In this season of firsts, the Kraken have now made it through their first NHL Trade Deadline, and it was an active one for the franchise. Indeed, “bold” predictions calling on management to look to the future and make three trades look downright mild in hindsight.
It all started on March 16, when news broke that the Kraken sent winger Calle Jarnkrok to the Calgary Flames–to play alongside his cousin Elias Lindholm–in exchange for three draft picks. But, for several agonizing days thereafter, the silence from the Kraken front office was deafening. The anxiety in the fanbase grew.
When the team takes the ice Tuesday night in Arizona, it will look pretty different. With the Seattle Kraken v.1.0 a thing of the past, this felt like the right time to reconvene for another roundtable discussion that allows us to get out some of our traded player memories and deadline thoughts, as we pivot toward the future.
Let’s dive in.
Favorite memory of the departing players?
Andy Eide: The shootout winner from Johansson in Montreal. That was a surprisingly tense game with vital draft lotto balls on the line. The Canadiens tied the game thanks to an own goal by Adam Larsson. The game went to overtime and through to a shootout and then eight rounds with no goals. Johansson calmly flipped the winner in, and after the game Philipp Grubauer admitted he didn’t watch it, which was funny.
But seriously, it’s hard for me to pinpoint a single moment for any of the departing players, so I’m just going to reiterate what an absolute pleasure it was to get to cover Giordano. I never really understood what people meant when they called guys “consummate pros” in hockey, but Giordano brought that phrase to life. It was the way he carried himself and the way he answered every question with poise–even after the toughest of losses–without sugarcoating but also not throwing anybody under the bus. He is a fantastic human.
John Barr: Blackwell’s shorthanded goal against the Nashville Predators on March 2. Coming into the game the Kraken had lost seven games in a row. Heading into the third period it was 3-3 when the Kraken took a penalty. On an aggressive forecheck, Yanni Gourde caused a turnover and fed Blackwell in front of the net. It just felt like Blackwell would not be denied. He whacked at it three times before the puck slipped past Saros for what would be the game winner. It was the loudest I heard Climate Pledge Arena in over a month.
Curtis Isacke: Though I didn’t follow his career in particular while he was in Calgary, the tribute to Giordano in his regular season return to the Saddledome really resonated with me. It was so clear how much he meant to that community and how lucky we were in Seattle to have him–both on the ice and off.
Similarly, I also want to mention Giordano’s early first period goal in the September 29, 2021, preseason game in southern Alberta. What a moment–and at a time in the season where there was so much optimism and expectation. It reminded me that there will never be another inaugural Kraken team.
While our eyes are rightly on the future in this moment, we should all take a moment to reflect with gratitude. And, in particular, we should give thanks to the first captain. Best of luck, Gio.
How did the Kraken do at the trade deadline overall?
Andy Eide: It was a solid effort by Ron Francis and company. They acquired a number of NHL Draft picks that have value and give the franchise options over the next couple of years. Seattle went from 14 picks over the next two years to 25. I like the mindset Francis has, saying he hopes he doesn’t draft 25 players but sees those extra picks as assets that can be used for a quicker rebuild. Now, he just has to do it.
Darren Brown: It was interesting being so immersed in this trade deadline, covering a team that was an extremely active seller. I don’t know if I’ve ever paid such close attention to a team in that position, and what the Kraken got back for players on expiring contracts makes me believe that the future of this franchise is bright.
I appreciated that Francis reminded us on Monday that this was just part of the process to make the team better over time, and not the end all be all. Team brass racked up a boatload of chips, and now they can choose to cash them in or horde prospects.
John Barr: The team did very well at the trade deadline. They moved all pending unrestricted free agents plus a couple other depth pieces to accumulate a ton of draft picks in the next few NHL Entry Drafts. The returns on the Jarnkrok and Gio/Blackwell trades were about what was expected heading into the week before the deadline. With the acquisition of Sprong from Washington, the team has a low-risk depth player with some potential upside. He is in the last year of his contract but will still be a restricted free agent and can be extended should the Kraken like what they see in the remaining games of the season.
It would have been nice to get a first-round pick, but I do not believe that would have been realistic given the trade chips the Kraken had at their disposal.
Curtis Isacke: Fair or not, our perception of the deadline is colored by the deal that sent Giordano to the Maple Leafs. Some hefty prices were paid for other big name defensemen on the trade market, and the Giordano trade did not match those returns.
But it is not at all clear that Francis overplayed his hand or otherwise “missed out” on a better deal. It may be that the Panthers simply preferred Ben Chiarot and the Bruins similarly favored Hampus Lindholm and those suitors landed their primary targets without seriously considering Giordano. (It also sounds like a CBA peculiarity essentially ruled out Calgary as a bidder.) If those “overpays” weren’t really there for the Kraken, I think our perspective would be different. The Giordano return was not that far off from what the Avalanche paid for Josh Manson or what might have been reasonably expected before the trade season hit high gear.
Any move (or non-move) leave you scratching your head?
Andy Eide: The Lauzon move came as a surprise. He wasn’t a player that had been mentioned as a potential trade target. He is a young defenseman with potential and had already earned the trust of the coaching staff and organization. He was rough early on but was improving. Seattle wasn’t shopping him but getting a second round pick for him was too juicy to say ‘no’ to.
Darren Brown: I didn’t necessarily expect the Lauzon or Appleton deals, but I wouldn’t say I scratched my head after. Both players can be replaced, and it didn’t seem like Appleton ever was really a fit.
John Barr: The old “future considerations” we gave up to get Victor Rask. Rask was immediately assigned to the Charlotte Checkers. On the surface this makes little sense for the Kraken. It is a bit speculative, but I believe the Kraken are obligated to provide the Checkers with a minimum number of players. As the Kraken backfill some of the vacancies from the trade deadline moves, they might be getting close to that minimum number and thus needed some bodies to place in Charlotte.
Curtis Isacke: The Mason Appleton era was a perplexing one for me, so I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me that it came to an equally confusing close. A productive and relatively young power forward with a middle-six pedigree, I attached high hopes to the player originally. I talked myself into it because Seattle drafted him over another player, Dylan Demelo, who seemed like such a strong Expansion Draft candidate. If the front office preferred Appleton, there must be something there.
But Appleton’s Kraken tenure never truly got on the rails. He missed time early, and when he was on the ice he was frequently skating fourth-line minutes.
That said, he had been playing on Yanni Gourde’s wing in recent weeks, and he had started to re-establish his middle-six role. Still cheap and an RFA this summer, he seemed like he was playing himself onto the 2022-23 team.
So I was confused when Francis was willing to part with him for essentially nothing–a fourth-round pick more than a year away. This tells me either the team thought very little of Appleton or Appleton was demanding (or signaling) that he wanted out, and this was the best deal the team could find. Either way, this is the true head scratcher trade that stands out from a group of solid trades, and one very good one (Lauzon to Nashville for a 2022 second-round pick).
Mason Appleton makes a pass against the Detroit Red Wings. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Most notable non-Kraken story from the trade deadline?
Darren Brown: Obviously, I’m going with the #Minnutiae pick here and saying the Wild acquiring Marc-Andre Fleury from the Blackhawks is most notable. It’s an interesting deal anyway, because Minnesota already had an All-Star goalie in Cam Talbot. But when you layer in the fact that the Wild just picked up a future Hall-of-Famer in their all-in year before their salary cap-tastrophe hits next season, I absolutely love this move. It feels like the Wild have the pieces to go on a deep run.
Andy Eide: The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking for a three-peat and went all in with the Chicago Blackhawks in a trade that netted them Brandon Hagel. It cost them two first-round draft picks, one in 2023 and another in 2024, but may be worth it if Tampa gets back to the Final. It helps to have an already loaded roster, but now somehow, the Lightning have more depth.
John Barr: The Florida Panthers made significant moves all over their lineup. They overpaid for Chiarot, went big for Claude Giroux, and added a solid depth defender in Robert Hagg. They felt like a Stanley Cup contender before the deadline and added some more firepower and depth that will be needed if the injury bug shows up in the playoffs.
Curtis Isacke: I really liked what the Anaheim Ducks did, even if their final trade for Evgenii Dadonov and a draft pick does not ultimately go through. They returned very solid draft value for Manson, got a great haul for Lindholm, and did well moving Rickard Rakell too. Zach Aston-Reese, obtained from Pittsburgh, is one of my favorites (and a preferred depth free agent target for the Kraken in the offseason). Now comes the hard part: converting those assets into good players to supplement their young core. But so far so good.
What’s next for the Kraken?
Darren Brown: I’m going to define “what’s next” as “what will happen during the offseason.” Francis has said publicly that he plans to be active in free agency. What I love about all the draft capital the team just acquired is that the Kraken can theoretically sign some big free agents, and when those big free agents start to age out, all the young guns selected over the next few years will be coming into their respective primes.
Suddenly it feels like there’s a clear path forward for this club, and the next big step is building for the immediate future with an influx of offensive talent from trades and free agency.
Andy Eide: Try to get through the final 19 games getting more ice time for the likes of Kole Lind, Morgan Geekie, Will Borgen, and Haydn Fleury, and maybe build momentum heading into the offseason. The NHL Draft will come quickly, and it will be exciting to see who the Kraken get at the top of the draft where there are two or three guys who are good enough to play in the league next season. After that, how will Francis begin to deploy these extra picks that he picked up?
John Barr: The remainder of the season feels like a mini-tryout. Not that any of the players are in danger of losing their jobs, but it will give the front office an opportunity to see what kinds of players they really have for next year. With the movement of Appleton, Blackwell, Jarnkrok, and Johansson, some of the forwards will be given more ice time and more opportunity to showcase consistently. Lind has been having a great season in Charlotte and Ron Francis stated he will be with the Kraken the rest of the year. It will also be interesting to see if Sprong will be able to show some of his potential with the expanded role he will have in Seattle.
Curtis Isacke: The clear focus is now on scouting–both internal and external. Internally, the team has decisions to make on potential building block pieces like Ryan Donato and Fleury. Looking outside, the team has 12 draft picks this summer and more than $20 million in cap space for NHL free agents. We’re looking at an enormous offseason for shaping the future of this team. That process begins now.
Separately, I’m curious to see if a clear team leader emerges over the last 20 games of the season. Will the team fade away over the last month, or will they rally around the next potential captain of the team? I want to see it.
Be Alison. That was the most useful piece of advice that Alison Lukan received before going on the air for the Seattle Kraken’s game against the Washington Capitals on March 5. It was so important, in fact, that she wrote it down in a notebook and made sure to review it before hitting the airwaves for the first time in her temporary capacity as color commentator.
Lukan had never done color commentary before that game, and as she looks back on the experience, it’s just another unexpected high point in a wild roller coaster of a season.
A meteoric rise
Eight months ago, Lukan was in Columbus, Ohio, doing freelance writing on a variety of topics. Hockey was one of those topics, but not the only one, and while she knew that she would be continuing her writing career in some way, she wasn’t sure if she would be doing much hockey work during the 2021-22 season.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think that by fall of 2021, she would be a regular on a TV broadcast in the Pacific Northwest. And yet, here she is, charming a wider audience than she ever could have imagined and doing so by simply being herself and using her own voice.
“It’s not something I had ever thought about,” Lukan said. “It’s not something I had ever put on my radar as being even possible. So, there has been a lot of learning on the fly, and there has been a lot of, ‘Holy crap! Did we just do that?’”
A whirlwind season
After spending ten years in the Columbus hockey scene demonstrating a unique ability to deliver advanced statistics in an easily digestible way, the Kraken came calling. That’s when Lukan’s world changed.
“It’s literally a dream,” Lukan said. “It is a dream to be part of a franchise from day one. It is a dream to be part of a franchise that is doing things differently.”
Kraken senior producer Bob Condor was the driving force in recruiting Lukan to join the team’s budding digital media department. She figured she’d come in, continue to provide her distinctive stats-driven commentary on Seattle’s digital platforms, and that would be the extent of her participation.
But Condor had bigger ideas for Lukan.
“It was Bob who said, ‘Hey, do you want to do a screentest?’” she recalled. “I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ And we end up going out to ROOT Sports, and [executive producer] Jon Bradford there ran my screentest. I didn’t know what I was getting into.”
Alison Lukan presented the “Starbucks Community Star” for the Kraken on March 16. (Photo/Sound Of Hockey).
At the screentest, Lukan learned how some of the basic broadcasting technology worked and how to interact with a producer speaking to her through an earpiece. Bradford then had her do a dry run, commenting on a Vegas Golden Knights playoff game from last season as a sample intermission segment.
Unsurprisingly, Lukan passed the test with flying colors.
“We had conversations and said, ‘Let’s give this a shot,’” she remembered. “Our first game was the preseason game against Vancouver, and I’ve never had to think about hockey as fast as that or been as crazy tired after. It was just— ignorance is bliss to go in and do it, but it was a blast, and we were off from there.”
Aside from helping her through the screentest, it was also Bradford who eventually gave Lukan the advice to be herself on air, a quality that has helped make her sound natural and engaging on broadcasts.
An unexpected turn
At the beginning of March, Lukan was visiting friends in Washington, D.C., and was planning to meet up with the Kraken when they began their two-week road trip with a game against the Capitals. She received an unexpected phone call from Seattle’s senior vice president of marketing, Katie Townsend, asking if she might be interested in filling in for color commentator, J.T. Brown. Brown had landed in COVID protocol and was no longer able to travel with the team.
Considering she had never done television in any form prior to the season, jumping all the way into an NHL broadcast booth to do live color commentary was a massive leap for Lukan. But she knew she had the right people in place to guide her through.
“It was only because I know the caliber of the team at ROOT that they would take care of me and help prepare me.”
Lukan also knew she wouldn’t be alone in the booth and would have a legendary play-by-play announcer to help her out. “If you have the opportunity to work with someone like John Forslund, he is going to shepherd you through the process. He’s going to cover up every mistake you make, and you’d be foolish to pass up an opportunity to stand alongside him anywhere professionally.”
One area in which Lukan knew she needed help was with players’ numbers. With such a short time to prepare, she did not have all the numbers committed by the start of her first game in the booth. But Forslund—the consummate pro that he is—certainly did know them and was able to smoothly cover any gaps in the commentary.
Though Forslund did assist Lukan by nudging the on-air discussion around a couple small hiccups, he raved about the work that she did. “Working with Alison was fantastic,” Forslund said. He wasn’t surprised that she filled the role with such grace, despite the circumstances. “Her love for the game has been evident for a long time. She has connected with our fans in a new market because of this, and in a new role as game analyst the transition was seamless. I enjoyed our time together, but most importantly our fans benefitted from her talents.”
A feeling of gratitude
Lukan knows that her rapid rise into the public eye here in Seattle is something that few get to experience, and she’s grateful to those who have helped her through it. From her ROOT Sports producer, Scott Malone, to Forslund, to Brown, to Condor, to Bradford, to rinkside reporter Jen Mueller, Lukan knows a lot of people have supported her and helped her earn the trust of the fledgling fanbase. Heck, even the fans themselves have been instrumental in telling Lukan what information they need from her.
“The fans in Seattle and of the Seattle Kraken are incredible. I love how they’re willing to advocate for themselves when they need more information or when they have the information to have intelligent discussion.”
She also has an even deeper respect now for the work that Brown does in the color commentator role. “I have been blown away by J.T.,” she said. “I think that particularly when you compare his commentary to other former players on television, I am impressed with his ability to go beyond the ‘get pucks deep’ and ‘fight hard’ and all of the cliches. He really gives us a window into what players are thinking about and what they are doing.”
Now that she’s finished her four-game stint filling in for Brown, Lukan has happily returned to her more regular roles doing intermission analysis and digital content. She has no intention of ever becoming a full-time color commentator, but then again, she never expected to be on TV in the first place. Regardless, she will never forget the experience.
“I enjoyed the hell out of it. It was a blast, and I’m just so thankful I had the opportunity to do those four games.”
Lukan is living proof that being yourself can lead you to opportunities you never thought were possible.
Everything must go! The Seattle Kraken Trade Deadline fire sale continued Monday morning, when the team announced that it had traded veteran forward Marcus Johansson to the Washington Capitals, one of Johansson’s former teams. In return, the Kraken received a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round pick, and forward Daniel Sprong.
Sprong is an intriguing piece. Though his stats have been underwhelming this season—he has eight goals and six assists in 47 games—he scored 13 goals last season and came in expecting to have a breakout year. It hasn’t happened, but he also has played in a checking role for much of the campaign.
Now that the Kraken have traded away four of their regular forwards—Johansson, Calle Jarnkrok, Colin Blackwell, and Mason Appleton—Sprong is certainly going to get every opportunity in the world to showcase his talents during these last 19 games.
“Daniel brings some speed and creativity to our roster and we’re looking forward to adding him to our team,” said general manager Ron Francis via a press release.
Sprong, 25, is the only player in the NHL from the Netherlands. In an introductory press conference via Zoom on Monday, he shared that his family moved from Amsterdam to Montreal when he was a young kid to help him pursue his hockey career.
He was not expecting to get traded by Washington, but he is excited for the opportunity to show what he can do for the rest of the season. He also said he remembered that Climate Pledge Arena got very loud when the Capitals visited the Kraken earlier this season.
Johansson leaves after scoring six goals and 17 assists in 51 games with the Kraken. “We appreciate Marcus’ character and professionalism during his time with the Kraken and wish him well in Washington,” said Francis.
Instant reaction
This is a great deal for the Kraken. Johansson was a pleasant surprise for Seattle this season and ended up playing a much larger role for the club than we anticipated. But he was on an expiring contract, and we didn’t expect him back next year, so getting three assets in this deal is a nice win for Francis.
Sprong is also on an expiring contract, but he will be a restricted free agent after this season. So, the team can essentially decide—after watching him play for 19 games—whether they want him back for next season.
The two draft picks bring Seattle to 34 total picks over the next three seasons, which is ludicrous. In 2022 alone the Kraken will select 12 times, assuming they don’t package some of their selections to bring in current players before then.
If you thought the Seattle Kraken were done wheeling and dealing after they moved their three most obvious trade candidates in Mark Giordano, Colin Blackwell, and Calle Jarnkrok, then you were sorely mistaken. Late Sunday, general manager Ron Francis kept hustling and sent Jeremy Lauzon to the Nashville Predators for a 2022 second-round draft pick and Mason Appleton to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2023 fourth-round pick.
The earlier deals for players on expiring contracts were unsurprising. We knew those were coming; the only question was what the returns would be for those players.
Though Francis had recently said he was “open for business,” we frankly did not expect Lauzon or Appleton to be traded at this juncture. The moves are reminders that Seattle expects to look very different next season, and Francis and his staff are hellbent on acquiring as much draft capital as humanly possible prior to Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline.
With these latest trades, the Kraken have added eight picks in less than a week, and they now hold a whopping 11 picks in the 2022 draft with four of those coming in the second round. Over the next three seasons, they have 32 total picks.
Instant reaction
Both of these trades were somewhat surprising, only because Lauzon and Appleton were two players that had carved out regular roles in the lineup. While both are on expiring contracts, they are set to become restricted free agents, meaning they will have few options other than signing with their current teams. The Kraken would have held most of the cards in negotiations, had the players stuck around, so we did not expect them to be moved.
These players did not have especially memorable tenures in Seattle. Though Lauzon earned a spot in the lineup almost every night as a stay-at-home defender that brought a uniquely physical element, he drew the ire of a lot of Kraken fans. We liked his game a lot more than most, but we recognize this was an unpopular opinion. The return of a second-round pick in the upcoming draft does feel like a nice return for Lauzon.
Said Francis via press release, “Jeremy brought a physical edge to our blue line, and we are thankful for his contributions to our team. We wish him well in Nashville.”
Oddly, the pick that Lauzon brought back may end up being the highest pick the Kraken have received so far for any of the five players they have traded.
As for Appleton, Winnipeg gets back a player who was well respected in that market before the Jets lost him in the Expansion Draft. He never seemed to really hit his stride with the Kraken, though, and he departs after scoring six goals and adding 11 assists in 49 games. His game did improve in the second half of the season, especially since he was placed on a line with Yanni Gourde and the also-traded Blackwell. A fourth-round pick seems fair here.
“Mason brought a hard-working effort to the rink, and we want to thank him for his time with the Kraken,” said Francis.
We did notice that the quotes from Francis have gotten much shorter since the Giordano trade.
What do the Kraken do now?
We shall see if these are the last moves the Kraken make, though we would not be remotely surprised at this point if more players get shipped out.
Our theory is that the players Francis felt he needed to move—meaning those becoming UFA’s that still had potentially significant trade value—have been traded. Now we believe we’ve shifted into the final stages of the Trade Deadline, where Francis is likely fielding calls on the rest of his roster and considering whether or not to accept offers.
As for what’s left of the team’s current roster? Well, that seems to be getting thinner by the hour. The rest of the season is unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but we are curious to see how Seattle performs the rest of the way. Guys like Haydn Fleury and Will Borgen (assuming they’re still here) are likely to have solid roles on the blue line, while Kole Lind and maybe somebody like Alexander True and eventually top prospect Matty Beniers will get solid looks up front.
The worst-kept secret in hockey—that Seattle Kraken captain Mark Giordano was a potential trade candidate—is a “secret” no more. Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell were traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, a day before the NHL Trade Deadline. The Kraken received a second-round draft pick in 2022, a second-round pick in 2023, and a third-round pick in 2024. Seattle will also reportedly retain 50 percent of Giordano’s remaining salary and cap hit, according to Pierre LeBrun.
We all knew this was coming, at least for Giordano. It was made abundantly clear that the 38-year-old defenseman had played his last game as a Kraken. He was held out of the lineup against the Lightning on Wednesday after the team honored him with a ceremony commemorating his 1,000th game and again did not play on Saturday against the Red Wings.
Giordano addressed the Seattle media one last time after Friday’s practice and summed up his time in Seattle for us. “I’m happy to be part of building something here,” he said. “Being named captain is something I don’t take for granted, and for the organization to put the ‘C’ on my jersey this year means a lot. I know we didn’t get the results we wanted, but I do think there are a lot of positives to take away from the way this thing was built and is being built.”
Blackwell’s trade is no surprise either, being that he was on the last year of his contract. Still, there was some thought—at least here at Sound Of Hockey—that he could stay with the Kraken beyond this season. He had recently cemented himself on a third line with Yanni Gourde and Mason Appleton that was showing true chemistry.
Giordano had six goals and 17 assists in 55 games for Seattle, while Blackwell had eight goals and nine assists in 39 games.
Instant reaction
From the business side of hockey, it makes all the sense in the world to trade these two players. The Kraken are in last place in their division, and they need to build for the future, so—like they did in the Calle Jarnkrok trade—they’ve done everything in their power to gain draft capital for players on expiring contracts.
There were reports out there that general manager Ron Francis had been asking for a first-round pick for Giordano. So hearing that two significant players went to Toronto for two seconds and a third is slightly disappointing, especially considering some of the prices we’ve seen get paid in recent days.
Still, Seattle has done a good job of gathering these valuable assets and has added six additional draft picks so far, and now have 30 draft picks over the next three seasons.
On the personal side of things, we absolutely loved covering Giordano and Blackwell. Both come across as true professionals and great humans. They also were really fun to watch play and brought separate sets of unique elements to the Kraken in their inaugural season.
In addition to what they bring on the ice, Toronto is getting two great personalities for their dressing room. We also know Giordano was interested in going to play in his hometown and chase a Stanley Cup, so we wish both him and Blackwell the very best of luck in that endeavor.
We’ve reached an interesting juncture in the season, when what’s happening off the ice has drawn more focus than what is happening on the ice. The Kraken entered Saturday’s contest against the Red Wings in danger of falling to last place in the entire NHL. Captain Mark Giordano was held out of the lineup for the second consecutive game (yes, we see the reports that he has been traded to the Maple Leafs, and we will have more on this Sunday), and Calle Jarnkrok had already been moved to Calgary. There’s no doubt most people paying close attention to Seattle’s season were more focused on the moves the Kraken may or may not make prior to Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline than on this game itself.
But on Saturday, the Kraken did not appear terribly distracted by the constant rumors swirling on social media and instead came out flying.
Here are our Three Takeaways from a fun—but sometimes maddening—4-2 home win for the Kraken over the Red Wings.
Takeaway #1: A maddening first two periods
The Kraken might have played their best period of the season in the opening frame on Saturday. They dominated in nearly every aspect, and it took the Red Wings more than 11 minutes to register their first shot on goal.
Yet… somehow… when the horn sounded, the Kraken were still tied 0-0, despite the outstanding performance.
To his credit, Detroit goalie Alex Nedeljkovic played out of his mind and stopped all 16 shots he faced in the period, including two highway robberies on Morgan Geekie and Ryan Donato.
Still, the period was yet another stark reminder of the lack of offensive skill this Seattle team possesses. There just had to be a goal in that period, and instead, the Kraken left the door open for the Red Wings to take the lead in the second.
The Kraken had 59 seconds of five-on-three time in the second, after Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin took penalties in quick succession. Seattle’s poor power play failed to convert, and in incredibly predictable fashion, Detroit took a 1-0 lead just seconds after killing off the penalties.
The goal was an ugly one, too, as Vince Dunn skated the puck right into Donato, and together they lost the puck to Larkin, who found Joe Veleno for an easy tally.
1-0
After the power play ends, #SeaKraken lost track of the puck, and then Dylan Larkin is able to set up the Veleno score. pic.twitter.com/IYAYaDdC8f
Add in a power-play marker less than three minutes later, and it felt like we were heading toward another night of the Kraken finding a new way to lose.
Coach Dave Hakstol summed up the first two periods quite nicely after the game. “Our start was excellent. Second period, I really liked our first 10 minutes… We made two mistakes, one coming off of a power play, two guys got tangled up. We made a mistake there, and we made a mistake on the PK. In reality, on the PK, we didn’t get a clear, and we had two sticks at the scene of the crime, and they won that puck battle.”
Takeaway #2: A turning point save
When evaluating a goaltending performance, Hakstol often talks about getting saves at the “right times” in games. Philipp Grubauer wasn’t tested all that often Saturday, and got hung out to dry by his teammates twice in the second period.
With the score still 2-0 six minutes into the third, the Red Wings came in on a three-on-two rush. Tyler Bertuzzi put a perfect pass in Filip Zadina’s wheelhouse, and Zadina leaned into a one-timer. Grubauer read it, sprawled across, and made his best save of the night.
“If they get that third one, it’s a big uphill for us,” Adam Larsson said. “[Grubauer] has been great for us. We haven’t played great in front of him, but I think he has really stepped up his game lately.”
Added Hakstol, “That’s the one that gives us an opportunity. If it goes to 3-0, we don’t have an opportunity to dig out of that one, so that was a huge save at the right time of the game for our team.”
A minute and a half after Grubauer made that key stop, Larsson finally got the Kraken on the board for the first time, sneaking a shot just barely over the goal line behind Nedeljkovic. Suddenly things were rolling for the Kraken.
Takeaway #3: A four-goal third period, led by Yanni Gourde
Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in.
What has made these Kraken such a lovable losing team is their resiliency and staunch refusal to quit on games. As the teams took the ice for the third period, there was a feeling that this could be a night where Seattle might pack it in. After dominating the first half of the game, but somehow coming out of the second period 2-0, there was plenty of doubt in the building that the boys would overcome the two-goal deficit.
But Seattle never packs it in. As soon as Larsson scored, things started rolling downhill for the Kraken, and the Red Wings simply ran out of answers.
In the end, Yanni Gourde was the hero of the night. After taking a deflected puck to the cheek and rushing down the tunnel in the second period, he returned for the third looking bruised and battered. What did he do? Well, he scored the game-winning goal and added an empty-netter to seal the deal, of course.
“You may think that’s spectacular,” Hakstol said. “But if you hang around Gourde-o every day, you would just think it’s another day. It’s what he does. He’s a competitor.”
Logan Cooley was living out a dream this past winter. The 17-year-old from Pittsburgh made the United States World Junior Championship team and was in Alberta looking to help the Americans win a second straight gold medal. He played in one game before a COVID outbreak shut down the tournament and sent Cooley and his teammates home.
“It was shut down and it just was so horrible,” Cooley says about the cancelation. “Felt like the world was ending.”
The good news for Cooley is that after leaving the tournament he still gets to pull on a Team USA sweater. He’s in his second season playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program and has worked his way up the rankings to be one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft and depending on how the draft lotto balls fall, could be a player the Seattle Kraken take a long look at selecting.
As he rose up the charts, the scrutiny and attention has grown. Cooley is embracing it all so far.
“It’s been fun,” Cooley says. “I think sometimes you just have to enjoy it and not think of it as a job yet. I’m still a young kid playing hockey and it’s something I love. To get this much attention at such young age is not something a lot of kids could say so I’ve just been taking it day by day and just trying to enjoy it.”
While Cooley says he played a little bit of soccer growing up, hockey has always been his passion.
That passion was fueled by his family, which is the epitome of a hockey family. He has two brothers, Riley and Eric, who played at advanced levels of hockey. Riley played junior hockey, and Eric is currently playing for Ohio State. Cooley’s uncles, Tom Mooney and John Mooney, played college hockey at Notre Dame and Colorado College respectively before two pro minor league seasons.
Cooley was surrounded by hockey growing up and fell in love with the game.
After putting up large numbers in minor hockey, he got the call to play for the USNTDP at 16 and didn’t hesitate to jump aboard.
“You just realize how much it develops you as a player and as a person,” Cooley says. “It’s helped me grow my game so much and without the program, I actually don’t think I’d be where I’m at so far. Just seeing all the guys they produce and put in the NHL is pretty special and I’m hoping I can be another one.”
Cooley has committed to the University of Minnesota to play NCAA hockey next season. But he has a shot at playing in the NHL right away, so it remains possible the Gophers will only ever see him by buying a ticket.
All photos by Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP.
What the scouts say about Logan Cooley
You don’t need to know who Cooley is ahead of watching his team play; he’ll stick out quickly. He’s an exciting player that can score and set up teammates after drawing defenders to him. Cooley is creative and highlight reel goals are the norm with him.
He’s also a top-end skater and is loaded with speed.
With the USNTDP he’s played 51 games with 26 goals, 49 assists, and 75 points. The U.S. team plays a USHL schedule and has also faced NCAA teams such as Notre Dame, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
“Those guys really pushed us to be at our best,” Cooley says about playing against older college players. “We had a lot of big wins against some really good teams.”
Outside of his speed and overall skating ability, scouts like the way he sees the ice, drives possession, and plays a two-way game. The latter, Cooley says is something that he’s worked hard to develop as he’s advanced.
As a young kid he rarely had to worry about defense since he was carrying the puck. As he started facing better competition, he knew he had to develop that part of his game.
“When I first came to the program, even like the first few games, I still really didn’t develop too much of the defensive side of the game,” he says. “But I think the last year and a half, it’s really helped me as I’ve grown my game, big time. That’s something that I’ve been for sure working on.”
He’s played against older players as he’s come up and is rated near the top of the draft by most rankings. He’s ranked as high as number two overall, and it would be shocking if he slipped past three.
Cooley also has an eye on playing in the NHL, year one.
“I think I have the skills, hockey IQ, and play-making abilities, stuff like that,” Cooley says. “But I think it’s just gonna come down to my physical strength. I’m not the tallest and strongest right now, but I think that comes with developing my body and I think once I can do that, and have a big summer, hopefully it could be in the conversation. Hopefully I can make the jump right away, that’d be pretty cool.”
Logan Cooley on film
Cooley has speed and skill, as displayed here with some elite-level stick handling and shooting. This backhand goal is as good as the move to get him in scoring position. The reaction of the defenseman after the goal says it all.
As creative a scorer as Cooley is, he sees the ice and is just as skilled dishing the puck as he is shooting it. Here he sets up a goal with a perfect no-look pass.
This clip shows how he can break down a defense in the offensive zone. He wheels around and draws the defense to him, which leaves a teammate wide open for a goal.
Logan Cooley is so damn good. Great wheels to control the entry, crisp cross-ice pass to Casey, retrieves the bobbled puck, dangles through two defenders, and makes a slick backhand feed to McGroarty who completes the play with a beautiful move of his own.#2022NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/H1xKjjwc8V
The first NHL Trade Deadline in the history of the Seattle Kraken is expected to be a busy one, and the first of potentially many dominoes fell on Wednesday. Versatile forward Calle Jarnkrok was officially traded to the Pacific Division rival Calgary Flames for a second-round draft pick in 2022 (previously acquired by Calgary from Florida), a third-round draft pick in 2023, and a seventh-round pick in 2024. Seattle—which has plenty of cap space—agreed to eat half of Jarnkrok’s remaining salary on his expiring contract.
“I want to thank Calle for everything he did for the Seattle Kraken, and we wish him all the best in Calgary,” said general manager Ron Francis via a press release.
The trade comes on a day when captain Mark Giordano is being held out of the lineup against the Lightning, despite the team still planning a ceremony to honor him for recently playing in his 1,000th career game. The speculation around Giordano’s healthy scratch is that he too will soon be traded. Surely, there’s more to come on that front.
As for the trade that has been completed, we think Francis got a fair return for the 30-year-old Jarnkrok. Any time you can get three assets, including a second-round pick, for somebody who was unlikely to return the following season, that’s a decent haul.
For Jarnkrok, it’s an opportunity to go back to a contending team, and he joins forces with his cousin, Elias Lindholm. The Flames are in first place in the Pacific Division, with a five-point cushion and three games in hand over second-place Los Angeles.
Jarnkrok quietly had a very good season for the Kraken in their inaugural season. A two-way forward, he filled practically every forward role for coach Dave Hakstol at some point during the campaign, from first-line center down to fourth-line wing.
After starting the season by getting COVID, he went 12 consecutive games without registering a point, and then got injured on two separate occasions. After he returned from the second injury, a switch flipped for Jarnkrok offensively, and he impressively got himself back on track for one of his best seasons in the NHL. He was fourth on the team in scoring with 26 points (12-14=26).
We talked to Jarnkrok about the prospect of being traded a few weeks ago, so the deal certainly was not a surprise. Still, we are bummed to see him go, as we really liked what he brought to the Kraken and wish he could have stayed beyond this season.
There will certainly be more trade news coming soon for the Kraken, so stay tuned.
