Alright, we will admit, the “Weekly One-Timers” feature on good ole’ soundofhockey.com has turned into more of “Occasional One-Timers” than we planned. But there’s been so much to cover over the past few weeks for the Seattle Kraken, that we’ve rightfully let those items take priority.
The good news for you, though, is that today is one of those “occasions” that we’ve put together One-Timers!
All we ask from you in exchange for these great One-Timers is that you sit back, relax, enjoy, subscribe to our podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and maybe buy a t-shirt from soundofhockey.com/store. Is that so much to ask?
The Seattle Kraken signed a bunch of players this week
As you may be aware by now, the Kraken made a few big splashes in the unrestricted free agent market last week, signing Jaden Schwartz, Alex Wennberg, and Philipp Grubauer to contracts. They still had a few restricted free agents in need of contracts, though, and made some progress in closing those out this week, while also adding some seasoned help to the roster.
Marcus Johansson
Marcus Johansson has joined the Kraken on a one-year, $1.5 million deal. The 30-year-old veteran is known for his speed and can occasionally chip in offensively, but what makes him valuable is his versatility and ability to play both center and wing. He definitely is more successful on the wing, but can slot into the middle in a pinch.
Johansson is coming off of a middling season with the Minnesota Wild, where he had 14 points, but he missed significant time with a few different injuries. He was acquired by Minnesota prior to last season in a one-for-one trade with Buffalo that sent Eric Staal to the Sabres.
Over the course of his career, Johansson has 135 goals and 243 assists. He definitely adds some veteran depth to the forward corps. He also has lots of playoff experience and has scored some big playoff goals over the years.
Vince Dunn
The biggest RFA that Seattle was needing to get under contract was Vince Dunn, the 24-year-old defenseman who is expected to play in the top four and potentially quarterback one of the power play units.
Dunn had recently filed for arbitration. That would have guaranteed that some deal got done, but nobody likes being involved in that contentious process if they can avoid it. The team and Dunn did avoid such a hearing by agreeing to a two-year deal at a $4 million cap hit per year. Dunn played four seasons with the St. Louis Blues and won the 2019 Stanley Cup before being selected by Seattle in the Expansion Draft.
This past season, Dunn had 20 points in 43 games and averaged north of 19 minutes per night. He is a young, impact player that will have a huge role with Seattle, so getting him under contract without the long-term agitation caused by arbitration is a big win for all involved. When this two-year contract ends he will again be a restricted free agent, so Seattle will keep his rights.
Alexander True
Former Seattle Thunderbird (and friend of the Sound Of Hockey Pod) Alexander True signed on for one year at a $750,000 cap hit. True, 24, played 19 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks over two seasons and 203 AHL games with the Barracuda over four seasons.
“Alex brings some size and skill to our team at the center position,” said Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis via press release. “He’s young and has a successful hockey history in Seattle, scoring some big goals playing in the WHL with the Thunderbirds. We’re looking forward to him continuing that success with our organization.” The Danish center scored the biggest goal in Thunderbirds history to clinch the WHL championship in 2017.
Will Borgen
Defenseman Will Borgen, 24, selected in the Expansion Draft from the Buffalo Sabres, signed for two years at a $900K cap hit. He has 14 NHL games under his belt and 140 AHL games. “Will is a responsible, defensive defenseman whose size and physical style of play can add a spark to a lineup,” said Francis. “He’s still young and developing, and we believe in his upside.”
Borgen was a star at St. Cloud State University for three seasons, and before that played for Moorhead High School in northwestern Minnesota. This is notable because Moorhead is known as the Spuds, perhaps the best high school sports team name on the planet.
Connor Carrick
We knew the RFA deals would eventually get done, but as it did with Johansson, Seattle also surprised a bit by bringing in former New Jersey Devil defenseman Connor Carrick on a one-year $800K contract. Carrick, 27, has a bit more NHL service time than True and Borgen with 241 career games. He split time between New Jersey and Binghamton this past season, with six points at the AHL level and one at the NHL level. Seattle has a deep blue line already, but Carrick adds a bit more NHL experience to the organization. He also has his own podcast!
True, Borgen, and Carrick all have two-way deals, so they will make lower salaries if playing in the AHL.
Kraken Community Iceplex update
Here’s a very important update for you: a tree was planted Thursday outside the Kraken Community Iceplex, as witnessed by Sound Of Hockey’s own Andy Eide.
Photo/Andy Eide
The Kraken also shared a pretty cool picture of the team’s locker room at the Iceplex via Twitter.
giving the new locker room at @KrakenIceplex a quick test run.
It is no secret that the Kraken see their cap space as an advantage over the rest of the league, especially after COVID caused the cap to stay flat for two years. Frank Seravalli—that future-seeing reporter that leaked almost the entire Kraken roster before the Expansion Draft—is now looking into his crystal ball once again and predicting that the cap will rise slightly next offseason to $82.5 million in 2022-23.
This is only a $1 million increase, so it’s not enough to move the needle for teams that are really strapped. Thus, the Kraken will likely maintain their advantage, assuming they don’t put themselves into cap hell with acquisitions.
The Flower shall bloom where he has been unfairly planted
This year’s Vezina Trophy winner and future Hall of Famer, Marc-Andre Fleury, was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Chicago Blackhawks for a bag of pucks last week. The 36-year-old reportedly found out about the trade from his agent, who found out on Twitter. That is a tough look for the Golden Knights organization, after he had done so much to help cement that team in the community and the sports landscape as a whole.
Fleury had reportedly considered simply retiring instead of reporting to Chicago, but he confirmed this week that he will actually play for the Blackhawks this season, which instantly makes them a much better team.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Less than a month after winning the Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Yanni Gourde was selected by the Seattle Kraken during the Expansion Draft. Now the 29-year-old center from Quebec is busy packing his bags.
On the surface it might be easy to imagine a certain sense of disappointment from a player after being taken off a Tampa Bay club that just won back-to-back championships – and is still loaded with talent – and sent to an expansion team that is putting all its pieces together.
But not for Gourde.
“It’s pretty nice to know that the team wants you that bad when there’s a lot of people that are very talented that were unprotected,” Gourde told media on Tuesday morning. “I was fortunate enough to get taken and get drafted by them and I’m super excited for a great experience. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
On some levels, Gourde feels fortunate to be in the NHL at all.
He was undrafted after three full seasons in the QMJHL with the Victoriaville Tigres – including a monster final year where he scored 37 goals and 124 points in 2011-2012. Like many undrafted guys, he kept the dream of pro hockey alive.
He caught on with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks straight out of junior at the end of the 2012 season but was eventually sent down to the ECHL for an eight-game stint with the now defunct San Francisco Bulls. He would stay in the ECHL at the start of the next season with the Kalamazoo Wings before eventually getting back to the AHL and the Tampa Bay organization in 2014 with the Syracuse Crunch. Gourde played well and graduated to the Lightning full time for the 2017-18 season after 336 minor league games played in two leagues and with four different teams.
Bouncing around the minor leagues as long as he did made the NHL dream feel unreachable. At one point he had shifted his goal to try and carve out a career in Europe.
“There were definitely times that it was harder than others, but I kept battling and I kept pushing,” Gourde said. “Anytime I step on the ice, I want to give it my all and I want to get better, and that’s been my mentality and it’s been my mentality for a long time. It’s probably why I reached the NHL.”
Yanni Gourde’s game has blossomed
It’s Gourde’s hard work that led him to the NHL, and he hasn’t looked back. Twice he’s topped the 20-goal mark for the Lightning and was on pace to do so again this past year had the NHL played a full schedule – he ended with 17 markers.
Those are good scoring numbers but they are made even more impressive when you consider he’s mostly been a third liner on a deep and talented Tampa Bay club. He’s the ultimate two-way center who can score but plays defense, kills penalties, and carries the proverbial sandpaper.
Gourde routinely gets under the opponent’s skin, not because he crosses the line, but because he’s always going full speed.
“I want to be tough to play against, and I think that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “That’s what I want to bring next year as well. And that’s definitely, probably, one of my strengths. And like I said that’s what I’m gonna bring next year that’s what basically got me in the NHL and that’s what probably keeps me around.”
All of his numbers are impressive. He’s been clutch for the Lightning in the playoffs and over the last two championship runs seems to only elevate his game – he scored six times in 23 playoff games this last postseason.
If you like the underlying analytics, you’ll love Gourde. His expected goals (xG) last season was an incredible 54 percent. You won’t find many third-line players with numbers like that, especially one who had more defensive zone starts than he had in the offensive zone. Yes, he was on a good team, but those numbers have been consistent with Gourde for his entire NHL career and if you prefer the eyeball test, he passes that with flying colors as well. Just go re-watch the playoffs.
When will the Kraken get to see Gourde?
As exciting as the Gourde addition to the Kraken is, the team won’t get him right off the bat.
He is recovering from a recent labrum tear that required surgery. It’s an injury that’s been bothering him for the last 18 months, and he said there was a ‘lot of stuff’ going on with his shoulder.
“Right after surgery, we were looking at something around four months,” he said about his recovery time. “Maybe it will be better, I don’t know. It’s tough to say at this point, we’re very early in the rehab and everything. We’ll see how it goes but hopefully shorter than longer.”
A four-month rehab would cost Gourde the first couple months of the upcoming season, but when he’s ready, Gourde has the talent that could eventually slot into becoming the club’s top center. Where he plays in the lineup is not a concern to him, however.
“As soon as I’m ready, I’ll be ready, I’ll be skating with the boys,” he said. “I’ll be battling. My priorities are to help this team win and wherever I fit in in the lineup, that’s where I’m going to and I’m going to try to work as hard as I can do to help my team win.”
When he does return, the Kraken will get a boost from a career third-line player who will finally get his chance to play in the top six – something he would have already done playing for nearly every NHL team other than Tampa Bay.
He has the experience, the skill, and the attitude that will hopefully rub off on the rest of the roster. Gourde is the kind of player that can, and has, affected a team’s identity.
“I think we’re going to be a fairly hard-working group,” he said. “There’s a lot of potential there and that’s the first step to success. If you work hard, you’re definitely putting yourself in a good position, and we might be one of those teams that play playoff hockey during the season…we’ll see what happens but when I look at this team, I see how many work ethic guys we’ve got.
“Every single one of those guys work hard and they compete, and I think that’s the key and that’s what we’re building on. We know that and I think we’re super excited about that.”
Francis put together an experienced blue line with a mix of skill sets, including some big, physical guys. Seattle won’t be an easy out during the regular season which should help Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger in net.
Here is a look at who is on the roster, what you need to know about them, and where they project in the Kraken lineup.
Mark Giordano
37 years old
Left-shot defenseman
949 career games
.54 points per game
Perhaps the biggest name that the Kraken picked up in the Expansion Draft, it’s going to take some getting used to seeing Giordano in blue. All 949 games he’s played came with the Calgary Flames, and he will be a leader in Seattle as he was with the Flames. He’s got a trophy case that include a Norris (2019) and a Messier (2020). He brings leadership and offense to the Kraken blue line.
That offense is still there despite his advanced age. He averaged just under half a point per game last season with positive possession numbers and an expected goals (xG) of 52.6 percent. He was a mainstay on the Flames power play and chipped in for eight points.
Kraken projection: If Seattle chooses a captain in its first season, Giordarno will be in that mix. Look for him to be in the team’s top defensive pairing and manning the point on the power play.
Jamie Oleksiak
28 years old
Left-shot defenseman
369 career games
.20 points per game
You don’t have to consider his statistics to figure out what Oleksiak’s game is about. Just look at him. He’s big. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds. While he’s not going to bring the Climate Pledge Arena crowd to their feet with end-to-end rushes, he might do so with a crushing hit along the boards. Oleksiak is a good, physical, stay-at-home type of defenseman and will be an imposing force.
He’s not a big scorer but did come up with some key goals during the Dallas Stars’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 when he scored five times. His underlying numbers are good and when he was on the ice at five-on-five play last year, the Stars generated more high-danger chances than they allowed.
“I’m here to win,” Oleksiak said at the Expansion Draft. “I like to have fun and fun for me is winning. I think we got guys here, the guys I’ve met so far, we’re all kind of in the same boat. We’re gonna do what we can to win and that’s the end goal, right?”
Kraken projection: Top-four pairing.
Adam Larsson
28 years old
Right-shot defenseman
603 career games
.22 points per game
Another guy who isn’t going to provide a lot of offense from the back end, Larsson has been a solid defenseman throughout his NHL career. Once traded for Taylor Hall, he survived six seasons with the defensively inept Oilers. His possession numbers suffered a bit for that, but when he was with the New Jersey Devils the previous five seasons his analytics were a notch better.
Can he regain that form in Seattle? On paper the Kraken appear to have a more stout defense than Larsson was a part of in Edmonton. That should help help him be an effective defender.
Kraken projection: Larsson is a right-handed shot and will have a chance of playing with Giordano on the top defensive pairing.
Carson Soucy
27 years old
Left-shot defenseman
108 career games
.29 points per game
The general theme surrounding the inaugural Kraken lineup is that it’s going to be a tough team to play against. Soucy adds to that feeling. He’s just scratching the surface of his NHL career, having just played two full seasons with the Minnesota Wild. Soucy is also scratching doorways and low ceilings as he’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds. Like Oleksiak, he’s a physical player who also has an imposing presence on defense.
Soucy is an eyeball player. You notice him when watching him live, and he makes good plays, but his possession numbers so far in his career have been on the negative side of the ledger. Still, the upside is there and the hope is that he’s getting better with more experience.
Kraken projection: Most likely a third-pairing defenseman but could play his way into the top four.
Vince Dunn
24 years old
Left-shot defenseman
276 career games
.38 points per game
Dunn is young but already has 276 NHL games under his belt, which is impressive. He’s flashed offensive skill in the past – including a 12-goal, 35-point campaign during the Blues Stanley Cup season in 2018-2019 – and the Kraken are hoping he can do so consistently. As a restricted free agent, he filed for arbitration so there is still a bit of contract negotiation to get through, but he’ll be in Seattle this year, barring a trade.
Which version of Dunn will Seattle see? Will it be the Dunn who put up great xG percentages of 53, 59, and 53 over his first three seasons or the one who slipped to 45 this past year? The Blues as a team were not as strong last year so perhaps that down year was an anomaly.
Kraken projection: The talent is there for Dunn to be a top-four and power-play defenseman for Seattle.
Haydn Fleury
25 years old
Left-shot defenseman
170 career games
.15 points per game
A former first-round pick of Ron Francis and the Carolina Hurricanes in 2014, Fleury has shown flashes but has yet to play consistently in the NHL. He was a scoring defenseman in junior and during his rookie pro year in the AHL with Charlotte. There is skill there, but his inability to put it all together led to him being traded to the Anaheim Ducks at this past trade deadline. Francis must still see potential and drafted him again during the expansion process.
Fleury has been a good possession player throughout his short NHL career and posted positive numbers both in Carolina and Anaheim last season. Projected as a scoring defenseman when he was originally drafted, perhaps his role is ultimately as more of a two-way guy.
Kraken projection: Fleury will play and will be in the mix for the top four.
Jeremy Lauzon
24 years old
Left-shot defenseman
76 career games
.14 points per game
Lauzon is a young defenseman who played his first full season in the NHL last year with Boston. He hit the ice for 19 minutes a game and showed a lot of potential as a stay-at-home, physical defenseman. He’s never been a scorer at any level so you’re looking at a guy to retrieve pucks and make a good first pass up ice.
Kraken projection: Most likely a bottom-pairing guy at this point in his career. Part of the impressive depth Seattle has on defense.
Dennis Cholowski
23 years old
Left-shot defenseman
104 career games
.26 points per game
A former first-round pick with Detroit, Cholowski showed promise during his rookie season in 2018-19 with seven goals and 16 points. He hasn’t come close to that since and has been splitting his time between the Red Wings and the AHL.
There’s potential, which is a dangerous word, but if Cholowski can find the scoring touch he had prior to the NHL he could find a place in Seattle.
Kraken projection: Most likely AHL bound but could surprise with a strong training camp and preseason.
On the outside looking in
William Borgen is a 24-year-old right-handed defenseman who will most likely start in the AHL with Charlotte. He played 10 games with Buffalo last season and has just 14 NHL games so far in his career.
Cale Fleury is another right-hander who will have to impress in camp to crack the roster. He played in 41 games for Montreal in the 2019-20 season but spent last year in the AHL with the Laval Rocket where he recorded six assists in 22 games.
The last week and a half have been bonkers for the Kraken and their fledgling fanbase. Thirty players were selected in the Expansion Draft, three of those were traded away, seven prospects were taken in the NHL Entry Draft, and three significant unrestricted free agents were signed. There will come a time in the near future when we will feel the need to analyze and dissect every transaction that involves a Kraken player. But with things happening in such rapid succession, we really haven’t had a chance to take a step back and consider what the Seattle Kraken actually have in their initial roster.
So, let’s give it a gander, shall we?
Projected depth chart
Forwards
Jaden Schwartz – Alex Wennberg – Jordan Eberle
Jared McCann – Yanni Gourde – Calle Jarnkrok
Brandon Tanev – Colin Blackwell – Joonas Donskoi
Morgan Geekie – Mason Appleton – Nathan Bastian
Defense
Mark Giordano – Adam Larsson
Vince Dunn – Jamie Oleksiak
Carson Soucy – Haydn Fleury / Jeremy Lauzon
Goalies
Philipp Grubauer
Chris Driedger
Joey Daccord
—
Vying for spots
Forwards
Alexander True / Luke Henman / Carsen Twarynski / Kole Lind
Defense
Cale Fleury / Will Borgen / Dennis Cholowski
—
Now, this is obviously just our guess at how things will shake out. Yanni Gourde had surgery and is expected to miss a month or two, so already the Kraken may have a spot for a guy like Alexander True out of the gates, though we think more forwards will be added before the season starts.
Impressive at defense and goalie, better than people realize at forward
The depth on defense is impressive. We see Haydn Fleury and Jeremy Lauzon as interchangeable options on the third pair, but both of those guys are legit NHL players who played as many as 25 minutes on a given night this past season. We also list Cale Fleury as being on the outs, but he played 41 games for Montreal as a 22-year-old, so he will get a look in training camp. He’s also a right-shot defenseman, which is valuable, as he is one of just three on the Seattle Kraken roster (Adam Larsson and Will Borgen are the other two).
With Philipp Grubauer taking over the starting spot in the goalcrease and Vitek Vanecek sent back to Washington, the Grubauer/Chris Driedger tandem looks to be one of the better batteries in the NHL. Combined, the duo had a regular-season save percentage of .924 in 2020-21, which legitimately puts Seattle at the top of the league if they both put up comparable numbers. So, with all that, it’s pretty easy to imagine the Kraken being a difficult team against which to score.
“I think our D corps is really good,” Grubauer said on Friday during his media availability. “Forwards too. With [Jaden Schwartz], some experience in the forward section there, so it’s going to be really interesting what system coach puts in place, and we’ve got to find our identity as a team too. The team looks great on paper, but obviously you’ve got to play and create some chemistry, and I think it’s a young team so really looking forward.”
Even with the free agent signings of Schwartz and Alex Wennberg, though, the prevailing theory seems to be that the forward corps is thin and won’t produce enough goals. There is a good group of secondary- and tertiary-type scorers in guys like Gourde, Jared McCann, Calle Jarnkrok, and Joonas Donskoi. That should bring a balanced attack throughout the top three lines, regardless of how head coach Dave Hakstol draws it up. But without high-octane scoring leaders, can Seattle get enough offensive production in a score-by-committee approach?
I’m no data guy, but let’s look at this from a slightly more analytical angle, rather than just straight-up eyeball testing it. The 12 forwards and six defensemen that we have slotted into the above depth chart (let’s assume the last spot on the blue line goes to Haydn Fleury just because he has more NHL experience than Lauzon) combined for 168 total goals in the shortened 2020-21 season. That sounds weak, right?
Well, actually, if the Seattle Kraken had played this past season and those 18 players had made up the entirety of their roster and produced that exact same amount of goals, they would have landed even with the Boston Bruins in a tie for 14th place in the NHL.
That’s an oversimplification because there are myriad factors that we are not taking into account that would skew things in both directions. For example, Wennberg was playing on a very good line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Patric Hornqvist, so perhaps his numbers were skewed up. Schwartz missed 16 games and only managed eight goals after scoring 22 the year before, so we would imagine that his production was skewed down.
The point is that although the first glance may tell you there isn’t enough firepower in the forward group, it does feature a pretty good contingent of guys who consistently score 20+ goals in the NHL. If you put enough of those guys in one lineup, they collectively produce at a pretty good clip.
The below tweet also looks quite nice.
Here is how the WAR roster builder projects the 2022 NHL standings after two days of free agency. pic.twitter.com/2EdHra8aRN
How will intangibles factor into the Seattle Kraken roster?
We also can’t forget about the intangibles. It’s no secret that Ron Francis and company have been focused on finding “character” guys and players who never quit on a play, and they have been successful in this endeavor. How that factors into the team’s success remains to be seen, but things like that do have an impact.
“I think everybody kind of has a little bit of the same makeup,” said Kraken forward Colin Blackwell during a Zoom call with press on Friday. “A lot of guys have talked about just what a good group of character guys it is, and I can’t tell you how far that goes in the game that we play, bringing in a bunch of good guys.”
“The roster is shaping up really well,” Blackwell added. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are kind of like myself, guys that can play up and down the lineup. We’ve got a good mix of some young, really good players, some people that are really hungry and maybe have only played one or two years under their belt but have a lot of potential and can really turn into some great players. You have a great mix there, and it starts with goaltending and the goaltending that we got is really good… So I think the roster is looking awesome. I’m extremely excited about it.”
Will the Kraken be the top-scoring team in the league? Absolutely not. But they’re going to score enough to get by, their defense appears very solid, their goaltending looks outstanding, and their compete level should be quite high. Let’s not forget, there’s still plenty of cap space to add either before or during the season, so Seattle is in a pretty good spot here.
Header photo by Brian Liesse.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Newly acquired center Alexander Wennberg was all smiles Thursday morning when he met with the local media. You would be smiling too if you had signed a three-year contract worth $4.5 million a year with the Seattle Kraken the day prior.
The former Florida Panther and Columbus Blue Jacket is excited to join the Kraken and the new experiences that await.
“Who doesn’t want to be a part of a new franchise and feel the atmosphere and feel the fans?” the 26-year-old Swede said. “They’re vibing right now in Seattle so for me it’s really exciting times.”
Wennberg’s addition to the Kraken gives them a solid center who can play in the top six. He played the bulk of last season on Florida’s second line, at center, between Jonathan Huberdeau and Patric Hornqvist.
Seattle general manager Ron Francis said Wednesday that Wennberg would play in the top six for the Kraken as well. Can he step up to take the top center spot? That remains to be seen, but Wennberg is coming off his best goal scoring season and is a strong two-way centerman with good and consistent possession numbers.
“He was the guy that kind of went on the ice and calmed things down, and I think he’s a smart player,” Francis added. “You know, I think he can play in all three zones… (he has) the skill set to play the power play so hopefully last year was just the start for him and he can continue to get better from that moving forward.”
Wennberg was given a better opportunity in Florida than he had in the six previous seasons he played for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
That boosted his confidence and put him on the ice in leveraged situations, in key positions, and allowed him to play close to 20 minutes a game. It’s something that he took advantage of.
“They believed in me, they wanted to play me, and I feel like this just helped me to play my game a little bit better,” Wennberg said about the Panthers. “So, I mean obviously there’s some great players there, playing behind (Aleksander) Barkov, and maybe get some opportunities on the second line. For me I feel like I’m growing my game, last year was way better, and improved my goal scoring as well. I’m looking forward to the challenge and I feel like Seattle believes in me as well and I want to prove it to them.”
He scored 17 times with the Panthers last season, more than he had scored the three previous seasons combined with the Blue Jackets, and shot an incredible 20 percent.
Alex Wennberg is the OT hero for the @FlaPanthers!
That shooting percentage is more than double his career percentage. While its hard to see him keeping that number up, if he can continue the improvement and shoot above his career average of 9 percent, the Kraken will reap the benefits.
“I always work to improve my shot and there’s small details like where you shoot the puck,” he said about his increase in shooting. “Coming to a new team, I had a fresh start. I was really excited for it, and playing with some really good players, that gives you better spots to score. It’s hard to say why but you try to build on it. The confidence right now is good and coming to a new team again you get the same excitement and same feeling again.”
Whether he tops his previous goal mark or not, Wennberg brings more to the table then goal scoring.
His possession numbers are strong. When his line is on the ice, they’ll have the puck more than not. That means strong offensive play but also playing responsibly in his own end, something Wennberg has been consistent in throughout his career.
The Panthers opened up the ice last season which led to chances at both ends – something that cost them in the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning. But when Wennberg played for a more defensive-oriented Blue Jackets team in 2019-20, Columbus goalies had a .930 save percentage with him on the ice.
Looking at the makeup of Seattle’s roster, it’s more likely they will play sound defense and not open up the ice. That makes Wennberg a valuable center.
“I always want to be a 200-foot player,” Wennberg said. “I want to be an offensive player who can be that threat and really contribute that way, but I feel like the responsibility to play PK and be a solid defensive guy is just as important.”
Wennberg not wasting time getting to Seattle
Wennberg says that he’s never been to Seattle before, but he’s excited to get to the city as soon as possible. He has some visa issues to settle but is hoping to get moved sometime in August.
He’s also excited by the roster that the team has assembled and to play with a couple individuals in particular.
“There’s a couple of Swedes here which it’s always nice to have,” he said. “Adam Larsson is there, I played World Championships with him before. (Calle) Yarnkrok is another Swede so I feel like it’s always nice to have them. In this case, everyone’s new to this team so I feel like it’s gonna be easy to come in. Everyone’s probably looking to get to know each other and get that team building going… it’s going to be exciting to see what we can do in this league.”
Everyone likes a donut, except for maybe on a hockey roster. After the Expansion Draft, the Seattle Kraken were light in the middle, like a donut. The team addressed that hole Wednesday by signing center Alexander Wennberg to a free agent contract.
Wennberg, 26, is listed at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds and is a veteran of 471 NHL games, which includes six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and this past year with the Florida Panthers.
“Alexander is coming off of his best goal-scoring season to date and gives us an offensive-minded center down the middle,” Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis said Wednesday via press release. “He’s still young and we think he has room to grow even further as he has taken large strides in each of his last few seasons. We like his combination of size and skill and think he will fit well with our group.”
The deal was reportedly a three-year contract coming in at $4.5 million a year.
Who is Wennberg and how will he fit in with the Seattle Kraken?
Alexander Wennberg by the numbers
Last season was indeed Wennberg’s best goal scoring season as he notched 17 goals in 56 games for the Panthers. Over his career, he’s tallied 57 goals, 173 assists, and 230 points.
Can he score at that rate for Seatte?
One potential red flag is that Wennberg’s shooting percentage last year, in the season he set a career high for goals, came on a shooting percentage of 20. That was a career high, far surpassing his average of 9.8 and a huge jump from the 6 and 3 percent he shot the two prior seasons.
If he regresses back towards his career average, expect the goal scoring rate to come down as well.
The good news is that his underlying possession numbers are strong.
At five-on-five he had a positive Fenwick number of 53-percent and his expected goals (xG) number was just above 50 last season. Unlike his shooting, these numbers last year are consistent with his career numbers. His possession numbers have been in the positive for each of the last five seasons.
The possession numbers are made more impressive and encouraging when you consider Wennberg has never been a plus-50 percent faceoff winner in the NHL.
Where does Wennberg fit in Kraken lineup?
Wennberg is still young but is not an elite center. His possession numbers are a positive and he will win shifts, getting the puck into the offensive zone.
Is he a No. 1 center? On a Kraken roster that doesn’t yet have a true and clear top center, Wennberg should be in the mix. Playing Wennberg alongside some finishers like Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, and Joonas Donskoi – all of whom consistently get shots off and shoot in the teens – could create a productive line.
With Florida last year, most of Wennberg’s minutes were spent playing between Patric Hornqvist and Jonathan Huberdeau, and the trio was one of the Panthers’ top lines. Wennberg definitely benefited from two scoring wingers but managed on his own. In the limited time (three minutes a game) on the ice without both Huberdeau and Hornqvist, he still put up positive possession numbers (53 percent FF) and a xG of 64 percent.
Wennberg won’t carry a line by himself but can be a very complementary center and be productive for the Kraken if deployed properly.
Francis said Wednesday that he sees Wennberg in the top six and praised his defensive play, hockey smarts, and play in all three zones of the ice.
“He was the guy that kind of went on the ice and calm things down and I think he’s a smart player,” Francis added. “You know I think he could play in all three zones… (he has) the skill set to play the powerplay so hopefully last year was just the start for him and he can continue to get better from that moving forward.”
