Kraken general manager Ron Francis made himself available to the local media Tuesday following the team’s practice at the Kraken Community Iceplex. He touched on a number of topics, and while he did not drop any bombshells or break any news, he did offer some insight into the March 21 NHL Trade Deadline, the season so far, and the upcoming NHL Draft.
Here are some of the highlights.
Francis first announced that the club had signed over-aged forward Tye Kartye from the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League to an entry level contract.
Kartye was in training camp with the Kraken this past fall and in his first 45 games this season has scored 33 goals, 25 assists, and 58 points.
Veteran scored his League-leading 28th and 29th goals and now has 17 on the power play, the most by an @OHLHoundPower player since 2009-10 🎥 pic.twitter.com/mTQLa0niVK
Kartye will finish the OHL season with the Greyhounds and most likely end up with the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds next season.
Francis on the trade deadline
“Obviously the way the season has gone, we’re not gonna make the playoffs. So, I think at this point you look at your team and there’s pieces you want to keep that you believe are core pieces. And then if teams are calling on other pieces, you have to have those discussions and see what the offers are. And if there’s a move that makes sense, then you go ahead and do it.”
Francis was asked about current players on the roster and if they were viewed as core players moving forward and therefore not on the market.
“I think you always have to be open for anybody. But I think you identify the guys that you want to be a part of your core moving forward and it’s going to take a significant piece to change that direction, but that’s– I think with any team, you look at your team and everybody uses ‘If Gretzky can get traded then anybody can get traded.’” So, you know, I think that’s something that you’re constantly looking at, and if it’s something that makes sense that makes your organization better short term or long term you have to consider all options.”
Will the Kraken be willing to take on salary via a trade?
“Absolutely. Yeah. We have the cap space, and our owners are willing to spend the money, so we’ve made that well known to all the GM’s that if they need a third-party broker or if there’s a deal or contract they need to move that makes sense that we’re open for business on that angle as well. Our owners have said from day one we have the green light to spend to the cap. So, as we get into the free agent market this summer, there’s always the risk that you don’t get the guy you want or somebody else wants to play [somewhere else] for some other reason, whether he’s from that market originally or something else, but I plan to certainly be aggressive again in free agency this summer.”
It’s been reported that Francis has talked with captain Mark Giordano about the possibility of being traded. But, what about anyone else on the roster?
“I’ve had the conversation with Gio, I haven’t really had conversations with other players at this point. You know, that may change as we get closer to the deadline, but at this point I haven’t. I think you’re always up for making deals, if it makes your team better. But I’m not sitting here and saying I gotta dump money. I feel comfortable that we have the cap space and the money available to make decisions.”
Francis on this season’s struggles
“It’s going to sound like excuses, but the lineup we thought we’d play with this year we played with for just over two periods… We had to cancel team events early, which helps get our guys together. We had to cancel practices because of situations where somebody tests positive [for COVID] so you didn’t get the time to do certain things. And it’s tough to get a group that doesn’t know each other together. To learn a new system to let each other feel comfortable.”
“Thought we were really starting to show great signs of coming together leading up to the All-Star break. We’re struggling a bit getting back to that level where we were at. But, you know, this has not been always a fair thing to assess either. Based on what’s happened earlier this season we still think the coaching staff is working hard and doing a good job and we continue to back them up.”
On Matty Beniers, Ryker Evans, and Ryan Winterton and the 2022 NHL Draft
Have there been conversations with Beniers about when he’ll sign with the Kraken?
“No conversations at this point about what he’s doing moving forward. Matty is with Michigan. That’s where his focus is right now. They’re trying to win a national championship and we wish all the best for him and his teammates. Once that is complete, then we’ll get into discussions with him and his agents as to future plans, but we’ve certainly been really pleased with what he’s doing.”
Photo courtesy Michigan Hockey
If Beniers signs at season end, would the Kraken be willing to burn the first year of his entry level contract?
“The team would certainly prefer not to burn it but that’s part of doing business in today’s world with high draft picks.”
What does Ryker Evans need to do in order to make the team out of training camp?
“Ryker came in last year and was a real pleasant surprise in camp. It’s not every day you see a young guy play with that kind of confidence and moxie and I thought he did a real good job. He’s had a great season, down there this year in Regina. Most younger guys need extra strength so that’s something hopefully over the course of summer he’ll get stronger. And then it’s coming in and it’s just learning a little bit more about the NHL game. It’s more structured and more disciplined up here so kind of learning what’s going to be coming at him system wise… he’s a real confident kid who skates well, moves the puck well, so he’ll have every opportunity to come in here and show us what he can do in camp.”
On Ryan Winterton’s emergence as a prospect:
“We’re pleased we got him where we got him [in the third round]. He’s just a terrific kid and person and watching the film on different things and just really pleased with the way he’s playing right now. So, excited about that. But again, he’s a young kid, he’s got to get stronger and other things he’s got to do in his game. But we’re pleased with the progress to this point.”
Hamilton Bulldogs center Ryan Winterton was the Seattle Kraken third round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft (Photo courtesy Hamilton Bulldogs)
The Kraken will get a high pick in the NHL Draft this summer. Does Francis see players at the top of the Draft who may be NHL ready in year one?
“I think there’s potentially guys that can step in and do that. [You have to wait] till you get them to camp and see battles. It’s tough, but they have another summer to put that strength on but certainly there are guys that can do that. As tough as the year has been, the positive side is we’re going to get another higher pick and you look at teams, I think 16 teams in the last four years in the conference finals, 14 of them had two or more top 10 picks in the lineup. I think Tampa had six when they won Cups back to back so those guys are important to building a franchise and as much as we want to get the NHL portion right and get the right free agents to do that, it’s also critical for us to make sure we’re still drafting and developing well.”
On the ice, things have gone about as poorly as they possibly could go in this inaugural season for the Seattle Kraken. With the team firmly planted in last place in the Pacific Division and pushing for a lottery pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, it has become abundantly clear that the current roster does not have the offensive skill needed to compete for a playoff spot. This means general manager Ron Francis will be a seller at the upcoming March 21 trade deadline, as he looks to build for the future.
What Seattle does have, though, is a core of solid role players and flexibility to make changes after this season, thanks to cap room and expiring contracts. For most of those expiring contracts, it seems like the Kraken have the power to choose whether to bring back the player. But one individual whose status beyond this season remains especially murky is Calle Jarnkrok, who may be playing himself out of town… in a good way.
Should the Kraken move him before the deadline, or should they try to re-sign him? Would he re-sign if given the opportunity? Let’s try to get to the bottom of those questions.
A tale of two seasons
The season got off to a tough start for Jarnkrok, who missed the entirety of the team’s opening five-game road trip with COVID. That included his return to Nashville, where he played the previous seven seasons. He debuted in the Oct. 23 home opener against Vancouver and went without a single point in his first 12 games as a Kraken. Jarnkrok has always been more of a two-way player than an offensive juggernaut, but 12 games was a long time to go without even registering so much as an assist.
On Nov. 21, the 30-year-old Swede looked like he was ready to break out of his early-season funk. He scored a goal and an assist in a memorable win against the Washington Capitals and was absolutely flying that night. But the following game, Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes fell awkwardly on Jarnkrok’s leg, and just like that, Jarnkrok was back on the shelf for six more games.
“Yeah, it was pretty tough at first to just stay home from the first game and watch the guys go play,” Jarnkrok said in an interview on Saturday. “It took me a while to get going for sure. After that, and after that second injury that I had, I feel like I’ve been playing better.”
“He had the challenge of going through COVID early on,” coach Dave Hakstol said on Jan. 25. “And I believe as you miss time early in the year, and you’re not feeling great, it’s physically hard to catch up when you’re doing it on the fly. I would apply that to his first four to six weeks when he came back.”
After returning from the second injury, Jarnkrok did turn his season around and has since become one of the Kraken’s more reliable forwards at both ends of the ice. Since the beginning of December, he has nine goals and 20 points in 29 games, or .689 points per game during that span. If he continues at that pace for the remainder of Seattle’s 27 games, Jarnkrok would set a career high with 40 points, despite the 11 games lost and the 12-game pointless streak.
Earlier this season, we asked Jarnkrok what had changed in his game. “I don’t know if much has changed, to be honest with you,” he said. “I’m still the same player trying to work hard every game, just having some more luck and been able to score.”
What should the Kraken do with Calle Jarnkrok?
If Jarnkrok wants to stay in Seattle beyond this season, we think he’s shown enough to earn himself an extension on his contract, which is expiring after this season. The current deal, originally signed with Nashville in 2016, has paid him $2 million per year for the last six seasons. That’s a reasonable number against the salary cap, especially when you consider that players like Rickard Rakell, Brendan Gallagher, and Viktor Arvidsson have produced similar offensive numbers over the past few seasons and all make significantly more money.
The difference between Jarnkrok and those three players is that those players have all had big individual seasons in the past with over 30 goals, but are all a few years removed from doing so. Looking at more recent outputs, Jarnkrok is producing comparably, so we think the current contract is a good value. Jarnkrok should probably get a nice raise on his next deal, but we would expect the number to still be manageable for a lot of teams.
The case for keeping Jarnkrok
One thing the Kraken have successfully done this season is create an identity as a team that is hard to play against, doesn’t cheat, and brings effort (almost) every night. The lack of results hasn’t been for lack of trying, rather a lack of top-end skill.
It’s worth asking who the core players are that have helped to build that identity. Who from the current group drives that effort? Which players continue to push the team forward if an infusion of skill comes in the next couple seasons?
Jarnkrok has solidified himself as a versatile player that brings that effort night after night and has done everything asked of him. He has been used on the power play and penalty kill and played up and down the lineup. Heck, with Jared McCann injured, Hakstol has had Jarnkrok playing in a top-line center role the last couple games.
“He jumped in there the other night [against Boston], and he did a real nice job of it,” Hakstol said on Saturday. “Jarny is a guy that’s got a real good defensive DNA. He just understands and sees the game from that side, as well as the offensive side. So that along with the fact that he’s taking face-offs regularly for us this year, he was very comfortable playing down low defensively, and he has pretty good poise with the puck to be able to get us out of the zone and those tighter spots.”
All this indicates that he would be a good player to keep around next season and beyond, but we still think the allure of trading him for a pick and/or a prospect will be too enticing for Francis.
The case for trading Jarnkrok
At this point, the Kraken really should be open to trading almost anybody, with very few exceptions. For a guy like Jarnkrok on an expiring contract at a reasonable cap hit, we fully expect teams to come calling, especially considering that he has shown the ability to play anywhere in the lineup and has plenty of playoff experience. In fact, we think Jarnkrok may be the most valuable trade chip Seattle has, at least in terms of its players on expiring contracts.
At this very early stage in the history of the Kraken, it’s hard to imagine any of the players leaving, since this is the only iteration of the team that we know. But the long-term success of the Kraken isn’t about this year, and it probably isn’t about next year either, so any return that Francis can get should be considered.
We asked Francis during his press conference on Tuesday if he sees Jarnkrok or others on expiring contracts like Marcus Johansson fitting in as part of the core beyond this season. “Those would be discussions over the next few months– you know, some of it depends on what teams call and ask for or are willing to give you for them,” Francis said.
“The other thing is maybe having that discussion as to what [the players] are thinking and what they’re looking for moving forward. I mean, there’s always the option of trading a guy and then kind of sitting there waiting and see what happens in the summertime. So there’s a lot of different scenarios that play out, but certainly, those guys have come to play hard for us each night and we appreciate what they’re doing for us.”
That last option that Francis mentioned of trading Jarnkrok now and looking to re-sign him as a free agent in the offseason makes a ton of sense.
We hate to say it, because we love Jarnkrok’s game, but the right move is to trade him before the deadline.
Does Jarnkrok want to return?
Even if the Kraken preferred to keep Jarnkrok, rather than trading him, would he want to stay?
Jarnkrok says he has enjoyed his time in Seattle, and speaks highly of what the Kraken have built so far. “Everything’s been good. Organization is awesome, all the facilities, this is the best place right here,” he said, referencing Kraken Community Iceplex. “Results haven’t been good enough, and except for that, I think it’s been unbelievable here.”
So what does he want to do beyond this season?
“I haven’t really thought about it. At the end of the day, it’s a business, and it’s not up to me, really, to be honest with you. I really like it here, and that’s all I can say.”
In part 2 of this series I looked at the Kraken’s approach in the neutral zone when the opponent has possession and is attempting entry into the Kraken’s defensive zone. In part 3 I looked at how the Kraken defend against opposing possession in Seattle’s end.
In this part I look at how the Kraken attempt to clear their defensive zone after gaining possession, whether by winning it by face-off, rebound, puck battle, or turnover, or by recovering an opposing team’s dump in from the neutral zone.
Hakstol’s philosophy: prioritize the puck
As discussed in part 2, Hakstol’s system preaches defense first in all phases of play. When the opponent has the puck, the team looks to deter opposing shot quantity and quality.
When the puck is on a Kraken stick, Hakstol appears to emphasize puck possession as the cardinal rule. The approach is relatively conservative, emphasizing a disciplined, low-event style of play. Hakstol is disinclined to see his team take risks and trade scoring opportunities with the opponent. And given the finishing talent on this version of the Kraken, it is hard to fault that approach in a vacuum.
The Kraken are above average in both avoiding giveaways and suppressing opponent takeaways, one of only nine teams in the league that land in both categories. And Seattle is fourth in the league in the percentage of total takeaways in its games, logging approximately 54 percent of the total takeaways.
As will be discussed, Hakstol’s Kraken need to excel in these statistics. The offensive system is designed to avoid dangerous possession and high-risk passes in the neutral and offensive zones. In contrast, more aggressive, higher-scoring systems like those of Florida and Toronto are predicated on high-danger possession or passing plays but overcome the giveaways with superior scoring opportunities and talent.
To make a conservative offensive system work, the team must avoid gaffes with the puck. This work starts 200 feet from the destination. No mistakes are more costly than failed attempts to clear the defensive zone. So, how do the Kraken scheme breakouts?
Hakstol’s scheme #1: the goaltender breakout pass
When the opponent dumps the puck deep into the zone without immediately applying pressure, the Kraken goaltender will retrieve it in the trapezoid behind the goal if he deems it safe to do so. The goaltender is ideally supported on either side at the goal line by his defensemen, allowing him to outlet the puck to an open side.
Clip 1. DZ Breakout: The goalie pass.
In clip 1, the schemed play stays on schedule. The Ducks dump the puck in from the red line, and Chris Driedger reads the pressure correctly and retrieves. He is supported on either side by defensemen, with Adam Larsson on the right wing boards and Mark Giordano on the left wing. Driedger correctly perceives more pressure on Larsson and filters the puck to Giordano. Giordano moves the puck up the boards for Yanni Gourde, who clears the zone.
Some teams teach their goaltenders to stay away from puck possession and passing from behind the net except in exigent circumstances and instead instruct the goaltenders to stop the puck and await retrieval by a defenseman. While this alternative approach may slow the zone exit, there are studies indicating that goalie passes are significantly more likely to result in turnovers than comparable passes from defensemen in these breakout situations. Certainly we can all recall a scenario where a goalie attempts to clear the zone around the boards but instead hits a forechecking opponent right on the tape. That is the risk.
Clip 2. DZ Breakout: The goalie pass.
In clip 2 above, we see an example of the goalie pass gone awry. The puck skips and pressure is on Driedger faster than he expects. The forechecking Ducks skater blocks Driedger’s pass, causing a turnover, and a dangerous sequence ensues.
Hakstol’s scheme #2: strong-side wall breakout
When the Kraken win possession in a puck battle along the wall or end boards (or off a draw), the Kraken move onto a core concept: the strong-side wall play. The puck is controlled by a defenseman (D1) below the circles or in the corner. If a forward has won the puck in this position, players will rotate to assume other roles. Close support toward the center of the ice is provided by F1. F2 positions himself farther up the strong-side boards to receive a pass along the boards and either advance it by skating or by chipping it past any pressure and out of the zone.
Diagram 1. DZ Breakout: The strong side wall play.
F3 is high in the zone, near the middle of the ice, and ready to fly the zone in support or in pursuit of a chipped-out clear. If F2 is hemmed in and cannot achieve the red line himself, F3 looks to receive a pass and advance past the red line for a dump in or controlled entry. D2 is located toward the weak side, typically just below the goal line. That allows an outlet for D1 if the strong side is jammed up to reverse the puck to the weak side and break the pressure that way.
Clip 3. DZ Breakout: The strong side wall play
In clip 3 above, the Kraken move immediately into a strong-side wall breakout play off a clean defensive zone face-off win by center Alex Wennberg. They had almost successfully executed the same play mere moments earlier, but the puck ricocheted out of play. Jeremy Lauzon (D1) receives the puck and moves to the corner. Vince Dunn (D2) is near the corner boards in his draw position and therefore not where a D2 would ideally be located. He compensates by drifting across toward the weak side in front of Lauzon to open space for Lauzon’s advance and provide a pressure valve for a reverse pass. Wennberg moves into a center ice F1 position; Marcus Johansson positions farther up the strong-side boards as F2; and Jordan Eberle flies the zone as F3.
Lauzon (D1) gets the puck up the strong-side wall to Johansson (F2), who glides to the red line and dumps the puck deep. Eberle (F3) has flown the zone and is ready to chase into the offensive zone.
Diagram 2. DZ Breakout: The weak side play.
As an alternative to the strong-side wall play, the player in possession (D1) will often look to relieve pressure by reversing the puck behind the goal to the defenseman on the opposite side (D2). By filtering the puck to the weak side, the Kraken create a transition threat that will often cause the opposition to retreat.
Clip 4. DZ Breakout: The weak side play.
In clip 4, Vince Dunn is the weak-side defenseman but takes possession immediately off the draw. He rapidly moves to the weak side, taking the outlet opportunity. He is supported by Calle Jarnkrok (center of the ice, F1) and Yanni Gourde (high, F3). The breakout clears the zone but concedes possession in the neutral zone.
Scheme scorecard: controlled exits but too many turnovers
Though the team’s approach can feel a bit wooden at times and leave controlled possession through the neutral zone in doubt, on the whole the team has done a decent job at the task of “clearing the zone.”
Per microstats compiled by analyst Corey Sznajder, the Kraken have accomplished an above average rate of “controlled” exits from their defensive zone (see x axis of the visualization below). In other words, the Kraken are not prone to recklessly conceding possession by firing the puck out of the zone and back to the opponent in the neutral zone.
That said, the Kraken have struggled to successfully exit the zone at times. Sznajder’s stats have the Kraken in the bottom half of the league in “successful” zone exits (see y axis in visualization above).
Part of the explanation could be scheme related. The strong-side wall play is not the fastest or most dynamic zone exit scheme. If the opposition is well coached in anticipating the play, there are opportunities to congest the strong side and cause a takeaway. These takeaways are particularly dangerous when forced off an errant pass to F1 in the middle of the ice.
In implementing Hakstol’s “prioritize the puck” philosophy, the Kraken have at times erred too far on the side of caution in protecting puck possession over rapid zone exits.
Kraken defensemen have often been too circumspect in their advance and have invited the opposing forecheck in to create pressure and a turnover. In many instances, this is because the defensemen are awaiting an opening for a stretch pass. The stretch pass is a neutral zone transition concept I will discuss in the next part of this series. But, needless to say, it is a very poor outcome if the team fails to clear the defensive zone because they are attempting to move to the next step in their transition play.
Overall, personnel is likely the biggest limiting factor. The team does not have many skilled skating and passing blueliners. Instead, the Kraken have stockpiled larger, stay-at-home defensemen who excel at protecting the house. With the team willingly trading offensive puck possession skill for defensive lockdown ability, these possession failures are bound to happen, regardless of scheme.
Returning to Sznajder’s analytics, among Kraken defensemen, only Giordano and Larsson have avoided failed exits and initiated successful exits at an above average rate.
Furthermore, as Alison Lukan noted in a great piece posted to NHL.com last week, the recent struggles in transition could be due to injury-related absences of some of the Kraken’s stronger puck-moving forwards.
Are defensive zone breakout gaffes to blame for the Kraken’s struggles?
I would caution against over-emphasizing any perceived issues the Kraken have had clearing the defensive zone. There is room for improvement, but the team’s analytics indicate middling, not disastrous, play.
One common explanation I have seen for the stark differential between the Kraken’s actual goals against and expected goals against mentioned in part 3 is what I will call the “defensive zone gaffe theory.” The theory is the Kraken are turning the puck over in dangerous areas of the defensive zone leading to shots that the goalie is less likely to stop because he cannot anticipate them.
I understand this reaction. Goals off of defensive zone errors are certainly part of the story of this season. But I don’t see the support in the data I’ve seen so far that this a global explanation for the Kraken’s struggles. The Kraken are not giving up a large number of doorstep chances overall, nor are they giving away the puck in the defensive zone at a concerning rate. Their zone exit success rate may be below average, as described above, but it is balanced by an above average rate of controlled possession exiting the zone.
I don’t want to foreclose the possibility that more granular analysis could confirm the theory (a project for the offseason, perhaps). But right now, I think it’s more likely we simply believe the Kraken are struggling with their breakouts because the turnovers that do occur are hitting the back of the Kraken net more often than they should.
Next: decoding Hakstol’s scheme for neutral zone transitions
In Part 5 of the series I examine how Kraken coach Dave Hakstol designs the team’s transitions through the neutral zone on the attack.
We really thought Sunday would be the night Seattle would snap its six-game skid. The Kraken did come out flying and largely dominated the Sharks in the opening frame, outshooting them 19-4 and taking an early 1.25 to .37 lead in expected goals for. Yet, San Jose hung in there and somehow got the first goal, then went to the dressing room with a 1-1 tie.
A disallowed Kraken goal turned the tide in the second, James Reimer played great throughout, and the Sharks got enough opportunistic scoring to extend Seattle’s current streak of misery to seven games.
Here are our Three Takeaways.
Takeaway #1: Video reviews are not a strength for the Kraken
Remember game 1 in franchise history in Vegas? The winning goal that night came off the skate of Chandler Stephenson on a play that many Kraken fans and Kraken coach Dave Hakstol thought should not have counted. Well, that play set the tone for how things would go for this team in video reviews throughout this inaugural season, and Seattle’s lack of success in this area was especially prevalent on Sunday.
The Kraken appeared to take a 2-1 lead four minutes into the second period, when Calle Jarnkrok fired home what would have been his 11th “Calle Tally” (that nomenclature is courtesy of John Forslund) of the season. Replay showed that Marcus Johansson had made contact with Reimer at the top of the crease, but it definitely seemed like he had been forced in by Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Calle Jarnkrok puts a second puck in the net for #SeaKraken but the Sharks are challenging for goaltender interference pic.twitter.com/GY5g0cA3m2
Sharks coach Bob Boughner challenged, and predictably—because that’s just how things have gone for the Kraken with video reviews—the call on the ice was overturned. So, back to 1-1 we went, and the decision clearly took some wind out of Seattle’s sails.
“I think if you reverse the situation, I think they would have called it a goal on us,” Philipp Grubauer said with a smirk after the game.
Then late in the contest, Jonah Gadjovich got in Grubauer’s grill. A Brent Burns shot got tipped by friend of the pod, Jasper Weatherby, then pinballed off Grubauer and off Gadjovich’s skate, and finally slid into the net for Gadjovich’s first career NHL goal. Hakstol challenged that play for goalie interference, and there was also a league-initiated review for a potential kick in, but neither was enough to overturn the goal.
“3-1 with five minutes to go, they were in the crease,” Hakstol said of his decision to challenge Gadjovich’s goal. “To be honest, probably a 50-50 call from what I saw.” He added that he was looking more at the contact on the initial shot, rather than the rebound that actually got put into the net.
The decision to challenge was a desperation call that was made because the goal gave San Jose a two-score lead at 14:37 of the third period. The failed challenge was probably the nail in Seattle’s coffin, though, because it also gave the Kraken a late delay-of-game penalty.
We thought there was more of a chance for the kick to be the reason San Jose’s late insurance goal could get disallowed, but the NHL’s situation room did not see enough of a distinct kicking motion to change the call on the ice. We’ve also seen that movie before.
In retrospect, both goals probably should have counted, which simple math tells us would still have resulted in a 3-2 Sharks win. You never know about the butterfly effect if Jarnkrok’s goal had stood, though, as a 2-1 lead for the Kraken could have led to a different outcome.
By the way, Gadjovich and Scott Reedy both scored their first career NHL goals on Sunday, while Dzingel got his first as a Shark. So that’s neat.
Takeaway #2: Geekie gets the monkey off his back
Morgan Geekie can regularly be found by himself on the ice for 30 or 40 minutes after Kraken practices working on his individual skills. One of the areas he’s been focused on lately is lifting pucks into the top of the net from in close.
On Sunday, Geekie scored a carbon-copy goal of what we’ve seen him practicing in those extended sessions, hoisting a backhander over the outstretched pad of Reimer to tie the score at 1-1.
1-1
Nine seconds later, Geekie with the response goal.
Even though the Kraken lost, Geekie scoring is significant. It’s been a tough season for the young winger offensively, and he hadn’t registered a goal since Dec. 11.
“It definitely weighs on you, for sure,” Geekie said of the long drought. “I’ve had a lot of chances, so I try to take that for what it’s worth, and when those stop coming, I think that’s the real issue.”
Though he’s still just 23 years old, we hoped the offensively gifted forward would find the back of the net often and command a role closer to the top of Seattle’s lineup this season. That hasn’t happened, and the marker against San Jose was just Geekie’s third as a Kraken.
He has been noticeable for several games in a row, though, so we weren’t surprised to see him get the monkey off his back.
And you know who else was not surprised to see it? Morgan’s brother, Noah. “I do have to give credit to my brother,” Morgan said. “He did say that I was going to score tonight, so we’ll give that one to him… We’ll half it.”
We are very much rooting for Geekie to have a long, successful run with the Kraken. Here’s hoping that the goal in San Jose opens the floodgates for him.
Takeaway #3: Seattle is playing well, but still lacks the firepower needed to win
The main reason we thought Seattle was going to come out on top against the Sharks is that the group had put forth a good 60-plus-minute effort against the Bruins on Thursday, only to fall 3-2 in overtime. That performance had carried over from the second half of the game against the Islanders on Tuesday, so we thought things were trending in the right direction.
We were mostly right, except for the part about Seattle actually getting a result.
The Kraken came out flying against the Sharks, who initially looked like a tired team on the second of back-to-back games. But Reimer kept Seattle off the board long enough to allow Dzingel to find an opportunistic goal at the other end. Geekie’s goal came just nine seconds after Dzingel’s, but still, a 1-1 tie after such a lopsided opening frame had to give hope to a San Jose team that frankly should have been trailing by a couple goals after 20 minutes.
“We did everything other than come out of the first period with a lead,” Hakstol said. “That’s the way we wanted to start the hockey game.”
Added Geekie, “I think we forechecked hard, had a lot of pressure in the first period. I think that’s something that we just need to kind of sustain for 60 minutes, and I think if we can do that we’ll have some more success.”
Without taking anything away from Reimer, the lack of scoring is nothing new for Seattle, which has averaged just 1.86 goals per game on this seven-game losing streak. The latest loss was also another stark reminder that the Kraken simply do not have the offensive firepower needed to win on a regular basis, and that important missing element is especially obvious with Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann simultaneously on injured reserve.
We are not in the prediction business, but if we were… well… let’s just say that the Kraken have looked like they are ready to get off this losing streak in the near future. It’s been six consecutive defeats for Seattle, including a disappointing overtime ‘L’ to Boston at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday. Still, it feels like the boys have been heading in the right direction over the last game and a half, and a win has to be on the horizon. Could that skid-snapping Kraken ‘W’ come against the Sharks on Sunday?
Improvements being made
Penalty kill
Despite the outcome, the Kraken had a good 60-minute effort against the Bruins and very nearly stole a win against a better team. It would have been quite the accomplishment, too, as Seattle spent more than half the first period shorthanded.
On that note, the penalty kill has gotten a lot better lately and was especially impressive Thursday. Coach Dave Hakstol indicated on Sunday morning that the team has made some changes to its kill, now taking a more aggressive posture. “We made that change a few games ago because we felt like we were really getting too stagnant and [would] just end up being dictated to, rather than dictating anything,” Hakstol said. “That was a real good change the players have done a real good job with, and we’re getting— you know, the detail of it is getting quicker and better and more efficient.”
He also explained the change is mostly in the way that the forwards are pressuring and rotating. One forward pressures the puck carrier, then gets back to the middle, and his forward partner then does the same.
It certainly worked on Thursday, as the PK held the scary Bruins power play off the board.
60-minute effort
The Kraken looked downright bad in the first half of their loss to the Islanders on Tuesday, but they got on their toes and attacked more aggressively in the second half and nearly turned that game around. The effort carried over to Thursday’s game, and in general, the Kraken looked much better that night. The difference in the game was a hard-luck shot by Jake DeBrusk from a bad angle that beat Philipp Grubauer in overtime.
Our belief is that when you’re on a losing streak, you have to bottom out, then make some positive baby steps before you can break out. We think the bottoming out happened at the beginning of the Islanders game, and those baby steps have been taken with the second half of that game and the impressive effort against Boston. So, is the breakout from the skid coming Sunday?
Goaltending
Grubauer was outstanding against the Bruins and absolutely deserved a victory. That’s twice in the last eight days that he’s had performances like that, with the other coming against Calgary on Feb. 19.
In his last three starts, including a not-as-stellar outing against New York, Grubauer has a .919 save percentage. He will get the start again in San Jose.
Kraken versus Sharks
It is interesting how—despite the club’s unimpressive results as a whole—Seattle has had the numbers of a couple teams this season. The Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks jump to mind as teams that have struggled with the Kraken.
Seattle has handed two losses to San Jose, one on the road and one at home. In the Jan. 20 home win, Seattle didn’t have its best effort but got away with it and earned the two points.
Projected lineup
First period highlights
The Kraken had a dominant first period going, en route to outshooting the Sharks 19-4. Still, San Jose somehow got on the board first. Off a three-on-three rush, Noah Gregor, Logan Couture, and newly claimed Ryan Dzingel connected on a nice passing play. Dzingel beat Grubauer through the wickets for his first goal as a Shark.
Morgan Geekie salvaged an excellent period for the Kraken just nine seconds later, though. Just off the center-ice face-off, Seattle broke into the San Jose zone. Ryan Donato chipped a bouncing puck to Geekie, who settled it down and lifted a backhander over the outstretched pad of James Reimer.
1-1
Nine seconds later, Geekie with the response goal.
That was Geekie’s first goal since Dec. 11, and it took Seattle into the room level at 1-1.
Second period highlights
Two minutes into the second period, Jacob Middleton laid a big hit on Mason Appleton in the neutral zone. In response, Jeremy Lauzon challenged Middleton, and the two dropped the gloves. As they tussled near the penalty box, the off-ice official stupidly opened the door, and the players fell into the threshold. It was a dangerous decision to open the door, but thankfully, neither player was injured.
After a big hit by Middleton on Appleton, Lauzon challenges Middleton, and the two have a good bout. Dangerously, the off-ice official opened the penalty box door, and the players nearly fell into the box.
Soon after the fight, it appeared the Kraken had taken their first lead of the game when Calle Jarnkrok scored. There was contact between Marcus Johansson and Reimer, though, and the Sharks successfully challenged to keep the game tied at 1-1.
A few minutes later, Scott Reedy put the Sharks ahead with his first NHL goal. Just off an offensive-zone face-off, Reedy skated through the circle and picked up the loose puck. He shot through traffic, and it eluded Grubauer.
The second period was more level than the first in terms of possession, but Seattle still led almost every metric except the one that mattered.
Third period highlights
The third period was fairly tight checking, though Grubauer made several nice saves in the frame on Timo Meier. Jonah Gadjovich joined Reedy in scoring his first NHL goal in this game, when a rebound bounced off his skate and slid past Grubauer to make it 3-1. Hakstol challenged that goal for goalie interference, but it was ruled a good goal.
The three goals for were more than enough support for Reimer, who was outstanding throughout. The Kraken only beat him once (legally), meaning they have now averaged just 1.86 goals per game during this now seven-game losing streak.
Our prediction that Seattle would have a good effort was accurate, but the result still was not there.
When news broke just before morning skate that Jared McCann was on injured reserve and would be unavailable for Thursday’s Kraken game against the Boston Bruins, we knew the deck was stacked against Seattle. It got stacked even higher, though, when the Kraken spent half of the opening period in the penalty box facing a team that scored two power play goals against them just three weeks ago.
Even so, Seattle put together a downright gutsy effort from the goal crease out on Thursday and nearly pulled off a stunner but instead took its sixth loss in a row.
Here are our Three Takeaways from an exciting but ultimately disappointing 3-2 overtime Kraken loss to the Bruins.
Takeaway #1: Philipp Grubauer almost stole that one
Philipp Grubauer was razor sharp from the opening face-off on Thursday, and he had to be. With Kraken players parading to the penalty box throughout the opening 20 minutes, the puck was in Seattle’s zone for almost the entire frame.
Grubauer was phenomenal, though, making saves of all shapes and sizes, and turning away 16 of the 17 shots he faced in the period. The only one that got behind him came off a fluky play where Jeremy Lauzon hit a foul ball trying to bat a wobbling puck out of harm’s way.
Somewhat comically, his best save of the night—which came in that impressive opening period—was friendly fire from Riley Sheahan. Trying to deflect a pass away, Sheahan redirected it right toward Grubauer, who was sprawling in the wrong direction. He was able to somehow stop his momentum, push back the other way, and do a full split to just barely get his left toe on the puck.
In honor of tonight's @WAFDBank Signature Save of the Game, we ask you to reply with your *loudest* GRUUUU below. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ntj9lEaF3U
It’s rare that we agree with the “WaFd Signature Save” choice, but that was a truly a remarkable stop.
Grubauer didn’t want to take much credit for his performance after the game. “I think we did a better job of keeping guys to the outside, boxing them out, like taking options away,” he said. “It’s not just [about] a shot, there’s a backdoor option, a one-timer on the other side, so the guys let me read the game really well and focus on one guy or two guys. We keep doing that and taking sticks and rebounds away, we have a good chance.”
Just when we thought Grubauer was going to steal the victory, Jake DeBrusk beat him from a sharp angle 33 seconds into overtime.
It’s our opinion (we did not ask Grubauer about this, though we probably should have) that he was not expecting DeBrusk to shoot from that position in a possession-focused three-on-three period. Watch the clip above again, and look how Grubauer picks up his right pad just before the shot. He sets the inside edge of his skate into the ice, then puts his pad back down when he sees the shot coming, but by then it’s too late. So we think he was preparing to push to the other post to take away either a one-time opportunity or a DeBrusk wraparound.
Regardless, that was a memorable performance by Grubi, who made 36 of 39 saves in all.
Takeaway #2: Penalties are bad, mmkay?
The primary reason that Grubauer faced 39 shots on the night is that Seattle spent an absurd amount of time in the penalty box in the first period. Mark Giordano took a tripping penalty 20 seconds in, then Adam Larsson joined him in the box at 1:42. Larsson’s penalty was a four-minute high-sticking penalty, so Seattle essentially spent the first six minutes of the game down a man, including a 38-second stretch at five-on-three.
Yet, remarkably, the Kraken were ahead 1-0 by the time they killed off Larsson’s penalty, thanks to a beautiful shorthanded goal by Giordano that was set up by an exhausted Riley Sheahan.
Add an Alex Wennberg penalty and a second call on Larsson, and you have yourself one very tiring period. Seattle’s penalty killers did a fantastic job, and the team nearly got to the room with a 1-0 lead, but that lucky DeBrusk goal brought the Bruins level.
“That’s not the best formula to start with,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “I believe the entire first period, there’s about eight and a half or nine minutes of five-on-five hockey, so we were short-handed too much. But the penalty killers did a real good job through that, our goaltending was good through that, and our energy and momentum was good through that.”
Added Jordan Eberle, “Grubi stood on his head. Once we kind of weathered the storm there, and we got a shorthanded [goal], we ended up coming out over the top of it.”
They did indeed, but we still can’t help wondering what might have been if Seattle didn’t spend so much of its energy killing penalties in the opening frame.
Takeaway #3: Better, but still not enough
The first half of Seattle’s game against New York on Tuesday was among the worst stretches of hockey we’ve seen the Kraken play at Climate Pledge Arena this season. On Thursday, the team looked much better from the drop of the puck, despite the many penalties against in the early going.
The way the players seemed to be playing for each other, doing everything they could to keep pucks to the outside and blocking shots, was telling of the level of effort in this game, and made us believe they were going to pull out a victory.
“We played our asses off tonight for 60 minutes, bottom line,” Hakstol said. “Tough way to lose a hockey game, but you know, I’m proud of our effort.”
It was a continuation of the way the Kraken played in the second half against the Islanders on Tuesday, and a good sign that Seattle will soon break out of this latest six-game losing streak.
It is on nights like Thursday when we’re reminded that Seattle’s lineup is lacking in depth and top-end offensive skill. Despite playing their asses off, as Hakstol mentioned, Boston got a second period goal from David Pastrnak where he one-timed a perfect Charlie McAvoy pass and beat Grubauer. Grubauer had zero chance on the play, which was a pass from an elite play-making defenseman to an elite goal-scoring forward. Seattle just doesn’t have guys like that yet. A 100 percent effort still only gives the team a chance to win, and not necessarily a win.
By the way, we asked Hakstol what the difference was between the start on Thursday and the start on Tuesday, and he said: “We had fresh legs.” That was it.
In the end, it was a disappointing loss, but a positive step for the Kraken.
Things were already bad for the Seattle Kraken, who have lost five games in a row entering Thursday’s home matchup with the Boston Bruins. But they aren’t getting any easier, now that Jared McCann has officially been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Coach Dave Hakstol made it sound like the McCann injury is not that bad, but he did not give a timetable, and being that the Kraken’s top scorer is actually on IR, he will miss at least a week. Seattle is still without fellow top-liner Jaden Schwartz, so the loss of McCann—the team’s leading scorer—becomes extra painful (pun intended).
Pre-game
Yanni Gourde a game-time decision
Potentially adding to the challenge for Seattle, Yanni Gourde was not present at morning skate at Climate Pledge Arena. Hakstol called Gourde a “game-time decision” and would not disclose the reason for his unexpected absence.
Kole Lind was recalled from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers to replace McCann on the roster, but we suspect he will be scratched if Gourde is able to go. If Gourde is not able to go, then we expect Lind to be inserted onto a line with Colin Blackwell and Mason Appleton. We shall see.
Kraken need to build on second half of previous game
The Kraken did not play well in the first half of their game against the Islanders on Tuesday and fell behind 4-0 before waking up in the second period. They flipped a switch and played much better in the second half, after Gourde scored to get them on the board (rhyming intentional).
“The two [halves] are very much connected,” Hakstol said Thursday after morning skate. “The biggest area that we didn’t execute on was entering the zone and extending that time. I mean we had five or six outnumbered situations in the first 15 minutes of that game, and I don’t know that we got a shot on goal. But more importantly, we didn’t extend that o-zone time. We were one and done in those scenarios.”
Hakstol also gave some credit to the way New York played in the neutral zone, but said Seattle consistently forced pucks into their structure. He also said the turnaround was thanks to “the decisions and the will that we had in terms of our puck possession” in the later part of the game.
The second half really was well played by the Kraken. If they can replicate that for a full 60 minutes on Thursday, they will have a good chance to win, even without McCann and (potentially) Gourde.
Boston Bruins
The Kraken and Bruins played each other a few weeks ago in Boston. That night, the Kraken came up empty on the power play, while David Pastrnak scored twice on the man advantage and led Boston to a 3-2 win.
On Thursday, the Bruins visit Seattle for the first time, and they will have one of their stars, Brad Marchand, back in the lineup after a six-game suspension for punching and swinging his stick at Tristan Jarry.
Marchand is a pest, and there’s no doubt about that, but he said Thursday morning that he understands the rules against him and needs to avoid getting himself in situations where he could be suspended again in the future. He also missed practice in Seattle Wednesday because his wife just gave birth to a baby girl, so he stayed back to help her get moved from the hospital to home. He was in a good mood Thursday morning.
“I’m sure he’s going to have a lot of jump [Thursday],” said former Bruin, Ryan Donato. “He’s such a good player and a tough guy to play against, so you got to have your head on a swivel when you’re against him, for more than one reason.”
The Bruins are in a playoff position, holding down the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Coach Bruce Cassidy said that their lineup is a bit more dialed in than before, especially now that Tuukka Rask has officially retired. They know that Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman are their two netminders moving forward, and their lineup feels more locked in than before with 50 games under the belt.
Ullmark will start for the Bruins against the Kraken.
Projected lineup
UPDATE: Yanni Gourde did participate in warm-ups and line rushes, so it looks like he’ll play. Here is the lineup.
The latest
The Kraken will sport special warm-up jerseys tonight, commemorating Black History Month. The jerseys will be auctioned off at the game.
The game began in thrilling fashion. Mark Giordano took a tripping penalty at :20 of the first period, putting his team immediately shorthanded. 1:22 later, Adam Larsson joined him in the box after catching Taylor Hall with a high stick and drawing blood.
Would you believe us if we told you that the Kraken not only killed the five-plus minutes of penalty time, but also came away with a 1-0 lead? It’s true!
Completely gassed after a long shift on the kill, Riley Sheahan huffed and puffed through the neutral zone with open ice ahead of him. He took the puck just across the offensive blue line and pulled up to wait for a trailing Giordano, whose penalty had just ended. Giordano had all day to pick his spot on Ullmark and sniped with Seattle’s first shot of the game.
A bit later in the frame, Charlie McAvoy narrowly missed a devastating injury. Alex Wennberg didn’t see him, and lifted his stick up. The stick got caught under McAvoy’s helmet, and lifted it off his head. McAvoy went down for a bit, but was able to recover. Scary play.
Meanwhile, Philipp Grubauer was standing on his head at the other end of the ice, turning away grade-A chance after grade-A chance throughout the first period. He almost escaped the frame without giving up a goal, but the Bruins got a very lucky bounce when the puck popped up in the air and over the net. Jeremy Lauzon tried to bat it out of the air, but didn’t get enough of it, and it dropped right on the goal line for Jake DeBrusk.
On their 24th shot in just 26:47 of total game time, David Pastrnak wired a one-timer from the left dot. Despite Grubauer being on top of his game at this point, there was no chance he was stopping that one.
The Kraken answered to make it 2-2 at 13:19. Off a broken play in the neutral zone, Seattle found itself on a three-on-one. Marcus Johansson passed to Jordan Eberle, and defenseman Mike Reilly just kept backing up. So, Eberle cleverly took the ice that was being offered and walked all the way into the crease before he dangled to his backhand and lofted it over a sprawling Ullmark.
NHL Video Highlight – Jordan Eberle scores against the Boston Bruins to make it 2-2. pic.twitter.com/P0bZ93PxGV
By the time the teams went to the dressing rooms after the second horn, Grubauer had already made 29 saves on the night.
Third period highlights
We didn’t forget to write anything in the third period, but compared to the hectic first two periods, it felt like little happened in the final frame of regulation. Things tightened up a lot defensively, so there just wasn’t anything all that noteworthy. The score remained 2-2, and after 60 minutes, we headed for overtime.
Overtime highlights
There was only one overtime highlight. This was it:
Thursday night, the Kraken will host the world-famous Boston Bruins at Climate Pledge Arena to try and put an end to a five-game losing streak.
Boston is the fifth original six team to visit Seattle, if you’re into that stuff. Even if you don’t care about history, the ‘B’ on their jerseys entices a ton of emotions, and some of those may be negative. The Bruins have had their share of rough and tumble teams over the years and the ‘Big, Bad Bruins’ stigma still follows them around.
That has been tamed somewhat, but Thursday will be the return of Brad Marchand, who is very skilled and has had his run-ins with players, teams, and officials throughout the league. Thursday will be his first game back after serving a six-game suspension for losing the proverbial ‘it’ against the Pittsburgh Penguins and their goalie Tristan Jarry.
“A lot of punches are thrown throughout the league and through games… that’s part of hockey and I didn’t expect it to get to where it went,” Marchand said after the Bruins morning skate on Thursday.
He also added that he knows he doesn’t have a long leash with the refs and that he’s going to keep the rage in check moving on.
“What I’m taking away from this is my threshold is very low right now,” Marchand said. “I really just have to stay away from anything at all, which I can do, I have been able to do it for a number of years now. And again, it’s just wrapping my mind around that and accepting it, whether I agree with it or not, and moving forward within the rules that I now understand are set for me. So, I think that’s essentially what it is, just making sure that I just stay away from everything because that’s where my threshold is at this point.”
It’s easy to root against Marchand if you’re a fan of a team that he’s playing against, but he undoubtedly is one of the best characters/pests the game has ever seen. He missed Wednesday’s practice to be back in Boston for the birth of his daughter, Rue.
How can you not like that?
The Perfection Line no more?
Marchand, for years, made up part of the so-called ‘Perfection Line, with center Patrice Bergeron and the always entertaining and noted donut pitchman, David Pastrnak.
It was one of the top lines in hockey but Thursday will be broken up, at least at the start of the game.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy has Marchand and Bergeron on the line together, but Pastrnak will play with Taylor Hall and Erik Haula, which in its own right is a formidable line.
Bruins odds and ends
Boston is a middle-of-the-pack team offensively, averaging 2.88 goals per game while allowing 2.74. That will pose as a challenge for the already offensively struggling Kraken who will play tonight without Jared McCann and potentially Yanni Gourde (who will be a game-time decision).
Linus Ullmark will start in net for the Bruins.
Northwest connections
Boston bruising defenseman Brandon Carlo played his junior hockey with the Tri-City Americans from 2013 through 2016. One of his teammates for the 2015-16 season in Kennewick was Kraken center Morgan Geekie.
Ullmark played for the Buffalo Sabres prior to signing with the Bruins as a free agent in the offseason. While with the Sablres, his goalie coach was Kraken goalie coach Andrew Allen. Will that help Kraken shooters? Probably not, but still a fun fact
DeBrusk played his junior hockey mostly with the Swift Current Broncos, but during the 2016 WHL trade deadline came very close to being traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds. Seattle was eventually outbid for him by the Red Deer Rebels who were loading up that year to host the Memorial Cup. So, while not a clear-cut Northwest connection, DeBrusk checks in as an almost Northwesterner.
It’s a long episode, but a fantastic one. This week, the Sound Of Hockey welcomes the coaches of both local WHL teams, as those teams prepare to play one another in the Battle of the Sound at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.
With Dennis Williams of the Everett Silvertips, the guys discuss the continued success of that organization, the high-end prospects that have played for them, and the many hats that Williams wears as both the GM and head coach. Then O’Dette expresses his excitement to finally be a friend of the pod and shares the differences between coaching in the ECHL versus the WHL. He also talks about the skill on his current team and the impact that some new additions have made this season.
Both interviews are great.
Aside from those interviews, you’ll also hear some Kraken talk, as John, Andy, and Darren discuss Seattle’s recent fruitless Canadian road trip and a strange home game against the New York Islanders. John also shares some tidbits from a recent presentation made by Tod and Tim Leiweke about the state of the franchise.
After the interviews, the guys shift to segments, which feature You Don’t See That Every Day, Weekly One-Timers, and Three Stars.
