goaltender of the year for the second straight season. Wolf, 22, posted a .932 save percentage for the Calgary Wranglers in 55 games and debuted in the NHL for the Flames this season.
Like Wolf, his head coach, former Everett Silvertips defenseman, cult hero, and assistant coach Mitch Love won the AHL Coach of the Year award for the second straight season.
Josh Horton
Josh Horton is a freelance writer, former newspaper journalist, and erstwhile Western Hockey League writer for the Everett Herald and The Spokesman-Review (Spokane). He is NOT a juggler, nor is he a former professional baseball player. Follow him on Twitter @byjoshhorton.
There has not been a single Seattle Kraken game since last week’s Monday Musings, but that has not stopped me from obsessing about this team. I have been digging into game logs, goalie data, shooting percentages, and more. Like all good data analysis, not all explorations bear fruit, but I did find some interesting observations in my data journeys this last week.
Shooting percentage
The early season narrative by some in the national media was that the Kraken were on a shooting percentage bender during the month of November, and ultimately their shooting percentage would slide back to Earth and the team would assume their expected place near the bottom of the Pacific Division. Obviously, that has not happened. The Kraken still maintain the highest shooting percentage in the league at 12.0 percent.
I am sure there are still some doubters, but eventually people might need to be open to the idea that this team could be one of the better shooting teams in the league. Some team needs to lead the league in shooting percentage, and it might as well be the Kraken.
Strength of schedule remaining
Another piece of data I looked into was the strength of schedule of the remaining games for Seattle. A concern I wondered about is if the first-place record in the first half was based on the fact the Kraken have generally played weaker teams in the league. Conversely, what does the rest of the season look like from a strength-of-schedule standpoint?
To my surprise, the Kraken have one of the weakest schedules remaining, which should give the team an easier road to the postseason compared with some of its challengers.
This bodes well for the boys of the Puget Sound, but it is worth pointing out the Kings and Flames also have a relatively weak schedule remaining this season.
Trade deadline
We have been getting a ton of questions about what the Kraken should do at the NHL trade deadline. Darren Brown and I were asked about it on KJR last week.
In my humble opinion, I wonder about adding some toughness for the playoffs. No, I am not talking about adding a goon or a fighter, those days are done. I would like to see the team add a bit of a bully that won’t let the Kraken get pushed around in the playoffs. Anybody that has watched the Stanley Cup Playoffs before knows that there is a scrum after every whistle and the checking seems heavier and more frequent. I just wonder what Seattle Kraken player will get opposing teams to think twice before running Matty Beniers. I think of players like Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow for Tampa in their two Stanley Cup wins. Both can score, and they brought a bit of a snarl to the Lightning.
I am not questioning the Kraken’s toughness. There have been several games where it would appear the opposition is trying to bully the team around only to see the Kraken respond in kind. Ryan Donato and Will Borgen have both impressed me with the ability to step up the physicality when needed, and we all know Yanni Gourde does not back down from anyone. So, it is entirely possible that this “skill set” is not needed, but it is something I would like to see.
Other Kraken musings:
The Kraken penalty kill has been on fire lately, having not allowed a power-play goal in seven games. That is 17 power plays killed in a row.
Oliver Bjorkstrand looks like his normal self these days. After posting a 4.0 shooting percentage in his first 30 games with the Kraken, he is shooting 11.8 percent in his 19 games since Dec. 18. He has not finished an NHL season with a shooting percentage under 10 percent since 2017-18, his first full NHL season. He is sitting at 7.1 total for the year right now.
The Kraken announced trading a fourth-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Jaycob Megna. This was a depth add for an area that was becoming increasingly worrisome. Cale Fleury has stepped in nicely since Justin Schultz went out with an injury, but even with Schultz nearing a return, the blue line was still thin. Gustav Olofsson has been out injured in Coachella Valley, which left just three other defensemen under NHL contracts. Two of those defensemen are Ryker Evans and Peetro Seppala. Evans is having a great season, but he might not be ready for NHL action. Darren had a good write up about the trade and what Megna might bring to the table.
Chris Driedger has been back on the ice for a while now, but Monday marked another milestone by getting onto the ice and taking live reps from his teammates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time he has been taking in a regular practice with the rest of the team.
Chris Driedger in net taking actual reps with his teammates.
It is not Kraken specific news, but it was announced last week that Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights had back surgery and would be out indefinitely. Even in limited time, Stone was second in goal scoring for the Golden Knights this season. Vegas could be in real trouble here with a 2-6-2 record over its last 10 games. It is conceivable that the Golden Knights miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.
By now we have all gotten over that the Kraken were not represented at the NHL All-Star Game, but you still have an opportunity to check out some Kraken prospects representing the Coachella Valley Firebirds at the AHL All-Star Game. Ryker Evans and Max McCormick will play in the game on Monday, airing at 4 P.M. Pacific on the NHL Network.
Shane Wright returned to the lineup for the Windsor Spitfires Thursday and posted a one-goal and two-assist night in the Spitfires 7-4 victory against the Soo Greyhounds. The return was short lived. He was back out of the lineup for the Spitfires two games this weekend due to a lower-body injury.
Kraken prospect and third-round selection from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Ty Nelson, posted his first career hat trick in the OHL on Sunday. The defenseman has been lighting it up this season with 60 points over 49 games.
The Arizona Coyotes announced that 2021 first-round selection, Dylan Guenther would be assigned to an already stacked Seattle Thunderbirds roster. I thought the 2016-17 Thunderbirds were a lot of fun to watch, but this is going to be insane. There are still plenty of home games before the playoffs start in late March.
The Thunderbirds welcome the Red Deer Rebels to town on Friday. This game should be a good showcase on how the Thunderbirds matchup against one of the top teams from the Eastern Conference.
A bit off the radar, but the University of Washington ACHA club hockey team finished its regular season with a record of 22-2-0. It has been an incredible season for the Huskies as they head to Cheney, Wash., for the Pac-8 Tournament. Good luck to the boys.
Kraken themes for the week ahead
This feels like another tough road test for the Kraken with four games over six days, including a run through the New York City metro area. Game action kicks off Tuesday against the revamped New York Islanders, which now feature Bo Horvat. After the boys go through the New York teams, they play the Flyers in Philadelphia, a team they have never beaten, and then finish the five-game swing in Winnipeg next Tuesday. Hitting the road right after the bye week/All-Star break can be a bit of a challenge, so capturing five out of the possible 10 points would be a success.
Outside of the team success, I think it will be interesting to keep on eye on Bjorkstrand to see if he maintains the same level of play we saw heading into the break. We also will be looking for the returns to the lineup for Beniers, Schwartz, and/or Schultz. Based on early reports out of New York this morning, things are looking good for at least a couple of the injured players to return.
Here are the lines for the #SeaKraken at this morning's practice.
Jacob Melanson (PDS/SEA) – Melanson continues his torrid pace since being traded to the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the QMJHL. He has six points in his last four games. Ty Nelson (NBB/SEA) – As mentioned above, Nelson had his first career OHL hat-trick on Sunday. Tye Kartye (CVF) – Kartye was an undrafted free-agent signing over the summer and is quietly having a good season in his first year as a professional. Kartye has four goals and three assists over his last six games.
Goal of the week
Add David Goyette to the list of Kraken prospects having excellent seasons for their respective teams. The late second-round draft pick has 30 goals and 31 assists over his 42 games with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL.
Going into the season, one of the big question marks around the Seattle Kraken was goaltending. The tandem of Philipp Grubauer and Martin Jones has been decent for the season as a whole, but since Dec. 15, they have been performing above the league median.
If you have any questions or comments on the Monday Musings, please leave them below, and I will get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, enjoy the week. The Kraken are back!
Monday Musings is a collection of random thoughts and observations about the last week of activity from the hockey world with an emphasis on the Kraken and other happenings around the Puget Sound hockey community.
Kraken thoughts
On the surface, a 1-2-1 week does not sound like a great week. The games on Monday and Tuesday of last week felt like an ambush and account for the two losses. On Monday, the Kraken faced the Tampa Bay Lightning at home less than 36 hours after they returned from a two-week seven-game road trip. Right after that game they would immediately jump on a plane for a road game in Edmonton the following day.
It was a tough scenario that ultimately ended with two regulation losses. Both games featured a healthy amount of “compete” from the boys, but they looked tired at times. Coming up with a win or even a point would have been nice, but just chalk it up to a challenging schedule.
Thursday night, the Kraken dominated the New Jersey Devils, but the Devils stuck around and forced overtime with an extra skater on the ice. That just prolonged the inevitable with Andre Burakovsky burying the game winner just 70 seconds into the extra frame. Then Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche was a bit of a slugfest that ended in a 2-1 shootout loss.
The last week of games could have been better, but the Kraken are 7-2-1 over their last 10 and are now sitting, by points percentage, in first place in the Pacific Division.
Injury bug
One of the Kraken’s strengths this season has been their health. Going into last week, Seattle was one of three teams to only suit up 23 different skaters this season. For context, Colorado, Toronto, and Columbus have each used over 30 different skaters this season. The Kraken have been remarkably healthy.
Unfortunately, we started to see some health issues pop up this week. About halfway through the Edmonton game on Tuesday, Justin Schultz took an innocuous-looking hit halfway through the second period, but he left immediately after and did not return the rest of the game. Schultz has not played in the two games since the Edmonton game. Then, in somewhat of a surprise, Andre Burakovsky was out of the lineup on Saturday night against his former team just two days after scoring the overtime game winner against the Devils.
Schultz and Burakovsky joined Jaden Schwartz who has not played since Jan. 12. All three of those guys have been significant contributors to the Kraken’s success this season and will be critical for the long-term outlook of this team. It should be noted that none of the three have been officially placed on injured reserve so maybe we should not be overly concerned here.
The All-Star break is just three Kraken games away, and with extra recovery days on the horizon, this might be the best time for minor injuries to hit.
Strength in the Pacific?
As well as the Kraken have been playing, it is important to point out that Edmonton and Calgary have also been winning. It is great to celebrate the recent success, but the Kraken cannot lift their foot off the pedal. There are teams doing everything they can to get back in the playoff hunt.
Right now, 95 points is the projected cutoff for making the playoffs. If the Kraken were to play .500 hockey the rest of the season, they would have 95 points exactly.
Other Kraken musings:
Sunday was the Kraken’s second annual Super Skills Showcase. Anyone who attended knew exactly what it was about… the kids. It was so amazing to see how many young fans were able to attend, and it certainly seemed like there were more activities for the kids before the event this season.
The events of the Super Skills Showcase were fun, but I enjoyed the puck juggling event last year and would have really enjoyed seeing a Ruff-Ruff Relay. Oh, well. I guess seeing Cheddar McCann was pretty cool.
John Hayden suited up for the Kraken on Saturday night to play his first NHL game of the season. He played under nine minutes but had a golden opportunity to score a go-ahead goal in the third period on a two-on-one opportunity. He shot it wide, but that would have been quite the fun moment for Hayden who has 241 NHL games in his career.
Hayden was reassigned to Coachella Valley on Sunday, but with three Kraken games over four days, do not be surprised to see him called back up.
Speaking of Coachella Valley, the Kraken’s AHL affiliate is now 27-6-3 and has the best record in the AHL.
Firebirds captain Max McCormick was named the AHL’s Player of the Week after notching four goals and four assists in three games, including a hat trick on Saturday.
One challenging area for the Kraken this season is the faceoff circle. The Kraken have the third worst faceoff-win percentage in the league. I have mentioned him before, but Morgan Geekie’s hidden value is what he brings to the faceoff circle. He is the only right-shot center on the team which enables coach Dave Hakstol to deploy Geekie regularly when the puck is being dropped on his strong faceoff side.
He might not make the score sheet every night, but I love watching Yanni Gourde play. He is the heart and soul of this team.
Add Ryan Donato to the list of Kraken players that will likely have a career high in goals scored this season. He has three goals in the last two games and is just five goals away from that career mark.
This will require a deeper dive, but both Kraken goalies are playing well right now. Since Dec. 23, Philipp Grubauer’s save percentage is .914 and Martin Jones’s is .910. The Kraken will need both goalies to play well to continue the team’s success this season.
Speaking of goalies, Chris Driedger has been skating at Kraken Community Iceplex for some time now. I have been getting a lot of questions about what the team does when he comes back from injured reserve. The short answer is, I do not know. I expect him to still be a couple weeks away from seeing any kind of game action, but when he is ready, Seattle will more than likely put him in a conditioning stint in the AHL. From a timeline perspective, I feel he will join the Kraken’s roster after the NHL Trade Deadline, at which time the team can expand its roster size and he could be carried as the third goalie.
Several fans have asked about trading one of the goalies. Based on contracts and the success of the team, I do not see it as a realistic scenario for any of them to be traded this season.
With the All-Star break coming up, it is a great time to check out some WHL action. The Seattle Thunderbirds are playing excellent hockey and are currently the best team in the Western Conference. During the NHL All-Star break, the T-birds have a home-and-home series with the Everett Silvertips Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4, and play again at home against Spokane on Sunday, Feb. 5. The Silvertips also host Red Deer on Sunday, Feb. 5.
Kraken themes for the week ahead
There is a series of interesting games coming up this week for the Kraken. On Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks will visit Seattle to play their first road game under new head coach Rick Tocchet. Tocchet interviewed with the Kraken to be their first coach, so you can imagine he might have some extra motivation that night. The Kraken are 0-5-1 all time against the Canucks, and Vancouver is one of four teams remaining that Seattle has never beaten in its brief franchise history. Those narratives aside, these are two point that the Kraken, at least on paper, should pick up.
On Friday, the division rival Calgary Flames visit Seattle. The Flames are currently outside the playoff cutoff and will feel some level of desperation to make up ground on Seattle. The Flames are the team I am paying attention to the most right now. They are on the outside of the playoff bubble and badly need points to get back in the race.
The Columbus Blue Jackets visiting Seattle will be an excellent opportunity to pick up some points. The Blue Jackets are dead last in the league with just 30 points in the standings. This will be the last Kraken game before the All-Star break, though, so it feels like a trap.
Kraken health
I expect Burakovsky to be back in the lineup soon but am less optimistic about Schultz and Schwartz. Burakovsky warmed up against Colorado before being scratched, so that would indicate his injury isn’t too severe. Although the team has not released any details on Schultz and Schwartz, they have each missed multiple games. Even if they could play, resting Schultz and Schwartz this week before the All-Star break might be the best play here.
Player Performance / Stick Taps
Ryan Donato (SEA) – The injury to Schwartz has allowed Donato to play further up the lineup and he is seizing it. He has three goals in the last two games and is currently on pace for 21 goals on the season.
Clayton Keller (ARI) – There have not been a lot of bright spots for the Coyotes this season, but Keller is one of them. He scored a hat trick against the Golden Knights on Sunday in a 4-1 win. Thanks Clayton.
Vitek Vanecek (NJD) – The “former” Kraken netminder had two wins in two starts and posted a .931 save percentage in those two games last week for the New Jersey Devils. If you do not know the story about Vitek, he was drafted by Seattle in the NHL Expansion Draft, but when the Kraken signed Grubauer in free agency a week later, Vanecek became expendable. The Kraken traded him back to the Capitals for a second-round draft pick.
Goal of the week
The @SeattleKraken prospects connect for the game-winner 🤝
Ty Nelson fools everyone and finds Kyle Jackson behind the net, scoring the go-ahead goal to help lead the @OHLBattalion past the Wolves at home 📽️ pic.twitter.com/8tLC8X4zxe
What should be obvious by now, the Seattle Kraken are the second-most-improved team in the league.
Thanks again for all your engagement and questions on these posts. If you have anything you want me to look into, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.
Monday Musings is a collection of random thoughts and observations about the last week of activity from the hockey world with an emphasis on the Kraken and other happenings around the Puget Sound hockey community.
Kraken Thoughts
Compete
I do not like to inflate the importance of one game in December, but the Kraken needed that win against Winnipeg on Sunday. There were a lot of things things that compounded to create this need.
First, Seattle had won just one game in its prior six, and in the previous two games the team looked outclassed, despite the one-goal loss against Carolina. Second, it was the Jets that handed the Kraken one of their toughest losses at home one month earlier when the Winnipeg tied the game with six seconds left in regulation and won in overtime. Not to mention the Jets were playing the second night of a back-to-back and the Kraken were facing the Jets’ backup goaltender, David Rittich, for the second time this season.
The Kraken were certainly the better team on the ice Sunday, but that never guarantees victory. In the early stages of the game, it felt like an uphill climb. The boys fell behind twice in the contest, and it was not until five minutes remaining that the Kraken would take their first lead of the game on a Jared McCann snipe. That proved to be the game winner, earning the Kraken a 3-2 result.
On Tuesday last week, the Kraken fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in a game that was probably closer than the score indicated. Then on Thursday, the Kraken lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in a game that was probably not as close as the score indicated.
The Lightning and the Hurricanes are two of the better teams in the league so there was no need to panic after those losses, but last week I mentioned one of the themes of the week was their compete level against those quality teams. I would have liked to see a bit more fight in the Lightning game, but overall, we knew it could end up being a very difficult road trip.
As tough of a stretch as this has been for the Kraken, they are still well positioned in the Pacific Division. The two teams behind them in the standings, Calgary and Edmonton, have only gained one point each on Seattle over the last ten games.
Shooting percentage
Even before this last week, there was a lot of chatter that this team’s on-ice results have been largely due to a shooting streak that would not be sustainable. Through November, the Kraken had a 13.1 percent shooting percentage, which was tops in the league entering December. A cool off seemed inevitable, especially after the Sharks game (when the Kraken shot 29.6 percent) and the Kings game (30.0 percent) at the end of November.
The cool off certainly happened during this rough patch, but it seems to be stabilizing a bit over the last four games. The Kraken are currently shooting at 11.7 percent. That might feel a little high compared to last season’s 9.0 percent, but this team has better shooters and is creating better chances (i.e. high-danger shots), so around 11 percent feels about right.
Other Kraken musings:
Despite not scoring on three occasions, I felt the power play looked very good Sunday. They had five shots and were moving the puck around well against a Jets penalty kill that is one of the best in the league.
The Kraken earned their 37th point in the standings last night. They did not get their 37th point last season until Feb. 24.
Big congrats to everyone who made the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Acrisure Arena a reality. The Firebirds played their first ever official home game on Sunday after Acrisure Arena opened its doors last week. The Firebirds beat the Tucson Roadrunners 4-3 in an atmosphere that looked awesome.
The Firebirds are now 15-5-3 and sitting in second place in the AHL Pacific Division with three games in hand against the first-place Colorado Eagles.
Jared McCann is on pace for 41 goals. That would be the most goals he has scored in a season since he played for the London Junior Knights U16 team.
I am still worried about the Flames and the Oilers. I check their scores constantly. I’m looking forward to both of those teams visiting Seattle next week, as it should be a good test for the Kraken.
Shane Wright was named captain of Team Canada’s World Junior Championship team. Congrats Shane!
As we projected last week, Kraken prospects Jani Nyman (forward) and Niklas Kokko (goalie) were named to Finland’s World Junior team, which will make the Finland games must-watch hockey.
It is old news now, but all local WHLers made the Canadian team. Thomas Milic (SEA), Kevin Korchinski (SEA), Nolan Allan (SEA), Reid Schaefer (SEA), and Olen Zellweger (EVT) will all represent Canada, and Silvertips coach Dennis Williams will be behind the bench.
If you ever had your reservations about Buoy, let the record show dogs love him and so should you.
The Kraken only have two games this week before the holiday break, facing St. Louis on Tuesday and Vancouver on Thursday. In their franchise history, the Kraken have never beaten either team and are a collective 0-8-1 against these two teams. They have been outscored 39-17 in those nine games. Something must give here, and I say they do it. Winning both games is all I want for Christmas.
Goalies
I would anticipate Martin Jones and Philipp Grubauer split these two games. Both have played relatively well recently but have lacked consistency. Grubauer has to be a huge piece of the Kraken’s success this year, and it would be nice to see him get another quality start either Tuesday or Thursday.
Eeli Tolvanen debut?
Eeli Tolvanen has been scratched in all three games since he was claimed off waivers last week. I am eager to see how he looks with the Kraken and would love to get a glimpse of that wicked shot. The challenge is that the Kraken do not have a slot right now. Daniel Sprong, Ryan Donato, and Morgan Geekie have all firmed up their spots in the lineup. It seems unlikely, but maybe Brandon Tanev sits a game to give Tolvanen a shot? I recognize that could be an unpopular opinion, but how do you sit a guy like Donato, for example, who has scored in three straight games?
Player Performance / Stick Taps
Ryan Donato (SEA) – As I just mentioned, “Donnie” has scored three goals in three games, some of which were more important than others.
Cameron Hughes (CVF) – He scored the first ever goal at Acrisure Arena in the Firebirds’ home opener Sunday.
Mats Zuccarello (MIN) – Zuccarello is riding a 10-game point streak for the Minnesota Wild and has six points in his last two games.
Goal of the week
JORDAN EBERLE ARE YOU FOR REAL?!? 🤯 A spinning + no-look + top shelf backhand and that's just a beautiful thing. pic.twitter.com/qP2fkUh2rw
The Kraken have the lowest faceoff percentage in the league, but that has been steadily improving.
As always, leave any questions or feedback in the comments section, and I will do my best to get back to you. Whatever you celebrate, enjoy your holiday however you see fit.
It happened 1:42 into the second period. That was the time when Shane Wright scored his first professional goal. No, it wasn’t at Climate Pledge Arena for the Kraken, but rather the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, where he was playing for the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Wright was making his American Hockey League debut on Tuesday, and it was the first game he played in his 14-day conditioning assignment. The Kraken had sent the fourth overall pick of the NHL Draft to the Firebirds on Sunday.
Back in Seattle, earlier in the day, Seattle coach Dave Hakstol talked about the AHL assignment.
“Great, great opportunity for him to go and play some real valuable minutes at a high level, in an important role down there,” Hakstol said. “He’ll get that opportunity to start with tonight.”
Wright played on a line with Ville Petman and Kole Lind Tuesday, and the goal he turned in wasn’t cheap.
After a neutral zone turnover, Wright turned on the jets the other way and beat the reigning AHL Goalie of the Year and former Everett Silvertip legend Dustin Wolf over his shoulder.
It was a goal that might be overlooked on any other AHL night, and while it tied the game at 1-1, Coachella Valley would ultimately lose the game 5-3. But it had to be a huge relief for the 18-year-old rookie.
He’s played in seven NHL games with Seattle and has one assist to show for his work in very limited minutes. It’s not the script that everyone expected for a player that hopes to have a stellar NHL career ahead of him.
Just to be able to send him to the AHL for two weeks, the Kraken had to scratch Wright for five straight games. You would understand if he was down or frustrated because of his lack of playing time. If he is, he’s never shown it. Wright practices hard daily, has never let up, and is all smiles in the dressing room with his teammates.
“It’s not always easy to do on a daily basis, and he’s been able to do that on a daily basis,” Hakstol said. “That’s where I compliment him, to be able to have that mindset every day, to be able to wake up and come to work with a real positive outlook and a good work ethic is really, really important.”
The goal was the highlight, but Wright played strong throughout the night. After scoring, he made another play where he nearly split two defenders, forcing one to take him down, and drawing a penalty. He forced a turnover on a forecheck that led to a chance on goal and made a couple heady passes that led to shots on goal.
After being sent down on Sunday, Wright was able to get one full practice in with the Firebirds before Tuesday night’s game. He will next hit the ice on Thursday with a rematch in Calgary against the Wranglers.
He stands to get into five games with Coachella Valley before his time is up there, and then the questions will rev up again. Is he ready after a little time the AHL? Will he crack Seattle’s lineup and get meaningful playing time? Will he be sent back to the Ontario Hockey League for the rest of the season?
The answers are all still up in the air. But, there is a possibility that the Kraken loan Wright to Team Canada to play in this winter’s World Junior Championship, which will give him another opportunity to play against top talent closer to his age group.
“That’s an option that’s available,” Hakstol said. “But you know, I’m certainly not jumping to that yet. Lets go one step at a time here. And this was the right timing for Shane to go and be able to play some real valuable minutes in Coachella. And that’s what we’re focused on now.”
