Opinion And Reaction In Today's Kraken "Short Shifts"
Several Seattle Kraken hot takes were dispensed on the latest The Hockey News Podcast with Ryan Kennedy and Mike Stephens.
We'll present them here, with our own assessment following.
Kraken Playoff Prediction
Kennedy: "I don't think they're a division champ. Now that they're not catching teams by surprise, I think they'll probably finish about where they finished last year, a wild card."
Our Take: The media may have taken the Kraken lightly last year, but by and large, I don't thing opponents did. In any case, an in-the-playoffs wild card finish sounds right, and shouldn't displease Kraken fans - because as GM Ron Francis likes to say, once you get in, anything can happen.
Hakstol's System Took Time To Learn
Kennedy: "Dave Hakstol had that reputation with his North Dakota teams, they were better in the second half than the first half. Players need to figure out his system and what he likes. Once they did, it was full steam ahead.
"They clearly know who they are now. Now, it's a matter of, do they take the next step. Yeah, you've got some high-end elements, but maybe you're waiting for a Shane Wright, a Ryker Evans, and in the long term, even Eduard Sale, their (2023) first round draft pick, before taking that next step."
Our Take: GM Francis, from his 2021 expansion draft choices to today, has consistently played the long game. A patient ownership group has afforded him that luxury, and quicker-than-expected results speak for themselves.
Shane Wright Deserves "Consistency And Structure"
Stephens: "They are dangerously close to ruining Shane Wright. Wright played on four teams last year - Seattle, World Juniors (Team Canada), Coachella Valley, and Windsor (OHL).
"For a young player, that is a lot of turnover, a lot of different roles. The biggest thing for young players is consistency and structure. You keep him in Coachella Valley for at least half the season. You give him top-six minutes. Let him gain the experience of being a productive, professional hockey player."
Our Take: The facts are essentially correct - Wright did play in the NHL, AHL, OHL, and at the World Juniors. But the conclusion, that Wright is on the road to ruin, is incorrect. The NHL-OHL transfer agreement, combined with pandemic complications, tied Seattle's hands when it came to placing Wright where he needed to be.
Given the circumstances, GM Francis did a masterful job of putting Wright in the best possible situation throughout the season. The Kraken also caught a break when Windsor's early OHL playoff exit and Coachella Valley's extended AHL playoff run provided Shane with a sizeable pro apprenticeship.
His spending at least a chunk of the upcoming season with the Firebirds depends on whether Francis can wrangle an exception to that NHL-OHL transfer agreement (I bet he can).
Further Advancement Will Hinge On Improved Goaltending
Stephens: "The way they were able to succeed last year with below-average goaltending, if (Philipp Grubauer) can bounce back even to league average, that is a game-changer."
Our Take: This is inarguable, but not the entire story. Although second-season Philipp Grubauer didn't put up appreciably better regular season numbers than in his first season, teammates showed increased confidence in him.
As a result, they played less tentatively, and that's half the battle. Their confidence, only bolstered by Grubauer's playoff excellence, will continue into season three.