THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'O': Shane Wright Discusses 'Crazy' Season So Far Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2NjcxMzQ5MTU3MjEwMDc5/usatsi_20225308.jpg] It’s funny what a little bit of success can do to an NHL team. For instance, take the Seattle Kraken – for much of the regular season, they’ve been among the strongest teams in the Western Conference. From New Year’s Day through Jan. 14, they reeled off eight straight wins and were a stellar 26-12-4 through the first half of the year. All of a sudden, the Kraken couldn’t hide it any longer – they were a playoff team with potential home-ice advantage in the post-season. Expectations grew, and although you could argue Seattle has been playing with house money for the rest of the ride this year, the team’s performance since mid-January has been disappointing. Since they got to that 26-12-4 mark, the Kraken are a pedestrian 12-12-3, and they’re 9-9-2 in their past 20 games. That mediocrity has had a direct effect on their place in the Pacific Division. Instead of challenging the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings for top spot in the Pacific, Seattle is now fighting for a wild-card playoff position. It’s true they’re only three standings points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for third in the Pacific, but the Kraken are just two points of the Winnipeg Jets for the first wild-card berth, and they’re seven points behind the Kings for second place in the Pacific. The sooner Seattle pulls out of this funk, the more likely it is that they catch and slip by Edmonton and get either the Golden Knights or Kings in the first round. And if you look at the Kraken’s remaining regular season schedule, you’ll agree that Seattle has no excuses not to put their fate in their own hands. Eight of their final 13 games are against non-playoff teams – three games against Arizona, two games against Nashville and one game each against Anaheim, Chicago, and Vancouver. They also have a crucial home-and-home series with Vegas to end the regular-season schedule. Those final two games could have massive standings implications for both the Kraken and the Golden Knights. Seattle has the opportunity to do some damage in the playoffs, but it’s up to them to dictate who they play against and how they play against them. A first-round matchup between the Kraken and Golden Knights is a definite possibility, so those final two regular-season games between the two teams could be a harbinger of what’s to come in the post-season. If Seattle wins a good deal of its remaining games, home-ice advantage could be theirs. If the Kraken lose more than they should, they're a wild-card team with a first-round series likely between them and the Golden Knights, Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild. As recently as early February, Seattle was in a dominant phase, peeling off five consecutive victories to stabilize their position in the Pacific. However, they’ve dropped four of their past five games, mitigating any progress they made in that five-game win streak. When they’re on their game, the Kraken provide more than enough offense to win games. In 16 of their past 19 wins, they’ve scored four or more goals. That’s impressive for any team, let alone a team just a single year removed from an expansion draft lineup. But that’s not to say there’s nothing on the line for Seattle this year. A continuation of their current losing skid would squander this surprisingly impressive year for them. If the Kraken were the victims of a first-round sweep, they’d leave a sour taste in the mouths of Seattle fans. The Kraken have enjoyed the fruits of above-average play for the first time, and now it’s on them to ensure the good vibrations continue as long as possible.
