We had previously projected Collin Delia as the protected netminder in the Windy City, but Kevin Lankinen has taken control of the crease there. He is 6-2-0 in 11 games with great stats, while Delia has been abysmal in his few opportunities. Malcolm Subban has also had some playing time, but Lankinen is clearly the guy. Connor Murphy is playing a slightly larger role on the blueline than Nikita Zadorov, though both are in the lineup every night (Murphy just got injured but would otherwise be playing). Our latest bet is on Murphy being the one protected in Chicago. Getting Brent Seabrook to waive his no-movement clause would allow general manager Stan Bowman to protect both. – Darren (original post here)
Columbus
Blue Jackets Protected List
Watchlist
Trading for two forwards (Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic) in the deal that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg means speedy forward Eric Robinson drops from Columbus’ expected protected list — although it’s really unclear if he’s more interesting than defensemen Gabriel Carlsson or Dean Kukan. Cliff Pu and Kole Sherwood are removed because it’s hard to see the Blue Jackets selecting either over Robinson or Kevin Stenlund, who are both seeing regular NHL time for Columbus. – Josh (original post here)
The Predators have been a major disappointment this year with no end in sight. I expect them to be major sellers at the trade deadline to start the rebuild process.
If the roster stays relatively consistent, though, I project Nashville to go with the four forwards, four defensemen, one goalie strategy. The biggest reason behind this change from before is the need for the Predators to clear cap space by daring Seattle to select Matt Duchene or former Portland Winterhawk Ryan Johansen. Both of them carry a $8-million cap hits per season.
On the defense side, going with the 4-4-1 format allows the Predators to protect Mattias Ekholm. With that said, I do anticipate Ekholm or Ryan Ellis to be traded by the time the Expansion Draft comes around. – John (original post here)
Tampa Bay
Lightning Protected List
Watchlist
There have been no changes to the Tampa projections, but if Mathieu Joseph continues to play well, the Lightning might go with a 7-3-1 protection list that will force them to expose defenseman Cal Foote. -John (original post here)
Things get quite feisty in Goalie Gear Corner this week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, as John goes on thin ice after making asinine claims about the legitimacy of Darren’s selections for the segment. That segment alone is worth the price of admission this week.
It’s a short and sweet episode, as John, Andy, and Darren rip through a couple of Seattle Kraken and women’s hockey headlines, then cover the… [checks notes]… blockbuster Ryan Dzingel and Alex Galchenyuk trade(s).
Bits this week include SOH Three Stars.
Segments include GGC, You Don’t See That Every Day, an impossible Let’s Get Quizzical, and Weekly One-Timers.
With 10 points in 14 games, Nick Ritchie is on the verge of playing himself into protected status. Ondrej Kase (projected to be protected) has missed 12 games due to injury. Meanwhile, youngsters Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon are playing big minutes for the B’s. – Darren (original post here)
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres Protected List
Watchlist
Buffalo had a middling start, then got shut down for two weeks because of COVID-19 and recently returned with two straight losses to the Islanders. The Sabres are in last place. Forward Tage Thompson failed to deliver when he was on Buffalo’s top line early in the season and has often been a healthy scratch.
Journeyman forward Riley Sheahan earned a roster spot after going to training camp on a professional tryout and has the trust of Sabres coach Ralph Krueger.
Henri Jokiharju’s struggles are reflected in his advanced stats: 44 percent Corsi for (even strength shot differential) and -13 Corsi relative to his teammates that are worst among Buffalo’s defensemen. Jake McCabe, who is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, ranks first among Sabres blueliners with a 55.9 Corsi for and 7.5 relative Corsi. – Jim (original post here)
Will Butcher hasn’t played this season and the young defenseman, a comfortable selection for protection this offseason, might have lost his spot to PK Subban. Subban hasn’t lit the world on fire but leads the team in ice time this year. – Josh (original post here)
New York Rangers
Rangers Protected List
Watchlist
The Rangers waived Tony DeAngelo and are trying to trade him after an incident with a teammate after a recent game against Pittsburgh. – Andy (original post here)
Hand up, leaving Vitek Vanecek off my protected list was an oversight. The 25-year-old netminder owns a .906 save percentage this season. It also may be worth wondering if the Capitals aren’t as big of fans of Jonas Siegenthaler as we are. The 23-year-old blueliner has drawn into the lineup in only six of 13 games this season. –Josh (original post here)
Despite a number of Covid-related postponements and delays caused by the run-of-the-mill, everyday blizzard in Texas, there are still a ton of NHL games on the radar this week and weekend that will be of interest to Seattle Kraken fans.
Most notably are the outdoor games.
That’s right, the NHL is moving outdoors. It’s just for the weekend but Saturday and Sunday are highlighted by two games played on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Word is that those shores are of the majestic variety.
For this week, we’ll take a look at those games as well as others you might want to keep an eye on.
Vegas Golden Knights versus Colorado Avalanche
When: Saturday, 12 P.M., NBC
Not only is this a matchup of two of the top teams in the Honda West Division, but it’s the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort game. Not a shabby locale to watch some hockey. You’ll have to watch on television since no fans will be allowed on site.
The game should be just as majestic as the vantage point. Vegas leads the West with a 10-2-1 record in which they’ve fattened up on some of the division’s lesser teams. This will be a big test. Saturday’s game will be the third straight the two clubs have played this week, after splitting the first two.
Both earlier games were fun to watch, competitive hockey games played by two teams loaded with speed and talent. What’s not to love?
Players to watch
Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the Avalanche in scoring although he’s only potted three goals. The Nova Scotia product has turned into a playmaker at the start of the season with 12 assists in as many games played. Somehow, MacKinnon doesn’t get as much national publicity as Connor McDavid, but he’s in the same class and is always must-watch hockey. Colorado is blessed with a dynamic defense highlighted by Cale Makar who has 12 points this year. But he’s been injured and hasn’t played since February 2nd which has allowed rookie Bowen Byram more playing time. The former Vancouver Giant has high expectations on him and so far, looks the part.
Vegas is just as deep as the Avalanche and led by Mark Stone. He’s a fun player to watch but keep eyes on him no matter where the play is. As proficient a scorer as Stone is, he plays in all zones and starts transitions with puck thievery on the regular. Local fans will recognize defenseman Shea Theodore who is a former captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Theodore is off to a good start despite some nagging injuries and appears ready to take the next step into the elite level for defensemen in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Vegas is exempt from the Kraken Expansion List, so you’ll just be watching them for pure entertainment purposes. Colorado, on the other hand, has a lot of depth that will play to the Kraken’s advantage. Watch guys like defenseman Devon Toews who is a solid two-way blueliner. Also, watch do-it-all forward Joonas Donskoi. The former Shark plays all over the ice and can defend while chipping in offensively, as he has done with 10 points in the first 13 games this season.
Philadelphia Flyers versus Boston Bruins
When: Sunday, 12 P.M. Pacific, NBC
Another great matchup, this time between two of the top teams in the MassMutual East Division. This game is officially the Honda Outdoors Sunday. Luckily for the NHL, the game will be played in the same rink at Tahoe as the Saturday game. That will make set-up easy.
The two teams started Wednesday separated by just four points – Boston is in first – with the Flyers holding one game in hand. Boston is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL by allowing just over two goals per game. Philadelphia combats that with depth up front and defensemen who can move the puck.
That makes for a fun hockey game that will have an impact on the divisional race.
Players to watch
Boston is led by its top line that includes Brad Marchand – who, if you weren’t aware is from Nova Scotia – David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron. The trio is one of the top lines in the NHL and the engine of the Bruins offensive attack. Will the crisp, cool air coming off the lake make Marchand more pest-like? We can only hope.
Marchand and Bergeron are leading the Bruins in scoring but Pastrnak is on the come up after missing games early.
The Flyers still have grizzled veteran Claude Giroux leading the way but are getting a resurgent start from James van Riemsdyk, who is leading them in scoring. He’s doing that by sporting a career-high shooting percentage. Can he keep that up? Tune in and see. Former Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart should be front and center at Tahoe which will delight Puget Sound hockey fans.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Boston has some interesting options for the Kraken, starting with forward Nick Ritchie, who is off to a hot start that should excite Seattle fans. The Kraken may have a tough decision on which Flyer they will select as their depth will force Philadelphia to lose a good player. Van Riemsdyk is one of those guys and his start is encouraging. Also on that watchlist is defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere who started the season on the injured list but is back in the lineup now.
Other notable NHL games on the radar
Edmonton Oilers versus Calgary Flames: Friday, February 19th 6 P.M. and Saturday, February 20th, 7 P.M. Nothing like a home-and-home two-game set of the Battle of Alberta. It’s just the second time this season but you can bet the heat will dial back up with two games in two nights.
We are updating our Expansion Draft protected lists and Seattle Kraken watchlists all week. Monday we went through the Scotia North Division, and today we step through the Honda West Division.
Anaheim Ducks
Ducks Protected List
Watchlist
Max Jones was a player who had a chance to earn protection but hasn’t been productive and was recently demoted to the taxi squad. Isac Lundestrom was recalled from the taxi squad and has two goals in his first eight games this season. – Andy (original post here)
Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes Protected List
Watchlist
The battle for the seventh protected forward spot in Arizona is being won by Tyler Pitlick who has outperformed Christian Fischer to start the season. – Andy (original post here)
Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche Protected List
Watchlist
Vladislav Kamenev has been playing in the KHL, and although he is still eligible for the Expansion Draft, we are dropping him off the watchlist. There could be an argument to bump Tyson Jost off the protected list to make space for Joonas Donskoi, but Jost is younger and has more potential in front of him. – John (original post here)
Los Angeles Kings
Kings Protected List
Watchlist
It is still VERY hard to predict which direction the Kings will go with several of their protection questions. We now think they will change from eight total skaters to a 7-3-1 protection scheme. Carl Grundstrom has shown some high-level skill this season, which moves him onto our protected list. Dustin Brown has 12 points in 13 games, so he can apparently still play and should be watched. Former Seattle Thunderbird Austin Strand is suddenly playing a role, though this would be more of a bet for the future. – Darren (original post here)
Minnesota Wild
Wild Protected List
Watchlist
Something still has to give here. When we wrote the Wild profile, we assumed Matt Dumba would be traded for a center. That hasn’t happened, and such a deal is appearing less likely as the season goes on. We’re now predicting that general manager Bill Guerin gets one of or both of his veteran forwards with no-movement clauses (Zach Parise and/or Mats Zuccarello) to waive their NMC’s so the Wild don’t have to protect them. This would let Minnesota go the route of protecting eight total skaters, and if that happens, they could keep Dumba while still protecting Jordan Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek. – Darren (original post here)
San Jose Sharks
Sharks Protected List
Watchlist
Maxim Letunov has yet to get in a game this year, while Dylan Gambrell has been getting more responsibilities with the Sharks and Alexander True has four points in his first four games for the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks AHL affiliate. We will keep Letunov on the list but feel that Gambrell and True are distancing themselves as better candidates. – John (original post here)
St Louis Blues
Blues Protected List
Watchlist
We are removing Jake Walman from the Kraken watchlist. He has only been in three NHL games this season and seems destined to spend a lot of time on the taxi squad this year. Meanwhile, Justin Faulk is putting together a pretty good season so far with five goals in the first 16 games. – John (original post here)
With that in mind, let’s veer off the ice and into the minutiae of game presentation for some of the most important decisions the club will make before its first game: selecting the correct arena music.
After going without fans – or few fans in some cases – in NHL arenas for more than a year, generating maximum energy in home rinks will be vital components to team success next season. We know Seattle fans can be loud, but a good soundtrack will help produce a top-notch sports atmosphere when the Kraken hit the ice.
Certain songs are inextricably associated with sports teams, producing a signature sound that defines a club and becomes a part of their identities. “Gloria” became the St. Louis Blues’ victory song after it represented a key moment in their turnaround from last place team to Stanley Cup champions in 2019. Every visiting team loathes to hear “Chelsea Dagger” play in Chicago because it means the Blackhawks scored again. Manchester City fans sing “Hey Jude” before games and after victories at Etihad Stadium. “Sweet Caroline” gets Boston Red Sox fans singing along in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. West Ham has “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.”
While we trust the folks at KEXP to be up to the task, Sound of Hockey’s writers have some sound opinions about what the Kraken should play for their pregame introductions, goal celebrations, victory revelry and more.
Everyone appreciates good music curation. Consider this to be a carefully crafted mixtape we’re sharing with you. So let us know what you think of our playlists in the comments area at the bottom of this page, and tell us what songs you believe the Kraken should use to get Climate Pledge Arena rocking.
Introduction song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
I know it’s been struck down by some on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, but this one’s a no-brainer to me. “Can’t Hold Us” will get the audience fired up like no other song and blow the old roof off The Pledge. The music video even has a winter motif and ends up atop the Space Needle. The punchy “nah, nah, nah, nah, nah-na-na-na” parts just invite fans to sing along with all the gusto of European football fans. Macklemore is a part owner of Seattle Sounders FC and a loyal fan of all Seattle sports teams, although he might have some explaining to do about the jersey he wore at a 2017 concert up in Vancouver.
Goal song: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters
A goal song will, hopefully, be played a lot. It needs to be an appealing earworm that people won’t get sick of. If I was sentimental for a hockey-themed song, I might lean toward something from the Tragically Hip or Warren Zevon’s “Hit Somebody.” Despite the nostalgia of Seattle Thunderbirds fans, going the Gary Glitter “Rock ‘n’ Roll Part 2” route won’t fly even with a chorus that has some na-nas or yeah-yeahs to sing or chant with.
I considered Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other Seattle music greats but kept coming back to “Everlong.” You get about 35-40 seconds to use after the red light flashes, which is perfect for the guitar and drums build-up near the end and through the last chorus:
“And I wonder “If everything could ever feel this real forever “If anything could ever be this good again “The only thing I’ll ever ask of you “You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when”
Victory song: “We Win” by Duff McKagan’s Loaded
This one is a little obscure, but it’s a catchy sports anthem that is Seattle in its heart. McKagan is a class act and a hardcore sports fan (full disclosure: I was his editor when he wrote a column for ESPN.com) who bursts with civic pride for his hometown. I admire and respect McKagan immensely for surviving his own incredible personal comeback and for being a man of character. And this song kicks ass. Forgive me for going a little Ron MacLean on you again:
“Some day “We might find “The victory “Is well worth the bitter fight”
Just imagine fans filing out of The Pledge into the streets of Lower Queen Anne after another Kraken victory singing together, “We win, we win, we win, we win, yeah we win.”
I hate clichés and always look for a different approach. My choices are not going to be popular, but that is precisely the point. I want Seattle to have a truly unique experience. My desire is that these songs are distinctively Seattle across all of hockey. I do not hate Macklemore’s music, but the fact I hear him in literally every hockey arena I visit including Angel of the Winds Arena for Silvertips games and accesso ShoWare Center for Thunderbirds games disqualifies him from my list, regardless of his Seattle roots.
Introduction song: “You On The Run” by The Black Angels
For the intro song, I want something dark and ominous as the legend of the Kraken. It will be loud, and I want it to strike fear in the opposing team’s hearts and minds. I want the visiting team to be defeated before the puck is even dropped.
Honorable mention: “Wolf Totem” by The HU, “Angel” by Massive Attack
Goal song: “Turnaround” by Nirvana
The goal song needs to hit you right away with no build up. It also needs to be fun and might unknowingly get people moving when they hear it.
The victory song gets people moving and shaking. The right song could get some fan participation. Imagine a fan chant of “Oh yeah, all right, hell yeah, that’s right” after the Kraken seal the victory.
I hate most popular music so I’m going to go off the board but still try not to venture too far out into left field for Kraken songs. Hate is probably too strong of an emotion, but I find most pop music boring and its use at hockey arenas is overdone and obvious. We have a chance to tap into some great bands that don’t get regular airplay. So, let’s do that.
Introduction song: “The Nights of Wine and Roses” by Japandroids
This could be the ultimate get hyped song by a pair of Canadian maniacs. Yes, just two guys make all this beautiful noise. But what else to get the crowd going than a line like “We yell like hell to heavens.” Japandroids are from Vancouver, B.C., which could be problematic because the Canucks have used some of their music in the past. But Seattle is obviously better.
Goal song: “Uncontrollable Urge” by Devo
Most people know Devo from “Whip it” and nothing more. That was probably their least interesting song. “Uncontrollable Urge” is one of their better tunes. It’s fast, upbeat and imagine the Climate Pledge crowd all yelling “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” along with this classic track. It has goal song written all over it.
Victory song: “Everyday Sunshine” by Fishbone
We all like sunshine. We’d all love it every day. What a happy, uplifting song to celebrate winning. It’s got horns, bass, funk, ska, and most importantly, it’s fun. This tune starts strong and builds up to pure joy by the end.
A Seattle band with a fun little song that would be the perfect soundtrack to a tilt on the ice. It’s fast paced, and when they chant “one hit” it will perfectly frame any scrap on the ice that usually ends with one hit.
Unlike some of my fellow Sound Of Hockeyers, I’m not too concerned with picking “popular songs” as long as they fit the situation. Several of these songs feature ties back to the Seattle music scene and they all, in my humble opinion, kick ass.
Introduction song: “Cochise” by Audioslave
Tipping a cap to Seattle’s music history with legendary frontman Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog fame, this song from Audioslave features a perfect build-up, is extremely upbeat and would set the tone in the arena before Kraken home games. Ignore that the song is about an Apache chief, I think it’s a good fit for a team introduction that isn’t very cookie cutter.
What it probably will be: Some intense mashup from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Goal song: “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine
In this scenario, Tom Morello – who is also the lead guitarist of Audioslave – will be prominently featured at Seattle home games. In this instance, this iconic guitar riff from Morello would be a treat to hear after the Kraken’s goal horn.
What it will probably be: Something by Nirvana, Soundgarden or Pearl Jam.
Victory song: “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
This groovy guitar riff from Seattle icon Jimi Hendrix would be a perfect fit at Climate Pledge Arena. The song is catchy, upbeat and popular enough to hold the distinction of the Kraken’s victory song, but the lyrics may be a dealbreaker (not sure what Purple Haze has to do with a sea creature – or hockey for that matter).
Introduction song: “Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine
Picture this: The lights go down in Climate Pledge Arena. A hype video plays on the state-of-the-art triangular scoreboards, with “Guerrilla Radio” blasting. Then, in sync with the 2:58 mark of the below video, the screens go black. The arena is filled with complete darkness.
Zack de la Rocha whispers into the tension of the crowd, “It has to start somewhere. It has to start sometime. What better place than here? What better time than now?” Then, BANG! Explosions! Fireworks! Goal horn!
“AW! HELL! CAN’T STOP US NOW!” de la Rocha screams, with Rage blasting away in the background.
“Please welcome to the ice, YOUR SEATTLLLLLLLLLLLE KRAAAAAAAAAAAKEN!!”
Goosebump City, population 17,000.
Goal Song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Screw it, I’m doubling down.
I’ve taken a lot of heat on the “Sound Of Hockey” podcast for my opinion that this should be the goal song, with John and Andy claiming that it’s far too common in sports arenas. Fine. But you know what? It gets the people going! And other arenas don’t have the local ties to Macklemore that Seattle does. Yes, it’s a bit cliche. But also, yes, it would work great as a goal song. There’s literally a clap-and-sing-along portion built in.
I was running the Disney World Marathon at the beginning of 2019, struggling mightily around mile 18. I heard “Can’t Hold Us” playing as I shuffled through a miserably long stretch between Disney’s Wide World of Sports and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Suddenly, my feet were hitting the ground to the beat of the music, and I was back in the game in every way. If that’s not proof that it gets the people going, then I don’t know what is.
And if you’re among the poo-pooers of this fine ditty, then go listen to John’s selections in this post and good luck cleaning up the blood that will surely come out of your ears.
Victory song: “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles
Why not? A victory song should just be fun. Ringo’s songs are generally the less-beloved of Beatles songs, but this one is a banger. And how many songs are out there about cephalopods?
Loyal Sound Of Hockey readers will know that we have been publishing a synopsis on every NHL team participating in the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft this summer. We identified open issues facing the clubs, potential protected lists, and who the Kraken might keep an eye on from the respective clubs. We started with the Detroit Red Wings in November and finished with the Tampa Bay Lighting earlier this month.
Since then, several events have impacted these projections. There were trades, waivers, and our opinions on players changed through the first month of the NHL season.
This week we will roll out our updated projected protected lists and watchlists for all teams. The first division up is the Scotia North Division.
Calgary Flames
Flames Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Sam Bennett reportedly wants out of Calgary. If he continues to be unproductive and is still around by the Expansion Draft, it doesn’t make sense for Calgary to protect him over others who want to be there. He should still have a chance to redeem himself in the playoffs, when he usually puts in his best work. – Jim(original post here)
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
We now project the Oilers to pursue the 7-3-1 protected list route with Caleb Jones playing his way out of protection. Jones has frequently been a healthy scratch this season and it’s likely more important for the Oilers to protect someone like Jesse Puljujarvi, a well-regarded prospect that’s playing high in the lineup for Edmonton this season. – Josh(original post here)
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Tomas Tatar was a healthy scratch against the Maple Leafs on Saturday which cast doubt on my earlier assumption that he would sign an extension and be protected. I am bumping him off the protected (if signed) list and down to the watchlist. Under this scenario he will likely be unsigned, and therefore the Kraken would need to sign him in their exclusive 48-hour free agent window. Jonathan Drouin moves up to the protected list to take his spot. Jake Evans also moves up on the Kraken watchlist. – John (original post here)
Ottawa Senators
Senators Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Murray becomes available because of an awful start combined with a $6.25 million per year cap hit through 2023-24. Defenseman Josh Brown has struggled this season and dropped down the depth chart after frequent healthy scratches. – Jim (original post here)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
I am not changing my earlier lists. But if you watched or read Toronto-centric Canadian sports media last week, you’d think Justin Holl was the reincarnation of Bill Barilko. That’s what scoring your first goal in 350 days can do for you in hockey’s Center of the Universe.
Even without his “Hammer Time” shot, Holl was having a good season. But his solid play should not force the Leafs to protect eight skaters instead of the seven forwards and three defensemen option. That would give the Kraken more great options at forward: Zach Hyman, Alex Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall. Either way, the better the Leafs do this season, the possibility for side deals increases so Toronto can keep more core players. – Jim(original post here)
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Vancouver has been playing so poorly that no one has stepped up significantly to unseat infrequently used forward Jake Virtanen or defenseman Olli Juolevi. Keep an eye on right winger Kole Lind in Utica once the AHL season starts. Goalie Braden Holtby looks less appealing for the Kraken after his rough start, but he hasn’t had much support in front of him.– Jim (original post here)
Winnipeg Jets
Jets Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Losing Adam Lowry to Winnipeg’s protected list after the Jets’ two-for-one blockbuster trade with Columbus may sting a bit for Seattle. Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins — the other two forwards on Winnipeg’s watchlist — have yet to register a point this season. – Josh (original post here)
Every Saturday I plan on doing a data dump on something I find interesting around the hockey world. I will approach it with some knowledge, a theory, or based on something I heard in the media that I find worth exploring. Some things may be interesting to you, and some not so much, but I hope you find some appreciation in this data and exploration.
This week I will be exploring some of the demographics across the NHL, specifically player nationalities, birth states of US-born hockey players in the league, and how these have changed year over year.
Nationality of NHL players
Everyone knows that hockey is dominated by Canadians, but not everyone realizes that the percentage of NHLers that are Canadians has been dropping steadily since 1981-82 season.
This is less of a decline of hockey in Canada and more of a testament of hockey’s growing popularity across the world, particularly in the US. Here is a look at the current nationality makeup of the current NHL season.
Here is the breakdown of the nationalities of players on NHL teams.
Given the growth in American players, I wanted to dig into where this growth might be happening.
US-born players
Here is a look at the birth state of American NHL players since 1981-82.
It may be difficult to see, but California ranks fifth in the NHL with the most US-born players in the NHL. If the lastfew NHLDrafts are a leading indicator, I would anticipate these numbers to continue to climb.
The NHL southern expansion has also had a huge impact on broadening the sport to more people in more states. Over the last three years, there have been 31 states with at least one NHL player born from their respective states.
And while we are here….Washington State has been well represented over the last three years.
Just wait until the Kraken start playing in our region.
I hope that gives you a little more insight of the nationalities and states represented in the NHL and how those trends have changed over time.
Finally, some hockey weather in Seattle! Man, imagine if it got cold enough here to freeze the ponds and lakes and create outdoor rinks in parks with just a simple flooding of an open field. Some of us would never come inside during the winter. Then again, even more of us would likely flee the Emerald City because of a general disdain for such atmospheric conditions.
Regardless, I—a good Minnesota boy—welcome with open arms the falling of fresh snow, something we rarely see in Seattle proper.
You might be wondering how I got here, and how I created such a long skidmark on the ice.
Well, I was racing my sister around a pond—as two well-adjusted adult siblings would do—in northern Minnesota about a month ago, going just as fast as my goalie skates would carry me. If you’re unfamiliar, goalie skates come to a toepick-like point at the front. At full tilt, I inadvertently kicked the point of my right skate into the ice and flew like an ungainly Superman, slamming down HARD on the ice. The Carmex in my pocket did not survive.
It wasn’t my proudest moment, and I certainly felt the impact for days to come.
Nonetheless, in these Covid times, being outside on an ODR truly is like a brief trip to a very chilly heaven. On days like these in Seattle, it’s easy to daydream of a place to lace up the skates in nature.
Seattle Kraken news
Training Center partners named
It may not be in nature, but there will at least be a new place to lace up the skates within the next six months, and it will be used to expand Seattle’s budding hockey community. The Seattle Kraken’s three-sheet Northgate practice facility is coming along nicely, and the team announced some interesting community-centric partners this week.
You may recall press conferences from way back in 2018 when the team now known as the Kraken was simply called “NHL Seattle.” At several of those events, Jaina Goscinski, a young player from the Washington Wild Female Hockey Association (WWFHA), stood alongside Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. She helped Leiweke evangelize the Pacific Northwest as a marvelous hockey market yearning for the league’s 32nd franchise.
Fast forward by two full years and one pandemic, and the Kraken didn’t forget about the WWFHA. On Tuesday, the team announced that it is partnering with the WWFHA as well as the Greater Seattle Hockey League (GSHL) to provide a home base for both organizations within the friendly new confines of the Kraken Training Center.
The WWFHA teaches the game to girls and young women from age four up to 19. The GSHL is the area’s largest adult hockey league with more than 3,000 participants. As a proud member of the GSHL’s Fighting Narwhals, I was pleased with this announcement.
The Kraken also teamed with the Black Girl Hockey Club (BGHC) to sell beanies through their team store this week, with all proceeds going to the organization. The BGHC helps fund the costs of playing the sport for young Black women and girls and works to disrupt racism on and off the ice.
The first shipment of beanies sold out almost immediately.
On and off the ice, twin sisters Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando are hockey legends. Both 31 years old, they have decided to call it quits on a pair of illustrious careers with the US national team.
The sisters experienced their greatest on-ice triumph at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, where they played a huge role in defeating Canada to help the Americans win their first gold medal since 1998.
Watch this whole video:
A golden career 🥇
Monique & Jocelyne Lamoureux announce their retirement from professional hockey today and all we can say is: thank you ❤️
It’s been no secret—and we’ve actually talked about it in the last two Weekly One-Timers posts—that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been looking to quickly fill their vacant general manager role after Jim Rutherford abruptly announced his resignation on Jan. 27. Lots of retreads were reportedly being considered, along with a few would-be newcomers to the GM circle.
In the end, Mario Lemieux and company opted for not just one retread but two. They hired Ron Hextall, the former feisty netminder and GM of the cross-state rival Flyers, to lead the team with Brian Burke, the ornery former GM turned TV personality, serving as President of Hockey Operations.
Pittsburgh is at an interesting juncture in its life cycle of winning. The team’s two veteran superstars are aging and are no longer considered the best players in the world. The Penguins have also been exiting the postseason in progressively earlier rounds each of the past three seasons since winning two consecutive Stanley Cups. Can Hextall and Burke get the team back into true contender mode, or is it time to start thinking about the next life cycle?
The Dallas Stars have issued a statement for some reason
This week, eccentric billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made waves by asking his team to stop playing the national anthem before games. The NBA quickly reversed Cuban’s course for him, requiring teams to play the anthem.
The Dallas Stars offered an unsolicited statement on the matter.
Not agreeing with Cuban is one thing, and it’s totally fine to do so. But from the Stars’ standpoint, this is one of those situations where it would have also been fine to just say nothing and keep going about your business and nobody would have batted an eye.
What a recovery after missing with the pokecheck. A save like that is a sign that a netminder is feeling it.
Tuukka Rask gave his entry for save of the year as well this week, committing highway robbery on Mika Zibanejad.
As long as we’re talking about “of the year” candidates, we might as well throw in a couple of nice tallies from former Seattle Thunderbird Mat Barzal and his teammate Casey Cizikas.
Yes, those goals were both scored in the same game, and yes, the Islanders lost that game in a shootout.
You don’t see that every day
The Red Deer Rebels, who are preparing to start their 24-game WHL season on Feb. 26, will spend the duration of the shortened campaign living in suites at their home arena.
The Red Deer Rebels will be living at the rink this year for the 24-game WHL season….. pic.twitter.com/ZUiPSzHvpV
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.
It will just be 24 games. The games will be against just four different opponents. There will be no playoffs, no overnight trips, no long swings through the Canadian prairies, and there will be no fans in the building. Without a doubt, the 2021 Western Hockey League’s U.S. Division will look different this season.
Now that the Washington State government has given the WHL the green light, the U.S. Division will open the season on March 19th. It will be over a year since the last game in the division and it comes at a time that normally is reserved for playoff races and positioning.
“It’s nice to finally know that we’re going to play some hockey,” Seattle Thunderbirds forward Lucas Ciona says. “It’s been a tough year just sitting at home, training, and doing schoolwork. It’s nice to know that we’re getting to go back to Seattle, and it will be good to be with the guys again.”
While not the most ideal situation the short season will allow the Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Tri-City Americans, and Spokane Chiefs to play hockey.
Pulling this off will be a financial burden on the five clubs as they rely heavily on gate receipts for income. There will be none of that.
On the surface it begs the question of why go through with it at all?
The WHL is one of the top development leagues in the world — last year’s draft saw 28 WHL players selected — and it’s that development that’s the driving influence for the league and its member teams.
“It’s definitely about developing our group but it’s also about making sure that these kids have as much normalcy as possible,” Seattle general manager Bil La Forge says. “Hockey is a great game, and they get to play it. We want to develop our team and our young men. We want to reward these kids for the hard work they’ve put in.”
It’s been a long summer for U.S. Division players
The last game played in the division was a 3-0 win by the Spokane Chiefs over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on March 10th, 2020. Two days later the league and most of the world shut down due to concerns over the growing Covid-19 pandemic.
Players were sent home and the playoffs, Championship Series, and Memorial Cup were all shelved.
Ciona, 17, was one of those players. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger had just finished his rookie season in Seattle and was suddenly homebound in Edmonton. Since then, he and the rest of the WHL’s players have been waiting for the call to return to their teams.
“We’ve been finding ways to keep busy,” Ciona says. “I’ve been working out and doing schoolwork. I really enjoy working out, so it hasn’t been too bad. Skating, going out to the ODR’s (outdoor rinks). We’ve been going full pads at the ODR so it gets a little competitive.”
💪WORKOUT WEDNESDAY💪 Brought to you by our friends at @PlanetFitness.
Endless split squats and lunges are great for a player’s endurance. So is playing pick-up games on an outdoor rink, but for young players to develop, they need to play real games. The speed, competition, and intensity just aren’t the same.
To find that edge, Ciona was one of many U.S. Division players who hit the ice last November to get ice time by playing in Junior A leagues like the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He got into four games with the Spruce Grove Saints as did a handful of his Seattle teammates like Kai Uchacz, Tyrel Bauer, and Matthew Rempe.
Other players found some ice time in other Junior A leagues. Among those guys were Everett Silvertips and Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman Gianni Fairbrother who played for the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL and was joined by teammate Dylan Anderson who played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Those stints ended up being short-lived as the Canadian provinces ultimately would shut down all hockey leagues after just a few games. By the time these players get through quarantine and back on the ice for abbreviated training camps, any advantage they earned will be long gone.
“It’s going to be a whole other thing,” Ciona adds. “We’ll be coming back and it will be another fresh start for everybody. Nobody has been practicing or playing too much so it will be interesting.”
No fans and new safety protocols for U.S. Division
When the league starts up in March there will be no fans allowed in the building.
The U.S. Division has become known for loud, large, and intimidating crowds in its arenas. Last season, four of the division’s five teams were in the top seven in WHL attendance. It’s going to be a bit quieter this year and is something the players will have to adjust to.
“We’re going to have to learn to create our own emotion,” La Forge says. “The one thing that this has taught all of us is to not take this game for granted. Not being able to do it for 12 months, I know the excitement I have, and I won’t be on the ice. I don’t think emotion will be a problem.”
Having to create that emotion without a crowd is another skill these players can develop this season. It’s one that should pay off when fans are able to come back to the arenas.
Emotion may come easier than one might think when you consider the schedule being played. The U.S. Division has some well-established and heated, rivalries. The heat is already there, fans or not.
“There’s always some bad blood between Everett and Portland,” Ciona says. “I think it’s going to be getting in those games, getting riled up for those. It’s kind of like the Battle of Alberta here. That’s still pretty heavy even without fans. It’s going to be fun to play those rivalry games even if we don’t have a crowd.”
Another big adjustment for players will be the safety protocols required to play. They’re aware that the NHL has had its share of troubles with Covid cases popping up which has led to the postponement of games with a lot of questions and scrutiny.
The WHL doesn’t want the same hurdles, and it will require both the clubs and the players to follow the protocols and stay safe.
“We’re going to be on top of that and we feel really comfortable with the protocol set in place,” La Forge says. “We think if we do that, we’ll have a really good chance. It’s not something you can guarantee but we’re going to give ourselves a chance. If there’s an issue we’ll address it and deal with it, but we’re confident with the group of young men that we have that we’re going to put our best foot forward and give ourselves a chance.”
WHL teams have been in touch with their players during the shutdown, reminding them of the seriousness of staying safe. The motivation should be easy. Having missed over a year of hockey, getting players 16 to 20 years old to toe the line should not be too hard.
“It’ll be hockey, hockey, hockey,” Ciona says. “There won’t be anything else going on for us. We’ll be coming from our billets to the rink every day. We won’t be out getting distracted by the malls or tourist things. We’ll be locked down, focused on hockey and being safe.”
Eye on the next level
Staying safe and getting the full season in is important to Ciona.
Like many players in the U.S. Division, this is his NHL Draft season. He’s on the radar, having received a ‘C’ ranking by NHL’s Central Scouting. Being drafted is a dream for every young player, but so far this season, he has not been able to be seen by NHL scouts.
Getting 24 games will go a long way for him to show off his progression from last year. He’s not alone. This coming season is going to give other Draft hopefuls a chance to shine for the pros as well.
“I want to be higher on that list,” Ciona, who had 13 points in 53 games as a rookie last year says. “I don’t want to be a ‘C’ prospect. It was cool and humbling to see my name and see that some of my hard work got noticed, but that’s not the end game. I want to continue to push and get myself higher on that list.”
Seattle Thunderbirds winger Lucas Ciona will benefit from playing hockey this year. (Brian Liesse/T-Birds photo)
First time NHL Draft eligible players are not the only ones who will benefit from playing this season.
There are many players in the Division who were passed up the last Draft, sitting on the NHL bubble. They are still eligible to hear their names called during this year’s Draft which is scheduled for July. Continued development could push them over the line but could also lead to a free agent signing, getting to play pro in Europe, or in Canadian college.
Incoming rookies will also get valuable ice time and a taste of the higher level of play the WHL offers. These are players that will be looking forward to the 2022 NHL Draft as well as restocking the U.S. Division and league with more talent.
Development is the key to this season but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t looking to win. There will be no playoffs to aim for, but hockey players and general managers alike are hyper-competitive, so winning is still number one.
“If they kept score in the warmup, we’d win that,” La Forge says.
Seattle will ice a young team that is loaded with talent and potential. They’ll be competitive but will have to deal with good teams such as the Portland Winterhawks – last year’s U.S. Division champions – and the always tough Everett Silvertips.
It’s going to make for a fun sprint of a season that will provide entertaining games for fans who will either have to watch online or on television. The coaches, general managers, and players will be ready to go on March 19th.
“I want to win every single (game).” Ciona says. “Obviously it’s a bummer there won’t be any playoffs, but I still want to win them all. We’re competitive, that’s been our identity and we want to show that. We don’t just want to get through the 24 games, we want to dominate.”
