The Los Angeles Kings, on Jan. 13, were the last team to play 41 games. With that halfway mark now officially behind us, the playoff picture is starting to take shape, but there’s still a lot of hockey left to play. Let’s take a look at each of the four divisions and the key storylines from the first half of the season.
Atlantic Division
Home to the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Atlantic Division features the most contested race for a wild card spot. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently lead the division. With Toronto’s history of playoff struggles, potential wild-card teams could be eyeing a first-round matchup with Toronto.
Good teams are still good
The Maple Leafs, Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins all currently hold playoff spots. These are the same teams that made the postseason last year.
Toronto Maple Leafs
This year’s Maple Leafs have a different look to them. They’re winning more in regulation, leading the division with 25 regulation wins. Last season, 35.3 percent of their points came from overtime and shootout games. This season, that’s down to 19.3 percent, a sign of a stronger team. Toronto has achieved this despite Auston Matthews missing 15 games. While it’s too early to say this is their year, they’ve shown promise.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay is a team to watch. As of Jan. 20, they have games in hand, lead the division in goals scored (165), are 2nd in goals against (128), and boast four forwards over the 20-goal mark. Comparatively, the Kraken have zero 20-goal scorers right now. Tampa Bay parted ways with long-time captain Steven Stamkos and was able to sign Jake Guentzel to a seven-year deal worth $63 million. The sharp-shooting Guentzel is working out well so far, averaging just over a point per game (46 points in 43 games).
Wild card race
The Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens are separated by only two points. Boston has played two more games than the others. Ottawa, with a positive goal differential (+5) and the most regulation wins (18) among the group, might have the inside track, if rookie goaltender Leevi Meriläinen continues his strong play in Linus Ullmark’s absence. Meanwhile, Montreal’s resurgence has been driven by a balanced effort led by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and smooth rookie Lane Hutson (worth noting, Hutson was taken No. 62 overall in the 2022 draft, one spot after Seattle selected David Goyette at No. 61).
The Detroit Red Wings are hot on Montreal’s heels, with a recent hot streak under new head coach Todd McLellan keeping them competitive.
Metropolitan Division
The Metropolitan Division has delivered surprises. Last season’s playoff teams included the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Washington Capitals. This year, two of those teams risk missing the playoffs without significant second-half turnarounds.
On the struggle subway
The Rangers and Islanders are struggling. The Rangers, last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners, started strong but have since faltered and are on the outside looking in for the playoffs. The Islanders have had trouble scoring goals, ranking 28th in the NHL with 123. Goalie Ilya Sorokin has not be the problem, but at the same time has not helped matters either and has the lowest save percentage of his career at .900 this season. Mathew Barzal has struggled to get into his usual rhythm after missing 21 games due to injury and only has 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 25 games played.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus just might be the most improved team in the NHL and has spring boarded from fourth-worst in the league last year to a wild-card contender. The Blue Jackets are a different team at home than on the road. In Columbus, they boast a 16-5-3 record but show signs of last year’s squad when away with a 6-13-4 record. Columbus can score goals in buckets and as of Jan. 20 are sixth in the NHL with 157 goals scored. However, on the flip side, stopping goals has been an issue, where they are sixth worst in the NHL with 158 goals against. Winning seven of their last 10 games—including a drubbing of the Kraken—has kept them in the playoff hunt.
Ovi watch
The Capitals have surprised everyone coming out of the gate hot and have kept the foot on the pedal. As of Jan. 20 they are in pole position for the Presidents’ Trophy race with 67 points. Dylan Strome is having a career year, and a resurgence from Pierre-Luc Dubois has also been key. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin is defying age, sitting at 874 career goals—21 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record. Ovechkin has 21 goals in 30 games this season, putting him on a pace that could see him break the record by season’s end.
Central Division
The Central Division shows a stark divide between its top and bottom teams. The Winnipeg Jets lead the pack, with the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche close behind.
Best in the West
Winnipeg set an NHL record by going 15-1-0 to start the season. Although they’ve slowed since then, they are No. 1 in the Western Conference. Connor Hellebuyck remains a standout, leading the league in wins (28), shutouts (six), save percentage (.929), and goals-against average (1.97). Hellebuyck is the front runner for the Vezina Trophy and a serious contender for the Hart Trophy.
Wild card battle
The Central Division should produce at least four playoff teams, with one landing in a wild-card spot. Each of these teams is on pace for 100 points. The last time a wild-card team had over 100 was in the 2023 playoffs when none other than the Seattle Kraken upset Colorado in the first round.
The bottom
The Blackhawks and Predators are settling to the bottom. Chicago’s bright spot is 19-year-old Connor Bedard, who also has had ups and downs this season, but scoring depth and goaltending remain issues. Chicago was not expected to make the playoffs this season but were hoping to take a bigger step forward that has not materialized yet.
Nashville is probably the biggest disappointment this season. After signing Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault during the offseason, the vibes were good, and expectations were high for this team. Nashville has failed to put the puck in the net and is second to last in scoring (115) in the NHL. At this point in the season it is hard to imagine either of these teams turning it around this season.
Pacific Division
Vegas keeps winning
The Golden Knights have the NHL’s third-most points (62), fueled by scoring depth and career years from Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone. Goaltending can be described as “good enough,” but due to the team averaging 3.40 goals per game, Vegas keeps on winning.
Rounding out the top three
The Edmonton Oilers have surged since the start of December, going 16-5-1, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings are winning through team defense and strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper. They boast a .853 points percentage at home (14-3-1) which is the best in the NHL.
Canucks-Flames rivalry
Calgary holds the edge for the last wild-card spot, while Vancouver has continued to slide down the standings. Injuries to Thatcher Demko and an NHL-leading 10 overtime losses have hurt the Canucks, but they are not out of the race. The rumor mill is rampant with Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller feuds and trade speculation causing uncertainty throughout the fan base.
Calgary has exceeded expectations this season after losing Jacob Markstrom and Andrew Mangiapane from last year’s squad. Goalie questions loomed for Calgary coming into the season, but rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf has been the answer and has taken control of the starting role. Wolf, a former Everett Silvertip, has started seven of the last 10 games and is posting numbers (.917 save percentage) that should have him in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best rookie in the NHL.
Shark tankers
The San Jose Sharks are at the bottom of the Pacific… And also the Pacific Division (get it?). But they have improved from last year, scoring 23 more goals and adding four more standings points. Rookie Macklin Celebrini has impressed with his play and is on a 61-point pace.
Not out yet
The Seattle Kraken have been inconsistent this season, falling short of expectations, but have shown flashes of promise. Currently sitting five points lower than last year’s team, the Kraken have shown the ability to push back and lead the NHL, with six comeback wins when trailing by two goals or more. Obviously, it would be better if they were not down by two-plus goals to start, but it is exciting to know they can be down and have a realistic chance to come back and win.
Kraken key developments during the first half of the season:
The Kraken have had to deal with the injury bug as well. Jordan Eberle (pelvis injury), Vince Dunn (upper-body injury) and Yanni Gourde (mid-body injury) have all missed significant time.
Playoff push
As the league heads into the second half, the playoff race will intensify. My midseason Stanley Cup pick is the Edmonton Oilers, but I’m also watching to see if Ovechkin can break Gretzky’s record. Despite their struggles, I’ll be rooting for the Kraken to find consistency and play a full 60 minutes.
Who’s your midseason Stanley Cup favorite? What are your takeaways from the season so far? Share your thoughts 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.
On Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the Seattle Kraken kicked off their four-game homestand with two convincing wins: a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and a 6-4 triumph against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
The Kings arrived in Seattle boasting a stingy defense, having allowed just five goals in their previous six games. The Kraken, led by Jaden Schwartz, dismantled that narrative by piling on four goals. Schwartz delighted the home crowd with the first hat trick at Climate Pledge Arena this season.
Meanwhile, the struggling Sabres, sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 39 points, couldn’t keep pace in Monday’s matinee game. The Kraken swept the season series against Buffalo, scoring 12 goals over the two matchups.
Takeaway #1: Daccord comes up big
Joey Daccord earned third-star honors against the Kings, delivering a standout performance in the face of a relentless third-period push. The Kraken entered the final frame with a 3-2 lead but found themselves on their heels, managing just one shot on goal. Head coach Dan Bylsma reflected, “[Chandler Stephenson] got us the goal to get up 3-2. [In the] third period we battened down the hatches a little too much, but we were up to the task, and Joey [Daccord] was up to the task.”
Daccord turned aside 16 third-period shots, including a shorthanded 2-on-0 break and multiple scrambles in front of the net. He preserved the lead until the Kraken sealed the game with an empty-net goal.
Joey comes up big again on Fiala!!!! #SeaKraken are not playing bad, but they need to find another gear to close this game out. pic.twitter.com/kpA8gGmmRj
In Monday’s game against the Sabres, Daccord continued to deliver timely saves, including another shorthanded breakaway stop.
Takeaway #2: Schwartz, Beniers, and Kakko shine
The line of Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers, and Kaapo Kakko combined for eight points across the two games, with most of the damage coming against the Kings. Schwartz’s hat trick was supported by Kakko, who assisted on all three goals, and Beniers, who provided the primary assist on the second tally. Their chemistry is quickly becoming a bright spot for the Kraken.
Kakko’s unselfish play was on full display, particularly when he set up Schwartz for the hat-trick-clinching goal. Schwartz’s post-practice praise on Jan. 18 clearly resonated, as Kakko consistently fed his linemate with precision passes.
Beniers also contributed a power-play goal against Buffalo. He logged an impressive 22:12 of ice time in Monday’s game, leading all skaters (forwards and defensemen).
Takeaway #3: Josh Mahura’s hit and team physicality
Josh Mahura (“Muzzie”) delivered one of the season’s best hits against the Kings, an open-ice masterpiece that fired up the Kraken bench and led directly to a goal. The hit not only separated Warren Foegele from the puck but also set up a 2-on-1 break, culminating in Schwartz’s second goal of the night just eight seconds later. Quinton Byfield wanted to drop the gloves with Mahura, but Mahura smartly declined, allowing the play to develop and the goal to be scored.
Bylsma commented on the impact of the play, “The hit, I don’t want to say it woke us up because I think we were in the match before that, but the hit was a huge play, [a] statement in the middle of the ice, and we were able to answer back with a goal by Schwartzy.”
The physicality carried over to the Sabres game, where John Hayden registered three hits and scored a critical response goal just 27 seconds after Buffalo took a 1-0 lead. The Kraken never trailed for the remainder of that game.
Bylsma on the fourth line's response goal and role tonight.
"You want the fourth line to provide energy, you want them to provide physicality. You want them to provide, you know, put the other team back on their heels when they get the opportunity. But you know, tonight, right… pic.twitter.com/atAslayXXH
“Response goal” became the buzz phrase of the weekend as the Kraken answered opponent tallies within three minutes on five occasions. Against Buffalo, they achieved this three times in under a minute, keeping momentum firmly in their favor.
Offense came from up and down the lineup, with goals from Schwartz, Chandler Stephenson, John Hayden, Jamie Oleksiak, and Jared McCann. Every time the Kings or Sabres tried to claw back into the game, the Kraken had an answer, ensuring they secured all four points from the weekend.
Wrapping it up
After coming off a hard-fought loss to the Winnipeg Jets to close out their road trip, the Kraken played well in that game and carried that momentum into these two victories. Both games saw the Kraken come out ready to play, with the first goal of the homestand scored just 28 seconds into the opener against the Kings.
The Kraken will now get a few days of rest before facing the high-flying Washington Capitals on Thursday, followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
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.
This is “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Sound Of Hockey Podcast segment (written version) on Seattle Kraken prospects. This week we’ll highlight Jani Nyman’s extraordinary early-career goal scoring, deliver a few preliminary thoughts on the 2025 NHL Draft, update you on a productive scoring week in the Kraken system, and much more.
If you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey. I have a few questions lined up for future posts already (thank you for those), but keep them coming.
Jani Nyman’s record-setting goal scoring
Forward Jani Nyman is toppling records with his goal-scoring skill at a young age. Last season, the 2022 second-round pick posted 26 goals in 48 Liiga games as a 19-year-old. That was the highest total by a Liiga player under 20 years old in almost 40 years.
When Nyman’s 2023-24 Liiga season ended, he came to the United States immediately and joined the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He had three more goals in 14 regular and postseason games, but there was clearly an acclimation process underway. He sat for many games toward the end of Coachella Valley’s Calder Cup run.
Likewise, this season started a bit slowly for Nyman. He didn’t make a notable impact in the NHL preseason, then recorded only one point (a goal) over the first month of AHL play. Two weeks ago, Kraken Director of Player Development Jeff Tambellini noted to Sound Of Hockey that there was a learning curve to the North American game, and the first ten games of this season represented Nyman continuing to try to “figure it out.” Tambellini also stressed that there is more development ahead for Nyman, particularly with his skating.
“But if you’re watching Coachella games… within the last six weeks, [Nyman] is scoring the exact same [types of goals] he scored in Finland,” Tambellini said. “[Nyman]’s playing a physical, heavy, competitive game… You talk about translatable offense… he’s 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, and makes great plays on the half-wall [on the power play].”
Since that conversation, Nyman has elevated his game even further, with five goals in five games. He now leads the AHL in goal scoring among all players age 20 or younger (ahead of notable first-round picks like Dalibor Dvorsky). Perhaps even more impressively, he is third in the AHL among all true prospect-age players (age 23 or younger).
Five goals in his last five games for #SeaKraken prospect Jani Nyman with the Firebirds.
Nyman, 20, now has 15 goals on the season, which is tied for 11th in the AHL overall (3rd among all under-24 players; 1st among all under-21 players).pic.twitter.com/SsppqBgpBM
He’s one to watch as the Coachella Valley Firebirds roll toward the Calder Cup playoffs again.
Where the Kraken could go at the top of the 2025 NHL Draft
If you’re reading this, you have at least some level of interest in the future of the Kraken organization or hockey prospects generally. Assuming that’s the case, I’d recommend you check out our mid-season Sound Of Hockey Big Board, posted yesterday (Jan. 16).
The Big Board is a consensus 2025 NHL Draft ranking using lists from credible public draft analysts and scouting services. That post also includes our list of high-scoring draft-eligible prospects we’ll be monitoring as the season rolls into the second half.
My early impression is this year’s draft class isn’t quite as strong as the last two. There is no Macklin Celebrini or Connor Bedard headlining this class, which downgrades the “elite tier” immediately. Digging deeper, the first round is short on blue-line depth and weak on the international front. This leaves a projected top 10 that is heavy on junior forwards and lacking projected star power outside the top 4.
Boston College forward James Hagens has been a standout performer for the U.S. National Team Development Program for years and is having a very good college hockey season to date, but the production hasn’t reached the transcendent standard set by Celebrini last year. (Plus, Hagens is only three-and-a-half months younger than Celebrini.) Still, I think he’s solidly in the top tier.
So is OHL defenseman Matthew Schaefer, whose strong overall game and broad skillset earned him a featured role for Team Canada at the World Juniors until he left with an injury. His 1.29 points per game would rank as the 11th-best scoring season for a draft-eligible OHL defenseman ever, and fifth-best since 1995. If I had to wager today, I’d project Schaefer as the top pick.
The other two players in the elite-tier conversation are OHL forwards Porter Martone and Michael Misa. The 6-foot-3 Martone leads the OHL in points per game as a draft-eligible player. He blends power-forward elements with high-end skill and has formed perhaps the most dangerous line in all of junior hockey alongside Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf for the Brampton Steelheads. (Berkly Catton’s new line for the Spokane Chiefs may have something to say about that before all is said and done, though.) Misa, an exceptional status player, also projects to drive offense at the next level. He leads the OHL in goals and is third in points and points per game.
After that top group, the “second tier” of first-round prospects is maybe a half-step behind last year’s group. (For example, if Zeev Buium were dropped into this year’s class, I find it much less likely he would slide all the way to No. 12. The alternatives just aren’t as compelling.)
Scouts like Swedish forward Victor Eklund (brother of Sharks forward William Eklund) and towering 6-foot-5 WHL forward Roger McQueen. Swedish forward Antron Frondell may still be in the conversation, though his draft-year production has not met lofty expectations. Scouts seem to agree that Tri-City defenseman Jackson Smith and QMJHL forward Caleb Desnoyers are also top options. OHL forward Malcolm Spence would probably be No. 10. Our data-based analysis would add junior forwards Benjamin Kindel, Carter Bear, and Jake O’Brien to the top mix.
If the season ended today, the Kraken would likely end up with the the fifth or sixth pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. This would seemingly position them to have their choice of several “second-tier” junior scoring forwards or the blueliner Smith. Given the team’s track record of scouting and drafting locally, I don’t think Smith (Tri-City) or Bear (Everett) should be discounted.
My extremely preliminary thought is that Desnoyers or Bear would present reasonable value and fit the Kraken’s need to complement some of their smaller skill players in the middle-six with more size and physicality. McQueen should be in the conversation too, assuming he performs down the stretch. On the blue line it may be Smith-or-bust at this position in the draft, so I plan to watch him pretty closely over the second half. (Radim Mrtka of the Seattle Thunderbirds is a rapidly ascending defenseman who could enter the conversation at some point.)
Notes on three more Kraken prospects
Berkly Catton – F – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
2024 first-round pick Berkly Catton played well against the Everett Silvertips last Friday night but was held off the scoresheet. After the game, recent Spokane trade acquisition Andrew Cristall told our Cameron Riggers that his developing connection with Catton would start to yield benefits soon. “We were around the puck the whole night and getting looks,” Cristall said. “[Catton]’s a special player. I think he found me a few times tonight where I didn’t think anybody really could.”
Cristall’s sentiment was immediately prophetic as the two exploded Spokane’s offense for the remainder of the week. For his part, Catton totaled an absurd four goals and seven assists in two blowout wins over Wenatchee and Kelowna.
Still, somehow, it wasn’t enough to get Catton his third Prospect of the Week award.
Justin Janicke – F – Univ. of Notre Dame (NCAA)
Instead, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week goes to 2021 seventh-round pick Justin Janicke, who scored three goals and added three assists in two NCAA contests against the Univ. of Michigan last weekend. Janicke, a senior and alternate captain for the Fighting Irish, now has 21 points in 22 games. This total tops his previous NCAA career-best in points by five (in 14 fewer games). He is second on the team in scoring, just one point behind 2023 fourth-round pick Cole Knuble. Currently unsigned, the Seattle Kraken have Janicke’s exclusive NHL rights until Aug. 15, 2025.
Jacob Melanson – F – Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Jacob Melanson returned to the lineup on Sunday, Jan. 12, after missing more than two months to injury. Then, on Thursday, Jan. 16, he got back on the scoresheet with a goal and an assist.
It was a welcome sight for the Firebirds, who had missed his presence. “There is no more physical and powerful depth forward in the American League right now than Jacob Melanson,” Tambellini told Sound Of Hockey. “Don’t be surprised to see him in Seattle [sometime] in the next 12 months.” Noted.
Kraken prospects data update
It is old news by now that the Seattle Kraken waived Daniel Sprong and subsequently assigned him to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After his first AHL contest Sprong noted that he was almost “too many steps ahead” for the league. Say what you will about his quote, he wasn’t wrong. Particularly when teamed with the comparably-swift Lleyton Roed, Sprong has been dangerous on the rush for the Firebirds. Sprong had four goals and two assists in three contests this week, while Roed had two goals and four assists himself.
As of Friday, Jan. 17, Tyson Jugnauth is tied for the organizational lead in scoring—a remarkable feat for the 20 year-old defenseman who was stuck in an unproductive role at the University of Wisconsin just 14 months ago. He bet on himself that he could show his offensive talent in a different role in the WHL. It’s looking like a fantastic choice so far.
Goalie Semyon Vyazovoy had his third shutout of the season this week. He continues to perform against the highest-level European competition.
Kim Saarinen got back in the lineup for his U20 club team following the World Juniors. Hopefully we see a return to Liiga soon.
2024-25 Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
Clarke Caswell: 2
Berkly Catton: 2
Tyson Jugnauth: 2
Alexis Bernier: 1
Justin Janicke: 1
Andrei Loshko: 1
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard: 1
Victor Östman: 1
Caden Price: 1
Nathan Villeneuve: 1
Semyon Vyazovoy: 1
Previewing the week ahead
The Firebirds are in Colorado for two games this weekend before travelling to San Jose to take on the Barracuda on Wednesday. As always, we’ll see a number of Kraken prospect matchups in the WHL this week, including a Saturday night contest between two World Juniors teammates when Catton’s Spokane Chiefs host Caden Price and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
For as bad as this road trip felt, the Kraken were just one lucky goal away against one of the best goalies and teams in the NHL from coming home with a 3-2-0 record. Instead, as they were holding on for dear life to push the game to overtime, Seattle got a bad bounce off a stanchion, and the game turned south with just 27 seconds left.
So, the Kraken limped home with four standings points. When you consider how badly two of the games on the trip went, four points isn’t terrible. But also considering their current spot in the standings, they pretty much need to win every game to even get back into the conversation, and two out of five isn’t going to cut it.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 2-1 Kraken loss to the Jets.
Takeaway #1: Best performance of the road trip?
On a trip where Seattle secured two wins (including a lopsided 6-2 win in Buffalo), it’s odd to point to a 2-1 loss as the team’s best game, but there’s a case to be made that this was their strongest top-to-bottom outing. The start was infinitely better than anything we’ve seen from this group lately, and they got rewarded with a 1-0 lead on a beautiful play by the Jaden Schwartz / Matty Beniers / Kaapo Kakko line.
MATTY MAGIC! 🚨
Schwartz goes over the top to Kakko, who sets up Beniers. Beautiful goal.
Coming through the neutral zone, Schwartz used his lob wedge to drop a perfectly weighted high flip onto the tape of Kakko in stride. Kakko, showing his impressive hands and vision, backhanded a saucer pass over the outstretched stick of Josh Morrissey. Beniers finished the sequence by chipping it over Hellebuyck.
It was a great first period, but things started to turn in the second when Jamie Oleksiak and Mitchell Stephens each got called for questionable penalties. The interference call on Oleksiak was hot garbage, and while the high-sticking call on Stephens was legit, it coincided with an obvious missed hooking call on Winnipeg.
Mark Scheifele converted on the first power play to tie it 1-1, and Winnipeg racked up a massive 19-5 shot advantage in the second, putting the Kraken firmly on their heels.
Takeaway #2: Tough break on the winner
Once the Jets gained momentum in the second period, they didn’t relinquish it. However, the way Seattle battled in this one was refreshing. They played well in their own end for the most part, and when things broke down—which they did on several occasions—Joey Daccord was excellent again, stopping 34 shots in total.
As the Kraken were desperately trying to hold on and get to an extra frame, they caught a terrible bounce at the worst possible time. Adam Larsson attempted to clear the puck with a chip off the glass deep in Seattle’s zone, but the puck hit a stanchion, took a left turn, and landed on the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers.
Ehlers quickly found Dylan DeMelo in the slot, and his shot through traffic deflected off Vince Dunn’s pants and perfectly into the top corner.
There’s not much you can do when bad bounces like that happen. But if the opposition has you on your heels for long enough—and they’re one of the best teams in the league while you’re one of the worst—they will eventually break through. It’s just extra painful when that happens with 27 seconds left in the game.
Takeaway #3: When do we start rooting for losses?
Seattle still sits eight points out of the last playoff spot with five teams to leap over in 36 games. In today’s NHL, that is extremely unlikely, if not impossible. At some point, the hope for this team will shift to remaining competitive in games but losing to improve their draft position.
Have we reached that point? It feels like we might have.
If so, this was an ideal game for the Kraken, who played well despite minimal offensive production. It was a fun one to watch, and in the end, they didn’t hurt their chances of landing a high draft pick.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Hockey is a fast-paced, free-flowing game that balances structure with improvisation. It is what makes hockey both chaotic and beautiful at the same time. Stoppages are unpredictable, so set pieces are rare unless they are performed directly off a face-off or during a man advantage situation like a power play.
Experienced hockey players read off one another, adjusting tactics on the fly based on where their teammates and opponents are and where they are skating. This sounds complicated in principle, but many of these plays are quite simple. Once you learn these patterns, it gets easier to spot them again and again.
This is the first article in the Tactics 101 series which examines some of these common patterns. In this first installment, we will talk about the midlanedrive.
How the midlane drive works
The premise of the midlane drive is very simple. On rush opportunities, an off-puck player skates hard to the net, creating a work space for their trailing teammates to work within. The midlane drive player will often choose a route that allows them to momentarily tie up a defender’s stick. They will also stop hard at the net, acting as an additional screen or passing option.
The midlane drive can be particularly effective in odd-man rush situations. When executed properly, this forces defenders to make coverage choices, opening up time and space for scoring chances.
A recent example
The easiest way to illustrate the concept of the midlane rush is to watch a goal that was created by it. Let’s rewind a few weeks back to a goal that Eeli Tolvanen scored against Montreal during an 8-2 Kraken victory.
To set the scene, the Kraken and Canadiens find themselves in an even-strength, albeit 4-on-4 scenario due to overlapping minor penalties. The play starts when former Kraken defenseman Will Borgen makes a nice read below the goal line to cut off a pass.
During this sequence, Matty Beniers has followed Montreal’s Lane Hutson down low to support Borgen. After Montreal turns over the puck, Beniers recognizes that two Montreal players are now trapped beneath the goal line. He heads up ice hoping to start an odd-man rush, confident that Borgen will get him the puck.
Tolvanen continues up ice with him, and weakside defenseman Josh Mahura, seeing an opportunity to jump into the play and create a 3-on-2, also joins the rush.
Manufacturing offense is all about creating time and space and forcing the defense to make coverage decisions. The midlane drive can accomplish both of these.
Eeli Tolvanen drives hard toward the net. If he can beat his check to the net, he can make himself a passing option for Beniers.
Montreal forward Juraj Slafkovsky now has a decision to make. Habs defenseman Logan Mailloux has a clear assignment, which is to mark the puck carrier, Beniers. However, Slafkovsky must choose between taking Tolvanen to the net or letting him go and instead marking Mahura.
If Slafkovsky lets Tolvanen go, Beniers could make an area pass to Tolvanen for an uncontested scoring chance. If Slafkovsky takes Tolvanen, it potentially gives Mahura an open look for a shot. Slafkovsky elects to mark Tolvanen. It is worth noting that Slafkovsky does a poor job of marking Tolvanen and finds himself chasing after his momentary hesitation causes him to lose body position on a hard-driving Tolvanen.
With Tolvanen partially covered, Beniers passes the puck to an open Mahura, who now has a shooting opportunity in the high slot.
Slafkovsky finds himself a step behind the play and shifts tactics. He abandons Tolvanen, desperately skating into no man’s land to try to block Mahura’s shot. Instead of shooting, Mahura passes it to a wide-open Tolvanen, who is not going to miss from there.
In summary, Tolvanen’s midlane drive opens up options for the Kraken forwards while forcing the Canadiens defenders into making coverage choices. In addition to driving the net, Tolvanen also stops at the near post. This is a great habit, and his willingness to stop at the net turns what was merely a great scoring opportunity for Mahura into a sure-goal for Tolvanen.
This is a rough sequence for Slafkovsky because his momentary hesitation results in him covering nobody. His defensive partner in this sequence (Mailloux) is also a rookie who only has a handful of NHL games under his belt, which may have added to the confusion.
Additional examples
The midlane drive is one of those things that is easy to see once it has been pointed out to you. Here is another example from the start of the season where the midlane drive creates space for a forward to score a goal. In this case, noted Kraken villain Martin Pospisil flat out sprints to the net, creating coverage confusion and forcing both Canucks defenders to back off, turning a not-so-dangerous 2-on-2 OT rush situation into a scoring opportunity for Connor Zary.
Returning to our Kraken, watch how Mahura leads the rush out of the zone in the below clip. He sees that he will not be able to get past the two Buffalo defenders, so he swings the puck out wide for Kaapo Kakko and drives the net, drawing/initiating contact with Owen Power on his way to the net. This momentary contact delays Power from stepping up by a half second, giving Kakko extra time to step inside and get a better angle for a shot and goal.
On this final example, notice how in the below play, Yanni Gourde, sensing that a 2-on-1 pass is not available, elects to drive hard to the net, creating confusion and drawing coverage towards him. This opens up space underneath for Brandon Tanev to cut to the slot, resulting in a goal.
As you can see from all of these examples, being the midlane driver is hard work. To be effective, you have to sprint and stop at the net, often taking or fighting through contact to get to your destination.
The midlane drive player is not always rewarded for their efforts on the scoresheet either. Gourde’s drive to the net makes Tanev’s goal possible, but he does not get credited with an assist. Everyone wants to be the open player on the rush because it is fun to get open looks and shots on goal, but without the all-out selfless effort of the midlane drive player, none of these goals happen.
The next time you watch a Kraken game, keep an eye out for the midlane drive. If you play hockey recreationally, give the midlane rush a try. It is one of the simplest ways to create time, space, and offensive opportunities for your team.
Just when you thought they’d never win again, they go and do something like this… AND TOTALLY REDEEM THEMSELVES!
Ok, so maybe they didn’t erase the last month of misery, and if we’re being honest, this was not a strong game from top to bottom. But the Seattle Kraken took advantage of stellar goaltending from Joey Daccord and opportunistic scoring to rope-a-dope their way to a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
“We clearly had to weather the storm in the first period and played a lot of D-zone as a result,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “Joey was excellent on numerous occasions.”
After being embarrassed for the second time in three games on the road trip Sunday in Detroit, this win was needed in a lot of ways for Seattle.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-2 Kraken win over the Penguins.
Takeaway #1: Joey did it all
I maintain a running theory that the Kraken tend to play better in front of Joey Daccord than they do for Philipp Grubauer because they are more confident Daccord will bail them out when they screw up; this confidence allows them to employ a freer brand of hockey. While Daccord was sidelined from Dec. 22 until Jan. 9, Grubauer generally played well and wasn’t often the issue. But Seattle also didn’t exactly pile up wins with Daccord absent.
Lo and behold, they’re now 2-0-0 in games he’s started since returning from injury. Meanwhile, the opposition has hung crooked numbers on the Kraken in games started by Grubauer. Both 6-2 losses in Columbus and Detroit were Grubauer games, though Daccord took mop-up duty against the Red Wings and ate three of the six goals in 53:44 of ice time compared to Grubauer’s 6:16.
Here’s my next theory: Part of the reason (and I’m certainly not giving them a pass because they stink at starting games far too often) that the Kraken are slow out of the gates is because they’re afraid to make mistakes early and get buried before they even start. That fear may have been reinforced in Detroit, when a few early mistakes led to the Red Wings scoring thrice on four shots to open the game.
On Tuesday, Seattle again looked horrific in the first period, but Daccord rescued his mates time and again, despite letting one in that he may have wanted back when Drew O’Connor’s slapper hit him in the chest but leaked out for an easy Philip Tomasino tap-in.
When the first horn sounded, the Kraken had been thoroughly kicked in the teeth with a 16-2 shots-on-goal whooping from the Penguins. Yet, they were tied 1-1.
As the game went on, you could see the confidence growing, and eventually, the freer brand of hockey appeared. The Kraken turned it on in the third period and finally put the Penguins on their heels.
Not only did Daccord stand tall in his goal crease, but he also helped get Seattle on the board with his first NHL assist. While the Kraken were short-handed, Daccord hit Jared McCann with an outlet pass in the neutral zone, and McCann found Chandler Stephenson at the offensive blue line. Stephenson streaked in and scored a squeaker that Tristan Jarry would have wanted back.
STEVIE DOES IT! 🚨
The #SeaKraken’s FIRST SHG of the season is a squeaker through Jarry, and…
It was quite the night for Daccord, who put a floundering team on his back and carried them to a desperately needed victory over the Penguins.
Takeaway #2: A quick turn of events
Seattle looked like a very different team in the third period, finally getting sustained puck possession and offensive-zone time—things they had practically none of in the first 40 minutes. The best stretch of play coincided with the two quick goals that turned the game for the Kraken.
It was remarkable how simple the plays were in the lead-up to Jamie Oleksiak’s goal that tied the game 2-2. Seattle held the puck in the Penguins’ zone for just under a minute and had several looks toward Jarry before Oleksiak broke through.
During that extended zone time, Seattle repeatedly got the puck up to the blue line, where defensemen Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson either passed to each other and then shot or just shot outright. The forwards—Andre Burakovsky, Stephenson, and Oliver Bjorkstrand—simply outworked the Penguins to retrieve the puck. They’d send it back to the point and start the process again.
They ran some variation of that sequence five times before the goal. It’s so simple and so effective; why don’t they do that more?
After the fifth try, Oleksiak jumped on the ice to replace Dunn, saw an opportunity with Pittsburgh’s defenders gassed, and had a clear lane to walk in and score.
“We needed the play from someone, and that was a great shift from Chandler’s line,” Bylsma said. “It was a huge boost for everybody seeing Rig put it in the back of the net.”
The winning goal, scored 50 seconds later, was also the result of hard work mixed with impressive skill. Josh Mahura drove the puck down low and fought through a check. He lost it, but Shane Wright got there just in time to support. Wright picked up the loose puck from the half wall, made an elite play to stickhandle in a phone booth, and pulled a no-look pass around a sprawling P.O Joseph and onto the tape of Eeli Tolvanen.
EELI GOALVANEN! 🚨
Beautiful dangle-and-dish by Shane Wright, and the #SeaKraken snag the lead 50 seconds after Oleksiak tied it.
Just like that, the game turned, and the Kraken were in the driver’s seat. With Daccord playing the way he was, you knew they weren’t going to relinquish control.
Takeaway #3: Ron Francis doing damage control
During the pre-game show on the Kraken Hockey Network, general manager Ron Francis joined John Forslund to address some of the speculation running rampant about the team recently. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke had been at the game in Buffalo, implying his appearance was out of the ordinary. Friedman also said on 32 Thoughts that Francis hadn’t been fully on board with hiring Dan Bylsma before the season and instead wanted Todd McLellan.
Francis’ appearance on KHN was largely in response to those headlines, as he aimed to pour cold water on both rumors and show that the Kraken are not in complete chaos.
Regarding Leiweke’s appearance on the trip, Francis said, “It was his birthday on the weekend, and I think he just wanted to go to some hockey games.”
And as for the Bylsma hiring, Francis said, “I’m the GM. I hired Dan; he’s my coach.”
Here’s my take: I don’t think the organization is in chaos, but I do think it is in crisis. Being in this tailspin and far out of the playoff race in mid-January is not where the front office expected to be. I also think that same front office is under pressure from ownership to be competitive this season.
So, that’s the crisis, and I think there’s some level of panic happening, which leads to concern that big changes could be coming. But do I think big changes are coming in the next couple of weeks? No. I believe Francis’ appearance on KHN solidified that theory. Everyone involved is working together to try to figure out a solution and get this team back on track, though it is probably too late for that.
Having said all that, it does say something about the state of this team that the GM felt the need to go on the broadcast and personally dispel swirling rumors.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
