2023-24
Record: 34-35-13 81pts — 6th in Pacific
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Losses
Brian Doumalin, Chris Driedger, Tomas Tatar, Dave Hakstol (Coach)
Key Additions
Chandler Stephenson, Brandon Montour, Dan Bylsma (Head Coach)
2024-25 Preview
Last year was a tough one for the Seattle Kraken after making a surprise run to the Stanley Cup playoffs and knocking out the then reigning champions in the Colorado Avalanche the year before. Injuries and inconsistent play were the culprits. Winger Andre Bruakovsky was mostly unavailable last year due to his struggles to stay healthy in recent years. If he’s healthy, he can help out more pucks in the back of the net. Matty Beniers who won the Calder trophy the year before had himself a sophomore slump before he started to turn things back on towards the end of the season. The Kraken need him to be a playmaker and facilitator of the offense as the number one center. Picking up Chandler Stephenson in free agency should help as both are Stanley Cup champions with great experience and can add to both sides of the game offensively and defensively. Goalie Phillipp Grubauer needs to show why he was once a number one and was a big help in leading the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship back in 2018. If he can remain healthy and play consistent, he and Joey Daccord can be a formidable goaltending tandem.
It’ll be interesting to see how new head coach Dan Bylsma implements his most recent success as the now former Coachella Valley Thunderbirds. With that and having a Stanley Cup championship on his resume from when he was the Pittsburgh Penguins should be of help and provide good experience for the team to learn and draw from. I see the Kraken as a bubble playoff team that could maybe surprise us all and make it in.
New Additions
The big, new, shiny toys in town are Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour. Both players have each won a Stanley Cup with their former teams in the last two years. Stephenson is a good two way center that plays a full 200 foot game that has evolved into a solid offensive contributor as well. Montour has become a steady and reliable member on the blue line that can play a solid shutdown game. Technically he’s not new but, Shayne Wright is getting his chance to play with the Kraken full time this season. Currently slotted to be the third line center, Wright does have potential to be much more as he was a former high draft back (4th overall back in 2022). He had success under new coach Dan Bylsma in the minors, let’s see if he can replicate that and improve even more.
Returning Players
Wherever Matty Beniers goes, the Kraken will go. He definitely had his struggles in his second season and Seattle has high hopes it was just a sophomore slump and the best is yet to come. He did seem to find his game in the second half of the season so, there’s definitely hope there he can return to being the top center they need him to be. Forwards Jared McCann, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Jordan Eberle are some of the top producers on the team. Andre Burakovsky and the third line are a bit of a wild card. Burakovsky needs to stay healthy and when he is, produce and play consistently. This has followed him back to his days with the Washington Capitals. Jaden Schwartz needs to get back to the numbers he put up with the Blues, injuries and consistency has plagued him too recently. Shayne Wright is getting his chance to develop and play at the next level. He’ll get better with more experience. The fourth line is dependable and solid group of offense and defense headlined by Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev. Tye Kartye became a nice fit last year and hopefully he will continue to be a reliable member of this trio.
Projected Lines
(LW Jared McCann- (C) Marty Beniere- (RW) Oliver Bjorkstrand
(LW( Andre Burakovsky- (C) Chandler Stephenson- (RW) Jordan Eberle
(LW) Jaden Schwartz- (C)- Shane Wright- (RW) Eeli Tolvanen
(LW) Tye Kartye- (C) Yanni Gourde- (RW) Brandon Tanev
Extra forwards: Logan Morrison, John Hayden
Defense
(D) Vince Dunn- (D) Adam Larsson
(D) Jamie Oleksiak- (D) Brandon Montour
(D) Ryker Evans- (D) William Borgen
Extra D: Josh Mahura
Goalies
Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer
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