These days are exciting for the Seattle Kraken, who took a huge jump last season and don't have many holes in their roster, writes Adam Proteau.
Here’s the newest file in THN.com’s “off-season outlook” feature, an ongoing series in which we break down each NHL team’s recent season and their strengths and weaknesses entering 2023-24. On this day, we’re analyzing the Seattle Kraken.
2022-23 Grade: A
Biggest Positive Heading Into the Off-Season
The bar for NHL expansion franchises was set sky-high by the current Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights. But after an inaugural season in 2021-22, the Seattle Kraken won a whopping 19 more games last year and punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time.
If that weren’t enough, Seattle knocked off the defending Cup-champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round, then took Dallas to seven games in the second round before bowing out. Any way you cut it, that’s an outstanding season for a burgeoning organization. And now, as Kraken GM Ron Francis continues to chip away at his idea of a true Cup front-runner, Seattle has a number of key pieces in place.
Most notably, the Kraken have a well-balanced group of forwards, featuring 40-goal scorer Jared McCann, 57-point producer Matty Beniers, and veteran wingers Jordan Eberle, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jaden Schwartz. There’s no outstanding superstar up front, but Seattle doesn’t need one when all four forward lines contribute offense.
Similarly, their defense corps doesn’t have a Norris Trophy candidate in its midst, but they’re an older, bigger group led by 64-point producer Vince Dunn and Swedish veteran Adam Larsson. The goaltending duo of Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord is also solid enough to give their offense a chance to carry the heavy load and win games for them in the offensive zone.
The Kraken must be mindful of the long-term picture, and Francis has held on to all of its first-round draft picks in the next three years. But the pressure on internal development has been eased by the production from the team’s experienced hands. So long as that production continues, Seattle has every chance to get back into the playoffs this coming year.
Biggest Need Heading Into the Off-Season
For a franchise entering its third on-ice campaign, the Kraken have relatively few holes in the roster. They signed former Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto to a one-year, $1.5-million contract to shore up their bottom six forwards. They’ll also get their first full season with winger Eeli Tolvanen, who netted 16 goals in 48 games (in just 14:31 of average ice time) after Seattle claimed him off waivers from Nashville. If the Kraken can squeeze a little more offense out of their fourth line, they’ll be one of the most balanced teams in the league.
Bottom Line for Seattle This Off-Season
It’s all but impossible for Seattle to make as big of a jump in the standings in 2023-24, but rational observers understand that the Kraken don’t need to play significantly better than they did last season. If they can maintain their 2022-23 pace, improve their offense and add a couple of pieces during the regular season, the Kraken are set to be a playoff threat for the second consecutive year. They still have more than $8.29 million in cap space, although much of that will go to RFA Dunn, who’ll be seeking a contract in the $5-million to $6-million range.
Seattle is fortunate to play in the Pacific Division, by many’s account the weakest division in the league. However, they’ve got a decent shot at leapfrogging the Los Angeles Kings for the third spot in the Pacific, which would keep them from facing a Central Division powerhouse in the first round.
The Kraken may have overachieved this past year, but there’s no turning back from it now. They need to keep their collective foot on the pedal and attempt to follow the Golden Knights as a team that wins a Cup in less than a decade of operation. It may not be probable, but as Seattle proved this year, big things are possible.