It’s been an eventful week for the Seattle Kraken and the NHL as a whole, and the Sound Of Hockey Podcast is here to bring you up to speed on everything that has transpired. Shane Wright returned from the AHL to score his first NHL goal, but then it was quickly announced that he would be loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. John, Andy, and Darren fill you in on what all this means while reliving the latest Kraken games.
Next, the guys shift their focus to Down on the Farm and share the Pacific-Northwest-relevant notes from some of the WJC rosters being released.
Monday Musings is a collection of random thoughts and observations about the last week of activity from the hockey world with an emphasis on the Kraken and other happenings around the Puget Sound hockey community.
Kraken thoughts
The Kraken went 2-1-0 for the week and sit comfortably in second place in the Pacific Division. The boys continue to bank those points in pursuit of the playoffs. Their current record of 15-6-3 is putting them about on pace for a 113-point season. There is and should be a sense of optimism around this team right now, but this week has raised a couple yellow flags.
The Good
The Kraken’s thrilling 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Thursday was an epic. The boys showed some resilience in coming back from a two-goal deficit that included a tying goal by Yanni Gourde with less than three minutes left in regulation. The icing on the cake was a game-winning goal by Matty Beniers just seven seconds into overtime.
After a pedestrian first period by the Kraken, they pretty much dominated the rest of the game with Philipp Grubauer coming up big when they needed him. We have seen some great games at Climate Pledge Arena, but I will put this one toward the top.
The Bad
The great thing about this team this year is you go into every game anticipating a win. At the very least, you expect them to be competitive and play a close game deep into the third. When that doesn’t happen, it feels like a letdown. The Kraken looked competitive in Saturday night’s game against the Florida Panthers, but a 5-1 loss at home can make you feel like you just got your teeth kicked in. Even the best teams in the league take it on the chin from time to time so let’s not overreact here. It is just a loss, and it is also ok to be upset about it.
Sometimes the toughest thing for me about a Kraken loss is the wait for the next game. I want to see them redeem themselves as soon as possible. Tuesday night cannot come soon enough.
The Ugly
You are allowed to win ugly. Tuesday night’s 9-8 overtime win against the Kings might have been a lot of fun for fans, but it is about as ugly of a win as you can get. The goaltending was sketchy at best, but there was poor defensive play all over the ice that night. If you have not watched the condensed replay of the game, do yourself a solid and give it a viewing.
Regardless of your feeling about that game, the Kraken walked away with two points in the standings, and as Darren Brown said on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, “It is better to win ugly than lose pretty.”
Goalie interference
At the Kraken game on Saturday night, I was sitting next to someone I did not know. He seemed like a new fan with plenty of passion. During the coach’s challenge of the first goal, he was adamant that it would get overturned. He asked me what I thought, and I told him flat out that I had no idea and it I would not be surprised either way. The goal would get confirmed, which led to a bench penalty against the Kraken, and the Panthers scored again on the subsequent power play.
If the outcome of the goaltender interference challenge is so variable, why challenge? Darren did an excellent job at covering the mindset of Hakstol in the challenge in his first takeaway from the game.
From an analytical perspective, I look at it as a math problem. Let us assume there is literally a 50/50 chance of getting the goal reversed. That will mean there is also a 50/50 chance you are assessed a penalty and will go on a penalty kill. If your penalty kill is killing penalties at a rate of .750 or so, you will more than likely kill that penalty off and there really is no harm. That is massively oversimplifying the analytical view, but in my perspective, that exercise should be part of the consideration.
Penalty kill woes
The Kraken penalty kill has been stinking as of late. Here is a look at how the team has performed by game so far, with the size and number on the circle representing the number of times the team was shorthanded in that game.
Part of the recent drop could be related to Morgan Geekie being out of the lineup, and another part could just be the ebb and flow during the season. Another aspect of penalty kills could be they are putting themselves shorthanded with more penalties this year.
That is true, but across the league, they are not the biggest offenders.
Regardless, the penalty kill has been bad. Geekie should be coming back, and I expect the team to make some adjustments sooner rather than later. In the meantime, let us continue to monitor for some improvement.
Other Kraken musings:
After the Kraken lost their first three overtime games of the season, Thursday night’s thrilling win against the Capitals marked their fourth overtime win in a row. They have yet to play in a game that went to a shoutout.
Florida’s win on Saturday night was their first point ever against the Kraken.
For those of you that attended or viewed my presentation at SEAHAC over the weekend: all three of the Kraken goals against the Capitals on Thursday night were ‘High-Danger’ goals, and the Kings had over 72 percent of the shot attempts in the third period.
I think the team misses Geekie right now. He is an integral part of the penalty kill and has become a bit of a faceoff specialist as well. Geekie led the team in faceoff percentage during November.
Shane Wright’s conditioning assignment with the Coachella Valley Firebirds is now over. I believe the Kraken hope to get him in the lineup at least once before deciding on loaning him to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship.
Tuesday night against Montreal would be a fitting time for Wright to draw in, but it will largely come down to Geekie’s status. The penalty kill needs Geekie. If he is not ready to play Tuesday, Wright should play.
This all-Kraken panel was fun to hear. It featured general manager Ron Francis, strength and conditioning coach Nate Brookreson, amateur scout Chris MacDonald, and video coach Tim Ohashi. Give it a watch.
After the 2019 SEAHAC conference, I wanted to create a meetup-type community of Seattle-based folks interested in hockey analytics. After attending the 2022 SEAHAC, I am convinced I need to make this happen. Would love to hear what other individuals think about the idea.
Alex Wennberg appreciation bullet. He flies a bit under the radar, but I have loved his gameplay this season. We do not talk about him nearly enough. That’s all.
Matty Beniers (SEA) – Three goals in three games for Matty, including the thrilling overtime winner on Thursday night.
On the docket
Montreal Canadiens – Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Climate Pledge Arena
Montreal is having a better than expected season but still faces an uphill battle to get in the playoffs. The Habs will be playing the Kraken on the second night of back-to-backs, but this will be a battle.
Canadiens Current Record: 12-11-1
Players to watch:
Kirby Dach – After being traded to Montreal, the 21-year-old center is having a solid season and is currently third on the team in points. Dach played a few years for the Saskatoon Blades before going to the Blackhawks. Cole Caufield – Like Dach, Caufield was selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Caufield is known for his small size but big shot. He is currently tied for the team lead in goals with 13.
Washington Capitals – Friday, Dec. 9, at Capital One Arena
The Caps will have the loss to the Kraken fresh in their memory and will be looking for redemption. The team has been hammered with injuries this season, but beating Alex Ovechkin and company is never an easy task.
Capitals Current Record: 10-12-4
Players to watch:
Nic Dowd – I did not call him out last week, but I did notice him in the game against the Kraken on Thursday. Dowd was born in Huntsville, Ala., and played one year of junior hockey for the Wenatchee Wild in central Washington. He plays an important role for the Capitals. Dylan Strome – Speaking of noticing someone, I literally did not notice Strome on Thursday night against the Kraken. He is second on the team in points and is a pretty good playmaker out there.
Florida Panthers – Sunday, Dec. 11, at FLA Live Arena
These guys again. The Panthers game on Sunday kicks off a bit of a gauntlet of a schedule for the Kraken. Hopefully they can get some redemption of their own to start this stretch on a good foot.
Panthers Current Record: 12-9-4
Players to watch:
Carter Verhaeghe – With two goals against the Kraken last week, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on him in this one. He leads the Panthers with 14 goals on the season. Matthew Tkachuk – He was a pest on Saturday night, and I imagine he will be a pest on Sunday. He is also a really good player.
Chart of the week
Skeptics of the Seattle Kraken have been pointing to the shooting percentage as not sustainable, thinking the Kraken will return to earth after such a hot start. There is some room to be skeptical on the sustainability of the shooting percentage, but someone must lead the league in shooting, and as one former pro athlete in Seattle once said, “Why not us?”.
As always, thanks for reading, and I love the engagement and discussion we have in the comments section. If there is a topic you want me to dig into, feel free to leave in the comments I will aim to address it next week.
On Episode 216.5, John and Darren sat down with Sound Of Hockey contributor Curtis to answer all your Mailbag questions over college sodas at a local watering hole.
Sticking with the more “raw” nature of .5 episodes, there’s lots of background ambiance in this one, but the guys think it’s a pretty fun chat and hope you enjoy it.
Topics in the Mailbag touch on the sustainability of the Kraken’s success, what they can do to get better, and whether they should mortgage the future to give themselves a chance at a deeper playoff run.
We all witnessed perhaps the craziest hockey game ever on Tuesday, and 9-8 overtime contest between the Kraken and the Kings, and the Sound Of Hockey Podcast is here to talk about it. Fresh off the bizarre game, John, Andy, and Darren have lots of opinions about what played out, and they ring some alarm bells about what a game like that might mean for the Seattle Kraken.
Aside from that crazy game, the guys also break down the recent Kraken games against the Sharks, Golden Knights, and Ducks, and share the latest Seattle news, like Morgan Geekie getting hurt, Magnus Hellberg getting claimed (again), and Shane Wright having success in the AHL.
Vibes are good again, folks! The Kraken bounced back from two straight losses with two straight overtime wins, and things are trending back in the right direction for them. The Sound Of Hockey Podcast has a full breakdown of those most recent games, as well as discussion about everything that has been happening with the team behind the scenes.
Aside from the Kraken rolling, John, Andy, and Darren are still buzzing from Sunday’s USA versus Canada Rivalry Series game at Climate Pledge Arena. Hilary Knight played a big role, and Seattle set an attendance record for women’s hockey.
When Carson Soucy took a penalty at 17:04 of the third period, and the Rangers pulled their goalie to give themselves a six-on-four advantage over the Kraken, things suddenly felt uncomfortably familiar. When Vincent Trocheck banged home a loose puck to tie the game at 2-2 with under two minutes left, it brought on a nasty sense of deja vu.
That is almost exactly how Seattle’s previous game Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets had played out. That one ended early into the overtime period after Andre Burakovsky tried to force a play in the offensive zone, leading to a Jets goal at the other end.
This time, though, Seattle looked better prepared and had learned its lesson about overtime. The outcome was a thrilling 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. It gave the Kraken their first points ever against the Blueshirts and points in eight of their last 10 games.
Here are our Three Takeaways from an exciting and emotional night at Climate Pledge Arena.
Takeaway #1: Justin Schultz was the star of the show
Justin Schultz was signed in the offseason to be a puck-moving defenseman that could chip in offensively from time to time. He did just that Thursday and ended up as the night’s No. 1 star. With the game level at 1-1 and deadlocked in a goalie duel, it was Schultz that finally broke through against reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin at 9:27 of the third.
Seattle hadn’t scored since 2:45 into the game, and Shesterkin had been outstanding. But after Burakovsky circled the wagons and passed to Schultz at the blue line, the defenseman walked the line and got a shot through traffic. It appeared to change directions off a Ranger player or two and ultimately eluded Shesterkin to give the Kraken a 2-1 lead.
After the Kraken gave up the tying goal late in the third (more on that in a bit), it was again Schultz who got Seattle over the hump in overtime and sent the fans home happy. Jordan Eberle drove around Artemi Panarin and shoveled a shot into Shesterkin’s pads. The rebound squirted across for a crashing Schultz, and he made no mistake, slapping it past Shesterkin.
“It’s just a good offensive play, and a lot of times that’s how it happens, right?” coach Dave Hakstol said. “It’s a dirty rebound, and Schultz is right there to punch it in.”
Takeaway #2: Practice makes perfect
While the late tying goal with Soucy in the box and Seattle facing a six-on-four felt eerily similar to Sunday, Seattle got a nice pushback in the closing minutes of regulation that made this game feel slightly different. The Kraken didn’t score before the horn, but they did get some great looks to regain confidence and momentum going into the overtime frame.
When the three-on-three session began, it was quickly evident the Kraken had changed their overtime strategy.
“Just a little bit more structure, I think,” said Schultz. “And a little bit more of a plan.”
The improvement wasn’t by happenstance. After Seattle lost to the Jets in overtime Sunday, the third time it had lost in as many OT tries this season, the team went to work practicing that scenario. We saw the team do a controlled three-on-three scrimmage Tuesday, and they were spotted doing similar work Wednesday.
“The three games that we lost were a little bit all over the place,” Schultz added. “We just sat down and practiced it, and I thought you noticed it tonight. We did a much better job.”
Jared McCann, who scored the game’s first goal, also credited the win to Seattle’s three-on-three practice this week. “We felt more confident going into it,” he said. “We made some plays, but we were smart with the puck.”
The biggest difference was Seattle’s willingness to take the puck backward and regroup. If nothing was available to them offensively, they circled to the neutral zone, got a line change with possession, and went back to work. That’s how you win in overtime.
The Kraken are a perfect two-for-two in their history at getting us choked up and teary eyed on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. Thursday’s game was emotional. Friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast and frequent anthem singer for the Seattle Thunderbirds, Paul Klein, got the call to sing before the game. Paul has recently recovered from throat cancer, and we can tell you he is one of the nicest guys we’ve ever met.
Joined on the ice by his oncologist from Virginia Mason Hospital, Klein sang the Star Spangled Banner like the pro that he is. He looked like he was fighting back emotions of his own as he sang, but the crowd inside Climate Pledge Arena gave him a little extra help, and he even got a big “GO PAUL!” from somewhere in the 200 level.
WOW! Let’s hear it for friend of the pod and nicest guy in the world, Paul Klein! That was awesome!
“This night was a culmination of how supported I felt during my treatment and care at Virginia Mason,” Klein said. “To have my doctor next to me as I sang at a regular season NHL game with my hometown team was incredible, in the truest sense of the word. I have never felt so loved, as I poured my heart into an anthem that I’ve sung at least 700 times over the last 30 years. It was overwhelming.”
Klein said the first person he saw when he came off the ice was Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. “[Leiweke] stared at me with his mouth open and then stretched out his arms and held me,” Klein said. Leiweke told Klein, “Paul, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more beautiful anthem.”
We are so honored to have had Paul Klein, who just finished treatment for throat cancer at @VMFHealth, sing the National Anthem ahead of tonight’s game.
Kraken game ops didn’t stop there. In the first period, Eddie Olczyk introduced the night’s “Hero of the Deep,” Julie Self, who sadly passed away from cancer recently. Self was a huge Kraken fan and used her love for the team to help her through some of the hardest parts of her fight. Eddie started his presentation by saying, “Hi Kraken fans, I’m Eddie Olczyk, a stage-three colon cancer survivor.” On behalf of the Kraken, Olczyk then presented $32,000 to charity in Julie’s honor and welcomed members of her family to the game.
Midway through the second period, Olczyk was again featured in a heartfelt video interview in which he talked about how important his support system was in getting him through his own battle. “It’s ok to feel scared, it’s ok to feel sorry for yourself,” Olczyk said in the video. “But you gotta fight. You gotta believe.”
After the game, Yanni Gourde and Joonas Donskoi were seen touring kids with the Make-A-Wish Foundation around the Kraken dressing room. “You really can’t put it into words,” Hakstol said, on the importance of the night. “I mean, we’re fighting a battle in here to win a hockey game, but the perspective of things in life— we were fortunate to have a few young kids that were here on Make-A-Wish, and just everybody that’s involved in Hockey Fights Cancer Night, it’s such an important night. It’s such an important recognition for everybody; not only the individuals, but the families that are dealing with and working through the process of fighting cancer.”
Cancer has touched everyone in some way, and it truly is a heartwarming experience to feel the love and support that people give one another on Hockey Fights Cancer Night.
Now, if Kraken game ops could kindly leave our tear ducts alone, we would appreciate that.
