For those Kraken fans hoping the team will tank the rest of the season for the highest possible draft pick, Seattle’s game Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild was ideal. The game was fun to watch, and the home team put in a good effort, but spotting a strong defensive squad a three-goal lead and then trying to battle back was too big of a hill to climb. Ultimately, the pro-tank crowd got the outcome it wanted, with a Seattle comeback falling just short and the Wild skating away with a 4-3 win.
“I thought there was a lot of good [in our game],” coach Dan Bylsma said. “I just felt the puck went in a little too easily for various reasons at the beginning of the game.”
The Kraken tilted the ice and allowed just one shot on goal as they tried to find the equalizer in the third period, but Filip Gustavsson stood tall for Minnesota and stopped all 11 Seattle offerings.
The big storyline coming into this one was Yanni Gourde’s return to action and the implications of the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, but Shane Wright did some things that also deserve mentioning.
Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-3 Kraken loss to the Wild.
Takeaway #1: Here’s Yanni!
Yanni Gourde played Tuesday for the first time since Jan. 2. The pesky veteran center missed 22 games after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia. Adding to the intrigue of his return, he has been widely rumored as a potential trade candidate before Friday’s deadline.
In terms of his performance, he looked like his old self. He was fast and physical, and in the middle of the second period, he went right to the top of the blue paint, where he ran into Gustavsson and mucked things up with his signature Yanni Gourde smirk.
“We missed him since Jan. 2,” Bylsma said. “To have his energy and his passion was noticeable for us to have him back in the lineup tonight.”
Gourde logged 12:53 of ice time and registered the second assist on Brandon Montour’s rocket of a shot that cut Minnesota’s lead to 4-3 with 11 seconds left in the second period, setting up an exciting third.
There’s a bigger picture to consider with Gourde’s return, though; with the NHL Trade Deadline looming on Friday, Gourde has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors, and if he were to move, then this would have been his last home game as a Kraken.
He was asked about this after the game and said, “I’m focusing on what I can control, and that’s— yeah, I can control showing up tomorrow, working hard, and that’s all I can control. So that’s what I’m focused on, and we’ll see what happens the next few days.”
He was also asked if there have been discussions about a contract extension with Seattle, and he said, “Yeah, we’ve been—“ before cutting himself off and adding, “There’s been communication. That’s all I’ll say.”
If I were a betting man, I’d say he sticks around, but stay tuned.
Takeaway #2: Shane Wright is blossoming
Shane Wright has been talked about a lot this season, but it’s remarkable to think back to how he looked before his series of healthy scratches earlier this year compared to how he looks now. The kid is flying around the ice, and every time he’s out there, he does something that makes you raise your eyebrows.
While I’ve always been cautiously optimistic about Wright’s future, I’ve also had reservations about how high his ceiling will be. But seeing him play with this level of confidence makes me think the sky is the limit for the 21-year-old center if this is the norm for him.
“I’m obviously trying to play confident, try to play my game and just continue to improve and continue to learn as much as I can and just kind of grow with every game I play,” Wright said.
After posting two assists in Seattle’s win Saturday over Vancouver, Wright scored a power-play goal Tuesday, one-timing Oliver Bjorkstrand’s seam pass and getting a little help from Brock Faber’s stick blade to fool Gustavsson at 14:10 of the second.
WRIGHT AS RAIN! ☔️ 🚨
Great seam pass by Bjorkstrand, and Shane Wright gets a little help from Faber’s stick for the power-play goal.
He now has seven power-play goals on the season, leading the team by three (Bjorkstrand and Montour are tied for second with four each).
If this is who Wright will consistently be—and I’m beginning to believe it is, as he has remained effective for two months now—then Kraken fans should have high hopes that he can be a cornerstone player for many years to come.
Takeaway #3: Goals going in “too easily”
There were some interesting quirks in this game. The Kraken didn’t challenge for goalie interference on Vinnie Hinostroza’s deflection goal at 12:27 of the first to make it 1-0 (Bylsma said they didn’t challenge because Jamie Oleksiak pushed Hinostroza into Joey Daccord). They did challenge for a missed high-stick call after former Kraken Devin Shore appeared to make it 5-3 in the third period and won that one. They also got a rare penalty shot and power play on the same play after Faber was called for slashing Eeli Tolvanen on a penalty shot and then boarding him, earning two separate infractions (Seattle failed to score on either).
The biggest issue was that Seattle gave itself too big of a hill to climb, falling behind 4-1 in the first half of the game before turning on the afterburners and trying to claw back.
Statistically, it was a tough night for Daccord, who faced only 20 shots and ended the game with an .800 save percentage. But he was disrupted on the first goal, had a dual-layer screen on the second goal with Hinostroza and Josh Mahura both standing in front of him when Jared Spurgeon banked a perfect shot off the post, then watched as Frederick Gaudreau got a bounce off Jamie Oleksiak’s skate, and Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson executed a pretty give-and-go to make it 4-1 in the second.
To Seattle’s credit, it eventually clamped down on the Wild in a way we haven’t seen too often this season, controlling the last 27-ish minutes of the game. But in the end, it still wasn’t enough.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Saying the past week perfectly encapsulates the season might be a bit dramatic, but the Kraken’s pendulum swings over the past few games felt wider than usual, reminiscent of the vibes earlier this season. This team has some signature wins against great opponents—Carolina, Florida, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Vegas—but also some brutal losses, including Chicago and San Jose… twice. I know this is the National Hockey League, where anyone can beat anyone on a given night, but I can’t recall another Kraken season with such extreme Jekyll-and-Hyde performances.
In case you missed it, the Kraken opened their light week with a brutal 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues in what was arguably their worst game of the season. The Blues are a desperate team fighting to stay in the playoff race, but that’s no excuse for how poorly the Kraken played. The players knew it, too, and acknowledged as much in postgame interviews.
After a 7-2 loss on Monday, Jared McCann described an “embarrassing” performance in St. Louis:
“We’ve got to play for the logo on the front, right? It’s an honor obviously to be in the NHL.” #SeaKraken
The Kraken then returned to Climate Pledge Arena for their first home game since Feb. 6 to face the Vancouver Canucks. From the opening puck drop, the tone was set with hustle and physical play, as players finished their checks. The Kraken struck first on a slick backhand pass from Shane Wright that set up Andre Burakovsky for a one-timer.
Though the first period ended with Vancouver leading 2-1, the game had a different feel—there was fight and effort, something completely absent in St. Louis. If the Kraken were going down, they were going down swinging. They responded with three second-period goals and never looked back. The atmosphere inside CPA was electric, and the win—Seattle’s first at home since Jan. 30—felt long overdue.
Other musings
It’s been clear for a while that the Kraken won’t make the playoffs this season, and in terms of long-term success, the best outcome would be losing more often to improve their odds in the NHL Draft lottery. But I don’t care. I’d rather see them go on a run and miss the playoffs than win the lottery.
The win against Vancouver marked Seattle’s fifth home victory on a Saturday night this season. Last year, they didn’t win a single Saturday home game.
The 6-3 win was also the 14th time this season the Kraken have scored five or more goals in a game. They only did that 10 times last season.
Three of those goals were tip-ins—the most tip-in goals they’ve ever had in a single game—and they were all beauties.
Since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Kraken have had just six power-play opportunities—their fewest in any four-game stretch this season. The downside? We haven’t gotten much of a look at the new power-play unit, specifically Kaapo Kakko, Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, Jaden Schwartz, and Vince Dunn. That group will be something to watch down the stretch.
Eeli Tolvanen’s two goals on Saturday night were his 17th and 18th of the season, matching a career high with 21 games remaining. Not bad for a waiver claim.
With Mitchell Stephens back in Coachella Valley and Yanni Gourde still on injured reserve, Tolvanen played on the penalty kill for the first time this season. He logged 2:17 of ice time as the Kraken successfully killed off all four minutes of Vancouver’s power plays.
It’s hard to imagine heading into the offseason with “backup goalie” as the Kraken’s top priority, especially for a team likely to finish in the bottom seven. But that might be the case. The Kraken’s points percentage with Philipp Grubauer is just .262, compared to Joey Daccord’s .566. It’s tough to say exactly what a serviceable backup would have meant for the team, but with a league-average option, they’d probably still be in the playoff picture. By the way, Grubauer was recalled from Coachella Valley on Sunday and is now back with the Kraken.
The battle for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference has turned into a chaotic mess, with no team seizing control. Calgary currently holds the last spot, but they’ve been struggling lately.
Not sure if anyone caught the NHL’s outdoor game over the weekend, featuring the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets at The Horseshoe, but it was a fantastic game with some incredible tributes to Johnny Gaudreau. While outdoor games have lost some of their mass appeal, I still enjoy them and think two or three per year is the right number.
Goal of the week
I already mentioned the tip-in goals, but I loved the entire Shane-to-Burky sequence. It really set the tone in the building that night.
1-0 #SeaKraken
Hughes' pass is off target. Wright jumps on the loose puck, rushes into the zone, and feeds Burakovsky with the cross slot pass
Jani Nyman (CVF/SEA) – Li’l Jani put up three points in the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 6-5 win over the San Diego Gulls on Friday night. I expect we’ll see him in Seattle for a handful of NHL games down the stretch.
Clarke Caswell (SCB/SEA) – The Kraken’s fifth-round pick from the 2024 NHL Draft tallied four assists in two games over the weekend. The forward now has 75 points in 56 games this season.
Ryan Donato (CHI) – The former Kraken forward has two goals and three assists in his last three games. With a trade expected this week, he remains an easy player to root for come playoff time.
The week ahead
The Kraken have four games on the schedule this week, starting with a home matchup against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. They’ll then hit the road for three games—Thursday in Nashville, followed by a back-to-back against Philadelphia and Washington over the weekend. Seattle already has wins against Minnesota, Nashville, and Philadelphia this season, so there’s an opportunity to string some victories together.
Now that Philipp Grubauer has been recalled, I wonder if he’ll see game action before the back-to-back. There’s no sugarcoating his struggles this season, but I’d like to see him play and hopefully regain some confidence.
Trade deadline
As much as I wish the focus this week was solely on the games, that won’t be the case with Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline looming. Things have been quiet on the Kraken front, but movement is picking up around the league. Nothing has changed since we published our Kraken trade deadline primer weeks ago, but that won’t stop me from speculating.
One potential trade partner for the Kraken could be the Washington Capitals. They’re reportedly looking for a depth center, and Yanni Gourde fits that mold. The Capitals expect Ryan Leonard to join the team after his season at Boston College, making him a key part of their future at center. If that happens, Hendrix Lapierre could become a valuable trade chip. While a Kraken trade for Lapierre specifically might not be in the cards, that’s the type of move I hope Seattle makes at the deadline.
There is still a good possibility that Gourde signs an extension to stay in Seattle for a few more seasons. If that happens, the Kraken could be in for a quiet deadline.
That’s all for this week! If you have any thoughts or questions, drop them in the comments.
It has been a tough season for Seattle Kraken fans, no doubt, and they have endured some difficult nights at Climate Pledge Arena. But those in attendance Saturday were rewarded for sticking with their team, as Seattle showed emotion and resilience, feeding off the impressive energy in the building for a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Eeli Tolvanen scored twice, Brandon Montour had a goal and an assist, and Shane Wright and Vince Dunn each recorded two assists, while Andre Burakovsky, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Matty Beniers added a tip-in goal apiece.
“Just the bounce back from the game in St. Louis… I think they didn’t need to hear from me about the game in St. Louis and the compete level,” coach Dan Bylsma said. “A good bounce-back message for the guys as well, just getting to the net front, going to the inside, fighting and battling to get there.”
Here are Three Takeaways from a fun-to-watch 6-3 Kraken win over the Canucks.
Takeaway #1: Burakovsky was great
On the long list of frustrations Kraken fans have felt this season, Andre Burakovsky’s inconsistent play has surely been noted at times. But the winger had one of his best performances of the campaign Saturday, standing out in a very good way.
He only ended up with one banger of a goal, but he led all players with six shots on goal and seemed to be skating with more confidence than we’ve seen from him during some stretches of this season.
“I thought [Burakovsky] was flying tonight,” Wright said. “I thought he was really moving well, skating well, and when he’s possessing the puck like that, he’s cutting back and using his skills, that’s when he’s at his best.”
Burakovsky opened the scoring at 5:47 of the first period after Wright strung together several good plays in a row—first winning a race to a loose puck in the neutral zone, then burning around Pius Suter to create a 2-on-1. He followed that up with a perfectly sauced backhand pass over Filip Hronek’s stick, laying it right in Burakovsky’s wheelhouse.
BURKY MAKES IT WORKY! 🚨
Great speed and backhand sauce from Shane Wright to win a race for a loose puck and set up Andre Burakovsky.
For his part, Burakovsky did exactly what he was supposed to do on the play, staying wide enough to create space for the pass and opening himself up to rip it past Kevin Lankinen. The goal set the tone for an all-around impressive night for the winger.
He also started the play that led to Oliver Bjorkstrand’s tip-in goal, which tied the game 2-2 at 4:11 of the second period. On that goal, it was just good, hard forechecking from Burakovsky that allowed Wright to pick up a loose puck and find Montour at the point.
“Offensively, starting with the goal in the first, Shane Wright making the great pass to him and scoring the goal,” Seattle coach Dan Bylsma said. “He didn’t factor in on the Bjorky goal, but he was a factor on the Bjorky goal, winning the puck in the offensive zone and hanging onto it… He was dangerous, he was good with the puck, he was on the puck in the offensive zone and noticeable tonight.”
Takeaway #2: Lots of tip-in goals
The Kraken scored three times in the second period to put themselves in the driver’s seat heading into the final frame, and oddly enough, all three goals in that middle period were scored in similar fashion.
Bjorkstrand tipped Montour’s shot, Beniers tipped Dunn’s shot, and Tolvanen tipped Ryker Evans’ shot—all three going past Lankinen’s glove.
“That’s one thing that we try to harp on is getting forwards to the net,” Montour said. “Obviously, it’s tough when goalies can’t see it or we get good tips, and we had a few goals like that.”
The redirections in this game highlighted the importance of creating traffic in front of NHL netminders, who—almost every time—will stop the shots they can see. Add a deflection and a change of direction a few feet in front of the goalie, and your chances of sneaking the puck by increase.
“In an effort to try to score more goals, that’s where you’ve got to go,” Bylsma said. “You’ve got to go to the inside, and also that takes intent, it takes courage to go there.”
My personal favorite of the three was the Beniers goal, because Matty won the face-off clean back to Dunn, then beelined straight for the slot, where he somehow got a piece of a Dunn rocket slap shot before a huge celebration.
MATTY MAGIC! 🚨
He gets a tip off Vince Dunn’s slap shot after his own clean face-off win.
At this stage of the season, it’s almost frustrating to see the Kraken play a game like this—battling for every puck, getting contributions from everyone, and not letting goals against sink them. It’s frustrating because it makes you wonder why they haven’t been able to string together more efforts like it this season.
I asked Bylsma about the unpredictability of the team after the game, and here’s what he said: “I just think that’s the challenge for this team. It’s a challenge for our team being consistent every night, and I’m not going to— I’m going to pat them on the back for the compete and the effort tonight.”
Still, it really is fun to see them play like that, even though we’re in “meaningless games” territory—at least from Seattle’s perspective. Here’s hoping for several more of those down the stretch, because that was one of the more enjoyable nights at CPA in quite a while.
Bonus Takeaway: Joey went for a goalie goal
With Lankinen pulled for an extra skater with more than three minutes left, and Seattle enjoying a two-goal cushion, you knew Joey Daccord had a shot at the empty net on his mind. Indeed, Nils Höglander gave him a golden opportunity by tossing a soft floater into his catch glove, which Joey quickly settled onto the ice and prepped to fire.
Daccord got the shot up in the air and appeared to have it on line, but he may not have gotten great wood on it. Tyler Myers easily gloved it, thwarting what would have been an unforgettable moment for Daccord and Kraken fans.
I also asked Bylsma what it will take to get Joey “off the schneid,” and the coach said, “He’s got to learn to shoot it harder. It was a muffin he shot. We’ve more guided him to not always looking for the opportunity to shoot it and try to get the goal, but today was a good opportunity to do it. After the game, I said, ‘You’ve got to work on your shot, because that was a muffin.’”
Incredible stuff from Bylsma, who remains one of the funniest personalities in the sport.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
The Seattle Kraken spent the last couple days back in the friendly confines of Kraken Community Iceplex for the first time in three weeks, following a lengthy 4 Nations Face-Off break that led into a three-game road trip.
There have been several interesting nuggets from their late-week practices, including Yanni Gourde continuing his progression toward a return from sports hernia surgery (he skated in a red non-contact jersey Thursday but was a full participant on Friday), Tye Kartye heading to Coachella Valley on a conditioning loan, and Nikke Kokko remaining with the big club as he enjoys what is expected to be a relatively brief first stint in the NHL.
I also caught up with Jared McCann for the first time since he broke his scoring drought with a game-winning goal against the Florida Panthers last Saturday and gained some insight into his mindset during the slump.
We have all that and more in this Kraken Notebook.
McCann’s confidence returning
McCann leads the Kraken in scoring this season with 43 points, tallying a respectable 15 goals and 28 assists in 60 games. But considering he was in a league of his own as Seattle’s most reliable goal-scoring threat for his first three seasons in deep sea blue—amassing 96 goals in that span—he’s off the pace we expected heading into 2024-25.
Before he took Adam Larsson’s saucer pass and ripped it past Sergei Bobrovsky at 7:03 of the third period against the Panthers, he had notched just two goals in the previous two months, both of which came on empty nets. His confident finish to secure Seattle’s 2-1 victory in the Sunshine State was a breath of fresh air for fans, players, and coaches alike.
“I mean, I hadn’t scored in a while before that, so it was good to kind of get the confidence back,” McCann said. “Obviously, I’ve just got to keep shooting the puck. I’ve hit probably three or four posts the last couple of games here, so they’ve got to go eventually.”
Players are keenly aware when things aren’t going their way, and McCann knew he had been gripping his stick too tightly.
“It sucks, but I’ve been through it before with, obviously, other teams. I’ve been through droughts before, but I’m just trying to contribute in any way I can, whether it’s setting somebody up or generating offensive-zone chances. You don’t always have to score. I just try to contribute as much as I can.”
Even though he hasn’t been scoring at his usual clip, McCann is on track to set a career-high in assists. However, he insists he hasn’t changed his approach.
“I still feel like I’m a shoot-first guy, but I do think there were opportunities last year where I could have passed the puck a little bit more. But [Shane Wright’s] been doing well for us, and we’re just trying to get him the puck as much as we can right now.”
Head coach Dan Bylsma is encouraged by McCann’s recent play, pointing to his 14 shots on goal in three games since the break as a sign the 28-year-old winger could be regaining his scoring touch.
“I think it’s just good to see him get a goal there, but better to see him underlining his game with being a pointed shot guy, not just a shot from distance, not just flippers on net,” Bylsma said. “Where they’re coming from and the quality of those shots are huge indicators for his game.
“He’s shown a history of scoring in a lot of different ways, and that’s the focus, the process, and that’s why getting the result and the game-winning goal in Florida was big.”
SOH creating drama in the room
When McCann spoke about being productive despite his goal-scoring struggles, he unsolicitedly praised linemate Wright’s performance and mentioned trying to set him up as much as possible.
Meanwhile, McCann’s other linemate, Andre Burakovsky, was sitting nearby, listening in. This is key context for what happened next.
I asked McCann if he was excited about Jordan Eberle’s recent return from a serious pelvis injury that had kept him out since Nov. 14 and if he hoped to play with him again—without considering that reuniting McCann and Eberle would mean splitting up McCann and Burakovsky.
McCann replied, “I hope so. It’s up to the coach, but he’s been grinding the last couple of weeks—”
At that point, Burakovsky interrupted and jokingly berated McCann for completely writing off his current linemate. I won’t repeat what Burakovsky said since I wasn’t interviewing him directly, but he gave McCann a hard time for confirming he wanted to play with Eberle. It led to a good chuckle between McCann and me before he continued discussing Eberle.
“No, it’s just, [Eberle’s] been grinding the last couple of weeks here, and obviously he’s been working really hard to get back into game shape. And the last couple of games here, obviously, we haven’t been playing our best, but he’s a big part of our team. We’re just happy to have him back.”
Kartye partye in Coachella Valley
We suspected a move was coming with Tye Kartye, and the team confirmed it Thursday, sending him to the Coachella Valley Firebirds for a conditioning stint.
The 23-year-old winger hasn’t played since Feb. 8. Although Mitchell Stephens had already been sent down to the AHL, Kartye hasn’t been used much at center, so even with Stephens’ demotion, there wasn’t a clear path to playing time for Kartye.
By sending him down on a conditioning loan, the Kraken do not have to expose him to waivers, and he can remain with the Firebirds for up to 14 days. His salary still counts against the cap, though.
This seems like an ideal scenario for both the Kraken and Kartye. He needs playing time, and we’ve seen him dominate at the AHL level before. Hopefully, this stint gives him a confidence boost for when he returns, perhaps after the NHL Trade Deadline, when he could be relied upon more.
Gourde getting closer
Gourde, widely viewed as a trade candidate ahead of the March 7 deadline, is inching closer to returning from hernia surgery that has sidelined him since Jan. 2. On Thursday, he wore a red non-contact jersey and participated in the first half of practice. By Friday, he graduated to full participant, though he was rotating with recently recalled Ben Meyers on the fourth line.
Bylsma said Gourde is unlikely to play Saturday against Vancouver, but I’m predicting he’ll be ready to go Tuesday when the Minnesota Wild visit.
Trade deadline chatter heating up
As the NHL Trade Deadline approaches, players inevitably start thinking about their futures. Even those hoping to join a contender must face the reality that they could be packing up and moving to a new city with new teammates, coaches, and staff at a moment’s notice.
I’ve sensed it in the dressing room, too—plenty of chatter is happening behind the scenes, and players who could be moved are well aware of their situations.
“It’s hard not to think about that stuff, realistically,” McCann said. “We obviously haven’t had our best year, and at the end of the day, it’s a business, and [the front office] has to do what they have to do if it makes the team better.”
McCann himself has been through a deadline deal and understands its impact.
“I’ve been traded on the deadline, and it obviously sucks picking up and moving, but it’s just part of the business.”
Bylsma also acknowledges how much this time of year weighs on players.
“It’s part of being a pro,” he said. “And it’s something you have to… go with it. Go with the controllables, and go with what you can control, and stay focused on playing your best hockey, and let the cards fall when they fall.”
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. In this week’s column, we have a conversation with Shad Powers of The Desert Sun about the team’s prospects with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, share scouting video and quick thoughts on Jakub Fibigr, get you injury updates, update you on all Kraken prospect performances from the week that was, and preview the week ahead for Seattle’s prospect pool. As always, if you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey. Let’s dive in.
Interview with Shad Powers
Last week we had the opportunity to talk with Shad Powers of The Desert Sun on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast about the Kraken prospects developing in Coachella Valley. In addition to covering other sports in the Coachella Valley region, Powers covers the Firebirds closely. He is regularly in attendance for Firebirds home games and a staple in the team’s media scrums. No one is covering the team as closely as Shad, so it was particularly intriguing when he shared his insights on the Kraken prospect that he thinks is closest to the NHL level and the prospect with the highest upside. Both answers should be exciting for prospect followers. Give it a listen.
Thanks, again, to Shad for talking with us. Follow him on X, formerly know as Twitter, here.
Checking in on Jakub Fibigr
The Seattle Kraken drafted defenseman Jakub Fibigr with their final pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, but he was anything but an afterthought. In the immediate wake of the draft, I noted the Czech-born Fibigr’s OHL scoring supported a much higher selection. And then Fibigr turned a few heads during Seattle’s summer camps with his skating and skill, as recounted by Alison Lukan at Sound Of Hockey Fest.
My expectations rose even higher for Fibigr when it became apparent that his junior team, the Brampton Steelheads, were “going for it” by adding fellow Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf to their roster at the beginning of the season. I figured Fibigr was in position to seize a favorable opportunity to pile up points.
Fibigr’s season hasn’t followed that script. He started very slowly in the scoring column and still trails his per-game point production from last season by a wide margin. His role has been relatively consistent in the games I’ve seen—solid second-pair minutes at even strength and power-play time—but he is third among Steelheads defensemen in points and fifth in plus-minus.
Fibigr’s skill has always outpaced his defensive instincts and execution, so it’s possible he has been attempting to emphasize progress defensively at the expense of some offense. But, when I see him, I still see aggressive and inconsistent play in the offensive zone that creates advantages for his opponent nearly as frequently as it does Brampton. And, on the defensive side, I see a skilled skater who struggles at times to create disruption with the plays he is attempting to execute.
When we spoke a few weeks back, Kraken Director of Player Development Jeff Tambellini told Sound Of Hockey that it’s not atypical for prospects to take a minor step back in the year after the draft because they put so much into the draft season. This may be what we’re seeing. And it’s clear the stick and skating skills are still there for Fibigr, who did also have a strong showing for Team Czechia at the World Junior Championship. But a long development road remains.
Firebirds lose two key pieces to injuries
Earlier this week, the Coachella Valley Firebirds announced two notable injuries: Llyeton Roed is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and Daniel Sprong is on the shelf day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Both were long-shots to be significant NHL contributors down the stretch, but both are important pieces for a Firebirds playoff run. The Fire and Ice Podcast recently had a long-form interview with Lleyton Roed, which you can find here.
INJURY UPDATES:
– F Lleyton Roed is out week-to-week (upper body injury)
– F Daniel Sprong is out day-to-day (lower body injury)
Author’s Note: Daniel Sprong returned to the Firebirds lineup Friday night after this post was originally published.
Notes on three Kraken prospects
Berkly Catton | F | Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
As the Kraken continue to search for a true “difference maker” at the NHL level, it’s possible that Berkly Catton will ultimately be that player. No player in junior hockey has more points than Catton since his return from the World Junior Championship on Jan. 10. Catton was riding an incredible streak of 11 consecutive multi-point games (and 18 games with at least one point) until Wednesday night when he was blanked by the Vancouver Giants. He had nine points in four games since our last update.
Justin Janicke | F | Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NCAA)
Janicke is your Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, after scoring two goals and adding two assists in two games for the Fighting Irish last weekend. Janicke’s 13 goals this season matches his total from the previous three NCAA seasons combined. Janicke is due to graduate this year, and Seattle will only retain his exclusive rights through August. The window to sign reserve list players like Janicke to an NHL deal for next season opens on Saturday, Mar. 1. Following an impressive campaign, it’s possible the team signs him to an NHL deal, but more likely, I think, would be the Kraken and Janicke contemplating an AHL contract for next season that allows the sides at least one training camp and a full season to work together at the professional level before making further decisions.
#SeaKraken prospect Justin Janicke has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last three games.
With 31 points in 32 games for @NDHockey, Janicke has nearly doubled his previous NCAA career-best 16 points in a season, with two games remaining.pic.twitter.com/WkW9icLYbQ
Nathan Villenevue earned OHL Performer of the Night last Friday with two goals and two assists for the Sudbury Wolves. Quietly, his production has been trending upward for a while now. His 31 goals are fourth in the Kraken system, behind only Rehkopf, Catton, and Andrei Loshko. His 106 penalty minutes lead the Kraken system by a long shot, almost double the prospect with the next most time in the sin bin (Caden Price, 54 minutes).
Kraken prospects data update
Ben Meyers had two goals and an assist for the Coachella Valley Firebirds over the last seven days before getting recalled to Seattle on Thursday. Seattle needs a fourth-line center for Saturday against Vancouver, and Meyers fits the bill, but could Yanni Gourde return to the lineup (and push Meyers back to the AHL level) for next Tuesday’s contest against Minnesota?
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard’s SHL team HV71 narrowly avoided relegation last year when they beat Oskarshamn, and it looks like they’re headed back to the nerve-wracking relegation series again this season. In what’s been another tough campaign for HV71, Mølgaard is a rare bright spot, leading the team with a plus-six plus-minus.
Nikke Kokko earned his first recall to the NHL with a strong effort against the Calgary Wranglers last Saturday. While his NHL stay may be brief, and the circumstances of his NHL debut were less than ideal, there were still plenty of good vibes surrounding his story this past week.
Semyon Vyazovoy continues to climb the KHL save percentage leaderboard. His .936 save percentage is second best in that league.
2024-25 Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
Berkly Catton: 3
Clarke Caswell: 2
Tyson Jugnauth: 2
Alexis Bernier: 1
Justin Janicke: 1
Andrei Loshko: 1
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard: 1
Victor Östman: 1
Caden Price: 1
Carson Rehkopf: 1
Jani Nyman: 1
Kim Saarinen: 1
Nathan Villeneuve: 1
Ryan Winterton: 1
Semyon Vyazovoy: 1
Previewing the week ahead
Clarke Caswell and the Swift Current Broncos host Lukas Dragicevic and the Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday. Rehkopf, Fibigr, and the Brampton Steelheads travel to Sudbury to take on Villenevue and the Wolves on Sunday.
Three of Seattle’s four college hockey players—Janicke, Ben MacDonald, and Zaccharya Wisdom—wrap their NCAA regular seasons with two-game sets this weekend.
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
With the NHL Trade Deadline approaching on March 7, I wanted to review the Seattle Kraken players with expiring contracts. Three players are set to become unrestricted free agents, while three others will be restricted free agents. In this article, I will cover the UFAs, with RFAs to be discussed in a separate article coming soon.
UFAs
Yanni Gourde (age 33)
Brandon Tanev (age 33)
Josh Mahura (age 26)
During the offseason, these three players will be free to sign with any team.
RFAs
Kaapo Kakko (age 23)
Tye Kartye (age 23)
Ryker Evans (age 23)
These players could be extended, traded, or allowed to walk at the end of the season.
The Kraken are expected to be sellers at the deadline, with every rostered player potentially available if the price is right, but the pending UFAs have the highest likelihood of being moved. We’ll assess each UFA’s situation and potential paths forward.
The current $88 million salary cap will increase over the next three seasons—$95.5 million in 2025-26, $104 million in 2026-27, and $113.5 million in 2027-28—so these figures will factor into projected contract values.
The Pepper Pot – Yanni Gourde
Target: Extend for two years at $3.5 million AAV
Or
Trade for a second-round pick plus an additional pick
Gourde has been with the Kraken since their inaugural season and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Tampa Bay. His energetic, hard-nosed play has made him a fan favorite, but his offensive production has declined in recent years.
Yanni Gourde plays in a game against the Nashville Predators. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Currently in the final year of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.16 million, Gourde is on long-term injured reserve after undergoing sports hernia surgery but is making progress toward a return that could end up aligning with the trade deadline. His skill set includes strong penalty killing and the versatility to play either center or wing, and his veteran leadership could attract interest. His injury status and drop in production (just 16 points this season) may limit his trade value, though.
A comparable return could be similar to last year’s Alex Wennberg trade (second-round pick in 2024, fourth-round pick in 2025). If he stays, Gourde will likely see a pay cut. Comparable contracts for players of similar signing age and role include:
Erik Haula – Three years at $3.15 million AAV (3.8 percent of cap)
Adam Henrique – Two years, $3 million AAV (3.4 percent of cap)
Nick Foligno – Two years, $3.8 million AAV (4.7 percent of cap)
A realistic offer for Gourde would be in the range of $3.5-$4.5 million for two to three years. In terms of cap percentage hit this represents a range of 3.4 to 4.7 percent. If the Kraken can target the lower end of that range, they should attempt to hold onto him. His leadership, versatility, and experience would be valuable, while allowing top center prospect Berkly Catton more time to continue his development.
Turbo – Brandon Tanev
Target: Trade for third-round pick
Tanev, another fan favorite from the inaugural team, is known for his high-energy, physical play and defensive contributions. The 33-year-old winger leads Kraken forwards in penalty-killing minutes per game. Offensively, he has only exceeded 30 points once in his 10-year career (35 points in 2022-23).
Brandon Tanev playing in Seattle’s first ever preseason game in Spokane. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Given his playoff experience (46 games) and penalty-killing ability, Tanev could be an attractive depth piece for contenders. Comparable trades include:
Kyle Okposo (traded for a defense prospect and a fifth-round pick)
Pat Maroon (traded for a forward prospect and a sixth-round pick)
In terms of resigning a 33-year-old high-energy player, here are some comparable contracts:
Pat Maroon – Two years at $1 million AAV (1.2 percent of cap)
Cal Clutterbuck – Two years at $1.75 million AAV (2.1 percent of cap)
Andrew Cogliano – One year at $1 million AAV (1.2 percent of cap)
Re-signing Tanev would likely mean a contract in the $1.5-$2 million range, which is 1.6 to 2.1 percent of the cap. This is not a big cost, but the Kraken should be able to move him at the deadline and open up a fourth-line position for players like Jacob Melanson, which could be beneficial.
As much as I don’t like seeing fan favorites go, the Kraken should target trading Tanev.
Muzz – Josh Mahura
Target: Extend one year at league minimum
Mahura has been a serviceable third-pairing defenseman on a league-minimum contract ($775,000). While plus-minus is an outdated stat, it is impressive that Mahura is tied for second on the team at plus five. This is partly due to how he is selectively deployed and his sheltered 13:29 of ice time per game.
Josh Mahura battles for the puck against the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo/Brian Liesse)
There is no trade market for Mahura as an individual, but he could be included in a package deal. His playoff experience (21 games, one Stanley Cup ring) adds some value. The market for signing a 27-year-old (currently 26, but will be 27 for next season) third-pairing defensemen is minimal, with most players in that range signing near the league minimum.
A one- or two-year deal between $775,000 and $1 million would be a reasonable re-signing range. With three right-shot defensemen in Coachella Valley (Cale Fleury, Ville Ottavainen, and Ty Nelson), the Kraken may opt to give one of them a chance instead. That said, Mahura is a good candidate to keep on as the seventh defenseman and has shown ability to play on the right side as a left-shot defenseman.
Coachella Valley Firebirds UFAs
The Firebirds have 10 UFAs to deal with this offseason.
Ales Stezka
Cale Fleury
Daniel Sprong
John Hayden
Luke Henman
Brandon Biro
Ben Meyers
Gustav Olofsson
Maxime Lajoie
Nikolas Brouillard
Most on this list will not see NHL time, so I will only touch on the first three players.
Ales Stezka
Target: Let walk
With just one NHL game under his belt, it’s unclear if Stezka can handle a full-time backup role. The Kraken may give him a few more starts before the season ends to further evaluate his potential. However, with Nikke Kokko making steady strides in Coachella Valley, Seattle will likely turn to free agency or a trade for a backup goaltender. Meanwhile, Victor Ostman has been impressive with the Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL, making it possible that Kokko and Ostman could share the crease in Coachella Valley next season. It is also possible that the Kraken sign 22-year-old Russian goalie prospect Semyon Vyazovoy and bring him over to the AHL.
Cale Fleury
Target: Extend for one year at $800K (one-way)
Fleury is set to become a Group 6 UFA unless he plays 10 more NHL games this season. The Kraken’s cap constraints have limited his opportunities, but with a potential opening on the right side of the third pairing, he could still have a path to sticking around. A contract in the range of his current $800K one-way deal seems reasonable.
One wrinkle is that Fleury will lose his veteran-exempt status in the AHL, meaning the Firebirds would need to move on from another veteran player to keep him. However, with 10 UFAs on the roster, this shouldn’t be a major hurdle.
Ding Dong – Daniel Sprong
Target: Let walk
Despite averaging over a point per game in the AHL (19 points in 16 games), Sprong has not been recalled. Having cleared waivers, his trade market is virtually nonexistent. The Kraken appear to have no plans for him on the NHL roster.
Ales Stezka
Cale Fleury
Daniel Sprong
A few decisions to make
Compared to last season, when the Kraken had seven UFAs on expiring contracts, this year’s list is more manageable with only three. The likely departures of Gourde and Tanev present an opportunity for the team to get younger.
Seattle is expected to be active at the deadline. General manager Ron Francis could explore multi-player deals, where UFAs, prospects, and/or players with term left on their current deals are packaged together. With the current season’s results, any player should be on the table if the price is right. The next couple weeks could be exciting as we get glimpses into next season’s roster.
What are your thoughts on which UFAs should be extended or traded? What do you think about the expected returns? Leave your comments below!
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
The Seattle Kraken have played three games since returning from a lengthy hiatus that came while the world was transfixed on the highly successful 4 Nations Face-Off. In those three games, they have gone1-2-0 with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday, a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, and a 7-2 embarrassment against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
The vibes remain not great.
While the team seems to be returning to good health, its prospects of making the playoffs haven’t changed; Seattle is 10 points outside of the postseason bubble and has five teams to jump over to get back in, so—barring the most miraculous run in NHL history—it will not be playing meaningful hockey the rest of the way.
A quirk in scheduling means that soon after the long break, the Kraken now have another unusual three-day layoff before welcoming the Vancouver Canucks to Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday for their first home game since a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs way back on Feb. 6.
With the light schedule and the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, this felt like a good time to take stock and understand the state of the Seattle Kraken franchise.
Team getting healthier
On Saturday, captain and veteran winger Jordan Eberle played his first game since suffering a major pelvis injury after a hard slam into the end wall during a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 14. His recovery was remarkable, considering the type of injury and the surgery that was required; the organization had given an accurate timeline for his rehab, but we at Sound Of Hockey were still pleasantly surprised that he was able to play again this season.
So far, coach Dan Bylsma has been easing Eberle back in with mostly a fourth-line role, but he did get up to 17:06 of ice time Tuesday. Look for Eberle to move back up the lineup to a more suitable spot in the coming games.
Young puck-moving defenseman Ryker Evans also returned Saturday from an upper-body injury that had held him out of the lineup since Jan. 28.
Brandon Montour had left Seattle’s 3-2 comeback overtime win against the Calgary Flames on Feb. 8 with an upper-body injury. Thankfully, the 4 Nations break was all he needed, as he was back in the lineup Saturday to face his old team and receive a warm welcome back from the Florida faithful. Montour has played north of 20 minutes per night the last three games, so he seems to be just fine.
That leaves only Yanni Gourde as the lone Kraken player currently unable to play due to injury. Gourde had surgery to repair a sports hernia at the end of January. The veteran pesky forward has not played since Jan. 2 but is making progress and participated in morning skate Tuesday in St. Louis wearing a red non-contact jersey. Seattle sent center Mitchell Stephens back to Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on Wednesday morning, so that *could* be a sign that Gourde is getting close. If he were to return this weekend, though, he would be doing so well ahead of the original five-to-seven-week timeline that was set by the team, so we shall see…
If Gourde can return ahead of the deadline and get a couple games in, that would surely help his value, should Seattle decide to trade him.
Turmoil settling down
During an up-and-down road trip in mid-January, much ado was made over Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke showing up in Buffalo, apparently just to spark some life into the struggling club. The way it was reported by national media created upheaval and briefly gave the appearance that major changes to the front office or coaching staff could be incoming.
More than a month later, no such changes have been made, and we have seen no indication that anything like that is imminent. These topics will surely crop up again after the season, when the Kraken will have missed the playoffs for the third time in four years, but things appear stable for now.
Backup goalie intrigue
One of the larger headlines to come out of this season was $5.9 million veteran goaltender Philipp Grubauer being placed on waivers and sent to Coachella Valley after he posted a 5-15-1 record with a 3.83 goals against average and .866 save percentage, the worst numbers of his career, in 21 starts at the NHL level.
Since joining the Firebirds, Grubauer is 4-1-0 with a 2.59 goals against average and .904 save percentage against lesser competition.
When the Kraken waived Grubauer, Bylsma indicated that spending the 4 Nations break in the AHL would be a good opportunity for the 33-year-old to get lots of playing time and hopefully find his game. While his numbers have been better in the desert, the Kraken are so far remaining steadfast in their approach to the backup goalie position, leaving Grubauer to continue working through his struggles.
In Grubauer’s stead, Ales Stezka served as backup to Joey Daccord, while Seattle’s bona fide starter played every game after Grubi allowed five goals on 22 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 28. With the Kraken on a back-to-back over the weekend, the 28-year-old Stezka finally made his NHL debut Sunday in Tampa. He stopped 20 of 23 shots, but that was apparently enough of a look for now; the Czech netminder was returned to Coachella Valley on Monday.
Remarkably, Nikke Kokko was recalled that same day and relieved Daccord in St. Louis on Tuesday after Joey got hung out to dry and allowed five goals. Kokko only faced six shots in the second half of the game and allowed two goals, one an easy backdoor tap-in and one a screen-and-tip with Zack Bolduc left alone in front.
Kokko’s recall is notable because goalies historically take much longer to develop than skaters, and at 20 years old, he is way ahead of schedule. It’s unclear if he will get a start during this… cup of cocoa (I’ll show myself out)… or if more musical chairs will be played in the coming days and weeks. But the young Finn has earned this opportunity to at least spend time with the big club with his stellar stats in the AHL, where he has gone 15-4-1 with a 2.44 goals against average and .909 save percentage and clearly earned the confidence of his teammates and coaches.
While the future is bright for young Kokko, questions remain about how the Kraken front office will manage its goal crease for the foreseeable future. Daccord is locked up for the next five years as the No. 1, and Grubauer has two years left on his lucrative deal.
While I do think Grubauer will return to Seattle at some point down the stretch, I still think a buyout at the end of the season is the most likely resolution of his tenure with the organization. I also don’t think Stezka is viewed as a viable NHL backup candidate for next season, and while Kokko has dazzled in the AHL, I highly doubt Seattle will want him sitting on the bench behind Joey for long stretches. So, there may be some movement at the position over the offseason.
Trade deadline looming
I’ve already written about the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, which falls on March 7, and my sentiments haven’t changed dramatically since that article. The Kraken still appear to be active sellers and should still be listening on all offers. There are certain players on the team that they should only part with if the return knocks Ron Francis’ socks off, but there should be no player that is truly “off limits.”
As mentioned in the previous Trade Deadline article, my own personal hope is that trades made by the Kraken this time around are not solely for draft capital, unless the return is a pick high enough that it can yield a potential star. My hope for this deadline is that Francis and his staff use it as an opportunity to shake up the aging core and continue trending toward relatively young players that can help now.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
The Seattle Kraken returned to action over the weekend following the 4 Nations Face-Off break, splitting a pair of games against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Saturday night, the Kraken edged out the Panthers in a tight 2-1 win. Captain Jordan Eberle made his return to the lineup after a lengthy absence due to a pelvic injury back in November. Despite the extended break for the team, the Kraken looked sharp, with Joey Daccord delivering a strong performance in net. Shane Wright recorded assists on both Kraken goals, scored by Kaapo Kakko and Jared McCann.
Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t go as well, with the Kraken falling 4-1. While the Kraken didn’t generate many quality scoring chances, they also didn’t concede many. Seattle is now 0-9-0 in the second game of back-to-backs, making them the only NHL team without a point in that situation this season.
Return of the captain
Eberle looked solid in his return, especially considering the long layoff and the challenge of coming back from such a unique injury. He logged 14 minutes of ice time on Saturday, primarily in a fourth-line role, with 57 seconds on the power play in the first period. He registered two shots on goal and, more importantly, helped stabilize the fourth line, giving the other three lines more rest between shifts.
In the previous 10 games, Tye Kartye and Mitchell Stephens averaged less than nine minutes of ice time per game, while Brandon Tanev, the other fourth-liner, averaged under 13 minutes. With Eberle back, Coach Dan Bylsma was able to rely more on the Tanev-Eberle wing pairing, occasionally double-shifting Shane Wright to center the fourth line. This provided a more dynamic fourth-line threat compared to a Tanev-Stephens-Kartye combination. While it’s hard to measure the direct impact, in a close 2-1 win, even small advantages can make a big difference.
Eberle played just under 12 minutes on Sunday and had two notable turnovers. While his timing might take a few more games to fully return, the early signs are promising.
4 Nations Face-Off: Quick thoughts
The 4 Nations Face-Off was a hit, not only among die-hard hockey fans but also with casual viewers. I heard from several non-hockey-fan friends and coworkers who tuned in and loved the USA-Canada games. The gold-medal game between the USA and Canada drew 9.25 million viewers in the US—the largest audience for an NHL-sanctioned game. For context, last year’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers had 7.66 million viewers.
The tournament also introduced some creative elements worth considering for the NHL:
Three-Point System: The 4 Nations used a system where regulation wins earned three points, overtime or shootout wins earned two, and overtime or shootout losses earned one. This setup could encourage teams to take more risks late in regulation to secure a full three points, especially in tight playoff races.
10-Minute 3-on-3 Overtime: While extending overtime might reduce shootouts, research suggests the current system may not need much tweaking.
New Camera Angles: The tournament featured fresh perspectives, including cameramen on the ice after goals, new in-game angles, and a referee cam. While still needing refinement, these innovations show promise.
the on-ice camera for goal celebrations is such a nice addition to 4Nations… hope to see this in the postseason pic.twitter.com/4POY7hGcwY
Brandon Tanev played 16:19 against Florida on Saturday—his highest ice time since Dec. 10—including 2:26 in the final five minutes.
The Kraken are now 5-2-1 all-time against Florida but 1-6-1 all-time against Tampa Bay.
Joey Daccord’s win on Saturday was his 20th of the season, marking a career high.
Jani Nyman continues to impress, leading all AHL rookies with 23 goals. I expect we’ll see him with the Kraken later this season.
Prospect Berkly Catton reached 100 points in the WHL over the weekend. While he’d benefit from a more competitive setting next season, the NHL-CHL development agreement limits his options to either the NHL or the WHL. There’s a chance he could make the Kraken roster, which would make this a non-issue.
For context on Catton playing in the NHL next season, only six players from the 2023 NHL Draft have played more than nine games in the NHL this season.
The Kraken won two coach’s challenges over the weekend: goalie interference on Saturday against Florida and an offside call on Sunday against Tampa Bay.
Berkly Catton (SPO/SEA): The top Kraken prospect is riding a 12-game multi-point streak, with eight points over three games this weekend.
Nathan Villeneuve (SBY/SEA): The 2024 second-round pick had five points in his last three games. Despite flying under the radar, he’s a physical forward with 55 points in 47 games for the Sudbury Wolves.
Shane Wright (SEA): Wright tallied three points over the weekend and has 12 points in his last 10 games.
The week ahead
The Kraken play just two games this week, both against Western Conference teams vying for a wild-card spot. They’ll wrap up their road trip against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday before hosting the Vancouver Canucks at home on Saturday.
St. Louis has struggled lately, going 3-5-2 in its last 10 games, while Vancouver is clinging to the final wild-card spot but dropped two regulation games over the weekend. Though the Kraken are out of playoff contention, they have a prime opportunity to play spoiler.
Trade deadline looming
As much as the focus should be on the ice this week, the NHL Trade Deadline is just 13 days away, and speculation is heating up. Under GM Ron Francis, the Kraken have historically made moves close to the deadline, so big changes may not happen until next week.
Darren Brown put together a solid primer on the Kraken’s trade deadline approach. I’ve mentioned it before, but I still think an extension for Yanni Gourde could be in the cards. The Kraken need a fourth-line center next season, and if the two sides can find common ground, it would be a smart move to keep him in Seattle.
If you have thoughts or reactions to anything in this post or anything Kraken-related, let me know in the comments section below!
The Seattle Kraken finally returned from their long 4 Nations Face-Off hiatus on Saturday and skated away with a somewhat surprising 2-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Captain Jordan Eberle returned to action, the “kids” were impactful, and Joey Daccord looked rejuvenated, stopping 26 shots in his 20th win of the season in 37 starts. For reference, Daccord started 46 total games last season but only earned 19 wins, so he has already surpassed that number and set a career high.
And, hey! The Kraken even got the better of a questionable goalie interference call for a change!
Here are Three Takeaways from a 2-1 Kraken win over the Panthers.
Takeaway #1: The captain is back
A lot has been made of Eberle’s recovery from a serious pelvis injury that required surgery and kept the veteran winger out of the lineup for about three months.
But now that Eberle has returned to game action, it is worth noting once more just how remarkable this recovery was. The injury suffered was one that doesn’t happen often in hockey, so there wasn’t much of a blueprint for rehab. Still, it became clear over the past few weeks that Eberle’s return was imminent, and the only remaining questions were 1.) how soon he could officially get back and 2.) how he would look when he did re-enter the lineup.
The answer to the first question was immediately after the two-week break, and the answer to the second question was… he looked like himself.
Coach Dan Bylsma did end up managing Eberle’s minutes a little, leaning more heavily on the Jaden Schwartz/Matty Beniers/Kaapo Kakko line as the game went along. But Eberle still played 14:03, including 57 seconds of power-play time, and had two shots on goal and several flashes of the creativity that Seattle has so sorely missed with him absent.
It was a solid step back into action for Seattle’s leader.
Takeaway #2: The “kids” came to play
As the Kraken’s season has gone sideways, one thing I’ve been looking for is the younger players taking bigger strides toward becoming the new core of the roster. It does appear likely that the team will move several of its veterans at the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline, at which point Seattle will look to have guys like Matty Beniers (who could already be considered part of the “core”), Shane Wright, and Kaapo Kakko shouldering more of the heavy lifting.
It was encouraging to see all three of those players contributing against one of the league’s best teams on Saturday, with Kakko scoring the game’s first goal on the power play, assisted by both Beniers and Wright. Wright also set up Jared McCann’s game-winning goal for his second point of the night, putting him back on a point-per-game pace in his last 11.
Kakko’s goal was a beauty, too. After he had drawn the penalty on Nate Schmidt to put Seattle on the advantage, Wright dug the puck off the half wall and found Beniers in the slot—a prime scoring position. Beniers faked the shot, pulling two Florida defenders toward him, and had the vision to recognize Kakko was sneaking down the left flank. A no-look pass gave Kakko a clear lane to the net, and he took the ice that was given, deked, and jammed it through Sergei Bobrovsky’s pads.
After both PP units control play and look connected, Kakko – who drew the penalty – capitalizes in a pass from flank to bumper to flank. Beats Bob. pic.twitter.com/bOAE9SuqP2
The hope for this team all season was that guys like Wright and Beniers would be reliable threats to improve the scoring depth. It took a while for them to really get clicking, but with Kakko in the mix, it is becoming easier to imagine the team evolving toward a younger, impactful core for the future.
Takeaway #3: Jared McCann gets off the schneid
McCann hasn’t had a bad season; he leads the Kraken in scoring with 43 points and even remains within striking distance of the team’s goal-scoring lead. Unlike his previous campaigns with Seattle, though, finding the back of the net has been a challenge for the skilled winger, especially since the beginning of December.
McCann has notched a few tallies here and there, but coming into Saturday’s game at Florida, he had scored just two goals in his previous 21 games. Believe it or not, both of those goals had come with the opposing net empty, so McCann hadn’t scored against a goalie since a 5-2 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 22, exactly two months before beating Bobrovsky on Saturday.
It was so obvious he was squeezing the stick prior to the break, too. He would get looks that—in past seasons—were automatic goals for McCann, only to fire it over the net or get robbed by the netminder. Thanks to a beautiful buildup by Wright and Adam Larsson against the Cats, McCann got the monkey off his back with a pivotal goal at 7:03 of the third period.
Wright made the play happen, running out of space inside the offensive blue line, but still finding a trailing Larsson with a cheeky backhand pass. Larsson sauced it over a stick to McCann, who ripped a quick snap shot. Even that one didn’t go in cleanly, but it hit off Bobrovsky’s blocker and finally bounced the right direction for McCann.
Hockey is a game of confidence. Even the best scorers go through dry spells, and perhaps a two-week layoff was just what McCann needed to break out of his.
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
