The Seattle Kraken captured three points out of a possible six over the past week. However, after securing two points in their first game of the week against Utah, it feels like a missed opportunity to gain more. Following Tuesday’s win over Utah, they came from behind to earn a point against Vancouver but then lost in regulation to Edmonton in a game where the Kraken got off to a horrible start. On top of that, injuries have started to pile up as the hope for any playoff contention push becomes more and more unlikely.
Kraken cold starts and playing from behind
The Kraken had a rough start to Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, conceding two goals within the first 5:18 of the game. Frankly, it could have been worse. Falling behind has been a recurring issue all season. The Kraken have allowed the first goal in 60 percent of their games this season—second worst in the league, behind only the New York Islanders. Their record is 8-16-0 when conceding the first goal, compared to 9-4-3 when scoring first. So far, they’ve trailed during 43 percent of their total game time.
To the team’s credit, Seattle has consistently shown resilience, never giving up and often battling back, as they did on Saturday. They were down 3-0 at one point in the game but managed to cut the deficit to 3-2 before Leon Draisaitl sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final two minutes.
Injuries are stacking up
In case you missed it, the Kraken placed goaltender Joey Daccord (retroactive to Dec. 22) and forward Yanni Gourde (retroactive to Jan. 4) on injured reserve (IR) over the weekend. This move opened two roster spots, allowing the Kraken to call up defensemen Cale Fleury and Gustav Olofsson from Coachella Valley. Why two defensemen, you ask? On Saturday night, Adam Larsson missed the third period of the game against Edmonton. He was a full participant in the morning skate on Monday, and coach Dan Bylsma indicated that he is likely to be available against New Jersey. Daccord has been skating with the team, so we expect him back in the relative near future.
Bylsma also indicated that a second defenseman is dealing with an injury, but all six regulars were accounted for at morning skate, and Bylsma said the call-ups were “insurance.”
The Kraken’s playoff hopes are already slim, but with Gourde joining Jordan Eberle on IR—and multiple defensemen banged up—the odds have grown even longer.
PWHL in Seattle
Seattle truly showed up for the PWHL Takeover Tour, delivering an incredible game and an electric atmosphere. Seeing Kraken coach Jessica Campbell drop the ceremonial face-off gave me chills. The attendance of 12,608 was the highest for a PWHL game this season and the second highest in league history. Hats off to the Kraken organization, Climate Pledge Arena, and the PWHL for putting this event together.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Seattle could support a PWHL team. It might not happen during this round of expansion, but when the league starts looking westward, I fully expect Seattle to be on the short list for future teams.
Other musings
Blysma was asked Monday by Alison Lukan about how to address slow starts. He said, “With a loud voice.”
Yanni Gourde missed Saturday night’s game against Edmonton. While I don’t have exact data, it feels like the Gourde line has started most of the Kraken’s games this season. I can’t help but wonder if the Kraken’s rough start Saturday might have been avoided had Gourde played and started that game.
Saturday night might have been Philipp Grubauer’s best performance of the season. The Kraken had no business being in that game, but Phil gave them a chance to compete.
This week was my first time seeing Kaapo Kakko play live as a member of the Kraken. It’s hard to put into words, but his baseline across all aspects of his game feels higher than most Kraken players. While he might not excel at any one skill, he performs well above average in every area.
Matty Beniers had moments on Saturday where he looked the best he has all season. Though he didn’t register a point and only managed two shots on goal, he was noticeably driving play throughout the game.
The World Juniors tournament was a treat this year, with eight Kraken prospects participating. I expect four to return next year: Jakub Fibigr (CZE), Julius Miettinen (FIN), Berkly Catton (CAN), and Kim Saarinen (FIN). Beyond those four, there aren’t many candidates currently in the Kraken pipeline that might be in line for next year’s World Juniors—maybe Nathan Villeneuve (CAN), though that might be a stretch.
Speaking of the World Juniors, it’s hard to imagine the tournament going much better for 2023 first-round pick Eduard Šalé. He captained the bronze-medal-winning Czechia team, scored six goals in seven games, and tallied a goal in the bronze medal game. He also converted on two shootout attempts, including the game-winner.
I tend to adopt a favorite SHL team each season based on Kraken prospects, and for the past couple of years, it’s been HV71. One of my favorite Kraken prospects, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, plays for them. HV71 has won eight of their last 10 games, and Mølgaard has been a significant contributor with 10 points over that span. Being a point-per-game player in the SHL is incredibly difficult, and this is a promising sign of development for the 2023 second-round pick.
Goal of the Week
You might expect me to pick Eduard Šalé’s game-winning shootout goal as this week’s Goal of the Week—but he already claimed last week’s honors. This week, the title goes to Jani Nyman for his game-winning goal for Coachella Valley on Sunday night.
Jagger Firkus (CVF/SEA): Firkus is on a five-game point streak with Coachella Valley. He is currently tied for second in points for the Firebirds this season, alongside Nyman. Clarke Caswell (SCB/SEA): The Kraken’s fifth-round pick from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft has been on fire, tallying 10 points in his last 10 games for the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL. Vince Dunn (SEA): Dunn has racked up seven points in the four games since the Christmas break, including the game-winning goal against Vancouver last Saturday and the game-tying goal against Vancouver on Tuesday night.
The week ahead
The Kraken haven’t been a playoff-caliber team for a while, but you hope they can keep things interesting down the stretch and maintain the illusion that a postseason push is still possible. They face a tough test on Monday against the New Jersey Devils but then have three winnable road games later in the week: Columbus on Thursday, Buffalo on Saturday, and Detroit on Sunday.
Despite being “winnable,” the matchups won’t be easy. Both Columbus and Detroit have better records than the Kraken and have been playing well over their last 10 games. With the Kraken’s injury struggles, earning six out of eight points this week will be challenging—but it’s what they’ll need to keep the hope alive.
The Seattle Kraken just captured six out of a possible eight points on what, at least on paper, looked like one of the most challenging road trips on the schedule. This comes right after we were all searching for answers following three straight losses to Anaheim and San Jose. How did this turnaround happen?
Starting on time
I’ve always considered “starting on time” part of the coaches’ and players’ cliché vocabulary—something they break out to essentially say nothing to the media. However, the Kraken’s slow starts were a big factor in those three losses against Anaheim and San Jose. They trailed in all three of those games, but on this road trip, they scored the first goal in three out of four games.
The Kraken still lead the league in allowing the first goal, trailing first in 62.1 percent of their games. But it’s more than just scoring first—they looked engaged from the start in all four games. There were early stretches against the Devils and Rangers where they were being outshot, but it wasn’t the same sloppy affair we saw against San Jose.
Power play comes alive
Prior to this road trip, the Kraken were a brutal 2-for-28 on power play opportunities over the previous eight games, including a six-game drought without a power-play goal. On this road trip, they went 4-for-8 on the power play.
It doesn’t seem like the team is doing anything drastically different other than successfully entering the zone and setting up in the offensive zone. Vince Dunn is obviously a valuable addition to the power play unit, but he only had one point on the four power-play goals scored during the trip. Still, Seattle seems to be getting more zone time than before, and you can tell he’s very comfortable quarterbacking that top unit.
The Shane Wright ‘line’
One recent line adjustment made by Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma was putting Shane Wright with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen. The three were productive before the road trip, but they contributed eight goals over the four-game trip, including four in the game against the Rangers.
It’s not entirely fair to credit that line for all eight goals since several came on the power play when they weren’t on the ice together. However, the trio is clearly clicking, both at even strength and with the manpower advantage.
I’m not going to pop any champagne bottles proclaiming Shane Wright is living up to his draft position just yet, but his play over the last few weeks has been very encouraging. He’s still just 20 years old.
Bylsma talked about Wright’s progression following the game on Sunday. “He’s matured as a player over the last year and a half. But in training camp, he was playing his best hockey that he’s played as a Kraken, and he just needed to reset and get focused on playing that way again.”
I’m sure these guys are tired of being asked about it, but how about the performances of Bjorkstrand and Wright since they were healthy scratched? While it’s a small sample size, Andre Burakovsky is showing some early signs that he might follow a similar path.
Here’s how the guys performed before and after their healthy scratches:
They still have work to do
As great as the past week has been, the Kraken still hold a .500 record, which projects to just 82 points by season’s end. That obviously won’t cut it for a playoff spot. However, their adjusted goal differential has hovered right around zero for most of the season, which suggests they are better than an 82-point team.
Other Musings
Philipp Grubauer’s surprise start did not begin well, as he allowed a soft goal just 3:38 into the game. I can’t imagine the mental challenge of going to bed as the backup and waking up as the starter for an early afternoon game. He looked a little shaky for the rest of the first period but settled in nicely over the final two.
Grubauer came up huge during a critical stretch midway through the second period, making several key saves to keep the deficit at two.
This goal sparked Sunday’s comeback, and I love everything about it:
The Kraken overcame a two-goal deficit on Sunday for the fourth time this season. I’ve mentioned this before, but last season they never came back from a two-goal deficit. This team is different.
The Kraken allowed two response goals to the Rangers on Sunday, bringing their total to 10 this season. That’s the third most in the league, trailing only Colorado and San Jose. (Response goals are goals allowed within two minutes of scoring.)
The Kraken’s victory over the Rangers was their first at Madison Square Garden in franchise history. The only road arenas they haven’t won in? The Prudential Center against the Devils and, of course, the Utah Hockey Club’s rink.
Due to Joey Daccord’s last-minute illness, the Kraken signed Michael Matyas to an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) to back up Grubauer. The full story and logistics will emerge soon, but Matyas played on a U16 AAA team with Kraken director of team services Brennan Baxandall, who was instrumental in securing the emergency goalie.
Speaking of being winless, the Kraken have never beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning at Climate Pledge Arena. They’ll get another shot on Saturday.
Shane Wright is averaging the most goals per game (.29) of anyone in his draft class.
Offense heating up: The Kraken have scored six or more goals in a game five times this season. That matches their entire total from last season.
Jared McCann has just one goal in his last 10 games, but don’t expect that to last much longer. He’s due.
Jakub Fibigr was named to Czechia’s World Junior Championship team invite roster. Last week, I mentioned him as a dark horse to make the final squad, but after talking to a few well-connected folks, it sounds like he’s all but locked in for the tournament in Ottawa.
Joining Fibigr on Team Czechia is Eduard Sale, who’s had a strong first season in the AHL. That said, he’s hit a rough patch, with no points in his last six games—his longest pointless streak of the season.
Finland hasn’t announced its pre-tournament roster yet, but expect Kraken prospects Julius Miettinen (center) and Kim Saarinen (goalie) to make the squad, with Visa Vedenpaa (goalie) having an outside chance.
Seattle Kraken goalie prospect Victor Ostman got into a goalie fight over the weekend in the Mavericks’ win against the Utah Grizzlies, and I would say he held his own.
WE HAVE A GOALIE FIGHT PEOPLE THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!
Tyson Jugnauth (POR/SEA): The unsigned Kraken defenseman prospect had six assists in the Portland Winterhawks’ 7-2 win over the Vancouver Giants. My only question—where was he on the seventh goal? Jaden Schwartz (SEA): Schwartz tallied two goals and two assists over the four-game road trip. We don’t talk about Schwartz nearly enough—when healthy, he’s been a steady, reliable forward for the Kraken. Vince Dunn (SEA): Dunn notched six points on the road trip, including a goal and two assists in the Kraken’s 5-2 win over the Islanders.
The week ahead
The boys may be coming home, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with matchups against Florida, Boston, and Tampa Bay—three teams playing excellent hockey heading into the week.
Tuesday: Florida Panthers. They’re 5-0-1 over their last six games and are averaging more than five goals per game in that stretch.
Thursday: Boston Bruins on Thursday. The Bruins are 7-2-0 since firing head coach Jim Montgomery and naming Joe Sacco as interim bench boss.
Saturday: Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning’s power play is on fire, operating at 38 percent efficiency over their last 10 games.
Capturing three out of a possible six points this next week would be a solid result, but the Kraken need to keep clawing back points to reinsert themselves into the playoff picture.
Mathematically, there have been worse weeks in the Kraken’s brief franchise history, but when the schedule was released, this week stood out as a prime opportunity to pick up points, with four games against teams expected to be bottom feeders. Last week, I cautioned everyone not to underestimate the Sharks or the Ducks. Earning four out of a possible eight points would have been acceptable, though not ideal. Instead, the Seattle Kraken managed just two points from those four games, with a come-from-behind win against the Ducks on Monday as their only victory.
There were signs all along
One issue I highlighted early in the season is the Kraken’s tendency to allow the first goal. They lead the league in this category, trailing first in 68 percent of their games. They’ve won just five of the 17 games in which they’ve fallen behind early. Over the past week, they allowed the first goal in all three of their losses. It’s not just the goals; from the start of each game this week, the team seemed in trouble, struggling to find its rhythm.
As rough as that performance was, we might excuse giving up the first goal in the game against San Jose on Friday, which started at 12:30pm. However, even before the Sharks scored first again on Saturday night, the Kraken looked disorganized and unprepared. We’ve seen similar sluggish starts in wins against Columbus, Chicago, and Nashville. Both the coach and players are aware of this issue, yet they continue to struggle with starting on time. Hopefully, these somewhat embarrassing losses will serve as a wake-up call for the team to play with the urgency we’ve seen when they’re trailing.
They are (supposed to be) better than this
We know the Kraken made significant upgrades from last season with the signings of Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour, yet so far, the team is on the same pace as last year. The injuries to Vince Dunn and Jordan Eberle have contributed to this underwhelming start, but they faced their share of injuries last season, too. I’ve struggled to pinpoint the root cause this season. Adjustments to a new coach and new players take time, but we’re now more than a quarter of the way through the season, and the Kraken look worse than ever.
Even the best teams go through rough patches, but having already endured two so early in the season is concerning. Although they’re only five points out of a playoff spot, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to believe this team has a realistic chance.
Other musings
Friday’s game against the Sharks was Philipp Grubauer’s worst performance as a Kraken. However, playing in a 12:30 PM game after a 10-day break didn’t help his cause. Like it or not, the team needs him to play more frequently; otherwise, Joey Daccord will become worn out, which has already started to show in recent games.
One positive from the past week was the effectiveness of the line combination featuring Shane Wright, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen. Dan Bylsma broke up this line on Saturday due to Chandler Stephenson’s illness, but hopefully they reconnect for more success on this road trip.
With his two power-play goals on Wednesday night, Shane Wright now has as many goals this season as Matty Beniers.
The Kraken scored three “response goals” over the two games: two on Friday in San Jose and one on Saturday night, which came just 32 seconds after the Sharks extended their lead to 4-0. While response goals are encouraging to see, they ideally shouldn’t come after giving the opposition a four-goal lead.
The goalie interference call with seven seconds left in Saturday’s game was incredibly frustrating. I generally avoid complaining about interference reviews, but this season has been wildly inconsistent.
The review of that goal took three and a half minutes. While it likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the game, it killed any excitement the fans were feeling. More importantly, it negated a Filson Final Minute goal just in time for holiday shopping. Thanks for nothing, NHL.
On a related note, if the league truly wants to eliminate head shots from the game, they should also issue suspensions for players who punch an unengaged opponent in the head. I’ve believed this for a long time, even before Ross Johnston’s punches on Tye Kartye in Wednesday’s game against Anaheim.
One thing that stood out during the games against the Ducks and Sharks was the youth of those teams compared to the Kraken. Anaheim has 12 players on its roster who were drafted since 2017, while the Sharks have 11. In contrast, the Kraken have just five, which is understandable given they’ve only been drafting since 2021. However, it’s a stark reminder that the Kraken won’t have a fully developed young core for a few more seasons.
One encouraging sign for the Kraken is their recent increase in shot attempts. Over the last four games, they have averaged 75 shot attempts per game, compared to just 58 in their first 21 games. They even recorded a season-high 84 shot attempts during their home losses to the Sharks and Ducks.
Kraken prospects Berkly Catton, Carson Rehkopf, and Caden Price have all been named to the World Junior camp roster for Team Canada. Barring any injury, Catton and Rehkopf are locks to make the final team with Price having an outside shot of landing on the roster.
In case you missed it, the Kelowna Rockets have been named the host for the 2026 Memorial Cup, beating out several other candidates, including Spokane. It would be great to see the Memorial Cup return to a U.S. host city someday.
Goal of the week
Seattle Kraken prospect Berkly Catton scored a nasty goal from a tough angle in the Spokane Chiefs’ win on Sunday.
The Spokane Chiefs have quietly won six games in a row and eight of their last 10. During that span, Berkly Catton has recorded 21 points.
Player performances
Jakub Fibigr (SEA/BRA): The Kraken’s seventh-round selection from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft recorded four assists in a single game for the Brampton Steelheads of the OHL. He is a dark horse to make the Czechia World Junior team this year but will likely have a stronger chance next year.
Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA): Bjorkstrand enters Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes on a five-game point streak.
Shane Wright (SEA): Since being a healthy scratch for three games, Wright has tallied three goals and two assists in his last four outings. It would be great to see him maintain this momentum for an extended period.
WRIGHT AS RAIN AGAIN! 🚨
TWO power-play goals, both by Shane Wright, and this one comes off a beautiful pass by Stephenson.
On paper, this upcoming road trip looks like the most challenging of the season. The Kraken begin with a Tuesday game against the Hurricanes, followed by back-to-back matchups against the Islanders on Thursday and the Devils on Friday. They will close out the trip with a game against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
If there’s any consolation, none of these four teams are currently playing their best hockey. This could be an opportune time for the Kraken to face them, as these teams have a collective record of 18-18-4 over their last 10 games.
Normally, earning 50 percent of the available points during a stretch like this would be acceptable. However, if the Kraken want to avoid settling into the mushy middle of the standings, they need to steal some games they aren’t projected to win. Wouldn’t it be something if they struggled against the Sharks and Ducks, but then managed to beat teams like the Hurricanes and Devils?
The Kraken split a pair of games over the last week: a solid but not dominant 3-0 win against Nashville and a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon. If you had asked me last week whether I would be happy with a split in those two games, I would have said yes. However, there’s something about that Kings game that leaves me disappointed. It was an excellent benchmark to assess how good this Kraken team really is, especially after appearing to turn the corner with a 5-1-0 homestand.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say the Kraken played poorly, but they might not be good enough to compete with teams like the Kings in the standings for the entirety of the season. I say this knowing full well that they beat the top team in the division, the Vegas Golden Knights, just two weeks ago. Maybe it’s a bit of recency bias, but the lackluster performance on Saturday leaves me questioning where this team is headed. With four games against weaker opponents this week, we might not have a clearer answer until the Kraken roll through their New York swing, with a Carolina appetizer.
Do the Seattle Kraken have a scoring problem?
As the Kraken struggled to generate any legitimate scoring chances against the Kings on Saturday, I started to realize there might be a serious goal-scoring issue that feels eerily similar to last season’s team. The Kraken are averaging 2.8 goals per game, which is lower than at this point last season. Over the last 10 games, they are averaging just 2.3 goals per game—the fourth lowest in the league. The absence of Vince Dunn and now Jordan Eberle certainly doesn’t help, but that can’t be the only factor dragging down the team’s scoring. Let’s take a closer look.
Shots and shooting percentage
To better understand the scoring challenges this team faces, let’s examine their shot volume per game and shooting percentage to determine whether it’s a volume issue, a quality issue, or both.
It turns out it’s a bit of both. The Kraken have one of the lowest shooting percentages in the league and rank in the bottom third in shots on goal. Of course, not all shots are created equal, so to assess this further, we need to consider shot quality.
Shot quality
To evaluate shot quality, I analyzed the NaturalStatTrick.com team game logs, focusing on the average number of high-, medium-, and low-danger shots per game.
The Kraken rank sixth lowest in high-danger shots per game and second lowest in medium-danger shots. This mix of lower-quality shot attempts likely contributes to their poor shooting percentage. Unfortunately, I don’t have any specific suggestions or solutions for generating more high-danger chances, but hopefully, the team figures something out soon.
Other musings
Expect to hear a lot about the milestone of U.S. Thanksgiving in the NHL. Historically, around 80 percent of the teams in a playoff spot at U.S. Thanksgiving end up making the playoffs. Unfortunately, that didn’t help the Kraken last season, as they were in a playoff spot at that time but didn’t make it to the postseason.
I love the Thanksgiving week schedule, especially with two home-and-home sets against division rivals.
Speaking of U.S. Thanksgiving—without cheating—five Americans have played for the Seattle Kraken this season. Can you name them?
The Kraken’s power play has been the worst in the league over their last 10 games.
Like many of the keyboard coaches on the internet, I think it’s time for Shane Wright to return to the lineup.
Daniel Sprong’s 18 minutes and 36 seconds against the Kings marked the most ice time he has played in a single game during his 86 appearances for the Kraken.
The penalty kill has also been struggling lately, operating at 75 percent compared to the league average of 80 percent.
Following college hockey out west is a challenge, but did you catch Arizona State’s men’s hockey team sweeping top-ranked Denver in Denver this weekend? Denver had a 21-game winning streak coming into the series. I’ve always believed ASU could become a college hockey powerhouse someday.
The World Junior Championship camp rosters should be announced in the first week of December for the tournament starting later that month. The Kraken could have up to seven players invited to various camp rosters.
As many of you know, Joe Thornton’s number was retired by the San Jose Sharks over the weekend. I’ve always been a huge “Jumbo” fan. The weekend was filled with great Thornton stories, but none better than the one shared by his former teammate, Doug Murray. I’ve always believed the best way to evaluate an athlete’s character is by their actions when no one is looking. Thanks to Doug for sharing that story.
Player performances
Alexander Wennberg – The former Seattle Kraken center has tallied two goals and three assists over his last four games with the San Jose Sharks. This Saturday will mark Wennberg’s first game back at Climate Pledge Arena. Joey Daccord – Joey is having an outstanding season, posting a 4-1-0 record with a .945 save percentage over his last five starts. Carson Rehkopf – The 2023 second-round Kraken draft pick recorded a hat trick over the weekend. Expect to see him on the Canadian World Junior team.
We circled this week on the schedule as soon as it was released, with four division games against two of the weaker teams. It’s an excellent opportunity to gain ground in the standings, but neither the Anaheim Ducks nor the San Jose Sharks should be taken lightly. Both teams have been playing better recently, and in the NHL, any team can beat any team on any given night.
Anything less than four points out of a possible eight would be a major disappointment, but the target should be six. It’s crucial to bank as many points as possible now because December features the toughest stretch of games the Kraken will face this season.
We always knew November would be a good opportunity to gain ground by accumulating points during a softer stretch of the schedule. While no game in the NHL is ever automatic, bubble playoff teams need to take advantage of matchups by banking points against weaker opponents. That’s exactly what the Seattle Kraken have done over the last week, earning six out of a possible eight points (and eight out of 10 if you include the game against Vegas last Friday).
I’m not ready to declare this team a playoff contender just yet, but the preseason forecast suggested they could be a bubble postseason team. So far, that projection seems accurate.
Their wins weren’t dominant by any means, but it was encouraging to see the Kraken handle business against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks. It wasn’t always pretty—when they fell behind by two goals to Columbus, I’ll admit I started to panic. However, the Kraken rallied and, for the third time this season, overcame a two-goal deficit to win.
The victory against the Islanders was a very different story. The Kraken struggled to generate quality scoring chances, largely due to the Islanders’ disciplined, defensively focused play. While it wasn’t a signature win, it was still a significant one, particularly against one of the better goaltenders in the NHL, Ilya Sorokin.
Ironically, the Kraken might have played their best game of the week in a 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers. Playing on back-to-back nights against one of the league’s top teams, the Kraken came out strong and went toe-to-toe with the Rangers for most of the game. It served as a good benchmark for where the team stands, and overall, they performed well.
Eberle out
In case you missed it, Jordan Eberle suffered an injury during Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He was able to labor off the ice, but the situation didn’t look promising, and he’s been out of the lineup ever since. Eberle is currently second on the team with six goals this season, and an extended absence leaves a significant hole in the Kraken’s lineup. November may be a softer spot in the schedule, but the team can’t afford to lose him for long.
Dan Bylsma didn’t make it sound like a long-term thing, but Sound Of Hockey did seem him on crutches at Climate Pledge Arena this weekend.
Need more contributions
The Yanni Gourde line continues to exceed expectations this season. It was especially great to see Gourde score on Saturday, even if it came in an unconventional way—catching a shot/pass from Tanev off his neck! That didn’t stop Gourde from celebrating the goal, and it’s emblematic of the line’s gritty, determined play.
This team will need more contributions across all lines if they hope to make a serious push for the playoffs. Andre Burakovsky has strung together his best stretch of games this season but has yet to find the back of the net. Since Jordan Eberle’s injury, Burakovsky has been playing alongside Matty Beniers and Jared McCann. That trio was the best line on the ice Sunday against the Rangers, controlling an impressive 88.3 percent of shot quality during their shifts.
Below is a breakdown of the shot attempts (excluding blocked shots) generated by each line in the game against the Rangers:
Burakovsky is overdue, and he’s looking increasingly confident. Expect him to break through with a goal or two in the coming week.
Other musings
The Kraken’s win against the Islanders on Saturday marked their second home Saturday victory of the season. Notably, they didn’t win any home Saturday games last season.
Joey Daccord deserves more recognition here. He’s been stellar in November, posting a 4-1-0 record with a .929 save percentage.
Even in their losses, the Kraken have been competitive. Excluding empty-net goals, 89 percent of their games have been decided by two goals or fewer—a mark tied for second in the league for the most games in that range.
Shane Wright played a season-low 8:34 in Saturday’s game against the Islanders and was a healthy scratch Sunday against the Rangers.
Coincidentally, Oliver Bjorkstrand logged his most ice time of the season on Saturday with 20:08 and followed it up with 20:46 on Sunday. Remember, he was a healthy scratch last Tuesday in Colorado.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds are on a roll, winning their last five games, including a two-game sweep of the Abbotsford Canucks.
Kraken prospect Oscar Fisker Mølgaard returned to action Thursday for HV71 in the SHL, his first game since Sept. 21. While he didn’t score in his return, he notched two assists in his second game back.
It was a bummer that former Seattle Thunderbird Nolan Allan did not suit up against the Kraken last Thursday. The defenseman, a healthy scratch that night, has played in 14 of the Blackhawks’ 18 games this season. It’s been great to see his progress.
Ryan Donato continues to impress with the Chicago Blackhawks, tallying eight goals in 17 games. It’s hard to watch anyone score against the Kraken, but was there a more classic Donato goal than that one?
Some exciting news was announced Monday that the PWHL will be making a stop in Seattle this season. The Boston Fleet will play the Montreal Victoire at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday Jan. 5 in a neutral-site game. Tickets will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
Goal of the week
Eduard Sale is having a solid season with Coachella Valley Firebirds
Brandon Tanev (SEA) – Since last Friday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, “Turbo” has tallied four goals and two assists in a five-game stretch. He’s having a fantastic season and consistently provides a spark when the Kraken need it most. Nikke Kokko (CV/SEA) – The Coachella Valley Firebirds’ goaltender is off to a perfect start this season, boasting a 5-0-0 record. On Friday, he stopped 20 of 21 shots in the Firebirds’ 4-1 win over the Abbotsford Canucks. Ryan Winterton (CV/SEA) – The forward contributed one goal and two assists in two games against the Abbotsford Canucks over the weekend.
The week ahead
After playing four games last week, the Kraken face a lighter schedule with just two games over the next seven days. The first is a home matchup against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, who will likely be seeking revenge after a humiliating loss earlier this season when the Kraken scored seven goals in Nashville. The Predators haven’t lived up to preseason expectations but are coming off a 5-3 win against the Canucks. This game will serve as a solid test for the Kraken.
The second game of the week is a Saturday afternoon tilt against the Los Angeles Kings, a true benchmark matchup. If the Kraken are aiming to contend for a playoff spot, the Kings are one of the teams they may need to battle with for one of the final spots in the Western Conference. While it’s still too early to focus heavily on playoff positioning, the Kings, a playoff team last season, should offer insight into how competitive the Kraken can be moving forward. The Kings might also be without their regular starting goalie, as Darcy Kuemper was placed on injured reserve last Friday.
Earning two points this week would be sufficient, especially with a favorable schedule the following week featuring two games each against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
There’s no sugarcoating it—the Seattle Kraken are struggling right now. After scoring eight goals against the Montreal Canadiens last Tuesday, the Kraken have managed just one goal in their last three games, all losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Boston Bruins. Before this stretch, the Kraken had never scored fewer than two goals over any three-game span in franchise history. For the first time ever, they’ve been shut out in back-to-back games.
Playing from behind
The Kraken have allowed the first goal in each of their last three games, a pattern that’s troubled them all season. So far, they’ve given up the first goal in a league-leading nine games and managed to win only three of those—a concerning stat that underscores a consistent struggle to gain momentum. Playing from behind puts teams at an immediate disadvantage, and in the Kraken’s case, it’s led to them trailing for 49 percent of their total game time, ranking third worst in the league in this category, just ahead of Nashville and St. Louis.
This uphill battle impacts both offensive and defensive dynamics, with players forced to take more risks in order to equalize the score. Such a style is not only physically draining, but it also creates vulnerabilities that opponents can exploit. The Kraken’s inability to score first means they’re playing with added pressure early in the game, which affects everything from line changes to defensive schemes. When a team chases the game, it can disrupt their typical rhythm and put a strain on key players, leading to higher ice time for the top lines and greater fatigue by the final period.
The third period in particular presents a steep challenge. NHL teams with a lead tend to enter “lockdown mode,” shifting to a defense-first mentality that emphasizes structure, discipline, and careful puck management. These teams actively push opponents to the outside, preventing high-quality scoring chances from dangerous areas in front of the net. For the trailing team, cracking this defense can be incredibly tough, requiring clean entries, strong puck possession, and often, an extra effort to get to the net and create traffic in front of the goalie. But with the pressure mounting, shots often become less selective and are taken from the perimeter, which rarely beats a well-structured defense.
Struggling to get inside
The Kraken continue to struggle with generating high-danger scoring chances, a challenge that also plagued them last season. Despite offseason personnel improvements, they’re finding it difficult to penetrate defenses and create the kinds of opportunities that lead to quality shots on goal.
This inability to consistently get inside to the net-front area forces them to settle for perimeter shots, which are far easier for opposing goaltenders to save. Finding ways to improve puck movement, quick passes, and player positioning near the net could be key in transforming these struggles and helping the Kraken turn their offensive potential into goals. Alison Lukan wrote a great article that sheds some light on what it takes to create net-front offense. You can check it out here.
Other Musings
The Kraken have the same number of points at this stage in the season as they did last season.
As bad as these last three games have felt, I don’t for one second question the team’s work ethic. The Kraken continued to work and fight to claw back into the games. Though the team is slumping, it continues to feel very different than last season, and I believe Seattle will turn it around.
While the loss to Boston could be chalked up to a “schedule loss” on back-to-back games, the Kraken should also capitalize when playing a team in the second game of a back-to-back. Saturday night’s game was the Senators’ second in as many days.
John Forslund had an excellent line during one of the Ontario games, saying something to the effect of, “Eventually, ‘early in the season’ becomes ‘the season.’” We’re getting close to that point, and I typically use the 20-game mark as a benchmark.
The Kraken had just three shots on goal in the first period on Sunday against the Bruins—their lowest shot total in any regulation period this season.
Shane Wright is averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time over the last four games. I’m not sure what’s behind his low ice time, but I was hoping for more from him. In Coachella Valley last season, he had a knack for getting into scoring areas. I’m still optimistic about Shane, but the team could use more production from him right now.
Yanni Gourde is due for a goal. He’s been generating more shot attempts lately, and many of those chances are coming from prime areas. He’s exactly the type of player who could help pull this team out of its slump. He had a golden opportunity with a 2-on-1 at the end of the second period against the Bruins, but was stopped by Jeremy Swayman.
Congratulations to Ty Nelson and David Goyette for scoring their first professional goals over the weekend with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Here’s your weekly reminder to check out a WHL game if you haven’t already. This past weekend saw some exciting games: on Friday, the Edmonton Oil Kings defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 in a shootout, and the Tri-City Americans outlasted the Everett Silvertips in a 6-5 thriller in Kennewick.
Last week, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced plans to open the door for expansion as early as next season. This is excellent news for hockey overall, but it may be a while before we see the potential for a team here in Seattle. The league will likely want to expand gradually, clustering teams regionally. Seattle’s chances will increase once Calgary secures a team.
As for a PWHL team in Seattle, there’s still the question of where they would play. Arenas in Everett or Kent would be a good size for a women’s team, but I believe it’s important for the team to play in Seattle or Bellevue. It’s a long shot, but I’d love to see a 5,000- to 10,000-seat arena built that could also host future University of Washington Division I hockey programs and a PWHL team.
Player performances
Ryan Winterton (CVF/SEA) – The Kraken prospect notched two goals and two assists in the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 5-2 victory over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday. Carson Rehkopf (MIS/SEA) – The Kraken’s 2023 second-round draft pick recorded seven points across three games for the Mississauga Steelheads in the OHL, including a four-assist night on Friday against the North Bay Battalion. Rehkopf now has 28 points in 14 games. Clarke Caswell (SC/SEA) – Caswell had an impressive weekend, tallying seven points in two games for the Swift Current Broncos. On Friday night, he contributed two goals and three assists in their 9-4 win over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Goal of the week
There’s talk about changing 3-on-3 overtime, but doing so could eliminate exciting sequences like this one:
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) November 4, 2024
The week ahead
The Kraken have only two games over the next eight days, and they’ll need to salvage at least a point in Colorado to prevent this road trip from being a complete disaster. The Avalanche, who have lost three straight games heading into Tuesday’s matchup, have allowed five goals in each of those losses. Colorado has already beaten the Kraken once this season, so it won’t be an easy game, but the Avs are also decimated by injuries, so it’s a good time to catch them.
The other game this week is Friday at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, who currently have the best record in the Pacific Division and rank second in the league in goals per game at 4.92. Adding to the challenge, the Kraken have yet to beat the Golden Knights at Climate Pledge Arena in their history. It’s a tall order for the Kraken in their current form, but stranger things have happened—and I hear they’ll still play the game. 😊
How are we feeling? Anyone else starting to panic?
