In the split-squad game Monday, we were impressed by several of the young Kraken players that were in the lineup against the Calgary Flames. That night, the roster for the game played in Seattle was almost a 50-50 split between veterans and guys that had no shot at making the NHL roster this season. Against the Canucks on Thursday, Seattle dressed a more veteran-heavy group, yet it was still a couple of young players that caught our attention.
In the end, it was one of last season’s mainstays, Eeli Tolvanen, who stole the show with two third-period goals that gave Seattle the win.
Here are our Three Takeaways from a very positive 3-1 preseason Kraken win over the Canucks.
Takeaway #1 (Darren) – Pesky Jacob Melanson
A guy that continues to fly under the proverbial radar as a prospect, Jacob Melanson made his presence known in a lot of ways Thursday. First, he opened the scoring in the game by finding a sliver of quiet ice in the high slot at 9:25 of the first period. After linemate Shane Wright did the hard work to get his own rebound and make a perfect blind pass, the 20-year-old Melanson made no mistake with a yawning cage.
It was Melanson’s first goal at the NHL level, though being that it was in the pre-season, we can’t really call it his “first career goal.” Still, it had to be a memorable moment for the young man, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2021 and seems to be on the right track toward one day cracking the NHL.
It wasn’t just the goal that made Melanson stand out Thursday. He was visibly doing everything he could to get under the skin of Canucks players, and it seemed to work. Multiple times, he whacked away at goalie Thatcher Demko, causing post-whistle anger hugs. Ian Cole also took a run at Melanson in the neutral zone, and Melanson responded with a solid slash across the backs of Cole’s legs. It was classic pest behavior and the kind of gritty play that can give a young player a leg up against his peers.
Coach Dave Hakstol had a mix of praise and constructive criticism for Melanson after the game. “Mel got off to a good start,” Hakstol said. “He’s a hard-working guy that finally got into a game, and they knew he was on the ice, right? He went out and got to the net, stirred things up a little bit, played hard, played physical. That was a good start for him. It tailed off a little bit through the second and third period, and that’s what you learn as a young guy.”
Melanson is destined for Coachella Valley this season, but for most young players, the goal in training camp is to leave an impression. He did that Thursday.
Takeaway #2 (John) – the lore of Ryker Evans continues to grow
We got a real taste Thursday of what Ryker Evans brings to the table. He showed great vision and hands as he danced around forwards challenging him at the offensive blue line. Evans logged 22:16 of ice time, second only to Jamie Oleksiak, who had 22:38. Vancouver iced a much better squad than either of the Calgary split squads from Monday, so it was nice to see Evans stand out versus a lot of NHL regulars.
Like Melanson, Evans received praise from Hakstol after the game. “Ryker’s game tonight with the puck on their half of the ice was outstanding,” Hakstol said. That’s about as complimentary as Seattle’s bench boss gets.
Ryker Evans averaged a point per game in the 2022-23 Calder Cup Playoffs. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
The lore of Ryker Evans has been brewing for a couple years since he was selected as the Kraken’s second-round draft pick in 2021. At the time, draft analysts were critical of the selection, but ever since then, Evans has only exceeded expectations. The 21-year-old left defenseman had a fantastic campaign in Coachella Valley last season with 44 points in 71 regular-season games. There’s no spot for him on the Kraken blue line, so he is still expected to start 2023-24 with the AHL club. But if one of the top six defensemen goes down with an injury, expect Ryker to be first on the list to get the call-up to the big squad.
Worth noting, Hakstol deployed Evans on his off-hand side last night, and he still looked comfortable and confident. This kid can play.
Takeaway #3 (Curtis) – Tolvanen shines on reunited Gourde line
Those players stuck out to me too, John and Darren. I found my eye returning to Evans, in particular, throughout this one.
Hard to ignore, though, the multi-goal night posted by Eeli Tolvanen. At 3:55 of the third period, and with Seattle on the power play, Tolvanen scored with a patient and accurate wrist shot that beat Demko and gave Seattle a 2-1 lead.
Just as impressive was the overall operation of the reunited “Gourde line” from the 2022-23 season, which matched Tolvanen with Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The trio skated as a line in the first and third periods and looked like they hadn’t missed a beat.
“It felt really good,” Tolvanen said. “It’s fun to play with those two. I think the chemistry is there from last year and … we’ve been talking a lot during the camp too… Hopefully we can start the season [together] too.”
The three forwards worked in perfect harmony to produce the final goal of the evening with a beautiful tic-tac-toe connection leading to a Tolvanen one-timer tap in at 15:54 of the third period.
Eeli GOALvanen gets his second of the period! 🚨
Perfect pass off the rush by Bjorkstrand, and Tolvanen makes no mistake.
“They read off each other really well,” Hakstol said of the group. “[T]hey’ve still got work to do to get to regular-season level, but you see the chemistry.”
As we discussed on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, Tolvanen and Bjorkstrand appear to be two prime candidates to increase their scoring relative to their 2022-23 levels. That should compensate for the loss of players like Daniel Sprong and Ryan Donato. On this night, they looked up to the challenge.
While the Seattle Kraken registered 100 points in the standings last season and came up just one goal short of a Western Conference Finals appearance, their power play was not one of their strengths. Seattle converted on just 19.8 percent of its power-play chances, good for 21st in the NHL during the regular season and second-worst among teams that qualified for the playoffs. As Seattle gears up for the 2023-24 season, improving this area is a focus for its players and coaching staff.
“I feel like the power play has to be really good if you want to win,” said Eeli Tolvanen, whose big shot makes him a likely candidate to again factor into one of Seattle’s units this season.
On Wednesday, the team spent a solid 30 minutes of on-ice time practicing manpower advantage situations, and there were some intriguing new looks, both in terms of personnel and tactics. Here’s how the Kraken will look to get better on the power play.
Personnel adjustments
With the roster still a work in progress, the Kraken had three units rotating during practice. Two of the units looked like true NHL power play units, while the third was made up of youngsters vying for roster spots (plus Kailer Yamamoto, who is a lock for the NHL).
Here’s how the groups looked:
Justin Schultz Andre Burakovsky / Jared McCann / Eeli Tolvanen Matty Beniers
—
Vince Dunn Alex Wennberg / Jaden Schwartz / Oliver Bjorkstrand Jordan Eberle
Coach Dave Hakstol indicated there will be more competition this season for spots on the power play. “We’re going to shift some roles and give guys a little different look and a little different opportunity and try to push the envelope for the overall production level of the power play,” Hakstol said.
The first unit mentioned above brings the most intrigue, with Andre Burakovsky back from injury and ready to contribute, and Jared McCann shifted from the left halfwall into the central “bumper” position. Burakovsky’s return also displaces Matty Beniers from the right halfwall—where he spent a good chunk of his power-play time last season—and into a net-front role.
The Kraken found success early last season with McCann receiving passes at the top of the left circle, skating downhill, and firing off his lethal snapshot. But teams eventually got wise to Seattle’s plan of using McCann’s shot as its primary weapon, and that well dried up.
“I feel like last year, as the season went on, a lot of teams just started to sit on me when I was the climber guy there,” McCann said. “It’s a different look for me. I’ve never really played the bumper before, but I’m getting more and more comfortable as we go on. I’m just trying to find some openings, get some quick shots off.”
In that new position in the middle of the ice, McCann says his role is to support the puck all throughout the offensive zone and to be “a good out” for his teammates when they engage in wall battles.
As Seattle’s top goal scorer (40) from last season, McCann sees another potential advantage in moving to the bumper spot. “I’m ok with being a distraction,” he said. “Having guys sit on me in the middle of the ice, that means that opens up a lot of different areas for my linemates.”
“Better starts” needed
In thinking back to some of the pitfalls of Seattle’s power play last season, Hakstol pointed out that it was far too common for the Kraken to begin five-on-four situations without the puck. They would work hard to draw a penalty, then come out for an offensive-zone face-off and lose the draw. That meant the puck would immediately be sent the length of the ice, killing dozens of precious seconds while Seattle lugged it back up through the neutral zone.
“That’s an area that brings you momentum right away,” Hakstol said. “Our entries are not a problem. We’ve been very good at getting in the zone and getting set up, but when you have to [chase the puck to your zone] too often at the start of a two-minute power play, you’re giving momentum away right away.”
Exactly how Seattle improves at starting with the puck remains to be seen. Face-offs in general were a big problem for the Kraken last season, and while Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was signed to help in this area, he is not expected to factor into the power play. We do know this is something Beniers has been trying to improve, and he showed progress by winning 12 of his 18 draws in Monday’s split-squad game against Calgary. Still, this will be a question mark heading into the season.
The Andre Burakovsky effect
Speaking of zone entries, those should only get better with Burakovsky pitching in. When healthy, he was Seattle’s best player at carrying the puck through the neutral zone and over the blue line, where penalty killers routinely set up shop and try to force dump-ins or turnovers.
“I talked about our entries, and our entries have been pretty good,” Hakstol said. “But for Burky, that’s one area where he’s— it’s a huge strength of his, so he’ll bring that, as well as other things in the zone.”
Andre Burakovsky is healthy and ready to contribute to the power play again.
McCann agreed with Hakstol on how Burakovsky can help. “He’s another threat out there for us,” McCann said. “He’s obviously got a lot of skill, great shot, he can make plays, but he’s so fast. He makes our breakouts look amazing, right? Like, he’s just at full speed, and as a defender, you see that coming at you, you’re just gonna back off.”
While most of the power-play drills Wednesday were done entirely within the offensive zone, the Kraken did spend a few minutes practicing special teams on the full length of the ice. Burakovsky showed off his zone-entry skills on one play by carrying the puck himself all the way through the neutral zone, dangling around a defender at the blue line, and immediately getting the power play set up in the offensive zone, entirely on his own. That is a skill the Kraken sorely missed in the second half of last season.
Familiarity, mixed with new tactics
A lack of familiarity with one another was an easy excuse for Seattle’s players in the club’s inaugural season. As the second year wore on, that became less of a crutch for the Kraken on the power play, yet the team still struggled in that area. Now, entering the team’s third year, that should be a thing of the past.
“I feel like last year in the playoffs, too, you get to know the guys and you know where they want to be and where they’re gonna go,” Tolvanen said. “[More familiarity is] gonna be huge, and with the power play, you talk with the guys in the locker room before the games and during the games. If there’s a scrambled puck in the corner, you know this guy’s going to be in the middle or that guy’s going to be behind the net or whatever.”
Eeli Tolvanen is expected to have a role on the power play. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
We did see a glimpse of that chemistry brewing Friday, when McCann passed to Beniers at the right post, and Beniers one-touched the puck across the crease to Tolvanen for a wide-open, easy goal. That was a play we didn’t recall seeing executed often last season, as Seattle became too predictable and stationary down the stretch.
With an added focus on the manpower advantage this season, will we see more creativity and movement like this from the Kraken? If so, and if the new personnel deployments work, Seattle could have significant improvement in this area.
John Hayden injured?
Kraken training camp was split into two groups Wednesday, with the players who appear to be destined for the AHL skating on the second sheet. Whether it means he’s headed to Coachella Valley or not, John Hayden was one of the players on Rink 2.
We didn’t see exactly what happened, but we heard a crash into the boards, then Hayden hunched over and gliding across the ice in pain. A member of the team’s medical staff hustled over to help him, and before Hayden exited the ice, he banged his stick angrily against the boards three times.
Remember, Hayden, who is still battling for an NHL roster spot, suffered a severe leg injury in a fight with Klim Kostin on March 18. That kept him out for the remainder of the 2022-23 regular season and much of the playoffs, but he returned in time to help the Firebirds reach the Calder Cup Finals.
Hakstol confirmed after Wednesday’s practice that Hayden was unavailable for the rest of the skate, but he did not have an update on Hayden’s availability for Thursday or beyond.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
That was a strange way to kick off the preseason, with half(ish) of the Kraken playing half(ish) of the Flames in Calgary, and the other halves facing off in Seattle. The north-of-the-border portion of the evening ended with a 5-3 Kraken win, led by Kailer Yamamoto scoring twice. But at Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken fell 3-2 in a shootout.
Since there was effectively no way to watch the game that was played in Calgary, we will focus these Three Takeaways on the game played in Seattle. Matty Beniers looked awesome on his usual line with Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann, and we got some nice flashes from a few of the prospects, which we will talk about here.
Before we get into it, one programming note; Three Takeaways will be more of a group effort moving forward, compiled by myself (Darren), John, and Curtis each contributing a takeaway.
Let’s do it! Here are our Three Takeaways from Monday’s 3-2 Kraken shootout loss to the Flames.
Takeaway #1 (Curtis): A glimpse of the future
Early in camp, Seattle fans have been treated to a live look at a group of young players that could form the next Kraken core. As I mentioned on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, one of the players I’ve been most excited to see is Tucker Robertson. A right shot, intelligent, and instinctive center, he made countless winning plays in driving his OHL team, the Peterborough Petes, to the Memorial Cup tournament last spring. He’s not as flashy as some of Seattle’s other prospects, but he was consistently finding the right play across all 200 feet of ice in my viewings last year.
On the other hand, if flash is what you want, David Goyette can deliver. Consistently undervalued by scouts and fan perception relative to the scoring he has posted at the major junior level, it felt like all he needed was a big enough stage to show his skill and win over those that doubt him based on small frame.
In their biggest Kraken opportunity yet, Goyette and Robertson combined for a highlight-reel goal in the first period Monday night. Goyette made two skilled plays, first defeating pressure at the zone entry and then recovering the puck and saucering it over a defender’s stick across ice. On the other end of the pass was Robertson, who got himself in precisely the right position. The result was a relatively easy one-timer into a yawning cage.
That play was tremendous, but Goyette and Robertson didn’t stop there. Joined by “first Kraken” Luke Henman, the line pushed the pace and created chances all night.
“It’s awesome,” Robertson said of playing with Goyette and Henman. “They’re both really fast players and think the game really well. So it’s easy for me.”
Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach Jess Campbell (more on her in a moment) offered pointed praise for the line after the game. “They did a lot of great things,” Campbell said. “A young line, just fast, fearless, they’re going after the puck [and] their pursuit was [on] all night long …” Later, when asked if any players stood out to her from the game, Campbell returned to specifically mention Robertson and Goyette. It’s easy to dream of the future on a night like this.
Takeaway #2 (John): Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was solid
We all knew when the Kraken signed Pierre-Edouard Bellemare this offseason that he would not be expected to replace the goals of a Daniel Sprong. But the Kraken were getting a steady two-way fourth-line center that can kill penalties. He did all of that and more in his preseason debut for the Kraken. He is not flashy but could be one of the most defensively responsible centers the Kraken have ever had on their team.
It was just a preseason game, and the strength of the competition was lower than what we should expect in regular-season games, but Bellemare looked like one of the all-around best players on the ice. I isolated on watching Bellemare for several shifts, and he was constantly disrupting Calgary’s puck possession by getting in their faces and forcing turnovers, and away from the puck he was taking away shooting lanes.
He will not be flashy, and we should not expect a ton of goals from him this season, but Bellemare’s defensive responsibility and penalty killing skills might contribute more to the team’s success than we are expecting.
Takeaway #3 (Darren): Jess Campbell continues to be awesome
Jessica Campbell kinda sorta made history Monday by joining a very small group of women who have been on an NHL bench for a game in a coaching capacity. It’s a little confusing, because Kori Cheverie was on the bench in Pittsburgh Sunday as a guest coach, and it’s hard to say for sure if they are the only two women to have done that. But… What Campbell continues to do in the Kraken and Coachella Valley organization is pretty damn cool.
You can tell the players really appreciate what she brings to the table, too. We asked Andrew Poturalski about Campbell’s impact on Coachella Valley last season. “She deserves being in the spotlight,” Poturalski said. “She brings such a different side of things, and she’s really creative and just [brings] a totally different perspective than what I’ve been used to.”
It was also an obviously special night for Campbell, who said she is “humbled” to be a part of the organization. Although she tried to focus entirely on the task at hand, she admitted after the game that she did find moments here and there where she was able to take it all in. “It was a pretty unbelievable experience,” she said.
Andy and I interviewed Campbell on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast last year, and she told us then that she had grown up wanting to play in the NHL because that was all she knew; girls hockey wasn’t a thing where she grew up. Now she has—at least briefly—reached the world’s best league as a coach.
Welcome to our latest Kraken Roundtable discussion, featuring John Barr, Curtis Isacke, and Darren Brown. In this discussion, we ask and answer a few pressing questions around training camp, which is now in full swing.
Enjoy!
Who has the most to prove in training camp?
John Barr: I think there are several players to keep an eye on, but I will call out Chris Driedger here. Driedger played a handful of games at the end of last season after returning from his knee injury at the IIHF World Championship in 2022, but I do not believe he has fully demonstrated he is at 100 percent. There is no secret that he is in a battle for the backup goalie position through the pre-season. Even if he is outperformed by Joey Daccord, I am sure he would like to send a signal to the rest of the league so he gets claimed, should Seattle put him on waivers.
Curtis Isacke: Kailer Yamamoto is facing a “prove it” camp. A former first-round pick and 20-goal scorer, Yamamoto was skating on NHL superstar Leon Draisaitl’s wing just five months ago. Even so, two different NHL teams parted with cap space or other assets this past offseason to move him off their rosters. Edmonton parted with the signing rights to Klim Kostin to trade Yamamoto’s $3.1 million salary to Detroit. Then Detroit bought out the Washington native’s contract. As I wrote about after Seattle signed Yamamoto, the diminutive forward had become a niche utility player in Edmonton. He needs to shake that mindset and remind the NHL of the broad skill set that made him such a dynamic WHL winger. Otherwise he risks falling into a category of borderline AHL players.
Darren Brown: I’ll go with Kole Lind, because he’s at an inflection point in his career. Will he be an NHL player, or will he be one of those guys that always stands out in the AHL, but–for whatever reason–just never quite makes it at the highest level? As I wrote in my “storylines” article on Wednesday, Lind did everything the organization could have wanted him to do in Coachella Valley last season, yet he has not yet been rewarded with a full-time NHL gig. Based on his output with the Firebirds, one would think he is deserving of a legitimate shot. BUT… There is again competition in camp, and he will have to prove that he belongs on the Kraken more than at least one of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Shane Wright, or Tye Kartye.
Who stood out at rookie or main training camp so far?
Curtis: Vince Dunn and Ryker Evans stood out to me on day one of training camp for their ability to drive transition play in drills and during the training camp scrimmages. Each has advanced ability to scan the defense and exploit weaknesses for advance, and both looked spry on their skates to start camp. At a time when the players are still trying to get in sync on breakout and transition schemes, a one-man transition attack can be pretty appealing, and both Dunn and Evans looked at ease seizing those opportunities on Day 1.
What’s more, I thought Evans held up fairly well in one-on-one and two-on-two defensive zone drills. If he can handle net-front physicality and tighten up his defensive zone coverage just a bit, he’ll be NHL ready. If the first day of training camp was any indication, he’s close.
Darren: I wasn’t able to make Day 1 of the main training camp, so I’ll stick with what I saw from rookie camp. I have to agree with Curtis that Evans looked great on that stage against fellow youngsters, and I was also impressed by Ty Nelson. He was constantly competing with his long-time buddy, Shane Wright, in drills and was sticking with him step for step. His shot is also very heavy, unsurprising for the player that led the entire OHL in shots on goal last season.
John: I probably should not be surprised, but Eduard Sale impressed me. He is a really smooth and silky player out there and scored a couple goals that were frankly pretty nasty. I did not get those same vibes from him at development camp back in July, but at the time, he revealed that he had not been on the ice much before that camp.
Observations on Shane Wright?
John: During rookie camp, I felt Shane stood out as one of the better players but not distancing himself from everyone in the camp. Ironically, in the main camp scrimmage of Day 1, he stood out from his peers that have been drafted over the last three years. It is way too early to think he will make the opening-night roster, but he looks like he belongs with the big boys.
Curtis: John, I agree that he doesn’t look out of place. But there were moments during the scrimmage on Day 1 that reminded me of Wright’s struggles last training camp. In these moments, I can almost feel him thinking the game a little too hard–striving for the perfect play rather than simply trusting his ample instincts and skills to play loose. For example, at one point he got the puck at the point with space and time but looked to feather a pass down to the slot, which was easily swatted away for a defensive clear. I think the arrow is pointed up on Wright, but I’d like to see him take some weight off his shoulders and simplify a bit.
Darren: I observed that he looks very mature. He’s a full-grown adult now, despite still only being 19 years old. I did not have a physique like his at 19 (and I still do not).
What are you looking for in the first pre-season games?
Darren: I personally will be focused on those guys that are competing with one another for roster spots. Daniel Sprong demanded a contract and a roster spot with his play in pre-season last year, and I’ll be curious to see which of the bubble guys make similar statements for this season.
John: Of the recent draft picks, I want to see glimpses of belonging at the NHL level. For the handful of selections from the 2022 and 2023 draft classes that draw into a pre-season game, it is unrealistic to expect them to look NHL ready. In fact, there could be moments of them looking foolish or simply making a poor read on a play that is uncharacteristic of an NHL player. Those mistakes will happen, and what better place to make those mistakes than a pre-season game? But what I want to see is moments of making NHL plays.
It could be years before we see these guys in regular-season games, but I expect Eduard Sale, Ty Nelson, David Goyette, and maybe Carson Rehkopf to draw into a pre-season game or two over the next few weeks. Getting glimpses of them performing against current NHL players would be fun and should showcase a bit of what might be coming down the pike for the Kraken.
Curtis: You both covered areas I’ll be watching too, so I’ll answer a little more generally. After the first day of training camp, Kraken coach Dave Hakstol spoke about prioritizing team compete level early in camp. I think the same goes for the first pre-season game. What level is the team setting for itself? Is the team playing fast and disciplined? These things could be harbingers of a fast start–and it might be necessary to get off to a fast start if this team wants to replicate, or exceed, its success from last season.
Feel that? The air seems a little fresher than it has the last couple months, right? It’s crisper, cooler, and oddly more… exciting? Do you know what that is?
[Clears throat, takes big deep breath, shouts]: “That’s Kraken hockey, baby!”
The boys are officially back for their third season, and after several weeks of unofficial “captain’s practices” and two days of rookie camp, the real deal training camp begins Thursday.
The opening of camp also marks the start of true roster competition, and while most of the group is back from 2022-23, including the team’s top 10 forwards, top five defensemen, and top goaltender, there are some interesting storylines to watch over the coming weeks.
Let’s dig into those, shall we?
Veterans versus youngsters
Seattle only tinkered with its forward lineup this offseason, replacing departed fourth-line forwards Morgan Geekie, Ryan Donato, and Daniel Sprong with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Kailer Yamamoto, and Devin Shore. Where those newcomers slot in will make the most interesting storylines to watch, because there are also three (relatively) young forwards in Shane Wright, Kole Lind, and Tye Kartye who will be battling for spots on the Kraken.
The veterans
Yamamoto is a lock to make the team. Though he’s only 24 years old, this will be his seventh NHL season (he played nine games with the Oilers in 2017-18 before being returned to the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs). Out of the harsh media environment that is Edmonton, Yamamoto is just one year removed from a 20-goal campaign in 2021-22. We would not be surprised to see a resurgence from him this season with his “hometown” club.
Shore is a depth acquisition and on a two-way contract. He will need to dazzle in pre-season to get an NHL roster spot. He did play 47 games for the Oilers last season, but his signing screams veteran AHL presence with the opportunity to fill in when injuries inevitably happen at the NHL level. The 29-year-old has plenty of experience playing center, though, which is an area of need for Seattle.
Of the veteran players mentioned, Bellemare will be the most interesting case to monitor. With 660 career games under his belt, the 38-year-old brings plenty of NHL experience to the dressing room. But we don’t feel his spot on the team is guaranteed entering camp.
Though he isn’t new to the organization, we should also include John Hayden in the mix of veterans battling for NHL spots. Hayden performed well in a fourth-line role before getting injured against the Oilers last season. He is a proven NHLer, a right-shot forward that can play center, and he brings a physical element the team otherwise lacks.
The youngsters
Even though Lind is the same age as Yamamoto, we still are including him in this “youngsters” group because he’s never broken through as a full-timer NHLer. The most experience he got was in Seattle’s inaugural season, when he played 23 games with the Kraken and scored two goals and six assists.
If Lind was disappointed to be sent to the AHL last season, it didn’t show in his performance there. Instead, he had an enormous season with 30 goals and 32 assists in 72 regular-season games for Coachella Valley, then led the Firebirds to the Calder Cup Finals with a whopping 31 points in 26 playoff games. He is also the only one of the Wright/Kartye/Lind trio that requires waivers to get back to Coachella this season, so Seattle would have to expose him if they want to put him back in the AHL.
When last season ended, we assumed with nearly 100-percent certainty Kartye would be on the Kraken out of this season’s camp. Now, we’re slightly less sure, only because of the offseason signings made by Seattle. Though he was one of the heroes of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the 2022-23 AHL rookie of the year, an underwhelming performance in pre-season and good health among Kraken forwards could still mean Kartye starts the year in Palm Desert. If the team views him as an extra, it will make more sense to let him keep developing with the Firebirds. Still, we’re confident the Kraken have high hopes for Kartye to contribute at the NHL level this season.
And what of the Kraken’s No. 1 prospect, Shane Wright? Well, he has made huge strides in his development over the past four months and looked like a full-grown pro athlete at rookie camp this week. Though it does seem he will be allowed to play in the AHL if he doesn’t make the Kraken out of camp, he has maintained that he is focused on making the NHL roster, and the team seems to want to keep him. But like with Kartye, there’s no sense in keeping Wright if it means he will be watching from the press box most nights.
Shane Wright spoke to media today. Though it sounds like he will be eligible for the AHL if needed, he is fully focused on making the #SeaKraken out of camp. pic.twitter.com/XGQyiwlQp7
While most of the attention will be on the forwards, there is some competition for the last blue line spot(s) as well. Cale Fleury spent most of last season as a healthy scratch, but the team resisted putting him on waivers. Meanwhile, Jaycob Megna was acquired before the trade deadline from San Jose but only played six games for the Kraken. Carson Soucy got replaced by Brian Dumoulin this offseason, so assuming good health and that the team keeps only one extra defenseman, Megna and Fleury will likely be fighting for the last spot.
And we can’t forget about high-flying prospect Ryker Evans. We don’t *expect* Evans to make the Kraken immediately, but he should be near the top of the list to earn a call-up if an injury replacement is needed in season.
Andre Burakovsky set to return
It’s easy to forget that Andre Burakovsky was Seattle’s leading scorer through the All-Star break last season. The team managed without him after he tore his groin, but there was an obvious offensive gap that appeared, especially on the power play.
Burakovsky has been back on the ice for captain’s practices and is expected to be a full participant in camp. His performance will be worth monitoring.
Eyes on the goal crease
The playoffs were a positive experience for Philipp Grubauer, who looked like he had finally put his Kraken struggles behind him. It will be interesting to see what kind of start he gets out to this pre-season, but the real story in the goal crease is determining who will serve as his backup.
Chris Driedger is entering the final year of his three-year, $10.5 million contract. He returned to full health last season after tearing his ACL in the 2022 IIHF World Championship, but Martin Jones had taken his spot as the Seattle backup. So, Driedger got sent to Coachella Valley, only to find that Joey Daccord had full control over the Firebirds’ net. Daccord had a phenomenal playoff run and carried his squad to the finals, coming up one game short of a championship.
The Kraken re-signed Daccord for two years this offseason. Is this the year Daccord gets a chance as a full-time NHL goalie?
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
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