We are about a month away from the Seattle Kraken opening their first training camp in club history. As the action plays out at the Kraken Community Iceplex, general manager Ron Francis and coach Dave Hakstol will be tasked with determining which four guys will open the season as the club’s top centers.
Finding a top center is paramount to having a successful team. That’s not a matter of opinion, it’s been studied, and center is the most important position to have if you want to win in the NHL.
The Kraken don’t currently have an elite center on the roster – although 2021 top draft pick Matty Beniers could some day be that guy – but have a couple guys who should be productive pivots. The forward group overall is solid and a tough-to-play-against group.
All but one of the players up front have played both at center in the past and on the wings. Having versatility is great, but at the end of the day, Hakstol will need some full-time centers for the Kraken.
He has candidates, and how they perform in training camp and in the team’s six preseason games will go a long way in figuring out who will be in the middle when the season opens on Oct. 12 in Vegas.
Here is a look at the candidates to find a role at center for Seattle:
Gourde is the best center on the Kraken roster. He has the numbers – was on pace to score 25 goals over an 82-game season last year – and he’s got the analytics. Oh, and he’s won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, we can write him in as the top center, right? Well, not to start the season, as Gourde will miss a couple months due to offseason shoulder surgery. Then we have to see how long it takes for him to get up to speed, but the prevailing thought is that before the year is over, he’s Seattle’s top center.
The former Columbus Blue Jacket and Florida Panther will most likely step up for Gourde when the season starts in October. Wennberg jumped up to play a lot of minutes on Florida’s second line last season and had a career year in shooting percentage and goals scored – he potted 17. Don’t expect him to match the 20 percent he shot last season, but he does a lot of things correctly. He is a strong passer and plays a responsible defensive game and can complement good wingers, as he did last season playing a ton of minutes with Jonathan Huberdeau and Patric Hornqvist.
In the mix at center for the Kraken
Jared McCann
Listed as able to play center and on the wing, McCann has a chance to be Seattle’s third center. He’s been a consistent double-digit goal scorer over the past three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His 32 points in 2020-21 were three off his career best and that was in 43 games. If you’re interested in the underlying stats, then McCann is your guy as all of his possession numbers were outstanding last year. He also was a big power play contributor for the Penguins, chipping in with 17 points with the man advantage.
Colin Blackwell
Coming off his best season in the NHL, the 28-year-old could be the benefactor of an elevated role in Seattle. He was with the New York Rangers last season and played in a career high 47 games and hit personal best marks in goals (12) and assists (10). His underlying numbers weren’t great – his expected goals number was 46 percent – and that will have to improve if he wants to hold on to a third center role.
Morgan Geekie
The former Tri-City Americans star could be due for a breakout year with the Kraken if he can get more playing time. With the talented Carolina Hurricanes, Geekie was limited to under 10 minutes per game, relegated mostly to the fourth line. But he scored in the WHL, and he scored in two AHL seasons with the Charlotte Checkers. He’s got a great shot and quality possession numbers as well. He’ll get a chance in training camp and the preseason to show that he can handle more minutes, and that could pay off big for both Geekie and the Kraken.
Morgan Geekie has scored everywhere he’s played (Checkers photo)
The remaining candidates for a center position
Marcus Johansson – If Hakstol wants to add some veteran experience to the lineup he can play Johansson at center – and both wings where he has played in the past. Johansson has speed to kill, but his last season in Minnesota was lackluster and he was a bit of a defensive liability.
Mason Appleton – The 25-year-old Appleton had a breakout with Winnipeg last season by scoring 12 goals and 25 points. He split time at center and wing, with more time on the wing. He’ll be a guy to watch during the preseason to see how Hakstol deploys him and how well he performs in the middle.
Alexander True – The former Seattle Thunderbirds center has yet to crack the NHL full time and will need a productive camp to start in Seattle this fall. He’s got size, standing at 6-foot-5, and is a solid center who plays defense, can score a little, and be a strong penalty killer.
Seattle Kraken first-round pick Matty Beniers has a big decision to make over the next month, and it’s one that has no wrong answer. Does he return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season or sign on with the Kraken to play in the NHL this year?
It’s a good spot to be in. Imagine trying to decide if you should go back to school for another year knowing you have the dream job of all dream jobs waiting for you afterwards.
Not too shabby.
The Kraken selected Beniers, 18, with the second overall pick in July’s NHL Entry Draft, and history shows that he should matriculate to the NHL this coming fall. In most seasons, the second pick in the draft plays in the NHL right away, but it’s not a sure thing.
Last year, Quinton Byfield was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Kings but only got a brief sniff of the NHL. He was allowed to play in the AHL, for the Ontario Reign, due to an exception that allowed Ontario Hockey League players who had signed NHL entry-level contracts to stay in the AHL since the OHL canceled its season. Byfield played 32 AHL games and just nine in the NHL.
In 2014, the Buffalo Sabres took Sam Reinhart second overall. After his nine-game tryout at the start of the season, he was sent back to the WHL’s Kootenay ICE for the remainder of the year.
So, it’s not unprecedented for the second overall pick to not play full time in the NHL the following season.
Beniers, in a moment of maturity, said after the draft that he wasn’t sure what the best path forward was for him. It’s something he planned on talking to the team and his family about.
The Kraken will have to decide quickly if they think the NHL is his best road to development. Beniers cannot participate in the main Seattle training camp in September without signing his contract, thus losing his NCAA eligibility. So the Kraken won’t get the benefit of seeing him train with their NHL roster prior to making a decision.
Nonetheless, that decision will be needed quickly as Michigan hockey players report to school on Aug. 23 and begin practice on Aug. 30.
Is Matty Beniers’ game ready for the Kraken and the NHL?
Despite what the team or player wants, the biggest factor is whether Beniers is ready for the big leagues. He’s still young – he’ll turn 19 in November – but the NHL is a younger league than in the past, and there are plenty of players who have started at the same age.
“Every kid’s different,” Seattle general manager Ron Francis said. “I think the key is when you go and see him play, you want to do what’s right for the kid and make sure that you’re not rushing. Because the NHL is a heck of a league where the big guys are strong guys and fast guys and you want to make sure that when you bring them in, you’re giving them the opportunity to be successful. We try and analyze that.”
At Michigan, as a freshman playing against older players, he was a point-per-game player and made Team USA for January’s World Junior Championships in Edmonton. Beiners was one of the youngest players in that tournament, and while he scored just one goal and two assists in seven games, he was noticeable for the Americans. He played a tough defensive game, was on the penalty kill, and drove possession for the gold medal winners.
After his season in Michigan ended, he once again played for the U.S., this time at the IIHF World Championships. Playing against NHL and pro players, Beniers held his own once again as the U.S. won bronze.
“Matty adjusted so well and if you didn’t know that he’s such a young player you would think that he’s one of the older guys and a veteran.” Kraken director of amateur scouting Robert Kron said after the Draft. “That speaks very highly about his ability to read the game and play at a very high level and not many kids that age get to play in the tournament.”
Based on his on-ice performance, he looks ready to take the next step.
That doesn’t mean there still isn’t work to do or refinement of his game and skill set. He’s not resting on his amateur resume to guarantee anything at the next level.
“I think for me it’s continuing to get bigger and stronger,” he said. “I think that’s something I focused on a lot this year at Michigan. I’m trying to score goals, producing more offensively, and playing my two-way game so not totally sure how far out I am but I think I think I’m pretty close. I’m working hard and I’ll be there soon enough.”
The case for staying at Michigan for Beniers
Sure, another year of development in college wouldn’t hurt, but there might be a more attractive and more fun reason for Beniers to return to the Wolverines this season.
“I want to make a run at the National Championship,” he said.
Michigan lost a chance to make such a run last year as a Covid outbreak resulted in the Wolverines being disqualified from the tournament. It might seem overconfident to assume that Michigan could make a run, but when four of the top five picks from the NHL Draft could all be back in Ann Arbor this season, it’s more of a reality.
If Beniers were to return, he could be joining defenseman Owen Power – taken first overall at the draft by Buffalo – along with Kent Johnson (taken fifth by Columbus) and incoming freshman Luke Hughes (taken fourth overall by New Jersey). That’s an impressive core.
Power has hinted that he’s leaning toward returning to Michigan for one more year which could influence the rest of the drafted Wolverines.
Love this shift from Beniers. Above supporting opponents on the rush to recover the puck and initiate a breakout. Attacks on an angle through transition, using width of ice and lateral crosses to gain speed which backs defenders off. Offers the safety valve pass option to Power pic.twitter.com/UnV5mKGkZk
Along with a lot of winning, the other draw of returning would be to have a normal college experience. Beniers and his fellow Wolverines took classes online last year and played games in front of an empty Yost Arena – normally one of the loudest in the NCAA.
The case for signing with the Kraken now
If Beniers is ready for the NHL game, then signing and playing right away would be beneficial.
Seattle can use help up the middle, and Beniers is a player whose ceiling is that of an elite center – the most important position on a hockey team. Obviously, at his age he’s not that player yet, but his two-way game means that he could play and be productive right away as a third- or fourth-line center. He plays at both ends of the ice already and could contribute solid minutes from the start.
There would be no pressure on Beniers to carry the club right off the bat. However, playing this year would get his feet wet in the NHL until his offensive game develops to where Seattle believes it can be.
Signing now would also kick his entry level contract into gear meaning he would be up for a raise in three seasons, something that could end up paying off for him financially. For the Kraken, having the franchise’s first NHL Draft pick on the club for day one, year one, would help cash in on the excitement for the neophyte team.
Will he or won’t he?
The drama, such as it is, will be over quickly with Beniers.
With Michigan hockey starting late in August, we should hear which direction Beniers plans on going soon. What most likely will happen is that he returns to Michigan but signs with the Kraken at the end of the season.
This is something that the NHL has seen before, and recently.
The Vancouver Canucks went with a Michigan guy, defenseman Quinn Hughes, with the sixth pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. Hughes decided to forego signing and returned to Michigan for his sophomore year in 2018-19. When his college season was over, he signed with the Canucks and finished the year in the NHL.
Don’t be surprised if that’s the route Beniers chooses and the Kraken first see him at the end of the season.
Growing up as a kid in Denmark, Kraken center Alexander True hadn’t thought much about the city of Seattle. That changed in 2014 when the Seattle Thunderbirds selected the 6-foot-5 center in the Canadian Hockey League’s import draft when he was 17. Now, seven years later, True’s a Kraken and his name is further etched into the history of Seattle hockey.
Seattle’s NHL club selected True in July’s NHL Expansion Draft from the San Jose Sharks, which puts him in the history books as an original Kraken and part of the franchise’s first roster. But before that, in May of 2017, he scored perhaps the biggest goal in modern Seattle hockey history with an overtime marker against the Regina Pats in Game 6 of the Western Hockey League’s Championship Series to give the Seattle Thunderbirds their first ever league title.
For a guy who grew up thinking he might have a shot at maybe playing pro hockey in Europe, Seattle has become a special place for the 24-year-old as he looks to be a full-time NHL player.
“That’s why life is so funny because you never know what’s gonna happen. It’s crazy,” True says.
One Year Ago. May 14, 2017.@ThomBeuning with the call of Alexander True's overtime game-winning goal in Game 6 vs. Regina.
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) May 14, 2018
When the NHL teams released their protected lists True wasn’t surprised he was left unprotected by the Sharks after he spent the bulk of the previous four seasons in the AHL. He was visiting family when both his agent and San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson called him to tell him the Kraken had selected him.
The emotions were mixed and True says he was happy in San Jose. But the idea of returning to Seattle had him happy as well.
“The first time we knew Seattle was going to get an NHL team one of my first thoughts was, it would be cool to come back and play in Seattle,” True says. “So, it was kind of a little bit of a cool dream to be back there one day.”
Alexander True’s journey to the Seattle Kraken
True’s first year in Seattle was the 2014-15 season with the Thunderbirds, but an injury cost him a big chunk of the year. The next two years he became an integral part of the Thunderbirds lineup and the team made two consecutive trips to the WHL Championship Series.
With a loaded team, True was relegated to playing the third center role – Seattle’s top center was New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal – but he still produced. He scored 39 goals over his last two seasons with the Thunderbirds, but it was in the playoffs that he had the most impact. In 2015-16 he scored six goals and 10 points in the postseason as Seattle fell to the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Championship.
The next year, True was even better. He stepped up into the top center spot while Barzal was out with an illness during the first round, and ended up with 12 goals and 22 points in 20 games.
While with the Thunderbirds, True was coached by 13-year NHL player Steve Konowalchuk.
“He didn’t get enough credit for what he did,” Konowalchuk says of True. “He kind of slid under the radar, but he was every bit as important to what we did. He was unbelievable as a net-front presence on that first power play unit and was so dangerous. The other strength he really had, as a center, he was so good at carrying the puck out of his own end and into the neutral zone… that’s something that is so important at the next level.”
After his first year in pro hockey, the Sharks would sign an NHL contract with True, and he would make his NHL debut in 2020. He’s only played in 19 NHL games to date, both over the past two seasons, but he has been a productive player in the AHL, chipping in offensively, killing penalties, and playing a strong two-way game.
Konowalchuk not only coached him, but as a pro scout with the New York Rangers the past two seasons got a look at True both in the AHL and in the NHL.
“He can definitely play in the NHL,” Konowalchuk says. “There’s no question that he went out and proved he could be a fourth line, penalty killer. The challenge for him to be a mainstay is what is he going to bring to the table? I think the way you do it is to be a responsible defensive center that can kill penalties and he can definitely kill penalties. So, he has to carve out a role by blocking shots, and doing those kind of things.”
What’s next for True and the Kraken?
True says he has heard from former Thunderbirds teammates Ethan Bear of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Keegan Kolesar of the Vegas Golden Knights as well as his Seattle billets to share in the excitement of being back in Seattle.
The attention now turns to the Kraken and what role he can play.
He’s a player who’s been on the cusp of staying in the NHL and will have a shot with the Kraken. Seattle is thin at center and with Yanni Gourde missing the first part of the season, True will have a chance to impress during training camp.
He’s got the size, is a strong defensive center who plays hard, and has some offensive flash. There’s a good chance that he’ll again split time between the AHL in Charlotte and the NHL, but don’t be surprised if he starts the season with the Kraken.
True’s had a taste of the NHL game and the speed and skill that’s needed. He’s well aware of what he needs to do in order to stick.
“It’s a good league and you have to play really well to stand out,” True says. “Especially when you’re playing against the best players in the world, so I need to play my ‘A’ game. Every single night, every shift I get and don’t take any nights off.”
He says that the only Kraken player he knows is Joonas Donskoi from their brief time in San Jose together. He’s taken part in a Zoom meeting to get to know the rest of the team, however, and is excited to meet his new teammates in person.
True will be playing some hockey before he returns to Seattle. He’ll be in Oslo, Norway, August 26-29 playing for Denmark’s national team – something he’s done in the World Junior Championships and this year’s World Championships – as they attempt to qualify for the 2022 Olympics.
He hopes to be in Seattle the first week of September to take his shot and try to break camp with the NHL team.
True has seen the Kraken preseason schedule and knows the team will be playing games in the WHL’s U.S. Division buildings that he’s familiar with. That includes a game on Oct. 2 against the Calgary Flames at the accesso ShoWare Center where he played as a Thunderbird.
He hasn’t been back to Seattle since his time with the Thunderbirds and hasn’t yet laid eyes on the championship banner that he helped win hanging from the rafters.
“I would like it a lot to play in that game,” True says.
Playing in that game would be a perfect way to connect what True has done for the Seattle Thunderbirds in junior to the present and future with the Seattle Kraken.
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.
