We bring you another round of Monday Musings, where we share a random collection of thoughts and observations about the last week from the hockey world with an emphasis on the Kraken and other Puget Sound teams. Enjoy.
Kraken thoughts
What a week for the Kraken?!?! Three regulation road game victories against some quality opponents. Each victory seemed to build on the previous one, and suddenly, the Kraken see themselves in second place in the Pacific Division and riding a franchise record four-game win streak. The Kraken now have 16 points in the standings over 13 games. Last season, they did not capture their 16th point until their 21st game of the season.
The boys will now play a six-game homestand that will take us right through Thanksgiving. They are currently 2-3-1 at Climate Pledge Arena versus 5-1-1 on the road. Let us hope they can get some CPA mojo and turn that home record around.
I’ve said this many times before, but this team is very different than last year’s team. The ability for this group to bounce back after something goes wrong has been remarkable. In Tuesday’s game against Calgary, the Kraken rallied from two goals down in the third after giving up two quick ones to the Flames. In the game against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jake Guentzel scored an equalizer for the Penguins, but the Kraken bounced back with a Tanev goal with roughly three and a half minutes left. Those kinds of responses were few and far between last season.
One thing that has helped with the resilience is this team is scoring at a much higher rate than last year. The Kraken are averaging 3.46 goals per game compared to 2.63 last year. Goal scoring in the NHL is challenging, but last year it seemed as if the team would need to work so hard for every goal. Right now, it just seems like anyone out there can score. 19 of the 20 skaters that have drawn into the lineup have scored a goal.
The Shane Wright situation
The only skater to not score a goal is Shane Wright. Wright has the fewest minutes played among the 20 players with just under 57 minutes over his seven games. The challenge with getting Wright more minutes is the players that are drawing into the lineup are better NHL players than he is right now, being that he’s still just 18 years old. Morgan Geekie, Ryan Donato, and Daniel Sprong give the Kraken a better chance to win hockey games.
The other “problem” that is preventing Wright from drawing in more consistently is that the Kraken have been relatively healthy. Seattle has not had to dip into the Coachella Valley Firebirds for any skaters to date. Last year’s team had several injuries and COVID absences in the first part of the season. Colin Blackwell, Yanni Gourde, Calle Jarnkrok, and Jared McCann all missed several games in the first part of last season.
McCann being sidelined on Thursday and Saturday gave Wright the opportunity to not just play but play on the third line with Gourde and Tanev.
I have mentioned this several times on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, but assuming no injuries between now and early December, I imagine the Kraken will loan Wright to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. This will give him the opportunity to play a couple weeks of logging high minutes of elite-level hockey. At the end of the tournament, he can then return to Seattle for rest of the season.
Other Kraken musings:
The Kraken’s depth is their strength. The Kraken lead the league in unique goal scorers with 19 players scoring at least one goal, but they are also tied for the league lead for unique players with at least two goals. There are 12 players with at least two goals, tied with the Kings and the Bruins.
One of the players with two goals or more is Morgan Geekie. After a challenging start to the season, Geekie finds himself firmly grasping the fourth-line center position, and he will head into Tuesday’s game on a four-game point streak, a career high.
The Kraken will still have a roster decision to make once Joonas Donskoi comes back from injured reserve. From what I have heard, he is not expected back any time soon.
I was asked several times this week “Who has been the best player on the team this season?” I don’t think there is a best player on the team. I feel McCann, Jaden Schwartz, and Matty Beniers could all have a case at one time this season, but people are contributing all over the place and that’s been the key to the success this year.
Andre Burakovsky is tied with Schwartz for the team lead in points, but despite the points, he has another level that we will see soon enough. He is an elite goal scorer, and his current shooting percentage is only 8.3 percent, which is a career low.
After no points in his first six games, Gourde has seven points in his last six games including factoring in all three goals Saturday night against the Penguins.
Coachella notes
The Coachella Valley Firebirds residency in Seattle is officially over, as they fly south to establish their presence in the Valley. It was fun to see them around KCI, and that should create a consistent culture between the two teams. The games I have seen live or on AHL.tv were all entertaining, and I will be looking forward to making a trip down to see them in their barn.
The Firebirds capped off their residency with a split of two games against the Abbotsford Canucks over the weekend. Saturday night’s Firebirds win featured a hat trick by former Kelowna Rocket, Kole Lind. Lind now leads the team with six goals in eight games.
Second in goal scoring for the Firebirds is Jesper Froden. Froden was named the AHL Player of the Month in October.
Yanni Gourde – Yanni had five points over the last three games and was a huge reason the Kraken went 3-0 over the last week. One of the most critical points was his short-handed goal that tied the game up against the Flames on Tuesday night.
Erik Karlsson – He had eight points over the Sharks’ last three games including his first career hat trick on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.
Martin Jones – He had two of the three Kraken wins over this past week including his first shutout with Seattle against the Minnesota Wild. Jones has a .967 save percentage in his last three games and has given Kraken fans a sense of optimism for the goaltending this season.
On the docket
Nashville Predators – Tuesday, Nov. 8, at Climate Pledge Arena
Heading into the season, I thought the Predators were one of the teams the Kraken would need to challenge for a playoff spot. This team is tough to figure out; they are rolling into Seattle with a bit of a hot streak, having beaten the Flames and Canucks, but prior to those games they lost two lopsided contests to the Oilers and Capitals.
Predators current record: 5-6-1
Players to watch:
Tanner Jeannot – hits everything in site and can put the puck in the net. He is the type of player you hate if he is playing against you but love if he is on your team. Regardless, he is entertaining.
Filip Forsberg – easily the best chimney sweeper in the league with an outstanding shot. His snipe last year at CPA is etched into my memory.
Minnesota Wild – Friday, Nov. 11, at Climate Pledge Arena
After an embarrassing 4-0 loss at home to the Kraken last Thursday, the Wild will be looking to return the favor at CPA. It is hard to get a read on how good the Wild are this year, as they have been rather inconsistent through their first 11 games. Most of the media had them pegged as a playoff team, but with the emergence of Winnipeg, there could be some doubt.
Wild current record: 5-5-1
Players to watch:
Matt Boldy – I mentioned him last week, but I am going to double down and mention him again. The 21-year-old winger was kept off the score sheet against the Kraken but still created some chances and clearly has a bright future in the NHL.
Connor Dewar – he played four years with the Everett Silvertips and is now in his first full season with the Wild after splitting last season between the NHL and AHL. He is relegated to the fourth line, but it is always fun seeing former local WHLers playing in the NHL.
Winnipeg Jets – Sunday, Nov. 13, at Climate Pledge Arena
The Jets have gotten off to a sneaky good start to the season and will find themselves in a playoff spot if they can keep this up. If they cool off a bit, the Jets and Kraken could be fighting for a Wild Card position in March.
Jets current record: 7-3-1
Players to watch:
Connor Hellebuyck – despite being one of the best US goalies in the NHL right now, Hellebuyck still flies under the radar. He already has two shutouts and has a save percentage of .936. The Jets will be playing the night before, so it is possible we see David Rittich between the pipes on Sunday.
Cole Perfetti – This 21-year-old first-round draft pick from 2020 is entering his first full season in the NHL. He is currently centering the second line with Pierre-Luc Dobois and Blake Wheeler and has seven points over 11 games.
If you drive 90 minutes east of Edmonton, you’ll come to the Village of Irma, Alberta. Irma is a town of 477 people. It has snow in its forecast for this week, and it’s hard to imagine a community more different than Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Yet, Seattle and Irma are connected through the game of hockey.
The hockey connection first revealed itself at this past summer’s NHL Entry Draft when Seattle Kraken second-round pick Jagger Firkus mentioned that he knew a member of the Kraken.
“It’s Carson Soucy,” Firkus said when asked. “He’s from my hometown of Irma, Alberta, which is pretty cool because there’s like 500 people and he played there. He’s someone that I’ve skated with and worked out with, he’s someone that I look up to a lot. He’s pushed himself and he’s played in the NHL now, so he’s a guy you’ve got to look up to a lot and follow his lead.”
Soucy, 28, is a decade older than the 18-year-old Firkus and lifelong friends with his older brother. Because of that, the Kraken defenseman has known Jagger for a long time.
He was watching the NHL Draft unfold, hoping to see the younger Firkus be selected.
“I haven’t watched the draft in a couple years, but we had a group of us hoping he’s going in the first round,” Soucy said. “So, we were all watching, hoping to see him. Then kind of just flipped it on the next morning and pretty much right when I turned the TV on, I saw it was our pick, and then I saw him and I saw one of my best friends hugging their dad and it’s just great.”
Jagger Firkus grew up in the Village of Irma, Alberta. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Soucy and Firkus were able to reunite at Kraken training camp this fall, but the Seattle and Irma connection doesn’t end here.
Down in Kent, Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Scott Ratzlaff, 17, also hails from the small village in rural Alberta.
And, yes, he knows Firkus as well, and despite being a year younger, did play one year of hockey growing up with Firkus.
“He’s a great guy,” Ratzlaff said of Firkus. “We go golfing, Irma’s got a golf course, we play on the outdoor rink. We’re very close, and he’s just a great guy to be around. So, it’s fun to have him around.”
Firkus is back playing in the Western Hockey League this season for the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Thunderbirds will be in Moose Jaw on Jan. 7, and Ratzlaff is hoping he gets the start that night to take on his good friend.
Growing up in such a small community, is there a chance that the older Soucy also knows Ratzlaff?
“He’s my younger cousin,” Soucy said. “He’s my dad’s sister’s son. He’s my first cousin. He’s good, he’s a competitor.”
Seattle Thunderbirds Scott Ratzlaff, from Irma, won gold this summer for Canada. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Ratzlaff says he’s close with his cousin, and Soucy has texted him looking for Thunderbirds tickets before. Ratzlaff has been able to get to some Kraken games as well.
“You always go to grandma’s house together, we spend a lot of quality time together,” Ratzlaff said. “He’s a great role model as well. I always try to learn from him and see how he acts. He’s great. I go up there every once in a while to downtown Seattle. He’s got a nice house. I just go up there and spend some quality time.”
What’s in the Irma water?
How is it that a village in Canada has three players playing high-level hockey in the Seattle area?
“There’s just not too much to do,” Soucy said. “We grew up kind of playing street hockey and baseball. That’s kind of what we revolve around when there’s only a certain amount of kids, so we just grew up playing sports pretty much 24/7. And there’s a couple other guys that are still doing pretty well in hockey and sports, so I don’t know, it’s pretty cool.”
If you go to the Village of Irma web site, it’s obvious they take a great deal of pride in their baseball complex. The diamond is well referenced and Irma has hosted regional tournaments that have brought in teams from as far as New Zealand.
Of course, hockey is a staple, and Irma does have a public arena that has youth hockey and a senior team known as the Irma Aces.
Ratzlaff says the outdoor rink is popular and offers competitive games. Everyone who plays hockey in Irma, which is pretty much everybody, shows up. Even when the temperature drops to minus-30 Celsius (that’s minus-22 Fahrenheit).
“You go with two layers on and a toque,” he said. “You get a couple guys out there, because they’re all so committed.”
Agriculture and farming are prevalent in Irma, but there is a pride in the sports offered. Ratzlaff mentions several times how nice and kept up all the facilities in town are.
Soucy agrees.
“I don’t know how, but great job of developing and keeping our youth programs going,” Soucy said. “Whether it’s with new facilities or just great volunteers or parents willing to be coaches with youth and stuff, keeping the small kids very into hockey and baseball too. It’s definitely a sports town for sure.”
This past summer, Ratzlaff realized attention and notoriety beyond Irma and Seattle. He was the No. 1 goalie for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky under-18 tournament played in Red Deer, Alberta. Ratzlaff played well and helped the Canadians take the gold medal.
Suddenly he was known throughout Canada, and Irma celebrated.
“I got tons of emails and messages of just everyone’s cheering me on,” Ratzlaff said. “Since Red Deer wasn’t that far away, it was about two and a half hours, lots of guys made the trek down to come support. I even saw my librarian. It was just awesome to see that support, and coming from Irma, it’s awesome.”
Ratzlaff is in his NHL Draft year and his future is unknown. Firkus is in Moose Jaw and probably a year or two away from joining the Kraken, and Soucy is in the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
The Seattle-Irma connection may change in the next few years, but for now, a small village of 477 people is linked with Seattle at very high levels of hockey. It’s unique, special, and almost inexplicable to have three sons of Irma in Seattle.
“Seattle likes the Irma boys, I guess,” Ratzlaff said.
One thing is for sure, the three Irma boys will skate and workout together this summer.
Teams across the National Hockey League have exclusive clubs embedded within them. The privilege of joining those clubs requires a level of tenure, panache, and… well… hair product.
Curious about the unwritten rules of ditching the helmet in warmups, we asked the members of the Seattle Kraken chapter of the No-Bucket Warmer-Upper Club (that’s what we call it here at Sound Of Hockey) how they decide whether to protect their noggins or let the locks flow. Their answers taught us a lot and gave us some good laughs along the way.
Here’s what we learned about the longstanding NHL tradition of the bucketless warmup.
It’s all about the hair, for most
Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson—two frequent but not entirely consistent members of the NBWUC—shared similar sentiments about deciding whether to don a helmet or not. For the defensive partners, it’s actually quite simple.
“For me, it’s how good my hair looks,” Larsson said.
“Yeah, me too,” added Dunn. “It’s how fresh my haircut is.”
Brandon Tanev is the most committed member of the club and one of the Seattle chapter’s founding members. We can’t recall a time when we’ve seen him wear a helmet in warmups. In fact, in a game early last season, he took a puck to the forehead and hustled off the ice to get stitched up before the opening face-off. The following game, he was right back out there without a helmet, forehead stitches and all.
Brandon Tanev got hit in the head with a puck during warmups in a game against the Sabres last season. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Tanev, coincidentally, has perhaps the best flow on the team. But he says it isn’t so much about letting his hair down, rather a privilege that comes with tenure and experience. “The more games you play in the league, you’re able to do it, so you do it.” Fair enough.
Alex Wennberg’s approach is a bit more nuanced. “The warmup is to get prepared mentally,” he said. “It still doesn’t change the way you play at all, so every now and then you switch it up. And I mean, sometimes— it’s not like you’re superstitious, but sometimes it feels like the routines are working and sometimes you want to switch it up.”
Product is paramount
As Larsson and Dunn suggested there are external factors to consider, namely what hair products are available to the players on a given night. Larsson, for example, says he doesn’t travel with product, so what he uses is reliant upon what is provided in the locker room. If there’s no gel to give him the “wet look” that he prefers, you better believe he’s wearing a helmet that night.
Dunn also noted that Larsson’s gameday grooming routine can factor into the Swedish defenseman’s decision. “I know for Lars, if he conditions his hair, he’s probably not going to go no bucket because his hair is too soft; it’s not styled enough.” For the record, Dunn’s product of choice is paste.
And although Wennberg leans on how he’s feeling on a particular night, he too admits product can play a role in the decision. “I will say that if I don’t have any product in the hair, there is no way I’m going out without a bucket.”
The No-Bucket Warmer-Upper Club tonight features Alex Wennberg and Brandon Tanev.
Those that are not regular members of the NBWUC have their own reasons to stay helmeted. Morgan Geekie tried it once, but it was under specific circumstances. “My buddy was in town, and he bet me 20 bucks that I wouldn’t do it.” So, that was easy money for Geekie.
The one-time payout wasn’t enough to prod Geekie into the club permanently, though. He says growing up, he thought one of the coolest things about the NHL was seeing guys warm up without helmets on, yet even for him, the decision to typically stay helmeted comes down to follicles. “I don’t have nice enough hair to not wear it,” he said. “Earlier last year, I maybe could have when I had long hair, but Wenny, Tanev, all those guys that do it with no helmet, you can tell there’s a reason why they do it.”
A privilege reserved for veterans
It was borderline shocking to see Shane Wright take his traditional rookie lap Wednesday without a bucket, though that action was likely demanded by Seattle’s veterans to add to the moment. Aside from that situation, in which veterans are mandating a bucketless warmup, it would be unheard of and unacceptable for a rookie to try to join the NBWUC.
Shane Wright gets a THOROUGH no-bucket rookie lap prior to his NHL debut for the #SeaKraken.
To determine when a player can begin shedding his protective lid, Tanev doesn’t have a specific point in mind for when that would be tolerable. “It’s at the discretion of the older guys,” he says. “The older guys when I was playing— when I was younger, you have a certain amount of games, and you’re able to do it, and that’s about it.”
Larsson and Dunn thought the threshold was a bit more cut and dried, putting the minimum for NHL service time at somewhere between 200 and 250 games played.
Wennberg, meanwhile, didn’t try it until he was with the Florida Panthers and playing his 400th career game. “This is just how I came into the league,” he said. “When you’re a rookie or a couple years in, you’re not really going out without a bucket. It feels like more of a veteran thing, and in Columbus we weren’t allowed, so for me, I tried it first in Florida when I had the opportunity.”
A decision rarely discussed in advance
You might think the decision to show the hair would be something that gets discussed nightly by players in the dressing room, but that isn’t the case. It’s typically an under-the-radar, personal decision that is made quietly.
“I’m more of a guy who shows up, and when you walk the line [to go onto the ice] and you don’t wear your bucket, that’s when people will see it,” explained Wennberg. For him, it’s almost like a surprise reveal.
He adds, though, that there are rare occasions when teammates push each other to ditch the dome.
“If a bunch of guys on the team are saying, ‘It’s got to be a no-bucket night for you, your hair’s on point,’ yeah. I get that comment every now and then, but I don’t really spread the word.”
We are introducing a new feature on Sound Of Hockey called Monday Morning Musings. It will be 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 Puget Sound teams. If you have suggestions or feedback, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them to us directly on twitter.
Kraken thoughts
After three games, but we still do not know how good this team is going to be this season. If you told me the Kraken would capture three out of six points in the opening three games to start the season, I would have been happy. But how they got the points leaves me scratching my head. They looked great in Anaheim and Los Angeles and then laid an egg in the home opener against Vegas, so it is hard to get a good read on what this team is capable of this season.
I am not sure the next three games will give us any more clarity. This might be one of the tougher three-game stretches of the 2022-23 campaign. Carolina, St. Louis, and Colorado were a collective 159-87 last season and 6-2 versus the Kraken. Getting at least three points in these next three games would be very encouraging.
Speaking of encouraging, the Kraken power play looks much better this season with power-play goals in each of the first three games and a power-play success rate of 38 percent compared to last season’s 15 percent. It is still early, but let’s celebrate positives where we can.
Shane Wright was a healthy scratch for the second game in a row Saturday. Obviously, if the team is going to scratch him more often than play him, they should send him to the OHL, but let us see how the next couple weeks play out before we start demanding he be sent down. Over the last three seasons, only Cole Sillinger played more than 70 games in the season immediately after his draft. With this in mind, yes, Wright could be sent back, but we should be patient here instead of immediately grabbing our pitchforks.
It was a little surprising to see Martin Jones get the start in net for the home opener on Saturday night. He did have a good game against the Kings on Thursday, and although not overly tested, he did make some timely saves when the boys needed it. On Saturday night, Jones did allow a few bad goals, but he is not the reason the Kraken lost. Regardless, I expect Grubauer to get most of the starts over the next week to settle into his crease.
After an injury plagued 2021-22 season, it is great to see Jaden Schwartz back on the ice. He has two power-play goals in the first three games and hopefully he can keep it rolling.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds played and won their first game in franchise history on Sunday afternoon. It was a little sketchy, but it is always better to win ugly than lose pretty. The Firebirds had a 5-1 lead halfway through the second period, only to see the Calgary Wranglers claw back to make it a one-goal game with five minutes left in the third. Joey Daccord kept the Wranglers out of the net for the last few minutes and clinched the first ever franchise victory. As a reminder, the Firebirds will have four games in the Seattle area but only two of them will have regular tickets available: Sunday, Oct. 23, at Climate Pledge Arena and Friday, Oct. 28, at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
Player Performances
Former Tri-City American and current Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen kicked off his 2022-23 season in style with a three-point night in the Wings game against Montreal on Friday night.
After missing the entire pre-season, former Everett Silvertips standout goalie, Carter Hart, saved 35 of 37 shots in the Philadelphia Flyers’ first game of the season.
We are all rooting for Mason Marchment this season after the hockey world tragically lost his father, Bryan, right before the NHL Entry Draft in July. Mason has three goals in two games with the Dallas Stars.
On the docket
As mentioned above, the Kraken have a challenging three games coming up this week. Here is the rundown.
Carolina Hurricanes – Monday, Oct. 17, at Climate Pledge Arena
The Canes are a legitimate cup contender this year and will be a benchmark game for the Kraken. Seattle will need to get Saturday night’s game out of its system and what better way to do it than beating a team that is widely considered one of the best in the league?
Hurricanes Current Record: 2-0-0
Players to watch:
Brent Burns –traded to Carolina from San Jose this offseason, Burns continues to be a fun player to watch. He is not afraid to jump up in the play and create offense…for both teams. Burns plays fast and loose, which makes his time on the ice entertaining to say the least.
Seth Jarvis – The 20-year-old former Portland Winterhawk and friend of the Sound Of Hockey podcast is an up and comer in this league with a bit of flash. Jarvis plays the bulk of his minutes with Sebastian Aho and is capable of creating highlight-reel goals.
St. Louis Blues – Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Climate Pledge Arena
The Blues are coming off a 109-point campaign in the 2021-22 season with very few changes to the roster. Most analysts have them as a lock for the playoffs for 2022-23. The Blues went 3-0 against the Kraken last year and outscored them 11-2 in those three games.
Blues current record: 1-0-0
Players to watch:
Robert Thomas – strong two-way player that can score and dish the puck. He is coming off a career season in 2021-22 with 77 points (20G/57A) over 72 games.
Jake Neighbours – 2022-23 will be the former first-round draft pick’s rookie season. Neighbours had 45 points in just 30 games last year with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. Along with Thomas, Neighbours is projected to be one of the future cornerstones of the Blues.
Colorado Avalanche – Friday, Oct. 21, at Ball Arena, Denver
They are the reigning Stanley Cup Champions and a favorite to win it again this season. The Avalanche did lose Andre Burakovsky to the Kraken and Nazim Kadri to the Flames, so that is 50 goals lost in the offseason. Still, they should be just fine.
Avalanche current record: 1-1-0
Players to watch:
Cale Makar – there are about eight players on the Avalanche worth focusing on, but Cale Makar is one of the best, if not the best defenseman in the NHL. He is so exciting to watch on both ends of the ice and is truly an innovative player that is changing the position.
Alex Newhook – only 21 years old, Newhook spent last season bouncing around the third and fourth lines. With the departure of Kadri, he will get more opportunity this season including some power-play time. Newhook might be a year or two away from a breakout, but the foundations are there, and he has the capability to make some dazzling plays.
Chart of the week
Three games is not a big sample, but if the Kraken expect to be more competitive, the power play is one area it must improve over last year. Early signs are encouraging.
Beyond the NHL
Outside of the Kraken organization, there are quite a few Pacific Northwest teams that are playing good hockey in their respective leagues. In the WHL, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, and Portland Winterhawks are a collective 21-2 and are outscoring their opponents 115-69. If you want to circle a game on the calendar, you might want to consider the Nov. 5 game when Portland visits Seattle for the first time this season.
The Thunderbirds look pretty stacked right now with five NHL-drafted players on their roster, but another name people should keep an eye on is Gracyn Sawchyn. Sawchyn is eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and is off to a fast start with 11 points in 7 games. Some say he could be drafted in the first round of the draft in July.
Finally, the Seattle Totems (USPHL – Junior A) and Washington Huskies (ACHA) are off to hot starts. The Totems, who play out of Olympic View Ice Center in Montlake Terrace are 7-3 and have outscored opponents 50-36. Meanwhile, the Huskies, who play out of Kraken Community Iceplex are 4-2. If you are looking for some fun and affordable hockey to watch, consider supporting these players in what should be entertaining hockey.
It is Seattle Kraken OPENING NIGHT, folks! The boys are set to take on the Ducks in Anaheim on Wednesday and the Kings in Los Angeles on Thursday, before playing their first home game of the season at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday. So, there’s no time like the present to get the hot take machine cooking again.
How will the Kraken fare in the Pacific Division? Who will win the Stanley Cup? The guys do their best to answer those questions and more.
Enjoy!
How many points will the Kraken rack up in the standings this season? Will they make the playoffs?
Darren Brown –I’m going to predict 90 points. That will not be enough to make the playoffs in what looks to be a pretty good Pacific Division, but they will be in the conversation all season long (I hope).
Frankly, 90 might be optimistic, but this is absolutely a better team than last season, and on top of the improvements to the roster, I think Philipp Grubauer is going to get back to the form he was in before being signed by the Kraken as a free agent last summer.
Of course, I would love to say the Kraken will make the playoffs, and the players have all stated publicly that playoffs is the goal, but I don’t know how realistic that is.
Curtis Isacke – I don’t think the Kraken will be able to climb quite that high. I’ll come in just south of your points prediction, Darren, and say the Kraken record 84 this year. To be clear, this would still be a remarkable 24-point/12-win improvement over last season. The difficulty I have in going higher is uncertainty on defense and in net. Last year we thought the blue line and goaltending were strong on paper and would be the engine of the team on the ice. But, as it played out, those groups vastly underperformed.
I am reasonably confident in projecting a significant improvement in the forward group. From Andre Burakovsky to Oliver Bjorkstrand to a full season of Beniers, the forward group is now skilled and deep. But the question remains: What are we getting on the back end? Is it the intimidating, defense-first unit we projected at this time last year or the group that showed a proclivity to lose structure and discipline at key moments? Time will tell.
Who will win the Pacific Division?
CI – I think Edmonton will rise to the top of the Pacific Division this year. Calgary navigated the loss of Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau admirably. But I expect it will take a little bit of time for the new core to find its footing, and I don’t think the team has the necessary depth to win at a high level if its elite players aren’t quite coalesced and producing. Edmonton, on the other hand, can roll out of bed and score goals with their all-world forwards. By the end of the year, I expect these teams to be very close and competitive. I’d sign up for another Battle of Alberta.
DB – Sadly, I have to agree with you. The Oilers’ couldn’t get a save last year, and they seem to have addressed that by bringing in Jack Campbell. I’m also curious to see how Vegas and Los Angeles will be this year. They played a very fun opener on Tuesday that ended with the Golden Knights skating off victorious, but the Kings–who surprisingly made the playoffs last season–look like they could be the real deal (at least on paper). Plus, Vegas had never-ending injury issues last season, so with better health, that team should be a divisional contender.
Who will win the Presidents’ Trophy?
DB – When it comes to questions about who will be the top team in the NHL this season, it’s really hard to bet against the defending champion Colorado Avalanche. They were so dynamic last season, and although they lost Nazem Kadri and Burakovsky, their true core players are still there.
To me, the only thing that was potentially standing between the Avs and the Cup last season was their goaltending. I’ve never been sold on Darcy Kuemper as an elite netminder, and—despite his mediocre stats in the postseason—they still won hockey’s greatest prize with him as their backstop.
They enter this season with Alexandar Georgiev as their starter. After playing second fiddle to Igor Shesterkin in New York, it’s really hard to say if Georgiev is an upgrade or a downgrade in the crease.
If he’s good, Colorado will win all the games. If he’s bad, Colorado will still win the vast majority of the games. I’m going to guess he’s good, and the Avs will skate away with the Presidents’ Trophy (but will not repeat as Cup winners).
CI – Hard to find fault in the Colorado choice, Darren. But if there is a weakness on the team, it might be their bottom-six forward group, which I’d call: Average? Maybe below average?
I’ll take the Maple Leafs here. They have found ways to fit talented players (*cough* Mark Giordano) around the large superstar contracts at the center of the team and will send out a skater group that lacks any significant weaknesses. The argument against Toronto focuses on two things; the goaltenders and the tough Atlantic Division. I don’t have particularly high confidence in either Matt Murray or Ilya Samsonov in isolation, but taken together I could see one or the other step up and record a serviceable regular season. The postseason is another question, of course.
Who will win the Stanley Cup?
CI – I’ll go with the Colorado Avalanche over the New York Rangers for a repeat Stanley Cup Champion. Chickpea pasta for everyone in Denver.
I was tempted to put one or both of Edmonton and/or Toronto in the Stanley Cup Final, but I think a Canadian team is going to need to prove it is possible first before I can actually pick one to win. Edmonton versus Toronto would be fun, though.
DB – It’s opening night, and I’m feeling frisky, so I’m going full Minnutiae here and picking my beloved (though slightly less beloved since the arrival of the Kraken) Wild. Sure, they historically have almost always bowed out in the first round, but the culture on that team has changed dramatically since Bill Guerin arrived. On paper, they got worse by trading away Kevin Fiala and Cam Talbot, but I have a hunch they will be just as good or better than they were last year.
Are we allowed to feel optimistic about Seattle’s chances this season?
DB – Absolutely. As I mentioned above, my expectation is that the Kraken will narrowly miss the playoffs, which will be disappointing in the end, but it’s all part of the process. Plus, experiencing the “must win” feeling in March, when the Kraken are battling for their lives, will be a big thrill.
As for the process I just mentioned, I think Beniers will establish himself as a star player this season, and Shane Wright will get the development experience he needs to be a difference maker next season or maybe the season after.
Here’s hoping Seattle surprises me, wins a few games it shouldn’t, and sneaks into the dance at the end of the year.
CI – Yes, fans should be optimistic. Seattle will blindside more than a few national commentators and fan bases this year with their skill up front. Gone are the days where Seattle has to grind out every offensive zone possession in the corners. The Kraken have the talent to control play, and it’s going to make for a much more exciting product. Even on tough nights, fans will find reason for excitement in the emergence of Beniers and the development of Wright. These are exciting times for Seattle fans, and it is alright to feel that way, playoffs or not.
The second season in the history of Seattle Kraken hockey has arrived, and with that comes a new opportunity for the organization to dazzle its fans at home games. With COVID protocols now seemingly a thing of the past, a full season at Climate Pledge Arena under the belt, and a lot of the kinks of being a completely new franchise worked out, Seattle has a lot of new tricks up its sleeve for 2022-23.
We spoke with Kraken senior vice president of marketing, Katie Townsend, about some of the updates fans can expect.
“One thing we spent a lot of the offseason doing was listening,” Townsend said. “We heard from casual fans, season ticket members, people like [Sound Of Hockey] who are there every game. We did the same with our investor group and some of our corporate partners. And then we took all of that in May and June, and we were like, ‘Ok, what are the consistent findings, and now how do we act on them?’”
Here is what the organization has in store.
Game presentation
Revamped pre-game show
There will be a new pre-game show with new video, new ice projections, and new music. The updated show will also allot for 20-30 seconds of video focusing on a different individual player for each game. This will keep things a bit fresher than the show last year, which—although spectacular—did get repetitive by the end of the season. In all, there will be 25 different versions of the open, and Townsend says there are a lot of Easter eggs, which should make for new discoveries every time fans see the show.
Townsend says the new show, “Combines the story of our fans—you know, [fans] who, from Day 1—kind of embarked on this pretty brave journey to be like, ‘Yep, we’re gonna back this,’ with the idea of our players coming together, and then everyone together embodying the spirit of the Kraken.”
If you’re wondering about the neon tentacle that gets lowered from the rafters to mark the Kraken players’ entrance to the ice, it will still be used this season, but it will “appear in a slightly different way.”
“Hoist Your Colors,” an all new pre-third-period show
There will also be a new pre-third-period intro called “Hoist Your Colors.” The Kraken partnered with Bellingham’s famous electronic dance duo, Odesza, and filmed video all across Washington for this portion of the in-game presentation. During “Hoist Your Colors,” a large flag will be raised in the arena. “It combines that kind of nautical theme with the Pacific Northwest and with the Kraken.”
In-arena music
There will be several changes to the music heard by fans in the arena throughout a game night. From the jump, more consistent voices will be heard singing the national anthems.
“We heard that people generally like consistent anthem singers, so we did anthem auditions,” Townsend said. “So, we have Madison Stoneman and Tommie Burton will rotate throughout the games, and then hype nights and specialty nights, we’ll still have [other] people come in.”
During pre-game and intermissions, house bands were a popular and Seattle-centric touch in the inaugural season. House bands will be back this season, but in response to fans wanting to get to know more about the bands that were playing, the Kraken will move from one-off performances to a “residency program.” With this program, each band will play four or five games in a row, assuming the scheduling works out for that band. The first act to be featured will be King Youngblood, a Seattle-based alt-rock band.
Additionally, be on the lookout for a new Kraken-employed marching band debuting at Saturday’s home opener called “Red Alert,” named for the color of the eye in Seattle’s logo. The band will perform brief pre-game concerts at Seattle Center Armory, the plaza in front of Climate Pledge Arena, Alaska Airlines Atrium inside the arena, and then in different places in the concourses during games.
There will be bespoke Kraken-themed sea shanty music videos (perhaps featuring cameos by a few members of Sound Of Hockey?) with famed shanty singer David Coffin coming later in the season. Fans will also hear a new organist, Ben Wooley, tickling the keys for most games, though Rod Masters will still make some appearances.
Fan giveaways
Fans let the Kraken organization know they wanted to receive more free stuff on game nights. High on the list of most desired swag was bobblehead dolls, which the team was not able to give out in its inaugural season. “Bobbleheads take around four months to make,” Townsend explained. “So, for us last year, when we found out the team, when we found out the roster, and then not knowing who’s going to emerge as a star and a fan favorite, it wasn’t really an option for us.”
This season, in addition to a whole host of other giveaways, the team will have five bobblehead nights. Of the five, which will feature Yanni Gourde, Adam Larsson, Matty Beniers, Brandon Tanev, and Jordan Eberle, Townsend said her personal favorite is that of Larsson. Asked if the Larsson bobblehead will sport the defenseman’s trademark deep v-neck under shirt, Townsend said, “Maybe.”
Salmon toss update
The ceremonial yeeting of the plush salmon that became so popular during post-win “Three Stars” announcements last season will live on in 2022-23. But there will be a new fish thrown by the players.
This season, the Kraken worked with the Bristol Bay Native Corporation to develop the stuffed salmon. Now, it will be an Alaskan pink salmon, which is a smaller species and the most abundant of North America’s salmon species.
There is also hope the game ops department can find a way to get those salmon delivered deeper into the crowd, as most fish seemed to land within a couple rows of the glass last season.
Buoy the troll
Buoy, the team’s new troll mascot, has been very visible since he was introduced to the world on Oct. 2. He’s been at the Stocker Farms corn maze and Pike Place Market, he’s been doing school visits and other community engagement initiatives, and there’s a lot more to come on that front.
As for what Buoy will do during games, Townsend says we have only caught a glimpse of his antics. “Buoy will have different intermissions and different skits at TV timeouts that he will be doing, so [we are] working on those at the moment.”
Townsend also re-confirmed that Buoy will be able to skate on the ice during intermissions, and that there will be a new, larger t-shirt cannon utilized this season. The cannon Buoy used during his one preseason appearance was the smaller of the t-shirt cannons in the team’s t-shirt-launching arsenal.
Food and drink
New beer options
The price of beer inside Climate Pledge Arena was an unsurprisingly hot topic with fans last season. “We heard from fans,” Townsend said. “Lower-priced beers, but larger quantity. So, we’re introducing a $9.99 Miller High Life 16-ounce can, and then a $9.99 rotating craft beer, 16-ounce as well.” Bigger beers for less money is certainly something that we at Sound Of Hockey can get behind.
The new in-game beer offerings will be available at several locations throughout the arena, so these lower-priced options will not be difficult to locate.
Fans arriving early for weekend home games can also enjoy a cold college soda at a new Modelo-sponsored pre-game beer garden, which will be located inside the Seattle Center Armory.
New food options
There will be several new menu items available for purchase inside the arena, including a salmon chowder sourdough bowl, more options from Impossible Foods, and additional selections like a brisket sandwich at Mercer Street Mac & BBQ. More adventurous fans can also look forward to a special new offering; the peanut butter and jelly corndog.
Perhaps most notably, Lil Woody’s Burgers & Shakes is being replaced with Molly D Burgers. Named for Climate Pledge Arena’s executive chef, Molly Demers, Molly D Burgers will be its own concession stand, and the specialty burger there will be the quarter-pound Royal Ranch beef patty topped with cheddar, pickles, onion, and a secret sauce.
The team also hopes to help fans navigate more easily to the various food and beverage offerings. “One thing we learned is [we need] better maps,” Townsend said. “We’re going to try that on the [Kraken + Climate Pledge Arena mobile] app and around the arena so that people— we heard from some fans, like, ‘I only see the food options that are around me.’ And so, I think what I would encourage people to do is to look at that map and to go and explore the arena.”
Mobile app
Speaking of the Kraken + Climate Pledge Arena app, there will be updates to that this season too, as it will be more Kraken-focused than before. Last season, the app was designed with Climate Pledge Arena as the center of attention, with some Kraken info mixed in. This season, it will be a lot more Kraken centric and will also allow fans to stream live radio broadcasts of games in real time.
Transportation
After receiving feedback about parking spaces being too tight at the arena garage, some spaces are being re-striped to make them wider. The team is also now partnered with a new garage in Pacific Place, which will be cheaper than garages around Climate Pledge Arena. Pacific Place is located downtown, but fans can park there and hop on the monorail to get to the game.
Additionally, there is a new option to valet bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and other personal forms of transportation right at the arena, and the popular free transit program for ticketholders is still available and redeemable through the mobile app.
Community initiatives
A new “Heroes of the Deep” program was introduced during preseason, which will award $32,000 to charity at every single home game. “[It’s a] huge commitment on behalf of the ownership group, so people should look out for those stories, and also, if they have people that they want to nominate, they 100 percent should do that,” implored Townsend.
Finally, there is a new 50/50 raffle that was tested in preseason. Fans can buy tickets from raffle sellers around the concourses. One winner will take home half of each night’s pot, while the other half of the proceeds will benefit the One Roof Foundation.
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The Kraken kick off their season Wednesday in Anaheim at 7PM Pacific. Their first home game, where many of these new endeavors will officially debut, will be Saturday at 7PM against the Vegas Golden Knights.
