Seattle Kraken prospect and Moose Jaw Warriors forward Jagger Firkus has a lot of tools in his bag. The diminutive but electrifying winger scores goals and creates chances with his skill and creativity.
But when it comes to Jagger, it’s more of his swagger that differentiates him.
“He’s an infectious guy,” Moose Jaw head coach Mark O’Leary said. “He’s loud, he’s energetic, he’s a positive person, and it brings out the best in his teammates and makes him a popular teammate.
“Guys flock to him because of that positivity. He’s a cheerleader, whether it’s in the gym or we’re practicing or if guys are playing soccer or ping pong around the room. Jagger is encouraging, and he’s usually fired up about it. He’s trying to win, but he’s trying to cheer on his teammates as well. I think that over the course of a long season, guys like that.”
Firkus’ presence has been felt by O’Leary and Moose Jaw’s players since Firkus first joined the Western Hockey League, which is not an easy feat for a rookie entering a dressing room full of 19- and 20-year-olds.
“Even when he was called up as a 15-year-old, he was buzzing around the room,” O’Leary recalls. “He wasn’t that quiet kid sitting in the corner not saying anything; he was a little guy with the big red hair and a missing front tooth that wanted to play hockey and contribute.”
That confidence is what makes Firkus, the 35th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the player he is on the ice. The 18-year-old forward is on pace for back-to-back 80-point seasons in the Western Hockey League, the first of which postured him as one of the most intriguing forwards in his draft year and a top prospect in the Kraken system.
Part of his uniqueness comes from his creativity on the ice, his ability to maneuver through tight spaces, and the quick release on his shot. But his size — Firkus is listed at just 5-foot-10, 156 pounds — is what makes him a curious case as a prospect.
Most pundits agree Firkus has the tools to be an NHL contributor, but his size sprinkles mystery into his case for playing at that level.
However, while he’s well aware of his perceived limitations, it’s not something that bothers Firkus.
“I just embrace it,” Firkus said. “People are going to ask you about that, and I have an answer for it. So it doesn’t really worry me. I can’t change my size, so I can’t worry about that. It doesn’t really change me.”
One thing that’s working in Firkus’ favor: the stigma around smaller hockey players is slowly fading away as players like Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who Firkus said he likes to watch and incorporate details he sees into his own game, excel at the NHL level.
Another diminutive forward with experience in Moose Jaw comes to mind for O’Leary.
“He’s not necessarily Brayden Point, but he has a lot of Brayden Point in him,” said O’Leary, who was an assistant coach for the Warriors during Point’s career in Moose Jaw. “One of the things that made (Point) special was his ability to put pucks in places around his body and around his feet where he protects it and be hard on it … there are things as a smaller guy you can do to play heavy and I think Jagger does that.”
“He’s also a slippery guy. He plays with his head up, and like Brayden Point, he seems to be very good at being evasive of hard and heavy contact.”
Firkus’ durability backs up O’Leary’s claim, as he’s only missed four games in the last two WHL seasons.
The Irma, Alberta native also said he has tacked on a couple of pounds during the season and plans to be more aggressive with gaining weight during the upcoming offseason.
But right now, Firkus’ focus is more on the ice, in particular on rounding out his game, something the Kraken have worked with him on in video sessions during the season.
“There’s one specific thing they want me to work on and that’s just spacing with the puck,” Firkus said. “For a smaller guy, you need to find open ice so you can give yourself room and that’s one big thing that they’ve been helping me.”
O’Leary also called out that Firkus’ defensive game has expanded this season, which earned him a spot on Moose Jaw’s penalty kill.
But make no mistake, Firkus still is imbued with the freedom to make plays offensively. This season in particular, he’s played primarily on a line centered by Brayden Yager, who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The two have been “attached at the hip” since they both entered the WHL and showcase good chemistry with each other on and off the ice.
“He’s a fun guy to play with and just an unreal guy off the ice, too,” Firkus said.
Others would likely say the same thing about Firkus, whose aforementioned creative play style earned him the “Firkus Circus” nickname, which has an unknown origin but started in Moose Jaw and has spread to the rest of the hockey universe.
“I embrace it, I think it’s funny someone came up with that,” Firkus said.
Will the circus ever make its way to Seattle? That’s the burning question with any prospect, but especially one like Firkus, who harnesses more upside than most with his ability to put the puck in the back of the net and function as a playmaker for others.
He certainly has his supporters, including O’Leary, who is adamant that Firkus will crack the NHL.
“He’s got too much to offer,” O’Leary said. “He’ll find a way.”
The loss of Andrew Poturalski for the season and Jesper Froden to NHL callup have hurt the Firebirds’ depth, but Cameron Hughes and Tye Kartye have been integral in filling the void. Hughes has 15 points in his last 10 games and Kartye is nearly scoring at a goal-per-game pace with eight in that same stretch.
Kokko excelling on loan
Kraken goaltender Niklas Kokko, who was loaned to SaiPa in Finland’s top league last month, has been red hot for his new squad, posting a .949 save percentage in his last four starts.
It’s been an encouraging stretch for Kokko, who was selected by the Kraken 58th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Not only has the 18-year-old netminder posted encouraging numbers in Finland’s top league, Kokko shined for Finland’s U19 squad in an international tournament last month.
Wright healthy once again
After missing eight games with a lower-body injury, Shane Wright returned to the Windsor Spitfire’s lineup on Feb. 23. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 draft has two goals and three assists in five games since his return.
The prized prospect started off sweltering hot for the Spitfires with over two points per game before his prolonged absence. We certainly aren’t sounding the alarm due to his drop in production, but we’re keeping an eye on it.
The Spitfires certainly could use more out of Wright. Windsor, which has dropped four of its five games since Wright re-entered the lineup, is trailing the Ontario Hockey League Western Conference leading London Knights, which feature Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton, by two points. The Spitfires have eight games remaining in the regular season, with the Knights holding a game in hand. Windsor ends the season with back-to-back matchups with London.
Playoff update
OHL
Ty Nelson (third-round pick in 2022) and Kyle Jackson (seventh-round pick in 2022) of the North Bay Battalion have clinched a playoff spot and are currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. North Bay is 10 points off Ottawa for the top seed and unlikely to catch the 67s, but it is fending off the Barrie Colts for home ice in the second round. The Battalion is three points up on the Colts with eight games remaining, none of which are against each other.
Tucker Robertson (fourth-round pick in 2022) and the Peterborough Petes are still vying to secure their spot in the playoffs, but are more than likely to make it. The Petes are jockeying with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Mississauga Steelheads, and Sudbury Wolves, who feature Kraken forward prospect David Goyette, for home ice in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Petes have the inside track, with 65 points to Hamilton’s 64, Mississauga’s 62, and Sudbury’s 60, and have a game in hand on the Bulldogs.
WHL
Firkus and the Moose Jaw Warriors are likely locked into the 4-5 matchup in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Warriors lead Lethbridge by five points, with the Hurricanes holding a game in hand, for home ice in the first round. But watch out for Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats. They likely can’t catch Moose Jaw, but they are only five back of Lethbridge with a game in hand. A first-round matchup pitting Firkus and Bedard against each other would be highly entertaining.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Jacob Melanson (fifth-round pick in 2021) and the Sherbrooke Phoenix are currently in a tight battle for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Phoenix lead with 89 points, but the Gatineau Olympiques are hot on their tail with 88. Two of Sherbrooke’s nine remaining games are against Gatineau.
Liiga
Jani Nyman (second-round pick in 2022) and Ilves are in a dead heat with Tappara for the league’s top seed, with both teams boasting 110 points and Ilves having a game in hand. With three games remaining in the regular season, it may come down to the two teams clashing on Sunday in Ilves’ penultimate game of the campaign.
Kokko and SaiPa and Ville Ottavainen (fourth-round pick in 2021) of JYP will both miss the playoffs.
British Columbia Hockey League
Ben McDonald (third-round pick in 2022) and the West Kelowna Warriors are third in the Interior Division standings but are fending off Salmon Arm and Prince George, who is one point and four points back, respectively, with six games remaining. Salmon Arm holds a game in hand.
United States Hockey League
Barrett Hall (sixth-round pick in 2022) and the Green Bay Gamblers are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. There’s plenty of runway, however, with 16 games remaining in the regular season.
NCAA
Justin Janicke (seventh-round pick in 2021) and Notre Dame fell to Michigan State in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in a best-of-three series. The fourth-seeded Fighting Irish won Game 1 but failed to advance after dropping the next two to the Spartans, the No. 5 seed, and seriously jeopardized their chances of making it to the NCAA tournament. Janicke recorded one assist in the series.
Tyson Jugnauth (fourth-round pick in 2022) and seventh-seeded Wisconsin were swept by second-seeded Michigan in their first-round series. Jugnauth recorded two assists in the final two games of his freshman season. Also noteworthy: Wisconsin fired head coach Tony Granato, who ran the program for seven seasons.
Josh Horton
Josh Horton is a freelance writer, former newspaper journalist, and erstwhile Western Hockey League writer for the Everett Herald and The Spokesman-Review (Spokane). He is NOT a juggler, nor is he a former professional baseball player. Follow him on Twitter @byjoshhorton.
Making his first return to Columbus since being traded to the Kraken, all eyes were on Oliver Bjorkstrand Friday night as Seattle continued its four-game road trip. But, it would be a different former Blue Jacket who would score the game-winning goal in the third period and take the spotlight. Alex Wennberg scored a power-play goal in the final 20 that put the Kraken ahead in a 4-2 win against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
“Obviously, it’s really nice to get that goal,” Wennberg said. “I think the last time I scored a goal was against Columbus as well. So I mean, it’s a little nice for me to come and play your old team and have that success to score goals. But I mean, right now, it doesn’t really matter who scores. We got to win these games. It’s back-to-back and it’s a huge game to step up and get this win. We’ll take it and move on.”
The Kraken have started their four-game road trip with three-straight wins. Wennberg would add an assist on the night. He was originally a first-round draft pick by Columbus in 2013 and played six seasons with the Blue Jackets.
After Adam Boqvist scored on a rebound to tie the game 2-2 at 4:53 of the third period, Seattle went on a power play. Wennberg was in front of the net; he pivoted and slid the puck past goalie Elvis Merzlikins for his 11th of the season and gave the Kraken a 3-2 lead.
Brandon Tanev scored an empty-net goal for the second game in a row, at 19:12 to finish the 4-2 final.
“We were pretty consistent throughout a lot of specialty teams,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “On a back-to-back, I’d rather see a little bit more five-on-five, but you know, really consistent effort.”
Jared McCann scored a goal to become the first Kraken to reach the 30-goal mark and added an assist. Jordan Eberle scored a goal, and Vince Dunn had two assists for the Kraken (35-26-6), who will wrap up their trip in Colorado on Sunday. Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves.
Patrik Laine and Boqvist each had a goal and assist for Columbus (20-36-5), who end the season series against Seattle 0-2-0. Elvis Merzlikins gave the Blue Jackets a chance by making 31 saves.
Laine broke up what looked like a goalie battle with a snipe on the power play at 10:18 of the second period to make it 1-0.
“We’ve been good on the PK,” Hakstol said. “When you make a mistake against that guy, he’s gonna find a hole and it was an elite shot on his part. But, we’ve been good [on the PK]. We’ve been consistent and working hard there.”
The Kraken would react, scoring twice in less than a minute. It would be McCann first, who blasted a shot from the top of the circle, which is becoming his favorite shooting spot, at 13:20 to tie the game at 1-1. It was the third straight game he has at least one goal, and this one was his 30th.
“It’s awesome,” McCann said of scoring 30 for the first time in his career. “Like, it’s great, but at the same time, we’re still trying to accomplish something as a team and we have a great group of guys in here that I’m happy that things stayed the way they were.”
McCann would be involved in the second goal of the period, at 14:08 to give the Kraken a 2-1 lead. McCann’s shot was stopped by Merzlikins, but the rebound went to Eberle who quickly fired it on net and scored his 14th goal and 50th point this season.
Merzlikins kept Blue Jackets in it
Seattle led in nearly every offensive category and could have won the game a lot easier if it weren’t for Merzlikins.
The Kraken outshot Columbus 35-23, including an 11-5 advantage in the second period. On top of those numbers, Seattle took 55.6 percent of the shot attempts while at 5-on-5, and had 71 percent of the shot advantage in the second period.
Tentacle tales
Bjorkstrand played just over 12 minutes, and had an assist, but left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury. He did not return to the game, and Hakstol did not have an update after.
Believe this is Oliver Bjorkstrand's last shift tonight, before he left with a lower-body injury.
He's in the frame for most of this video, disappears for a moment, then cuts his shift short and heads to the bench. Nothing obvious. #SeaKrakenpic.twitter.com/OjVVcO4fFC
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Seattle Kraken overcame several defensive lapses Thursday and got two more huge standings points with a 5-4 overtime win over the Red Wings.
It was a high-flying, back-and-forth affair in which Seattle let a lesser opponent hang around by making some big defensive boo-boos. Good on ’em, though; they stuck with it and got the win in the end.
“We gotta stay patient, try to get back on track, and not make those mistakes,” said Oliver Bjorkstrand. “It’s a close game in the end, and it’s just important we got the job done.”
Jared McCann and Bjorkstrand got two goals each, and Philipp Grubauer replaced Martin Jones early in the second period, making 16 saves to earn the win.
Here are our Three Takeaways from a nerve-racking 5-4 Kraken victory against the Red Wings.
Takeaway #1: A timely goaltending change
When Seattle lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 10, we thought there were several moments in which coach Dave Hakstol should have given Jones the hook. It’s not always about the goalie, but when you make a change, it can have a calming effect for the rest of the team. Plus, you can usually tell by the third goal against if your goalie has it on a particular night. We didn’t think Jones had it that night at MSG, and we didn’t think he had it Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.
Against the Red Wings, Hakstol didn’t hesitate. Jones gave up a stinker—his third in two games—on an unscreened, short-side offering by Ben Chiarot at 3:07 of the first period. That negated Jared McCann’s game-opening goal and came on Detroit’s first shot of the game.
Red Wings answer and tie it on their first shot of the game. Not sure about that one. A couple questionable goals last game, too. 😬
Early in the second, with the Kraken up 3-2 and hemmed in their zone, Jones went for a swim, overcommitting on Filip Zadina, who skated himself out of a shooting position. Zadina made a nifty backhand pass to Jonatan Berggren, and the net was wide open for an easy goal.
That was all Hakstol needed to see, and he sent in Philipp Grubauer after Jones had allowed three goals on just twelve shots.
#SeaKraken get hemmed in for a long time early in the 2nd, and the play ends with Zadina making a sick pass to Berggren, the game getting tied, and Martin Jones getting yanked after three goals on 12 shots.
“Jonesy— I didn’t think he was seeing the puck as well as he normally does,” said Hakstol. “That particular goal, the third goal, there was a lot of things that happened in front of him that we need to be better in defending. But we wanted to get Grubi in there to change the momentum a little bit, settle things down.”
Hakstol was rewarded for the decision; Grubauer was outstanding. He stopped 16 of 17 shots in 39:51 of game time, and the lone goal he allowed fell heavily on the shoulders of the defenders in front of him (more on that in Takeaway #2).
Grubauer’s best save was a save-of-the-year candidate. Late in the second period, and with the game in a tenuous position at 4-4, the Kraken had one of their many defensive breakdowns. Matty Beniers, Adam Larsson, and Vince Dunn all got caught below the goal line at the same time, and the puck ended up on Joe Veleno’s stick in front of the net without a Kraken defender in the neighborhood.
Veleno waited, deked, and appeared to have Grubauer dead to rights. But Grubauer lunged to his right and made an unbelievable save with the heel of his stick.
“It was a pretty athletic save in desperation,” said Hakstol. “He got back with his blocker and stick to make a huge save, and that kind of set the tone and settled things down for us.”
What a save!
Takeaway #2: The Kraken defense is shoddy right now
We aren’t sure what has been going on with Seattle’s team defense since the All-Star break, but it needs improvement. It’s easy to point at the goalie and say, “He should have had that,” but bad breakdowns led to Adam Erne’s six-on-five goal late in the first and Jake Walman’s highlight-reel goal late in the second. And, let’s not forget the aforementioned Veleno opportunity on which Grubauer rescued his mates.
“We felt like we kind of gave our goalies a tough time tonight with making saves, and obviously didn’t make it easy for ourselves,” said McCann. “We need to clean it up and be better tomorrow.”
On the Erne goal, Seattle had a delayed penalty coming, and Ville Husso was off for an extra Detroit skater. Larsson and Dunn were right next to Erne, but Larsson engaged with Veleno and Dunn did nothing to tie up Erne’s stick or push him out of Jones’s grill. Erne got his stick on Mo Seider’s shot and deflected it inside the post.
The Walman goal was a comedy of errors. First, Alex Wennberg threw a pizza to the blue line, before Jaden Schwartz bit on the fake shot and slid right by Walman. Meanwhile, Will Borgen and Jamie Oleksiak stood at either side of the goal crease, while David Perron was left all alone to screen Grubauer.
What a goal by Jake Walman!
Wennberg threw a pizza🍕, then Walman faked Schwartz out of his… shorts. Perron provided the screen in front.
It’s becoming a common theme over several high-scoring games in a row that when Seattle gives up goals, they seem to have guys in the area that could take the body or lift up sticks, but they get caught puck watching.
Thankfully for their playoff hopes, the Kraken have played a couple inferior teams in a row, and they’ve gotten away with inconsistent play in their own zone. But, that needs to change quickly if they’re going to get past some of the better teams they’re set to face down the stretch.
“There’s a lot of things in there that we could critique and we want to be better at,” said Hakstol. “A lot of times that comes back to our puck play, but we were able to find a way through.”
Takeaway #3: Jared McCann and Oliver Bjorkstrand come up big
That was a pretty negative Takeaway for a crucial win, so let’s close this thing out with some warm fuzzies. Jared McCann and Oliver Bjorkstrand had a big night offensively for the Kraken and pushed them past the Red Wings.
We gave credit to Hakstol for his timely goalie change, but we also need to call out the lineup adjustment he made before the St. Louis game on Tuesday. It was a gutsy decision for him to separate Bjorkstrand from Seattle’s most consistent line with Yanni Gourde and Eeli Tolvanen, but the move has paid off with two straight wins.
Hakstol was clearly reluctant to make that change, which is why he tried guys like Brandon Tanev and Jesper Froden in Andre Burakovsky’s spot in the top six. But those guys are not top-six forwards. Oliver Bjorkstrand is a top-six forward, and he showed why on Thursday with two nice goals, including the overtime game winner.
Bjorkstrand’s first goal showed his offensive wherewithal in a couple different ways. First, he tried to set up Alex Wennberg with the always-dangerous pass off the pads. It did go to Wennberg but came off Husso’s pads a little too hot to for Wennberg to be able to skate into it. Instead, Bjorkstrand smartly crashed the net, and his old Blue Jackets teammate gave the puck back for an easy tap in.
BJORKSTRAND GIVES 'EM BACK THE LEAD! 🚨
Lots happening early here.
Pretty play, as Bjorkstrand makes the pass off the pad to Wennberg, who gives it right back for an easy tap in.
“Every time [Wennberg] gets the puck, you got to get open,” said Bjorkstrand. “The rebound came to him, and I knew that if I found that area, he would try to find me. He made a good pass, and easy for me to put it in.”
Bjorkstrand’s second goal finally gave the Kraken an official power-play goal on the night, after they scored two separate times, mere seconds after power plays had expired. With a four-on-three advantage, Bjorkstrand made a simple play, looping around the zone, and shooting against the grain as Schwartz took away Husso’s eyes.
McCann, meanwhile, is somewhat quietly having a phenomenal season. He set another new career high for goals Thursday, using his quick release to score twice in the first period. He now has 29 on the season, and would have had No. 30 and a hat trick if he hadn’t launched a shot over an open net at the first period horn.
The Kraken face another inferior opponent Friday in Columbus. With the change to the top six, the offense seems to be clicking again. Now, if they can just clean up some of the defensive mistakes, they could get back on a roll in March.
For the Sharks, it was home win No. 6, and for the Kraken, it was a blown opportunity to make up ground in the Pacific Division playoff race.
“We just didn’t skate; we didn’t skate hard enough,” Kraken forward Yanni Gourde said. “They dictated the pace of the game, we adjusted to them, which should never happen with our group. I think our group is good enough where we should impose the pace of the game every single night.”
Goalie James Reimer made 26 stops for his second shutout of the season for the Sharks (18-29-11), who came into Monday losers of three straight. Evgeny Svechnikov and Logan Couture each had a goal and an assist, and Erik Karlsson had two assists.
Martin Jones made the start against his former team and made 19 saves for the Kraken (32-19-6), who had a mini two-game win streak end.
“We talked about it before the game, how this team works and skates, and they did, they did what they do,” Hakstol said. “They work, they skate and in a 3-0 hole, that’s pretty deep to dig out of…They were quicker and harder at the puck. I can use a lot of different adjectives I guess, to talk about it. But they were working at a level that they were dictating those battles.”
San Jose, who was playing without leading goal scorer Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl managed to break open a scoreless game in the second period and put away the Kraken attack.
Whether it was the early start or a team looking ahead to big matchups with Boston (on Thursday) or Toronto (on Sunday), Seattle just never seemed to find its legs or energy.
“We’re NHL players for a reason, can’t find excuses, just have to go out and battle it out,” Gourde said.
After a first period where neither team scored, the Sharks broke the ice at 10:45 of the second period on a goal credited to Couture to make it 1-0. On the faceoff, Gourde tried to clear the puck but accidentally fired it on the Seattle net and surprised Jones.
“I’m trying to win a face-off; I don’t think Jonesy sees the puck at all from the face-off,” Gourde said. “Dunner’s kind of right there and I think it goes right by Dunner’s foot. It’s a quick play, [Jones] doesn’t have time to react and it’s in the back of the net.”
D'OH!
1-0 Sharks. Martin Jones, Vince Dunn, and Yanni Gourde are all going to want that one back. Logan Couture gets credit.
At 16:08, Vince Dunn attempted a cross-ice pass that was intercepted by Svechnikov, who walked in alone, made one move, and beat Jones to make it 2-0.
The second-period Sharks onslaught continued at 19:42 when Gregor made it 3-0 after skating the puck off the boards and seeing the sea part, which allowed him to get in close where he scored his fourth of the season.
Michael Eyssimont scored for the 4-0 final at 16:57 of the third.
Opportunity lost
Had Seattle won on Monday, the Kraken would have jumped to tie the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division, moving ahead of the Los Angeles Kings along the way. Both teams were idle Monday.
The Kraken have a practice scheduled for Wednesday, as they prepare for the challenge of the Boston Bruins at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday.
Tentacle Tales
The Kraken were shut out for the third time this season.
Forward Eeli Tolvanen had a five-game point streak snapped.
Couture has hit the 20-goal mark for the 10th season.
Jared McCann also had a five-game point streak come to an end.
The vibes were immaculate for the Seattle Kraken Saturday morning, as they took the ice at Kraken Community Iceplex in preparation for their game against the Detroit Red Wings. It was a mostly full house for the skate anyway, as players, coaches, and families participating in the Can/Am youth hockey tournament at KCI looked on. But in addition to the Can/Am participants, Kraken players saw some familiar faces watching from behind the plexiglass; their dads.
For the first time, Seattle has invited the team’s fathers and mentors to watch the Kraken play at home Saturday, and they will then go on the road trip to San Jose this week. The Kraken would have had an event like this last season, but it got nixed because of COVID restrictions.
The presence of the VIP guests elevated the mood in the dressing room to an all-time high. In a clever move by Kraken PR, Jordan Eberle, Matty Beniers, and Morgan Geekie addressed the media alongside their fathers, Darren, Bob, and Craig. Hilarity ensued, as did plenty of poetic waxing and expressions of pride from the papas as they beamed talking about their respective sons.
Hidden talents
You can learn a lot about an NHL player by talking to his dad. Darren Eberle (great name), for example, divulged that his son is an aspiring musician. “You might not know that he thinks he’s a good guitar player,” the elder Eberle joked. “But the worst part about it is he’s learning to sing. I play guitar, so that’s the one thing I’m actually better than him at is guitar. And so I like to rub that in.”
Darren Eberle and Jordan Eberle addressed media at Kraken Community Iceplex Saturday morning. (Photo/Darren Brown)
Craig Geekie and his son connect through video games, a passion Morgan has shared publicly in the past. We knew Morgan was a stellar Mario Kart player, but we didn’t know his talent carries over to Call of Duty as well. “If it was CoD, because him and I play CoD with each other, I might say he’s a little bit better in CoD than he is in Mario Kart,” said Craig. “But I could be way off.”
“I think that’s saying how good I am at CoD,” Morgan joked.
Craig also shared that Morgan “Is turning into a pretty decent mechanic. How’s that? He’s fixing up his Jeep, which I’m pretty proud of.”
The Geekie’s also talked about how Morgan got his big slapshot, which Morgan said Craig wouldn’t let him use until he was 13 years old. “His shot, for whatever reason— it must take after his mum, for sure, in terms of his shot. Because he always had a really exceptional shot growing up, and I had a lot of people say that he was kind of above his years.”
Growing up with dad as the coach
Most hockey players can recall different memories from riding home from games with their parents and how the interactions would go on those rides.
“Depends how [the game] went,” said Morgan Geekie. Before he could continue, Craig jumped in. “Come on, I wasn’t that bad!” he said, defending himself. “There was a couple ultimatums in there,” quipped Morgan.
Morgan and Craig Geekie talked to media at Kraken Community Iceplex. (Photo/Darren Brown)
All three of Beniers, Geekie, and Eberle were coached by their respective fathers at some point as kids, and they all had unique perspectives to share about that relationship.
“He said I was the toughest coach ever,” said Darren Eberle. “He said ‘you benched me more than any of my coaches ever.’” Jordan corroborated what his father said. “He was probably one of the harder coaches on me. A lot of coaches would play me more; he would bench me if I wasn’t playing well.”
Bob Beniers coached Matty for 10 years, and over that time, Matty recalled Bob driving him all over the East Coast of the United States and beyond. “Canada, Buffalo, all these different places, and we were like 10,” said Matty. “Looking back on it, it’s pretty awesome that he was able to do that, but it all worked out, and it was a lot of fun.”
Bob knows he’s not Matty’s coach anymore, but he’s still very much along for the ride. “No, he’s on his own now. But it’s been fun. It’s been fun to watch his short experience here. It’s been a great organization so far and great coaching.”
Bob Beniers admitted that watching his 20-year-old son play in the NHL makes him a lot more nervous than when he was his youth coach.
Reaching the NHL is a long, hard journey
All three of the dads who met with media were visibly proud for their sons, who have worked so hard to get to the NHL. Interestingly, while the Beniers family saw Matty growing into a star player, Bob said they never talked about him making it to the world’s best league.
“We never talked about him playing professional hockey,” Bob said. “We only talked about him going to college and playing hockey in college. So this is an amazing treat, and he’s earned it, so I’m very proud of him.”
Craig Geekie gave us a glimpse behind the curtain about what it has taken for Morgan to reach this level. “Everybody from the outside always sees it as a pretty glamorous opportunity, right?” Craig said. “They don’t see the daily struggles. Whether it’s mental, whether it’s physical, whether it’s— you know, there’s so much stuff behind the scenes I just don’t think everybody sees on how hard it is to get here.”
A special experience for the coach, too
Coach Dave Hakstol has his father-in-law, Tim O’Keefe, on the trip, and the event is special for Hakstol as well. “It’s an awesome opportunity,” he said. “I mean, there’s a ton of new energy that comes in when dads and family members are here.” It’s O’Keefe’s first opportunity to do a trip like this, so Hakstol says he’s thrilled and happy to have him around.
We somewhat jokingly asked Hakstol if he was able to immediately connect any of the visiting fathers with their sons, even before being introduced. “What, are you trying to get me in trouble here?” Hakstol joked. “No, there’s some pretty neat personalities, though. I can tell you that. It’s been a couple hours here… You get them into this environment where everybody is here, you start to see some of the personalities come out. That’ll be one of the neat things throughout the weekend as it develops and as guys spend more and more time together.”
Hakstol was also asked why his father-in-law didn’t join him when he addressed the media. “Because I would not get one word in,” said Hakstol with a wry grin.
The NHL Trade Deadline is an inflection point when a team’s front office is faced with the challenge of weighing the future against the present. Does this year’s team have a chance of making the playoffs? Does it have a chance of winning the Stanley Cup? And does the answer to one of those questions hinge on upgrading talent somewhere on the roster or filling a spot left by an injury? If so, how many future assets are you willing to sacrifice to fill those holes?
“I like what our guys are doing,” Seattle general manager Ron Francis said in an interview with NHL.com on Monday. “I like the way we believe in each other and play for each other right now. If there is a piece there that makes sense, and it isn’t at a ridiculous price, we’ll certainly look at it, but we’re not going to do anything that’s crazy at this point.”
First-round draft picks have immense value relative to other draft assets. Surely, those picks are off the table, right? Many teams, not to mention fanbases, likely felt this way last year at the deadline, but seven separate deals involved a first-round draft pick moving from one team to another. Ten others included at least one second-round pick. In other words, if you’re looking to buy a top-17 trade asset at the deadline, you’re going to pay an uncomfortable price. Prices are high and buyers are faced with a time-sensitive decision: Is the chance at a better playoff outcome this year worth it? Is there any value in the deal beyond this playoff run?
The Seattle Kraken are confronting these questions right now, 15 days out from the March 3, 2023, trade deadline. Francis told NHL.com the team would “sit and wait, [and] see where we are and see what the prices are and make some decisions as we get closer to the deadline.”
In constructing a big board of potential trade targets, I considered a player eligible if they met one of two criteria: (1) the player is a pending unrestricted free agent on a team out of playoff contention; or (2) the player has been identified as “available” in trade conversations by reliable league insiders I have seen. Players in the first category are classic “rental” options, but some may not be “available” in reality due to the team’s desire to retain the player. Likewise, with regard to the second category, we need to recognize that even credible insiders get inaccurate or indirect information, and some of these players may not be realistically “available.”
On the other hand, the board is under-inclusive too. There are going to be pending restricted free agents or players with another year or more on their contracts that are available but have not been identified by league insiders. Jaycob Megna falls into this category, actually. He was not on early drafts of my trade deadline big board because he has another year on his contract and had not been floated as a trade option, as far as I saw. Even so, I resisted the urge to expand the big board to include additional players on non-contenders to avoid the board becoming unwieldy or full of “wishful thinking.”
To finalize the big board, first, I separated the players by position and contract term (e.g., “pending unrestricted free agent defensemen”) and ordered them based on my assessment of each player’s potential value for this Seattle Kraken team. I then disqualified players I felt (1) would not be usable, even as depth, on this Kraken team, (2) could not conceivably justify the projected acquisition cost; or (3) were not realistic options for Seattle, given the team’s cap situation. Patrick Kane and John Klingberg are notable players I omitted from the final big board because, in my opinion, they fall in the second category. Vladislav Gavrikov is another one. Erik Karlsson is a player you won’t see on the board either because I put him in the third category. Finally, I rounded out the big board with a “long-shot candidates” category that included marginal candidates for the Kraken due to the projected cost or fit.
Ok, let’s dive in.
The trade deadline big board
Pending unrestricted free-agent defensemen
Nick Holden defends Jordan Eberle at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Kyle Burroughs | Vancouver | Age: 27 | RD | 2 goals, 0 assists, 34.9 min PK TOI | Contract: $750,000
Notes: The supply of “rental” defensemen is relatively weak, which suggests to me that as contenders look to solidify their defensive depth chart going into the playoffs, the cost for these players could soar beyond potential value they could deliver. (This seller’s market dynamic could creep into the market for defensemen with term left on their contracts too.) This underscores the strength of Seattle’s early move to pick up Jaycob Megna for a marginal cost (a low fourth-round draft pick). Megna has a year left on his contract and compares favorably to the names below Nick Holden on the above list.
Shayne Gostisbehere is a standout offensive player who can contribute in transition, in the offensive zone, and on the power play, where he’d likely step in as the first-unit blueliner. His work in the defensive zone is less strong, and ideally he’d be on a third pair at even strength. Some of his best seasons were with Dake Hakstol in Philadelphia.
As an aside, John Klingberg is something of an exaggerated version of Gostisbehere: better on offense but worse on defense. His truly shocking defensive metrics led me to disqualify him, despite his previous links to Seattle. If the Kraken are not as pessimistic on his defense, Klingberg would factor into this conversation as an alternative in this same range, similar to Gostisbehere.
Jake Walman is a younger player on an upward trajectory who is well thought of by some scouts and most data analysts, even if his play hasn’t translated into counting stats or wide acclaim yet. Detroit has indicated it would like to keep him, but if talks don’t advance in the next couple weeks, it will need to at least consider moving him to mitigate the risk he leaves for nothing.
The remainder of the players are potential depth pieces. Jarred Tinordi is big blueliner with surprisingly good penalty differential and play-driving metrics; he is on IR at the moment, but it is not thought of as a long-term injury. Nick Holden is a veteran who could bring some leadership and penalty killing experience.
Mattias Ekholm handles the puck at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Jake McCabe | Chicago | Age: 29 | LD | 2 goals, 14 assists, 98.4 min PK TOI | Contract: $4,000,000 x 2 years (M-NTC)
Mattias Ekholm | Nashville | Age: 32 | LD | 5 goals, 12 assists, 77.0 min PP TOI, 132.1 min PK TOI | Contract: $6,250,000 x 3 years
These two players are interesting because they could elevate Seattle’s second pairing for a playoff run and also provide insurance for Seattle at left defense long term. There is a bit of uncertainty with two Kraken mainstays on the left side. Carson Soucy is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, and there is some sentiment he may move on after the year.
Vince Dunn is not under contract either. He will be a restricted free agent, which theoretically gives Seattle the inside track to retain him, but Dunn’s standout season this year likely puts the team and the player in a tenuous position. In my analysis, comparable players create a projection of somewhere between $6.5 million and $9.5 million AAV on a (very) long-term deal for Dunn. Such a contract makes sense only if the team views Dunn as a franchise defenseman. Does the team see him that way after an up-and-down tenure in St. Louis, followed by one up-and-down year and one brilliant year in Seattle?
Jake McCabe is not flashy but delivers strong support on offense and suppresses shots effectively on defense while avoiding penalties. His cap hit is manageable this year and for two more after. He would likely displace Jamie Oleksiak as the third-best defenseman on the team right away and bolster the team’s depth significantly.
Mattias Ekholm is a high-end, even-strength play-driver on both offense and defense with first-pair ability. He could form a devastating shutdown pairing with fellow Swede Adam Larsson in the playoffs or anchor a second pair that approaches the strength of the Larsson-Dunn combination. He plays a lot but with less production on special teams. Adding Ekholm would be tremendous insurance against the loss of Dunn, but taking on three more years of a $6.25 million cap hit would significantly reduce the team’s capacity to pay Dunn the contract he would likely want. If the team can only have one, is the team better off long term with Ekholm or Dunn? Additionally, I question whether Nashville is actually serious about moving Ekholm given the Predators are still in the playoff chase.
Adding McCabe or Ekholm would likely involve trading away Carson Soucy to create roster space and additional assets for a deal.
Pending unrestricted free-agent forwards
Pius Suter contends with Alex Wennberg at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Ryan O’Reilly | St. Louis | Age: 32 | C | 12 goals, 6 assists, 54.0% FO%, 78.2 min PP TOI, 69.8 min PK TOI | Contract: $7,500,000
Tyler Bertuzzi | Detroit | Age: 28 | LW/RW | 2 goals, 6 assists, 59.2 min PP TOI | Contract: $4,750,000
Noel Acciari | St. Louis | Age: 31 | C/RW | 10 goals, 8 assists, 89.3 min PK TOI, 53.9% FO% | Contract: $1,250,000
Pius Suter | Detroit | Age: 27 | C/LW | 7 goals, 6 assists, 48.8% FO%, 51.0 min PK TOI | Contract: $3,250,000
Nick Bonino | San Jose | Age: 34 | C/LW | 9 goals, 9 assists, 50.3% FO%, 108.9 min PK TOI | Contract: $2,050,000 (M-NTC)
Nick Bjugstad | Arizona | Age: 30 | C/RW | 13 goals, 10 assists, 47.0% FO%, 118.3 mins PK TOI | Contract: $900,000
Sean Monahan | Montreal | Age: 28 | C/LW/RW | 6 goals, 11 assists, 55.1% FO%, 78.8 min PP TOI, 41.3 min PK TOI | Contract: $6,375,000 (M-NTC)
Ivan Barbashev | St. Louis | Age: 27 | C/LW/RW | 10 goals, 17 assists, 98.6 min PP TOI | Contract: $2,250,000
Gustav Nyquist | Columbus | Age: 33 | LW/RW | 10 goals, 12 assists, 88.4 min PP TOI, 83.1 min PK TOI | Contract: $5,500,000
The “rental” market for forwards is a bit deeper than it is for defensemen, with a number of interesting names that could check off one or multiple needs for Seattle. Since the Kraken already have solid NHL-caliber forward depth, I could envision a scenario where the team moves one of those pieces to make an addition. If Andre Burakovsky is out for months, it is more likely the team keeps all of its forwards.
Ryan O’Reilly tops this list because of the fit, but I think his likely acquisition cost could push him close to the “long shot” category. O’Reilly has had a down season, hampered by a foot injury. But, if he is at least 75 percent healthy, he could bring toughness, leadership, defense, and standout face-off ability to the Kraken. The Kraken could desperately use all of the traits when things get a little more difficult in April and beyond. I don’t think this move is very realistic, but there are few players on the list who could dramatically alter the team’s prospects (and do so without even scoring). O’Reilly is one.
Noel Acciari is a versatile, right-shot, bottom-of-the-lineup center who can be physical, take hard defensive zone minutes, kill penalties, and man the face-off dot effectively. Even better, Acciari’s face-off numbers tick up on the penalty kill, checking in at 56.5 percent. Nick Bonino is an alternative to Acciari who brings some of the same elements, likely at a lower cost.
Tyler Bertuzzi is a quality play-driving and goal-scoring top-nine wing whose value may be at an all-time low because he is shooting just 4.9 percent. His underlying metrics remain solid, and his career shooting percentage is in the upper echelon at 14.7 percent. He can score on the power play and at even strength. I really like the value proposition, but his fit with the Kraken isn’t as strong since he doesn’t have the ability to play center or take face-offs.
Pius Suter is another interesting name from Detriot who has never really broken out from a bottom-six role but sports solid metrics across the board. Suter is a better fit than Bertuzzi because he can take draws and kill penalties effectively.
Nick Bjugstad is a name that is frequently mentioned on the trade market. He has good size and physicality, and his contract would be easy to assume. On the other hand, he hasn’t been very productive on face-offs or on the penalty kill, so there are some arguments against his fit in Seattle.
Forwards with team control beyond this year
Adam Henrique tries to get past Adam Larsson at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Adam Henrique | Anaheim | Age: 33 | C/LW | 19 goals, 13 assists, 51.8% FO% | Contract: $5,825,000 x 1 year (M-NTC)
Sam Lafferty | Chicago | Age: 27 | C/LW/RW | 8 goals, 11 assists, 53.3% FO%, 90.4 min PK TOI | Contract: $1,150,000 x 1 year
Adam Henrique is an interesting fit for the Kraken, but he comes with a contract that extends for one more season at $5,825,000. This is not an unreasonable number for him, but the Kraken are already heavily invested in their existing forward group for the 2023-24 season. It is a situation they could work out by subtracting a piece in the offseason, though. Henrique is skilled on the face-off dot and brings center/wing versatility on the left side that could support a player like Matty Beniers. He’d bring another goal scorer with a proven power play track record too.
Sam Lafferty may be the most interesting “realistic” candidate on the entire big board, followed perhaps by Noel Acciari. Lafferty is a physical, versatile, right-shot forward who can play anywhere at the bottom of the lineup, but he has had success on the face-off dot this year. He has been Chicago’s best penalty-killing forward this season too, exhibiting the biggest positive impact among forwards on his team’s total shot quality while he is on the ice shorthanded relative to his teammates (i.e., “relative xG%”). He could immediately step in on the first penalty kill unit, as the fourth-line center, and take key draws, solidifying multiple weaker areas. He would also be a solid option to fill those roles next year at a reasonable cap hit. Adding Lafferty would decrease the likelihood that Morgan Geekie is a long-term Kraken.
Long-shot candidates
Jakob Chychrun waits for a faceoff at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Timo Meier | San Jose | Age: 25 | LW | 31 goals, 21 assists, 167.1 min PP TOI | Contract: $6,000,000 (RFA expiry)
Dylan Larkin | Detroit | Age: 26 | C | 20 goals, 30 assists, 54.1% FO%, 189.0 min PP TOI, 94.9 min PK TOI | Contract: $6,100,000
Jakub Vrána | Detroit | Age: 26 | LW | 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 games played | Contract: $5,250,000 x 1 year
Anthony Duclair | Florida | Age: 27 | LW | no stats; 31 goals, 27 assists in 2021-22 | Contract: $3,000,000 x 1 year
Jakob Chychrun | Arizona | Age: 24 | Pos: LD | 7 goals, 21 assists, 108.0 min PP TOI | Contract: $4,600,000 x 2 years
Jonathan Toews | Chicago | Age: 34 | C | 14 goals, 14 assists, 63.3% FO%, 141.2 min PP TOI, 55.1 min PK TOI | Contract: $10,500,000 (NMC)
As mentioned above, these are “interesting” names that are marginal probability candidates for one reason or another. Timo Meier is a bona fide All-Star-caliber scorer and all-around producer who is still just 25 years old and open to a long-term deal. He is one of the only players on this list for whom I could justify giving up a first-round pick and/or top prospect. If the Kraken want to get aggressive and move capital, he would be at the top of my list (along with Troy Terry, whom I have not seen discussed as a trade option).
If Meier is 1A, Dylan Larkin would be 1B on my list of “aggressive” targets, but he is less likely to be moved by Detroit, and the acquisition price is likely to be even higher. Larkin is a first-line center and All-Star producer in all areas of the game. Adding Larkin would open the window to immediate contention, but I would imagine the package would need to be something like Shane Wright, Ty Nelson, a first-round pick, and one-or-more second-round picks. It is justifiable, but Ron Francis’s history and his commentary suggest the team is unlikely to go there.
Jakub Vrána is a first-line offensive weapon at the wing, who is likely available on the cheap. But with him comes an incredible amount of uncertainty owing only partially to his stint in the player assistance program this year. He was on waivers a couple months ago and every team passed. Even on his best days he doesn’t bring much defense, and he would come with a hefty commitment for next season too, which, again, may not make sense for the Kraken.
Anthony Duclair is a stand-in for a few players the Florida Panthers could conceivably look to move to solve a cap crunch. Other potential trade candidates include Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett. That said, Florida seems likely to retain as many assets as possible as it tries to work its way back into the playoff picture. All of these Florida forwards could fill a role if the price were right. Duclair is working his way back from achilles tendon surgery, but could be nearing a return.
Jesse Puljujarvi is looking more like a bottom-of-the-lineup checking forward these days, but the same could have been said of Valeri Nichushkin at the same stage in his career. He is good at what he does: driving the puck away from his goal and toward the opponent’s goal at even strength. Beyond that there are many gaps in his game. In the abstract, I still really like the player as a reclamation project, but the fit may not be ideal this season as the Kraken consider addressing other specific needs for a playoff push.
The case for Jakob Chychrun is similar to the case for McCabe and Ekholm, but the acquisition price is likely to be higher than the Kraken are willing to pay, unless Seattle is effectively prepared to trade Dunn in the offseason to recoup some assets.
Finally, there is Jonathan Toews. He has been mentioned as a fit for the Kraken due to his league-leading face-off production. Otherwise he’s a shadow of his former self and comes with both a hefty price tag and legitimate questions about his leadership. There are some elements of a “fit,” but I don’t really see it right now.
The acquisition of Jaycob Megna has already addressed the first need for a depth defenseman. The Megna deal also provides insurance on the fourth need: Megna is a capable penalty killer when he draws in. How could the Kraken attack the other need areas with this market for players?
Strategies the Kraken could deploy
Shayne Gostisbehere stick handles at Climate Pledge Arena (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Aggressive buyer
I would consider the Kraken to have taken an “aggressive” deadline approach if they part with a first-round pick, a top prospect like Shane Wright, or a roster player (in something other than a salary or roster dump) plus other draft capital at the deadline. Examples of this approach could be trades for Ryan O’Reilly or Mattias Ekholm.
Based on historical prices, and the market set by the Bo Horvat and Vladimir Tarasenko deals, I would expect an O’Reilly deal would likely cost a top-100 prospect (e.g., Ty Nelson), a roster player (e.g., Morgan Geekie) and either a first-round pick or multiple picks including at least one second-round pick if concerns about the player’s foot persist.
The market for Ekholm could be tempered a bit based on the term left on his deal. Still, I expect a return for Ekholm to be better or comparable to the package Seattle obtained for Mark Giordano and Colin Blackwell (two second-rounders and a third-rounder). From Seattle’s perspective, if it could move Carson Soucy for a second-round pick, the cost would be at least Soucy, a second-rounder, and a third-rounder, plus the costs of additional cap gymnastics necessary to bring in the Ekholm contract. I could see the upgrade being appealing, but it would sacrifice significant futures and could nudge Dunn toward the exit long-term.
Buyer
If the Kraken are willing to put a second-round pick, top prospect, or roster player (in something other than a salary or roster dump) on the table, I think the team will fit into the conventional “buyer” category. A move to add Lafferty or Acciari to solidify the penalty kill and production on the face-off dot would qualify. A move on the blue line to acquire a player like Gostisbehere or Walman would also qualify. I would expect the blueliners to cost at least a second-round pick and likely more. Lafferty or Acciari may come in around that price or a bit less.
Opportunistic buyer
Alternatively, the Kraken could approach the deadline determined to make a deal only if it is a clear “value” win, regardless of the fit. For example, if the cost on Bertuzzi is low due to his struggles this year, I could imagine the Seattle front office viewing the prospect of adding the winger too intriguing to pass up. Likewise, if Detroit wants to retain salary on Vrana or if Edmonton wants to attach an asset to Puljujarvi just to dump his contract, I could imagine those offers being too appealing to ignore. If Florida has to dump a contract for a low cost, that could be of interest too.
Depth dealer/sideline observer
Under another approach, the Kraken could move toward the deadline committed to protecting their valuable future assets. The team might consider moving a third-round pick or later for an additional depth asset, but otherwise will not sacrifice its “foundation.” In this case, I could see the team make a move for a player like Nick Bonino to provide depth for the forward group similar to the depth provided by Jaycob Megna on the back end.
Opportunistic seller
Similar to the two approaches above, the team could be open to a small asset sale if the price is simply too good to ignore. If a team is willing to offer more than a late-second-round pick for Carson Soucy, the Kraken may have to strongly consider it. Also, while I believe the Kraken will keep their three NHL goaltenders, it is not impossible that an appealing deal could be offered for one of them.
Projection time: what will the Kraken do at the deadline?
Alright, if you’ve stuck with me this long, you deserve to get to the fun part. What will the Kraken do at the deadline? I’ll project that the Kraken trade a 2024 third-round pick and 2023 sixth-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for Sam Lafferty. Lafferty would be a go-to righty face-off man, would provide grit, speed, and defense on the bottom line, and would upgrade the first penalty kill unit. Noel Acciari is an alternative who could check some of the same boxes.
I would also at least consider a trade (or trades) that would effectively swap Carson Soucy for Shayne Gostisbehere or Jake Walman. If the move could be made in an asset-neutral way, I’d lean toward doing it.
Thanks for reading. What do you think the Kraken will do? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments below.
