Things are getting very real, Kraken fans! The Kraken Community Iceplex is open, players have arrived and actually skated in front of media on Thursday, and Kraken training camp is officially set to open on Sept. 23. Oh yes, things are definitely getting real.
Here’s what you need to know from the hockey world for this past week.
Seattle Kraken news
Iceplex grand opening
The Kraken Community Iceplex had its grand opening on Thursday. As part of the event, a group of Kraken players including Jaden Schwartz, Philipp Grubauer, Alexander Wennberg, Calle Jarnkrok, and many more took the ice for an informal practice and played a scrimmage. Check out Andy Eide’s story on the event here, which features lots of great photos of the event from Brian Liesse.
We know you’re wondering, and yes, we did get a good look at Philipp Grubauer’s Kraken goalie gear.
Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer was on the ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex Thursday (Brian Liesse photo)
He has gone with a mostly white True setup, with deep sea blue and ice blue accents, while his mask is heavily branded with team logos. It’s a pretty typical setup for Grubauer and isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s clean and tastefully done, and it’s certainly cool to see the team’s star netminder already donning his Kraken-specific equipment.
Training camp set to open Sept. 23
Have you heard the news? Training camp is set to open Sept. 23! By my math, that’s just 12 days from now. Fans will be able to procure tickets for the event if they are members of The Depths, the online club that was recently introduced by the team to give access to pre-sales, exclusive content, and several other benefits.
Fans ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of vaccination against COVID in order to attend training camp, which will be held at the Iceplex.
Kraken requiring vaccinations
Speaking of proof of vaccination, you will need to be fully vaxxed if you want to attend games or concerts at Climate Pledge Arena.
This is a pretty big deal. Other pro sports teams wanting to show that they are taking seriously the fight against the ongoing pandemic have required either proof of vaccination or a negative test. But the Kraken—always progressive in their approach to social issues—will give only one option to fans wishing to attend, and that is to get the shot.
The team will also require proof of vaccination for its three preseason games in Spokane, Everett, and Kent.
A year ago, going to an arena of 17,000-plus screaming fans would have been a non-starter for most. But now, there will be a way to attend with relative peace of mind that everyone in the building has taken the necessary steps to stop the spread of this still scary and still very dangerous disease.
Kraken sign Dennis Cholowski
The last of the restricted free agent dominos fell for Seattle this week, as defenseman Dennis Cholowski was signed to a one-year, two-way deal worth $900K. The 23-year-old was selected by the Kraken in the Expansion Draft from the Detroit Red Wings.
Cholowski was born in Langley, B.C., and spent a year in the WHL, splitting the season between Prince George and Portland. He had a strong rookie season in Detroit in 2018-19, when he played 52 games and notched 16 points. Since then, he’s been up and down between the NHL and the AHL, and last season only got 16 games with the big club.
He’s a two-way defenseman with upside, but he also will be competing in Kraken training camp for a spot on a deep blue line and is on a two-way deal, meaning there’s a good chance he spends time in Charlotte this year.
NWHL re-brands to Premier Hockey Federation
The National Women’s Hockey League is officially changing its name to become the Premier Hockey Federation before the upcoming season. Per the league’s official announcement, the move is meant to eliminate gender inequities by lifting the word “women’s” from the name, while also providing a more inclusive environment for all of its athletes.
Ditching six years of work to build up the NWHL into a recognizable brand had to have been an enormous decision for the league and relatively new commissioner Tyler Tumminia. And while we certainly don’t doubt that inclusivity is at the heart of it, we can’t help wondering how the decision was impacted by the existence of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association.
The PWHPA’s membership features some of the world’s best players, many of whom have been vocal against the NWHL in the past. Could the change to PHF have anything to do with trying to win back some of those players? Time will tell.
Around the boards
Winter Classic jerseys revealed
The Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues unveiled their respective Winter Classic jerseys this week.
As a native of Minnesota, I can tell you that Wild fans gave a big, collective “uffda” at the revelation of these busy, excessively striped, elbow patched uniforms (yes, they have elbow patches).
St. Louis, meanwhile, played it a little safer and came up with a pretty clean, simple look that should play well on TV.
Speaking of St. Louis, David Backes got the one-day contract treatment from the organization that drafted him and employed him for 10 NHL seasons. So, he officially retires as a member of the Blues, after spending time in Boston and Anaheim the last couple years. Backes, 37, scored 248 goals and 313 assists in 965 career regular-season games. He was given quite the sendoff when he made his last visit to St. Louis as a Duck last season, so his decision to officially hang up the skates was not a surprise.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
SEATTLE – The Kraken Community Iceplex at Northgate officially opens on Friday, but Thursday morning the team held a grand opening event for local partners, elected officials, and the media. Ground was broken on the facility in February of 2020. It is 180,000 square feet and features three publicly accessible rinks to skate on.
Thursday was a morning of Starbucks coffee, speeches, and just a little peek of Kraken hockey as about 15 players hit the ice for a workout known commonly as a ‘captains’ skate.’ For the first time we were able to see actual Kraken players skating on actual Kraken ice.
Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer was on the ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex Thursday (Brian Liesse photo)
The complex is impressive and includes a Starbucks Community Store, a Kraken team shop, a Virginia Mason Medical Pavilion, and soon the 32 Bar and Grill – slated to open in the fall of 2021.
While seeing the Kraken skating was fun, and a bit surreal after the lengthy process to get us to this point in the process, the overarching theme of the morning and of the Iceplex is the impact it will have on the region. Specifically that impact is focused on youth hockey, adult hockey, and growing the game in the Seattle community.
“Now the real work begins,” Kraken director of youth and community development Kyle Boyd said.
That work has already begun, and the Kraken are currently registering youth for various levels of hockey. The team has already conducted remote ‘learn to play’ events throughout the state and will hold more at the Iceplex. But they also offer, and registration is open, for the Jr. Squid program which is an in-house hockey development program for youth ages 6-9.
Older and more experienced players can register for the Junior Kraken. The Junior Kraken will ice teams in U8 through U12 age groups. There will be evaluation skates in September to properly place players, and parents can sign their kids up now.
“We think about our offices being here, the team being here, practices, training camp, and obviously a great opportunity to engage with our fans, but 50 percent of the building, if not more, is really dedicated to that (local youth hockey) community,” Boyd said. “So, bringing in kids for learn to skate, learn to play, bringing youth hockey associations from around the state in for regional tournaments, it’s going to be an amazing facility. I think this is a great beacon for what we want to do in the hockey community here.”
The Iceplex won’t limit its ice to youth hockey, however.
Formerly known as the Greater Seattle Hockey League, the newly minted Kraken Hockey League will give the city’s robust adult rec hockey players a chance to play as well. The three rinks at the Kraken Community Iceplex will be the only three that are available in the city limits which will open up ice times for the adult hockey population.
“If you’re interested as an adult, now’s the time to sign up for the Kraken Hockey League,” Boyd said. “They’re gonna still continue to play out at some of the other rinks too, but it’s gonna be a real opportunity for those adults who also want to come and give it a try, and to feel like they can be out there one day and participate on the main rink and learn the skills that those NHL guys have.”
While hockey is the main focus, the Iceplex will have figure skating programming to offer, and yes, curling programs as well.
Kraken Community Iceplex photo gallery
Enjoy photos that Sound Of Hockey photographer Brian Liesse captured during Thursday’s event.
Krake goalie Philip Grubauer was on the ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex Thursday (Brian Liesse photo)
Wow, what an episode, and what an interview with Seattle Kraken center, Morgan Geekie! You’ll laugh along with the young pivot who shares pretty much everything in his conversation with the Sound Of Hockey guys, from winning the Calder Cup to cracking up the entire hockey world with a puzzling and hilarious press conference. Geekie has experienced a lot in his young NHL career, and now he’s ready to become a member of the Kraken and take on a bigger role than he has before. Hear all about it on this week’s episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast.
Also on this show, there’s a fair amount of general Kraken news, like the team signing Riley Sheahan and Gustav Olofsson and jerseys slowly becoming available.
John, Andy, and Darren then methodically roll through a variety of topics, including but not limited to:
University of Alaska Anchorage hockey program saved \
Arizona Coyotes make bid for Tempe arena
IIHF Women’s World Championship complete
NHL players going to Olympics
The show is rounded out by a dazzling Goalie Gear Corner, then Weekly One-Timers and Tweets of the Week.
Wow, what an episode, and what an interview with Seattle Kraken center, Morgan Geekie! You’ll laugh along with the young pivot who shares pretty much everything in his conversation with the Sound Of Hockey guys, from winning the Calder Cup to cracking up the entire hockey world with a puzzling and hilarious press conference. Geekie has experienced a lot in his young NHL career, and now he’s ready to become a member of the Kraken and take on a bigger role than he has before. Hear all about it on this week’s episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast.
Also on this show, there’s a fair amount of general Kraken news, like the team signing Riley Sheahan and Gustav Olofsson and jerseys slowly becoming available.
John, Andy, and Darren then methodically roll through a variety of topics, including but not limited to:
University of Alaska Anchorage hockey program saved
Arizona Coyotes make bid for Tempe arena
IIHF Women’s World Championship complete
NHL players going to Olympics
The show is rounded out by a dazzling Goalie Gear Corner, then Weekly One-Timers and Tweets of the Week.
Can you smell that? That funky, yet wonderful aroma? It smells good, doesn’t it? You know what that smell is? That’s the smell of hockey season, folks! Ok, perhaps “good smelling” and “hockey” don’t typically go together all that well, but nonetheless, it’s in the air. Kraken players are making last-minute preparations and will be descending upon the Emerald City in the coming weeks, as the team’s inaugural training camp is just around the corner. In fact, believe it or not, the first preseason games in team history will be played THIS MONTH!
We’re almost there, gang. And while the hockey world has been largely dormant for the past month, there have been a few things happening of late. We fill you in on what you may have missed on this latest edition of Weekly One-Timers.
Seattle Kraken News
Kraken sign Riley Sheahan
The Kraken continued adding to their stockpile of veteran depth players on one-year deals this week, signing 29-year-old forward Riley Sheahan to a contract worth $850K. The 6-foot-2, 216 pounder won’t be a top-six guy, but he can provide some center help to the checking line and win faceoffs. He also kills penalties, so there’s some value there. How Sheahan slots in remains to be seen, but we could envision him centering Seattle’s fourth line for much of the season or serving as an extra forward for when injuries happen.
Sheahan has never produced big numbers offensively and is coming off a season in Buffalo in which he notched just four goals in 53 games. So, he isn’t here to fill up the opposing team’s net. Says Ron Francis via press release, “His versatility, strong penalty-killing ability, and skill in the faceoff circle make him a valuable addition to our forward group.”
So, there you go. He’s a depth guy who can play in the middle. Sheahan has 566 career NHL games under his belt with the Red Wings, Penguins, Panthers, Oilers, and Sabres. He has 70 career goals and 107 assists, and he is slightly above 50 percent in the faceoff circle, with his best season at the dot coming in 2018-19 when he won 54.93 percent of his draws.
Kraken sign Gustav Olofsson
This one actually happened last week, but we haven’t had a WOT article since then, so we will mention it. The Kraken also brought defenseman Gustav Olofsson, 26, into the fold on yet another one-year deal worth $750K. The Colorado College and Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) alumnus was once a highly regarded prospect in the Minnesota Wild organization. But multiple serious shoulder and knee injuries derailed things for him right when it looked like he was about to break the NHL lineup full time.
In all, Olofsson has 59 career NHL games with 11 assists. He played last season for the Laval Rocket of the AHL, where he notched a goal and 11 assists in 24 games.
Seattle Thunderbird Thomas Milic invited to Kraken camp
Thunderbird netminder Thomas Milic, 18, received an invitation to make the trek up I-5 from Kent for Seattle Kraken training camp, slated to start Sept. 22. Milic was named the WHL U.S. Division’s rookie of the year last season, with 2.74 goals against average and .913 save percentage in nine games. He also allowed just one goal in two games for Team Canada at the U18 World Championship in the spring.
Milic did not get selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but he still has two years of eligibility. Kraken training camp gives him a chance to elevate his status as an NHL prospect and helps Seattle by having a warm body to fill a goal crease.
Jerseys becoming available
A few fans who signed up for a WaFd Bank account in conjunction with their season ticket plans have already received their personalized Kraken jerseys.
This lettering choice was a no-brainer for me. In what is both coincidence and possibly destiny, the very first hockey jersey I ever wore (roller hockey in 4th grade) was "Buxton 32". pic.twitter.com/I0qeYReowI
What we learned from the early release is that the Kraken will wear a neat little inaugural season patch, which features some sea, some sky, and some Mount Rainier. As far as patches go, it’s pretty cool!
Jerseys go on sale for the general public starting on Sept. 15.
USA takes silver at Women’s Worlds
After having the event canceled and/or postponed two separate times, it was great to see the IIHF Women’s World Championship finally get played out. The tournament did not disappoint, as heated rivals Team USA and Team Canada advanced to the the gold medal game and went to three-on-three overtime.
Things were looking good for the Americans in the early going of the pivotal contest, as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to two greasy netmouth rebound goals by Alex Carpenter. But the pesky Canadians clawed their way back to level the score midway through the second period. Ann-Renée Desbiens made some great saves down the stretch to carry her squad into the extra frame, where the legendary Marie-Philip Poulin sniped home a game winner that only she knew had gone in.
By the way, we at Sound Of Hockey are big fans of 20-minute three-on-three sessions. Holy cats!
Canadian Blayre Turnbull reportedly broke her fibula while celebrating the gold medal win, but then stayed on the ice on a stretcher to celebrate. #HockeyPerson
The NHL will participate in the Olympics after all! We weren’t particularly surprised to hear this, being that Seattle will play just three games in the entire month of February after the league built a long break into the schedule. But after the league skipped the last Games, we were still hesitant to make assumptions. This is great news for hockey fans all around the world. Nations will submit their “long lists” in mid-October, and final rosters will be announced in January.
Philipp Grubauer (Germany) and Alexander True (Denmark) are the most likely Seattle Kraken players to represent their respective countries at these Olympics.
UAA hockey program saved
The University of Alaska Anchorage hockey program has been saved! After a wild ride and an incredible fundraising campaign, Save Seawolf Hockey reached its $3 million goal, and UAA announced that it would reinstate the program for the 2022-23 season. Read all about the remarkable efforts of campaign chairperson Kathie Bethard here.
Jason Payne hired as only Black head coach in North American pro hockey
The Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL hired Jason Payne this week as their head coach. Payne becomes the only Black head coach in North American professional hockey. The Cyclones are also the only pro hockey team with a female general manager, and they are the same organization from which the Kraken hired Everett Fitzhugh to be the NHL’s first Black play-by-play voice. Payne, 45, was previously the team’s assistant coach and played a 14-year pro career.
Coyotes make arena bid
After effectively being booted out of Gila River Arena by the City of Glendale, the Arizona Coyotes have been seeking a long-term arena solution in the Phoenix area. This week, the organization submitted a bid to build a new arena in Tempe, a very positive first step in the process. Under their current agreement with Glendale, the Coyotes can only play one more season at Gila River Arena. So if this bid—which will likely require several months of review—gets approved by Tempe, the team will still be without a home starting in 2022-23 and will need to find a temporary venue.
NHL not messing around with anti-vaxxers
The NHL rolled out its COVID protocols for players and staff this week. The league and the NHLPA agreed on the rules, which do not mess around with those who are choosing to not get vaccinated. There will be monetary loss for unvaccinated players who miss time due to infection or close contact with positive cases, and the experiences between vaccinated and unvaccinated players will be very different. Elliotte Friedman had a good rundown of the protocols here. Michael Russo also reports that approximately 95% of NHL players are fully vaccinated.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
If you listen to the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, you are well aware that we do several regular segments on that show. One of those regular segments is a bit polarizing, being that the other two hosts—John Barr and Andy Eide—pretend to hate the segment (even though they actually love it and actively participate in it), while yours truly continues to plug it into the weekly agenda whenever I possibly can. It’s my firm belief that this segment… is… everyone’s… favorite segment. I’m talking of course about… GOALIE GEAR CORNER!
[AIRHORN! AIRHORN! AIRHORN!]
We have a couple housekeeping items to cover before we dig into this riveting written version of everyone’s favorite segment. First, we’ve long had listeners reaching out to us seeking more goalie gear content on SoundOfHockey.com, and for this we are thankful.
We’ve heard your feedback and this is our first real attempt to get such content onto the site. We will do more of these articles in the future, but we don’t have much of a cadence in mind for when we will produce them or anything like that. We’re thinking they will come as the goalie gear world warrants them, so just keep your eyes peeled for more GGC’s in the coming weeks and months.
Second, we have to give a shoutout to the GOAT of goalie gear content, Goalie Gear Nerd. They are a great follow on Twitter, and they really keep us up to date on the latest and greatest in goalie gear—with more of a focus on it than we can give—so throw them a follow. You will see several of their tweets embedded in this post.
Now, without further ado, let’s get to it. Here is our first installment of SoundOfHockey.com’s Goalie Gear Corner, in which we will gather ’round and gaze in awe at the dazzling beauty that is goalie gear.
Goalie Gear Corner
Kennedy Blair – University of Wisconsin Badgers
This edition begins with a spectacular CCM setup from the netminder for my own alma matter’s women’s team. Kennedy Blair of the University of Wisconsin has revealed via her Instagram a look that we have not seen before from a Badger goalie.
Softly colored motion W’s are patterned down the faces of the pads, along with the blocker and the trapper. Red and white stripes at the top of the catcher and bottom of the blocker mirror the coloring on the knee rolls, tying everything together in a chef’s kiss fashion.
The softer and slightly transparent color of the W’s—rather than Wisconsin’s more typically bold cardinal red color—make this setup easy on the eyes. It comes through a bit pinkish, but I think if Blair had elected for a more opaque color, these would have been way too busy, so that’s a great decision.
No set of stunning Wisconsin pads is complete without Bucky Badger, of course, so that striped little beast adorns the tops of the pads.
Blair’s mask features a Wisconsin toque. I do like this mask, but it’s been done on many occasions in the past, so considering how well she did with the rest of the setup, I was a little surprised to see her recycle something that’s been done by many backstops in the past. To her credit, the carry over of motion W’s from the pads is a nice touch.
Overall grade: B+
High marks for uniqueness and creativity on the pads, glove, and blocker
High marks for continuity on the gear
Loses some points for going with a re-tread mask design; likely would have earned a higher grade if she had just shared her gear and left the mask out
Adin Hill – San Jose Sharks (mask only)
Next, we focus on a mask-only revelation from Adin Hill who many of us thought would end up with the Seattle Kraken before he was traded to San Jose. It’s not really fair to compare just a mask with Blair’s full setup above, but we will be looking more at the details when we consider individual equipment items, so hopefully that levels the playing field at least a little.
This is a real stunner. Painted by Alberta-based tattoo and mask artist Dave Fried, Hill has managed to take his new team’s mascot and actually use it in a way that is truly unique. He could have mailed it in and just slapped a few logos on there, but he found a way to make this very team-centric bucket a bit more personal.
Though we’re giving credit to Fried and Hill, apparently it was actually Hill’s brother and dad who did the design, which features a school of very fierce-looking sharks patrolling the area around a shipwreck.
One thing I love about the design is the bold teal color that makes up the bulk of the mask, with different shades being used on top to create the illusion of sunrays dancing through the ocean depths. The artist also did a masterful job of keeping the mask balanced while avoiding any symmetry on the two sides. Finally, with the shadowy shark figures cruising around in the background, and some bits of the paint job spilling over onto the white frame around Hill’s face, the scene looks truly three dimensional.
While the front and top of the mask are outstanding, it may be the backplate that makes this one truly special. A shipwrecky-looking goalie stick and ghoulish mask lie at the bottom of the sea. On the stick, Hill’s late goalie coach from junior, Michael Maniago, is memorialized with the insignia, “MM30.” And let’s not forget the octopus tentacles, clearly a shot at the Kraken, hanging from the jaws of the lone fully detailed shark on the backplate.
Overall grade: A-
High marks for color and depth
Good use of theme
Nitpicking here, but the mask as a whole could be a little more personal to the goalie instead of focusing so heavily on the team theme
Aaron Dell – Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres may have some issues in their goalcrease this season, as their two current netminders are Aaron Dell—who bounced to three different teams last season and played just seven games, turning in a 4.14 goals against average and .857 save percentage—and 40-year-old Craig Anderson.
Fortunately for the Sabres, stats and age don’t matter in this space, especially when you have one of the best gear wearers of all time playing between the pipes. Yes, I said it. Dell is reaching legendary status for his gear, a veritable Trevor Kidd for the modern era.
After crushing it with his Sharks, Maple Leafs, and Devils gear last season, Dell outdid himself with his latest setup from Brian’s (who doesn’t love a good Brian’s setup?).
First off, can we talk about the Buffalo head that is formed when Dell brings the pads together? As John Barr pointed out on our last SOH Podcast episode, that could truly make an alternate logo for the team, so you’re welcome, Sabres marketing department. And the swords framing the Buffalo? Those are beautiful enough before you realize that they will align with the handles of said sabers, which are neatly displayed on Dell’s glove and blocker, when the full setup is worn.
There’s just nobody on Dell’s level right now in terms of gear, and the good folks at Brian’s continue to help him put together near-perfect custom setups.
Overall grade: A
It will be hard to top this look this season
Cassie Reale – Princeton University
If you like bold gear designs, you will love this setup from Cassie Reale, a junior at Princeton.
There’s a lot to unpack here. Reale worked with Brian’s to come up with something that I’ve never seen before. While Dell’s Buffalo face is formed when he is standing and his pads are together, the face of the Princeton Tiger becomes whole when Reale drops into the butterfly. Adding to the beauty of the pads is the subtle Princeton crests on the outer rolls.
Have you ever seen anything like this? I’ve never seen anything like this.
With such a bold choice of pad design, I thought Reale could have dialed it back a bit and gone with a less-is-more approach on the gloves. Instead, she went bold on bold on bold, with tiger stripes covering both the catcher and blocker and a big black “PRINCETON” running down the waffleboard. (Shoutout to Doc Emrick for his love of saying “waffleboarded away.”)
Nonetheless, HUGE credit to Reale for doing something truly unique. She took a theme and ran with it, and for that, we can’t really knock the bold choices.
Overall grade: A-
A truly one-of-a-kind look
The tiger face forming in the butterfly is awesome
Bold choices, bold design
Loses just a few points because the stripes on the glove and blocker, plus the word are just a little much
When you think of Green Bay you don’t immediately think of hockey. Rather, images of the Packers, football, and the frozen tundra come to mind. But it’s in Green Bay that Seattle Kraken forward Mason Appleton found hockey.
“I hear Green Bay, I think football too,” Appleton said of his hometown.
Appleton’s father played the game, which exposed him and hooked him to hockey at three years old. While not the most popular sport in Green Bay, Appleton was able to find fellow players growing up and backyard rinks to hone skills on.
Those skills have brought him to Seattle after the Kraken selected Appleton from the Winnipeg Jets at the NHL Expansion Draft.
The forward, who’s played both center and on the wing, has spent three seasons in the NHL and at age 25 is coming off of his best year to date. That made his exposure by Winnipeg somewhat of an eyebrow raiser.
“It was kind of a ‘it is what it is’ type of feeling,” Appleton said. “The Jets had to make their decisions and from there I couldn’t control anything. The cards fell where they fell so I’m super excited to be heading to Seattle.”
Being exposed is a reminder that hockey is a business.
Teams make decisions based on what they feel will maximize their potential to win and sometimes those choices are hard. While Appleton understands it’s a business, he looks at it as something that can motivate him to have a big year with the Kraken.
“You’re not a competitor if you don’t take it personal a little bit.” Appleton said. “I shrug it off and say it is what it is more times than not, but deep down it definitely puts a chip on your shoulder, and you do take it a little personal. That’s how I’ve always been and that’s how I always respond to situations like that.”
Mason Appleton’s journey to the NHL
Always with a goal of playing college hockey in the United States, Appleton signed with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL to play junior. After a successful season in 2014-2015 where he recorded 40 points in 54 games the Jets selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
He then moved on to play at Michigan State for two seasons. His second season was his best, scoring 12 goals and 31 points over the course of 35 games. That would result in signing a contract with the Jets and spending two seasons in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose.
Appleton turned in a productive rookie year for Manitoba in 2017-2018 with 66 points in 76 games. He started off the following year strong and would eventually be called up to the Jets midway through the season. Getting into the NHL is not always a sure thing for any draft pick, much less a sixth-round pick.
Being drafted that low was another chip, another motivation for Appleton.
“Definitely a chip on your shoulder, it’s kind of how I’ve been my whole career,” he said. “I’ve been passed over different times at different levels and things like that. I learned to have that motivate me and have that drive me. Being a sixth rounder, you look at the guys ahead of you, look at guys in the league and where they were picked.
“Not many sixth rounders end up establishing themselves in the NHL so I just kind of take it a day at a time, just be the best I can be, get better and not compare myself to everyone else, but just be the best version of myself.”
Appleton has established himself in the NHL and is coming off a year where he reached career highs in goals with 12, assists with 13, and points with 25.
In fact, over his career he has improved every season at every level. He says that’s thanks to a drive and desire to work over the offseason. While some have referred to last year as a ‘breakout’ season, Appleton feels he has more potential.
“Last year was a good year,” Appleton said. “I definitely carved out a bit more of a role and found myself getting more opportunity. And going forward, obviously going to try to continue to improve and I’m still young, only 25 years old, so I think there’s still a lot more.”
How will Appleton fit in with the Kraken?
The increased role in Winnipeg earned him just over 14 minutes per game. He spent very little time – less than a minute per game – on the power play despite possessing a good shot.
Appleton shot 13 percent last year, which was his career high but still pretty much in line with his NHL career mark of 11.9. That career mark is the exact same percentage that he achieved in the AHL, showing him to be a consistent shooter.
He’ll have a chance at earning more ice time with the Kraken as coach Dave Hakstol tries to figure out who his top nine forwards will be. If Appleton can push closer to the 20-minute mark each game, he may be able to improve on his numbers from Winnipeg.
Seattle has some questions when it comes to who will play center for the Kraken, and Appleton has played in the middle and at right wing. Will he be in the mix for a center role?
“I probably prefer the wing,” he said. “I think I’m just a little bit more comfortable there, a little bit stronger there, but it’s one of those things. It’s pretty cliché, but wherever you’re needed that’s where you’re gonna play. However that shakes out I’m super happy to play either.”
The Kraken forwards on the roster all are similar in that they play a strong two-way game.
There isn’t a guy who would be classified as a pure scorer. That should allow them to play a strong, hard game, with what the team hopes will be enough scoring. Appleton fits right in.
Along with a good shot, Appleton can skate and has top-end speed to burn. He is listed at six-foot-two and 193 pounds and has put up offensive numbers over his hockey life, but he doesn’t want to pigeonhole himself as an offensive player.
“Depends on the team and on the level,” he said about his game. “In the minors I was definitely more of an offensive player, but in the NHL I kind of pride myself in that two-way role. I’ve been relied upon at both ends of the ice. Wherever I’m needed to fill in that void, whatever is asked to me, that’s the role I’m going to play.”
Looking ahead to the Kraken
Appleton says he’s ready for the experience in Seattle. He has never been to the city but has found a place to live and is planning on making the move early in September. He has not played with any of the current Kraken but wants to get in town early enough to get to know his new teammates away from the rink.
He says it’s important to form relationships off the ice to create chemistry on it. “I think that definitely feeds into it but I think it will come quicker than we think. You’re in the NHL so it’s all talented guys and guys can read and learn off each other so I think that should come together.”
In July, Appleton found out Seattle had selected him when Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff called to inform him. After a quick call from Seattle’s Ron Francis and Hakstol in the afternoon, he turned on the television with his parents to watch the broadcast of the Expansion Draft.
The scene at Gas Works Park was impressive.
“It’s going to be an unbelievable spot to play, and you could just tell how passionate the fans are in the community already,” he said. “I’m super excited because you’ve seen the way they rally around sports teams, it’s non-stop, it’s top of the line so yeah, very excited to get out there.”
It’s another (mostly) fun episode of Sound Of Hockey, filled with interesting factoids (but also some very sad discussion) and terrible puns. This week, Darren starts the show with a quick update on his goaltending-related mental state, which was discussed at length in Episode 151. Then the guys delve into the latest Seattle news, such as Matty Beniers returning to the University of Michigan and Antoine Bibeau being signed by the Kraken.
Later, John, Andy, and Darren discuss the ongoing situation with the Arizona Coyotes, who are effectively being kicked out of Gila River Arena by the City of Glendale. What does this mean for the franchise? Will they actually stay in the Phoenix area or be forced to find a new home?
John gives a quick update on the IIHF Women’s World Championship, which is in full swing, before the gang moves on to this week’s segments.
It’s another (mostly) fun episode of Sound Of Hockey, filled with interesting factoids (but also some very sad discussion) and terrible puns. This week, Darren starts the show with a quick update on his goaltending-related mental state, which was discussed at length in Episode 151. Then the guys delve into the latest Seattle news, such as Matty Beniers returning to the University of Michigan and Antoine Bibeau being signed by the Kraken.
Later, John, Andy, and Darren discuss the ongoing situation with the Arizona Coyotes, who are effectively being kicked out of Gila River Arena by the City of Glendale. What does this mean for the franchise? Will they actually stay in the Phoenix area or be forced to find a new home?
John gives a quick update on the IIHF Women’s World Championship, which is in full swing, before the gang moves on to this week’s segments.
After a year of having their play watched, scrutinized, and nit-picked, seven prospects heard the Seattle Kraken call their names during July’s NHL Draft. It’s a dream come true for any young hockey player, and while a big sigh of relief was in order, the scrutiny is far from over.
Those seven players are in for more viewings by Seattle scouts and Kraken player development personnel this year and beyond, as the club decides if they want to sign the new prospects. So, the scouting continues.
According to Kraken director of amateur scouting Robert Kron, his scouts, along with Troy Bodie, director of hockey and business, Palm Springs, will be checking in on the Seattle prospects to see how development is progressing.
“We’re gonna be watching them for sure,” Kron says.
Kron adds that the viewing is under way as fifth-round pick Ville Ottavainen has been on the ice. The defenseman is playing this coming season for JyP in the Finnish Liiga which is in its preseason. Ottavainen has played, and the Kraken were there to watch.
The Kraken drafted these players so what are they looking for this year?
“You know, you kind of have a general idea of their strengths and weaknesses so that’s what you communicate to them,” Kron says. “As soon as you draft them, you’re allowed to talk to them. You kind of do the math, this is what you’re doing well, this is a worry and what you’re wanting them to improve. It’s constant communication throughout the year, it starts from day one, even if we’re not signing them right away.”
They’ll meet with the players and their coaches to check in. They don’t, however, tell the player’s current team how he should be deployed. NHL teams are hands off when it comes to playing time and roles, but Kron says that some teams, especially in the CHL, will let them work with players on the ice if they wish.
“The CHL teams are very welcoming about that. It’s sort of hard in Europe,” Kron says. “I think it’s important to keep in touch with the guys every time you’re in the rink and one of your guys is playing. Just after the game to say, ‘Hey, we’re here.’ The conversation goes a long way for them and for us.”
Some of the prospects will be in training camp with the Kraken. Kron says that the European prospects won’t be there, but a couple of the other players should be in attendance. After training camp they’ll be returned to their amateur teams for the season.
With the prospects not in Seattle it makes continuing to track their progress a vital task.
Where will the Seattle Kraken prospects play this season?
Matty Beniers
Beniers was Seattle’s first-round pick, taken at No. 2 overall, and it was announced last week that he would return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season.
This wasn’t a shock and is no reason for alarm.
While the six-foot-two center appears to have skill enough to play in the NHL, returning to college after a COVID-affected season may be the appropriate avenue. Beniers will again be able to play in the World Junior Championship for the United States and will join a Michigan roster that features four of July’s top-five picks in the NHL Draft.
He joins first overall pick Owen Power (Buffalo), fourth overall pick Luke Hughes (New Jersey), and fifth pick Kent Johnson (Columbus) to an already talented Michigan roster. The Wolverines should be in the mix come the NCAA Tournament, and playing high stakes hockey never hurts an NHL prospect.
Michigan hockey can be found on the Big 10 Network with some regularity this season.
Ryker Evans
Seattle raised some eyebrows when it picked Evans early in the second round with pick No. 35. The Regina Pats defenseman will play in the WHL this season after leading the league’s blueliners last year with 25 assists.
Evans will be an over-ager in Regina – WHL rules allow for three 20-year-olds on the roster – and will play with budding superstar Connor Bedard again this season.
Bedard was the first player ever given an exception to play in the WHL at 15. He burst on the scene in 2021 and led the league in scoring prior to leaving to play for Canada at the U18 World Championship. Playing with a superstar helped Evans when it came to his numbers. In 15 games, nine of Evans’ assists involved plays that Bedard also figured in the scouting.
NHL scouts look beyond the numbers, though, and Kron says that Evans’ stock grew from watching him play with a superstar.
“It’s not always easy to play with the superstar players,” Kron adds. “You need to be on a level of seeing the things that they do too. These players, even at a young age, they see the game a little bit differently. Let’s say for example Ryker reads off Bedard and they have a chemistry. That tells you something, you know, this kid can play with high-end talent and he is himself actually very skilled and very advanced.”
Evans’ skill was proven when he continued his scoring, adding 16 assists over the final nine games of the season, after Bedard left.
To watch Evans and the Pats this season you can stream games on CHLtv.
Ryan Winterton
In the third round the Kraken took Hamilton Bulldogs center Ryan Winterton. His only action last year came in seven games at the U18 World Championship after the OHL canceled its season. Despite the small sample size last season, Kron says that they got a good look at him at the U18’s and are comfortable scheduling the normal amount of post-draft viewings this season.
Winterton was known to the Kraken scouts because they were able to see him during his rookie year in Hamilton, where he scored 23 points in 53 games as a 16-year-old.
He’ll be back with the Bulldogs this season.
“We talked to Hamilton, and we know that he’s gonna play big minutes, so we’re not worried about that,” Kron says. “He needs to improve a lot of things, as they all do. They’re young kids and there’s a lot of work to be done. But with him, like he’s six-foot-two, 180 pounds, kind of a wiry kid so he’ll have to put a little bit of meat on the bone.”
Like Evans, Winterton’s Hamilton Bulldogs games are streamed on CHLtv.
Hamilton Bulldogs center Ryan Winterton was the Seattle Kraken third round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft (Photo courtesy Hamilton Bulldogs)
Ville Ottavainen
Ottavainen was pick No. 67 for the Kraken, selected in the fourth round. He’ll stay in Finland this coming season and play in Liiga. The big, six-foot-five defenseman played for JyP last year and recorded three points in 22 games.
Jacob Melanson
Pick 131 brought the Kraken Melanson from Acadie-Bathurst of the QMJHL in the fifth round. Melanson will return to the Titan after a productive 19 points in 18 games last year. You can catch his games on CHLtv as well.
Semyon Vyazovoy
Seattle went with the Russian goalie in the sixth round of the draft, and he is expected to return to the junior MHL this coming season. Kron says that Vyazovoy has an outside chance of cracking the KHL as a third goalie but Seattle wants him to get playing time, which might be more plentiful in the MHL.
Justin Janicke
Janicke was nabbed by the Kraken in the seventh round after he played last season in the USHL for the United States National Team Development Program. He’s committed to play NCAA hockey with Notre Dame and will take the ice as a freshman this fall.
Title photo courtesy of Regina Pats/Keith Hirshmiller Photography
