The Seattle Kraken returned to action over the weekend following the 4 Nations Face-Off break, splitting a pair of games against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Saturday night, the Kraken edged out the Panthers in a tight 2-1 win. Captain Jordan Eberle made his return to the lineup after a lengthy absence due to a pelvic injury back in November. Despite the extended break for the team, the Kraken looked sharp, with Joey Daccord delivering a strong performance in net. Shane Wright recorded assists on both Kraken goals, scored by Kaapo Kakko and Jared McCann.
Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t go as well, with the Kraken falling 4-1. While the Kraken didn’t generate many quality scoring chances, they also didn’t concede many. Seattle is now 0-9-0 in the second game of back-to-backs, making them the only NHL team without a point in that situation this season.
Return of the captain
Eberle looked solid in his return, especially considering the long layoff and the challenge of coming back from such a unique injury. He logged 14 minutes of ice time on Saturday, primarily in a fourth-line role, with 57 seconds on the power play in the first period. He registered two shots on goal and, more importantly, helped stabilize the fourth line, giving the other three lines more rest between shifts.
In the previous 10 games, Tye Kartye and Mitchell Stephens averaged less than nine minutes of ice time per game, while Brandon Tanev, the other fourth-liner, averaged under 13 minutes. With Eberle back, Coach Dan Bylsma was able to rely more on the Tanev-Eberle wing pairing, occasionally double-shifting Shane Wright to center the fourth line. This provided a more dynamic fourth-line threat compared to a Tanev-Stephens-Kartye combination. While it’s hard to measure the direct impact, in a close 2-1 win, even small advantages can make a big difference.
Eberle played just under 12 minutes on Sunday and had two notable turnovers. While his timing might take a few more games to fully return, the early signs are promising.
4 Nations Face-Off: Quick thoughts
The 4 Nations Face-Off was a hit, not only among die-hard hockey fans but also with casual viewers. I heard from several non-hockey-fan friends and coworkers who tuned in and loved the USA-Canada games. The gold-medal game between the USA and Canada drew 9.25 million viewers in the US—the largest audience for an NHL-sanctioned game. For context, last year’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers had 7.66 million viewers.
The tournament also introduced some creative elements worth considering for the NHL:
Three-Point System: The 4 Nations used a system where regulation wins earned three points, overtime or shootout wins earned two, and overtime or shootout losses earned one. This setup could encourage teams to take more risks late in regulation to secure a full three points, especially in tight playoff races.
10-Minute 3-on-3 Overtime: While extending overtime might reduce shootouts, research suggests the current system may not need much tweaking.
New Camera Angles: The tournament featured fresh perspectives, including cameramen on the ice after goals, new in-game angles, and a referee cam. While still needing refinement, these innovations show promise.
the on-ice camera for goal celebrations is such a nice addition to 4Nations… hope to see this in the postseason pic.twitter.com/4POY7hGcwY
Brandon Tanev played 16:19 against Florida on Saturday—his highest ice time since Dec. 10—including 2:26 in the final five minutes.
The Kraken are now 5-2-1 all-time against Florida but 1-6-1 all-time against Tampa Bay.
Joey Daccord’s win on Saturday was his 20th of the season, marking a career high.
Jani Nyman continues to impress, leading all AHL rookies with 23 goals. I expect we’ll see him with the Kraken later this season.
Prospect Berkly Catton reached 100 points in the WHL over the weekend. While he’d benefit from a more competitive setting next season, the NHL-CHL development agreement limits his options to either the NHL or the WHL. There’s a chance he could make the Kraken roster, which would make this a non-issue.
For context on Catton playing in the NHL next season, only six players from the 2023 NHL Draft have played more than nine games in the NHL this season.
The Kraken won two coach’s challenges over the weekend: goalie interference on Saturday against Florida and an offside call on Sunday against Tampa Bay.
Berkly Catton (SPO/SEA): The top Kraken prospect is riding a 12-game multi-point streak, with eight points over three games this weekend.
Nathan Villeneuve (SBY/SEA): The 2024 second-round pick had five points in his last three games. Despite flying under the radar, he’s a physical forward with 55 points in 47 games for the Sudbury Wolves.
Shane Wright (SEA): Wright tallied three points over the weekend and has 12 points in his last 10 games.
The week ahead
The Kraken play just two games this week, both against Western Conference teams vying for a wild-card spot. They’ll wrap up their road trip against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday before hosting the Vancouver Canucks at home on Saturday.
St. Louis has struggled lately, going 3-5-2 in its last 10 games, while Vancouver is clinging to the final wild-card spot but dropped two regulation games over the weekend. Though the Kraken are out of playoff contention, they have a prime opportunity to play spoiler.
Trade deadline looming
As much as the focus should be on the ice this week, the NHL Trade Deadline is just 13 days away, and speculation is heating up. Under GM Ron Francis, the Kraken have historically made moves close to the deadline, so big changes may not happen until next week.
Darren Brown put together a solid primer on the Kraken’s trade deadline approach. I’ve mentioned it before, but I still think an extension for Yanni Gourde could be in the cards. The Kraken need a fourth-line center next season, and if the two sides can find common ground, it would be a smart move to keep him in Seattle.
If you have thoughts or reactions to anything in this post or anything Kraken-related, let me know in the comments section below!
With the NHL on break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, I intentionally waited until now to provide an update on the playoff chances for the Seattle Kraken (spoiler: they aren’t very good). Since the start of 2025, the Kraken have played 19 games, going 7-10-2 and falling out of the playoff picture. With 25 games remaining, they are not mathematically eliminated—winning out would give them 102 points. Since the Kraken joined the league in 2021, the lowest point total for a playoff team was 91, recorded by the Washington Capitals in 2023-24. Using that as a benchmark, the Kraken have just five losses to spare, meaning they need to go 20-5-0 (or any combination that nets 40 points) over their remaining games.
“So, you’re telling me there’s a chance!” – Lloyd Christmas, Dumb and Dumber
January and February play
To stay on pace for 95 points, the Kraken needed 20 points in January but earned only 13. In their first four games of February, they picked up just three points when they needed six. That leaves them 10 points off pace and tracking more realistically toward something in the 80’s for the second straight season (they finished with 81 in 2023-24).
There are some positives from the first part of 2025. Goal scoring is up slightly, with the Kraken averaging 3.15 goals per game, totaling 60 goals in 19 games. Joey Daccord has continued his fantastic play, posting a .917 save percentage and a 7-5-1 record over this span.
On the other hand, Philipp Grubauer has had another rough season. He went 0-5-1 in January, was pulled twice, and has since been sent down to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He struggled mightily, posting an .827 save percentage—his worst stretch of the season. It was not entirely the German goaltender’s fault, as the Kraken failed to provide goal support. During Grubauer’s starts, the Kraken managed just 13 goals or an average of 2.79 goals per game, while they scored 49 in front of Daccord, an average of 3.44 goals per game. 3.44 is a high number. For the full season, only three NHL teams have a higher goals-per-game average than 3.44: the Winnipeg Jets (3.61), Washington Capitals (3.56), and Tampa Bay Lightning (3.56).
Only time will tell if Grubauer’s tenure with the Kraken is over, but in Coachella Valley, he has posted a .933 save percentage and won his first two games.
Team tears
No, “tears” was not a typo; it was my sadness hitting the keyboard, as I officially relegated the Seattle Kraken into the “Tankers” tier.
Bolded = Remaining teams the Kraken play, Starred* = moved tiers, x2 = play twice
Upcoming Schedule
There’s no sugarcoating it—the upcoming schedule is brutal. Of the remaining 25 games, 12 are against teams in the Playoff Bound tier, six against teams in the Bubble tier, and seven against teams in the Tanker tier. Unfortunately for Seattle, they only have 10 home games left, meaning 15 will be on the road. This makes the rest of the season even more challenging, as illustrated in my recent piece on home-ice advantage. On the bright side, 20 of the remaining games are against Western Conference opponents, minimizing travel demands.
Playoff Bound tier
The Kraken will face eight of the 10 teams in this tier, with the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers each playing Seattle twice. These teams rank among the league’s best, but the Kraken have proven capable of scoring and are comfortable playing from behind. In fact, Seattle leads the NHL with seven wins after trailing by two goals at any point in a game.
With the #SeaKraken come from behind win last night, they now lead the league in wins after being down 2 goals at any point in a game.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the cusp of moving up to the Playoff Bound tier. They can score in bunches but were recently on the outside looking in at a playoff spot. The other teams Seattle faces in this tier are all from the Western Conference, meaning the Kraken get to embrace their new role as potential spoilers.
The Vancouver Canucks currently hold a three-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final wild card spot. The Kraken’s recent comeback win against Calgary before the break must have stung. Utah is trying to stay competitive but sits six points out of a playoff spot and is slipping fast.
Seattle has finished its season series with the Colorado Avalanche, who just missed the Playoff Bound tier. The Western Conference playoff picture seems mostly set, with seven teams comfortably ahead. That leaves Vancouver, Calgary, Utah, and possibly St. Louis battling for the final spot.
Tankers tier
The Kraken are newcomers to the Tanker tier with this update. Their remaining games against these teams include two against the St. Louis Blues and one each against the Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks. It will be interesting to see how these teams approach the trade deadline, as many will likely make moves to reshape their rosters for next season.
Personally, I’m not a fan of tanking. I want to see the Kraken compete in every game, and I wish the NHL would find a way to reward teams that strive to win rather than tearing things down for better draft positioning—but that’s a topic for a future article.
Expectations have been lowered
Since the beginning of 2025, the Kraken have played really well, really poorly, or somewhere in between—but they’ve remained entertaining. Their two-goal comeback against Calgary is fresh in fans’ minds, but even their 2-1 loss to Winnipeg on Jan. 16 was a hard-fought, competitive game. More of that effort down the stretch is what I want to see.
With the trade deadline approaching (March 7), expect some activity from Seattle. Will they go after more prospects, target a goal scorer, or secure a backup goaltender? Sound Of Hockey’s Darren Brown recently wrote about which Kraken players could be on the move.
The Kraken’s next game is set for Feb. 22 versus the Florida Panthers, their first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, which runs through Feb. 20. Kaapo Kakko is the only Kraken in the tournament and will represent Finland, whose first game is Thursday versus Team USA at 5 p.m. Pacific.
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below or reach out to me on my socials.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
Over the past month, I’ve written two pieces examining NHL standings—one on NHL standings point models and alternatives, and another as an NHL half-season roundup. While working on these articles, I noticed a trend: most NHL teams perform better at home than on the road. That observation led me to dig deeper. I compiled data from the NHL API since the start of the 2021-22 season to see if the numbers back up the notion of a “home-ice advantage.”
As of Jan. 31, 28 of the 32 NHL teams have boasted better home records compared with their road records over the last three and a half seasons. The four teams that just missed the mark were within five points of their home records: the Vancouver Canucks (even record), the New Jersey Devils (even record), the Buffalo Sabres (three points under) and the Anaheim Ducks (five points under).
It’s good to be home
During the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 seasons, home teams enjoyed an average boost of 5.5 percent in standings points earned compared with their road performance. Overall, home teams posted a points percentage of .585, while road teams registered .524. That .585 mark is notable because it surpasses the 95-point pace when extrapolated out—a good measuring stick for playoff contenders.
The home-ice advantage extends to all types of wins—regulation, overtime, and shootout. Regulation wins were 6.8 percent higher for home teams, while overtime and shootout wins were 6.5 percent higher.
The data above covers the last three full seasons, and this season is showing similar trends. As of Jan. 31, home teams have benefited from a 6.8 percent increase in overtime and shootout wins compared to road teams, and a 9.9 percent boost in regulation wins. It should be noted that the current season’s data is partial and may be skewed, as the teams have not yet played an equal number of home and away games against every opponent.
Clearly, there is a consistent boost to the home team’s winning percentage. Now the question is: why?
NHL rules that benefit the home team
A handful of rules benefit the home team, and while most may not directly affect the game’s outcome, one in particular allows coaches to shine.
Last change
When playing at home, the visiting team must put its players on the ice first prior to a face-off. This rule gives the home team’s coaching staff a chance to assess who is on the ice and adjust their lines accordingly—allowing them to dictate matchups. For example, if the away team deploys its top scoring line, the home team can counter with its shutdown line. The only exception is icing; if the home team ices the puck, it is not allowed to change, letting the away team dictate the matchup.
Hockey is a fast-paced sport where line changes happen on the fly, and teams can switch lines in any order during play. The last change rule only applies during stoppages when a face-off is about to occur. During such stoppages, you’ll notice a referee near the team benches: the visiting team has five seconds to make a change before the referee raises their hand and signals that no further changes are allowed by the visitors, and then the home team has eight seconds to adjust before the referee lowers their hand. This rule is outlined in rule 82.2 of the NHL rule book.
Face-offs
In the NHL, players taking a face-off must put the blade of their stick on the ice, making contact with the white part of the face-off dot. Once both players’ sticks are on the ice, the puck is dropped. A common misconception is that the away team must place its stick first. However, according to NHL rule 76.4:
“The sticks of both players facing off shall have the blade on the ice, within the designated white area. At the eight face-off spots (excluding the center-ice face-off spot), the defending player shall place his stick within the designated white area first, followed immediately by the attacking player. When the face-off is conducted at the center-ice face-off spot, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first.”
For the home team, the only “benefit” comes at center-ice face-offs, as others are determined based on which zone the face-off is occurring. In theory, if the proper procedure is followed, neither team should have an advantage. In practice, however, the second player sometimes never places his stick on the ice, which can provide an edge. Outside of center-ice, the defending team’s center places his stick first, meaning any home-ice advantage is limited to the center-ice draw.
Looking at face-off data from the 2023-24 season, there were 8,383 center-ice face-offs. The home team won 50.4 percent of these draws, so a benefit, but minor one. This figure may be slightly skewed by the last change rule, as coaches sometimes counter the visiting team’s matchups with lines that are not necessarily their best at winning face-offs. For instance, the Seattle Kraken have typically started either Yanni Gourde’s or Matty Beniers’ line at home. However, Chandler Stephenson leads as the top face-off man, winning 51.7 percent of his draws, while Beniers won 47.8 percent and Gourde 49.9 percent as of Jan. 31.
Regular-season overtime
The last-change rule also applies during 3-on-3 overtime, where controlling matchups is crucial for scoring a timely goal and ending the game. Overall, overtime has favored the home team, which has won 9.6 percent more games in OT than when playing on the road.
Shootout
If a regular-season game remains tied after regulation and 3-on-3 overtime, it goes to a shootout. The home team gets to choose whether to shoot first or second. Over the last few seasons, home teams have opted to shoot first 85.2 percent of the time.
Over the last three and a half seasons, there have been 317 shootouts. In those contests, the home team won 162 times, and the road team won 155 times—a slim 2.2 percent advantage for the home team. If you only consider the teams that shot first, the advantage grows to 5.34 percent. In recent years, the trend has been that more and more NHL teams have have been choosing to shoot first.
One might think that the home team would prefer to shoot last, allowing it to mount a comeback or finish the game on a goal. However, goaltenders hold the edge in shootouts. It appears that home teams are not so much choosing to shoot first as they are opting to “save last.” League-wide, NHL goaltenders have posted a combined stoppage percentage of .679 in these 317 shootouts—meaning that 68 percent of the time, the goalie is more likely to stop the shot than the shooter is to score. I call this a “stoppage percentage” because it includes missed shots, which are not part of a goaltender’s save percentage but still result in a failed shootout attempt.
Penalties
The trend continues when comparing penalties called on teams at home versus on the road. For this analysis, I looked at the raw count of individual penalties—not penalty minutes. A minor, double minor, major, or game misconduct each counts as one penalty. Overall, home teams enjoy a 3.2 percent reduction in penalties called against them.
Over the last three seasons, 26 of 32 NHL teams have accrued fewer penalty minutes at home than on the road. When broken down by division, the benefits vary significantly. Atlantic Division teams saw only a 1.1 percent benefit, Metropolitan teams 2.9 percent, Pacific teams 4.4 percent, and Central Division teams 4.5 percent.
The Calgary Flames have enjoyed the largest home-ice advantage in penalty minutes at 9.2 percent, while Canadian teams overall fared well, with 4.5 percent fewer penalties at home, matching the Central Division. It might be a good time to rethink the hockey tradition of booing the referees as they come onto the ice and haven’t actually done anything yet. Statistically, they tend to side with the home team, especially in the Western Conference. I propose Kraken fans start cheering them on before the game.
The home crowd!
Enough with the numbers—the biggest X-factor in home-ice advantage is the hometown crowd. Nothing fires up a team more than thousands of fans erupting after a big goal, a crushing hit, or some good, old-fashioned fisticuffs at center ice. That energy feeds into the players, creating a momentum shift that can tilt a game. It’s a dopamine hit for the skaters, and the crowd knows it—fans do everything they can to will their team to victory.
This isn’t just superstition; players and coaches often talk about how a raucous home crowd provides an extra edge. It can be the difference between sluggish legs and an adrenaline-fueled surge late in a tight game. That’s why road teams have a strategy—either silence the crowd with an early goal or grind through the first 10 minutes without allowing one. Survive the opening wave, and the crowd might settle. But if the home team scores first? Expect an onslaught of momentum.
Of course, the flip side is also true—when a home team is trailing, and the crowd starts to quiet, that energy can fade. The best teams learn to ride the wave of home-ice advantage but also generate their own spark when things aren’t going their way.
Teams do have an advantage at home
Overall, the last change and shootout options come down to the coaching staff’s ability to capitalize on the slight advantages presented to their team. The Kraken have seen a 2.1 percent boost in their performance at home, making use of the home-ice advantage. In the penalty department, Seattle has 2.3 percent fewer penalties called on them at home than on the road. Both numbers are positive for playing at Climate Pledge Arena, but they fall short of the league averages of 5.5 percent for standings points and 3.2 percent for penalties.
While these boosts might seem modest, they do add up over the course of a season. There’s one more key factor that could tilt the scales for the Kraken, though: us—the fans.
What are your thoughts on home-ice advantage? Put them in the comments below.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
The Kraken just wrapped up a fun week of hockey at Climate Pledge Arena, winning two out of three games with victories against the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Their only loss came against the league-leading Washington Capitals. I won’t pretend it was the prettiest stretch of games, but let’s face it—winning is fun.
Saturdays are fun again
The win against the Penguins on Saturday marked the Kraken’s fourth home victory on a Saturday this season. Last season, they went 0-7-2 at home on Saturday nights. Pittsburgh seemed to dominate lengthy stretches of the game, but the Kraken capitalized on key opportunities and never trailed. An added bonus of Saturday’s game was the annual Kids Game, featuring several kids shadowing job functions during the event—not to mention the many young fans in the crowd, thanks to the family-friendly start time.
Face-off follow-ups
It was great to see people discussing my mention of Chandler Stephenson’s defensive capabilities on Reddit last week. Measuring defensive skills using public data is challenging because so many important events aren’t captured. Thinking out loud here: it would be great to have metrics like deflections of passes, elimination of passing lanes, coverage of players, possession in the defensive zone, controlled zone exits versus zone exits that immediately concede possession, and so on—all measured against the strength of the competition on the ice.
Someone in the Reddit thread pointed out Stephenson’s low face-off percentage in the defensive zone, as available on NHL.com stats. I commend the poster for digging into the data and investigating on their own. However, even that stat requires context.
For most of the season, Stephenson has been part of the first penalty kill unit, meaning he takes a lot of face-offs while the team is shorthanded. Being shorthanded naturally reduces a team’s chances of winning a face-off. League-wide, shorthanded teams win only 46.9 percent of face-offs in all scenarios. Meanwhile, Stephenson’s face-off percentage while shorthanded is 50.8 percent.
I should also point out that face-offs are an incomplete stat because what you really want is possession, which isn’t the same as simply winning the face-off. That said, face-off percentages are the best we have right now and are generally a good indicator of possession—though not 100 percent of the time.
Sign or trade
In case you missed it, we did an exercise on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast last week called “Sign or Trade,” focusing on the Seattle Kraken’s pending unrestricted free agents. Using the AFP Analytics midseason extension projection model, we analyzed a couple of players and shared our opinions on whether the Kraken front office should re-sign or trade them based on their forecasted cap hits.
Yanni Gourde’s projected cap hit was $4.1 million AAV over three years. We all agreed the Kraken should trade him if that is what it would require to re-sign him, but I wonder—at what point does the AAV start to make sense for the team? The Kraken need another center for next season, and there doesn’t appear to be anyone in the pipeline who could fill the fourth-line center role. So, if Yanni would stay for $3.5 million, would you consider it?
The other part of the equation is what the Kraken could get for Yanni on the trade market. As I mentioned last week, if a first-round draft pick is on the table, you have to make the trade regardless of Yanni’s potential re-signing number. You could always try to bring him back in free agency, but that rarely happens—so I wouldn’t count on it.
The other interesting player is Brandon Tanev, whose projected cap hit is $2.4 million AAV for two years. Tanev has played very well this season, and at those numbers, re-signing him would definitely be worth considering.
Other musings
The Kraken improved to 6-2-0 all-time against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The only Eastern Conference team they have a better record against is the Buffalo Sabres, who they defeated on Monday. Seattle is now 7-1-0 against the Sabres.
Fans at the Capitals and Penguins games this week had the chance to see goals from Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Neither player had scored at Climate Pledge Arena since the Kraken’s inaugural season.
With their win on Saturday, the Kraken’s record improved to 12-5-3 in games where they score first. When the opposition scores first, Seattle’s record is 10-20-0.
At this point, it feels like a stretch to consider Seattle, Anaheim, and Nashville in the playoff race. However, Nashville has been the hottest team in January and is inching back into the conversation.
I haven’t completely given up on the Kraken making things interesting, but until further notice, they are out of the playoffs and are likely sellers at the trade deadline.
The Kraken have two games against the Calgary Flames before the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Two regulation wins in those matchups would certainly make things more interesting.
The Capitals looked very strong when they played the Kraken last Thursday. Impressively, the Caps also boast one of the best prospect pools in the league—not bad for a team that hasn’t tanked. They’ve only missed the playoffs once in the last 10 seasons.
The big trade on Friday between the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche officially kicked off trade season. There’s usually a major trade in late January that starts to grease the trade gears—last year it was Elias Lindholm, and the year before, Bo Horvat. Expect trades to pick up steadily as we approach the March 7 trade deadline.
Matty Beniers is playing his best hockey of the season right now. His performance seemed to improve after the Kaapo Kakko trade. Since Kakko joined the team, Beniers has scored seven goals in 17 games; before that, he had just four goals in 33 games.
Speaking of the Kakko trade, Will Borgen signed a five-year contract with the New York Rangers over the weekend. The average annual value clocked in a $4.1 million. I’m happy for Will and, at the same time, thankful the Kraken did not sign for that price tag.
Buoy attended one of those mascot night events at a Portland Trail Blazers game. I wonder if all those mascots get together after work to enjoy a few “college sodas.”
Jared McCann (SEA) – McCann’s goal-scoring is off pace compared to previous seasons, but he’s contributing in other ways. He recorded one goal and four assists over the Kraken’s last three games.
Tyson Jugnauth (POR/SEA) – The unsigned Kraken prospect is on an active 10-game point streak, tallying six goals and 13 assists during that span.
Joey Daccord (SEA) – Daccord is 4-2-0 in his last six starts with an impressive .928 save percentage. Even in his two losses, he’s kept the Kraken competitive with a chance to win.
The week ahead
The Kraken face a tough matchup on Monday when they head to Edmonton to play the Oilers in Connor McDavid’s first game back after his three-game suspension. It’s hard to expect much from the Kraken in that game, as Edmonton has been playing well lately, winning seven of its last 10 games. Adding the best player in the league back into the lineup certainly won’t hurt the Oilers.
After Monday, the schedule lightens up with home games against Anaheim on Tuesday, San Jose on Thursday, and a Sunday game against Calgary. Both Anaheim and San Jose have been struggling recently. Anaheim is 3-5-2 in its last 10 games, while San Jose has managed just one win in its last 10. I don’t take anything for granted this season, but if there are two games you expect to win, these are them.
Calgary presents a bigger challenge. The Flames currently hold the last wild card spot and have been stingy on defense. One potential advantage for the Kraken is that Calgary will be playing the night before against the Red Wings, which might mean Seattle faces backup goaltender Dan Vladar instead of Calder Trophy candidate Dustin Wolf. That said, Vladar played well against the Kraken earlier this season, allowing just two goals in an overtime loss back in October.
I’ve accepted that a playoff push is unlikely, but I’d still like to see the Kraken make things interesting the rest of the way. Six points this week, including a regulation win against Calgary, are almost mandatory if they hope to have any shot at climbing back into the playoff picture. Either way, I still enjoy the winning—especially at home—so I’d probably be satisfied with a couple of home victories this week.
December was a roller coaster of a month for the Seattle Kraken. This included a win against the Carolina Hurricanes and a 3-1-0 road trip to start the month, a low of a five-game losing streak, a trade for Kaapo Kakko, and a thrilling comeback win against the Vancouver Canucks from down three goals with under five minutes remaining.
The comeback win was only the third time in NHL history that a team has come back from three goals down in the last five minutes of a game to win. This is the type of victory that can spark a resurgence. Following the come-from-behind win, the Kraken took care of business against the Utah Hockey Club to close out the month strong on a two-game win streak.
Closer look at December
After ending November on a low note with three straight losses (one to the Anaheim Ducks and two to the San Jose Sharks), the vibes were not good. But the Kraken went straight to work in December and earned points in five of the first six games.
Unfortunately, the offense went to sleep during the next five games, all losses, scoring only six goals during that span. For comparison, the Kraken scored 24 goals in the first six games.
Head coach Dan Bylsma has talked about players needing a reset, and it seemed the entire team needed one after the five-game losing streak. Fortunately for the Kraken, they got a five-day break for the holidays, and coming into the game on Dec. 28 versus the Canucks, Seattle was entering must-win territory.
Watching the first 55 minutes of the game was not confidence-inspiring, but Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn each scored two goals in a seven-minute span to carry their team to a shocking win in overtime. The icing on the cake? Much maligned Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers had the fateful turnover to Vince Dunn in overtime, handing him a breakaway and the game-winning goal. Remember, Myers has history with Matty Beniers and delivered a blindside hit on the young center during his rookie season, causing Beniers to miss about two weeks and the All-Star Game.
In the final game of the month, the Kraken carried over the momentum and defeated the Utah Hockey Club, 5-2, on Dec. 30. The Kraken finished the month with a .500 win percentage, going 6-6-1. This was good for 13 points, short of the 16-point target we had set for them. The Kraken will need to accelerate their efforts moving forward into 2025.
Goaltending
December marked the first month that Philipp Grubauer started more games than Joey Daccord, appearing in seven compared to Daccord’s six. Daccord is dealing with a “lingering bruise” per Dan Bylsma, and Aleš Stezka has stepped in to assume backup duties for the last two games.
Daccord also sat out a game due to illness, causing an emergency backup goalie (EBUG) to dress for the game against the New York Rangers on Dec. 8. Grubauer was able to play, but there was a moment when Grubauer got hit and was slow to get up. I can only imagine what was going through EBUG Michael Matyas’ head during that time. Ultimately, Grubauer was able to keep playing, and finished the high-scoring game with a 7-5 Kraken win.
Joey Daccord out sick today. Michael Mayas @31Matyas warming up to backup Phillip Grubauer on an ATO (Amateur Try Out) with the #SeaKraken. He’s a childhood teammate of @BBaxy18 from Calgary, AB. He was at the grocery store buying baby formula 2hrs ago. Living his dream! pic.twitter.com/XLGjQqdvc4
Grubauer earned eight standings points this month, going 4-3-0. He had only one win (two points) prior to this month. Hopefully, this trend continues, as getting both Grubauer and Daccord playing with confidence will only help the Kraken.
Updated tiers
Bolded = teams Kraken play this month, Starred* = moved tiers, x2 = play twice
The new year
The season does not get any easier for the Kraken, who play 15 games this month, six of which are against Playoff Bound teams. The good news is that the Kraken have nine home games. They will also have their second of three five-game road trips this season.
There are two back-to-back series, both involving Tanker teams. The first back-to-back is against Buffalo and Detroit, and the second features Anaheim in the second leg. However, the Kraken only need to look back one month to remember losing twice to San Jose in back-to-back games. Taking any NHL opponent lightly is not recommended. The Kraken have played in five back-to-back series this season and have lost all five of the second legs.
Breakdown of Kraken opponents
The target for January is a lofty 20 points to get back on track to reach 95. Continuing the momentum generated in the last two games will be crucial to Seattle’s success.
Playoff Bound tier
The Kraken will play six games against this tier, facing five different teams (they play the Edmonton Oilers twice). The first three games are against the New Jersey Devils, the Winnipeg Jets, and the Los Angeles Kings—all teams the Kraken have lost to this season. The remaining three games are against the high-flying Washington Capitals, who are first place in the Eastern Conference, and the Oilers, who had an impressive December, going 9-4-0. Four of the Playoff Bound games will be at home. The target for games against this group of opponents is going .500 and securing six points.
Bubble tier
The tilt against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday will kick off the new year for the Kraken. Vancouver will surely want to strike back after allowing the Kraken to complete a come-from-behind win in their previous meeting. After that, the Kraken will play the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Pittsburgh Penguins twice, and wrap up with the Anaheim Ducks for a total of five games. These three teams are all at or below .500 and present a good opportunity for the Kraken to make up some lost points. Three of the five games will be at home. The target for this group is eight points, as the Kraken need to regain points dropped earlier in the season.
Tanker tier
Tanker opponents include the Buffalo Sabres twice, Detroit Red Wings, and the San Jose Sharks. The Kraken will split these games evenly between home and road. The five-game road trip in the first half of the month includes two Bubble teams and two Tanker teams. Winning all four is feasible and would set the Kraken up nicely for success the rest of the month. There is a back-to-back during this road trip, but the slight silver lining is that it is against two Tanker teams. The target for this group is six points.
Not out yet
The Kraken need to have a good month to keep playoff hopes alive, but they are not out of it, and there are many exciting developments to watch. The arrival of Kakko and the chemistry forming between him, Beniers, and Jaden Schwartz is promising. Shane Wright continues to progress, along with his line with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen. The trio combined for 10 goals and 28 points in 13 December games. As John Barr pointed out in Monday Musings, the Kraken have come back six times this season from being down by two goals or more. This team is hard to count out and is capable of scoring in buckets. They just need to find the consistency.
January should be an exciting month with plenty of opportunities to get this season on the right track. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below or reach out to me on my socials.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
As a kid, I went to a lot of Oakland A’s games with my dad. We had season tickets, and barring school or a baseball game of my own, I would go to the ballpark. Depending on the score, we would often leave after the seventh inning to beat traffic. Leaving early was normal for me.
Fast forward a few years to high school, when I went to an A’s game with about eight friends. The A’s managed to score five runs in the final two innings to stage an epic comeback. It was an exhilarating win for everyone who stayed until the end, but unfortunately, I had convinced my friends to leave after the seventh inning.
Ever since that day, I’ve made a rule for myself: never leave a sporting event early because you never know what you might miss. I apply the same logic to watching games on TV. So, when the Kraken were down by three goals with under five minutes remaining in regulation against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, I kept watching just in case we witnessed something incredible. As luck would have it, we were rewarded with the biggest comeback in Seattle Kraken history. It’s a game I’ll never forget, and for that, I’m grateful I didn’t turn off the TV.
I firmly believe there’s no right or wrong way to be a fan. If you need to turn a game off or leave early, that’s entirely your choice, and I won’t judge. But if you do, you might miss something unforgettable.
No quit for the Seattle Kraken
Before the Kraken’s epic comeback win in Vancouver, they had lost five straight games. But as we’ve seen time and again, this team doesn’t quit. Saturday marked Seattle’s sixth comeback win after being down by two or more goals—more than they managed in the previous three seasons combined. Even during their losing streak, the Kraken continued to battle and work to get back into games.
I’m not trying to sugarcoat what’s been a challenging season, but moments like Saturday’s comeback are a big reason I still love watching this team.
The long odds
It’s no secret that the Kraken are a long shot to make the playoffs. But much like watching Saturday’s game, there’s always a chance they could defy the odds and create some magic. Money Puck currently gives the Kraken a five percent chance of making the playoffs, but the odds of them winning that game on Saturday were even slimmer.
The 2018-19 St. Louis Blues are the ultimate example of how anything is possible. They proved that a season can turn around in remarkable fashion. Here’s a look at the standings on Dec. 31 over the past eight comparable seasons (excluding 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to COVID impacts).
Seven of the last nine comparable seasons featured at least one team ranked 12th or lower in their conference on Dec. 31 that went on to make the playoffs. While the odds remain long, several teams in the Kraken’s position have managed to reach the postseason before.
Other musings
Saturday’s comeback win marked the first time in franchise history that the Kraken overcame a three-goal deficit. Before this, they had lost all 82 games in which they trailed by three goals.
Saturday was the 22nd time this season the Kraken allowed the first goal of the game, ranking fourth in the league. Their win percentage when trailing first is .318, compared to .600 when they score first.
Although they didn’t score on Saturday, the Shane Wright, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen line continues to perform well. Bjorkstrand assisted on the game-tying goal with 50 seconds left in regulation, but he was the only member of the line on the ice when Jaden Schwartz found the equalizer.
Speaking of Jaden Schwartz, he might be one of the most underrated players in franchise history. His two goals on Saturday moved him into third place in goals scored in the Kraken’s brief history.
After the Kraken scored two goals with their goalie pulled on Saturday, I hope more people understand the strategy behind pulling the goalie when trailing. It’s a matter of math: there are points in a game where pulling the goalie gives you a better (albeit slim) chance to win. That chance is even slimmer if you leave the goalie in.
It’s been a while, but I loved Yanni Gourde’s comments during his intermission interview. I often get frustrated by the lack of honesty in player and coach interviews, so it’s refreshing when someone tells it like it is.
Candidate for intermission interview of the season right here from @PiperShawTV
Also Yanni Gourde is a real one. Ton of time for this guy.
The interview also reminded me how crushed I’ll feel when Yanni eventually leaves the Kraken.
It’s way too early, but I love the idea of Kaapo Kakko developing long-term chemistry with Matty Beniers. Like I said, it’s early, but it’s an exciting thought.
Despite how tough December has felt, the Kraken still managed to earn 50 percent of the points available, with a 5-6-2 record. A win Monday would push them over .500 for the month.
I still enjoy watching the Winter Classic. This year’s game, taking place Tuesday on New Year’s Eve, features the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.
The World Juniors have been a blast to watch, especially with so many Seattle Kraken prospects participating. Four out of the 10 teams in the tournament have at least one Kraken prospect.
Carson Rehkopf made his World Juniors debut against Germany, logging fewer than eight minutes of ice time.
Goal of the week
Speaking of the World Juniors, check out Eduard Šalé’s snipe from Czechia’s game against Slovakia.
Jakub Fibigr (CZE/SEA) – We’ve talked about Fibigr, an under-the-radar prospect for Seattle, before. But he continues to impress this season and has five assists in Czechia’s first three games at the World Juniors. Jaden Schwartz (SEA) – Both of Schwartz’s goals were pivotal in the Kraken’s comeback win against the Canucks. The first sparked hope, and the second sent the game to overtime. Kirill Marchenko (CBJ) – I’m not sure why, but I’ve watched a lot of Columbus Blue Jackets games this season, and Marchenko has been a joy to watch. He has three goals and four assists in his last four games. The Kraken visit Columbus next week.
The week ahead
Every game is crucial from here on out as the Kraken welcome three Western Conference teams to Climate Pledge Arena.
The first game is Monday against the Utah Hockey Club. This will be the first-ever matchup between the two teams, and it’s an important game for both sides. Utah is ranked higher than Seattle in the standings but is still battling to get into a wild card spot. Utah has lost its last two games but is 6-2-2 over its last 10.
I watched a lot of Utah HC’s games earlier this season and was convinced they were one of the stronger teams in the conference. Watching Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther move the puck around is entertaining, but I’m hoping we don’t see much of that Monday. Utah has been deadly on the power play, converting 33 percent of its opportunities over the last 10 games.
On Thursday night, the Vancouver Canucks return to Seattle, undoubtedly looking for redemption after Saturday’s epic collapse. The Canucks will be without Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes for this game, which could give the Kraken a significant advantage. Vancouver currently holds the last wild card spot, making this a prime opportunity for Seattle to gain ground with a regulation win.
Finally, the Kraken will host the Edmonton Oilers for the first time this season. After a slow start, the Oilers have been one of the best teams in the league since Nov. 1 and hold a 6-3-1 record against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena all time. Like the game against Utah, avoiding penalties will be critical, as Edmonton has converted nearly 35 percent of their power-play opportunities over the last 10 games.
