A Prospect's Unforgettable First Pro Game, & More Kraken Quotables
From across the Kraken-verse, here's a roundup of recent quotes.
2021 Draft Pick Jacob Melanson
Kraken 2021 draft pick Jacob Melanson, who played last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, should invest in some warm-weather clothing.
The 6-foot, 204 pound forward from Amherst, Nova Scotia is likely ticketed for AHL Coachella Valley. In his 2022-23 season with Sherbrooke and Acadie-Bathurst, the 20-year-old Melanson scored 50 goals and 99 points.
He's already played one game with the Firebirds in the playoffs. Or, as Melanson puts it in the clip below, "Two for one," because that "one" game was a triple-overtime, 3-2 victory over the Calgary Wranglers on May 15 (and 16).
Free Agent Signee Kailer Yamamoto
About returning to his home state of Washington: “I didn’t think there was any way I was going to Seattle. I was almost speechless. I was at my girlfriend’s house, just relaxing, and after the call, you are trying to wrap your head around it all. We were super ecstatic. I called my parents, and they were over the moon, jumping for joy. It was a great moment.” (nhlpa.com)
Coachella Valley Firebirds Captain Max McCormick
About teammate and AHL rookie of the year Tye Kartye: “Tye’s been a guy that just worked all season long. He’s on the ice early, on the ice late, doing extra in the gym, shooting pucks all the time. He’s where he is for a reason, and it’s because he’s worked so hard.” (Desert Sun)
Katie Townsend, Senior VP, Marketing/Communications
About the Winter Classic: "This is a golden time to be a Seattle sports fan. In some ways with the Kraken, we've barely scratched the surface. There's a new and unifying story for all of us to tell. With the Winter Classic, I think it's going to be a perfect synergy of the Mariners' brand with our brand." (Washington Post)
THN's Ian Kennedy, Admiring The Prospect Pool
"The Seattle Kraken are ahead of schedule in almost every metric, and they were gifted some spectacular prospects who slipped into their hands the last two drafts.
"After he was the wire-to-wire consensus No. 1 prospect, they got Shane Wright at No. 4 last year, and this year, they found not only Eduard Sale available, but also grabbed Carson Rehkopf, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, and Lukas Dragicevic.
"On the blueline, Ryker Evans had 26 points in 26 playoff games as an AHL rookie, and could make the jump to the NHL this year. Add to this list Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, Ty Nelson, Jani Nyman, Logan Morrison, and Tucker Robertson, and the Kraken are cracking at the seams with NHL potential." (Yahoo Sports)