As the Seattle Kraken prepare for the restart of the NHL season, they are joined by Berkly Catton, Jaden Schwartz, and Ben Meyers as they recover from injuries.
The Seattle Kraken have held practices since Feb. 17, and they have been joined by rookie Berkly Catton, veteran Jaden Schwartz, and versatile forward Ben Meyers.
Catton had suffered a scary-looking upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs just before the Olympic break. He had reached for a loose puck and collided with Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The brunt of the collision appeared to be with Catton’s neck and head, and he missed the final three games before the break. In his return to practice, Catton skated in a non-contact jersey, but has since ditched it for a regular, full-contact jersey.
Schwartz had also missed a game before the Olympics due to a lower-body injury. The 33-year-old was announced as day-to-day before the break, but appears to be in good spirits and ready to return when NHL play resumes.
Meyers was placed on the injured reserve on Jan. 22 after the Kraken announced he would be out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old has played in 31 NHL games this season, scoring five goals and 11 points.
He’s been a valuable piece of the Kraken’s forward group when in the lineup. His versatility allows him to play on the wing or in his natural position at center. He’s winning 53 percent of his faceoffs, while also throwing 36 hits, blocking eight shots, and firing 40 shots on goal, doing so while averaging just 11:38 of ice time.
Catton and Meyers have not yet been removed from the IR.
If all three players are ready to return to the lineup, the Kraken will face important decisions. One player will need to be sent down to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, and one forward will need to sit in the press box. Jacob Melanson is the likeliest candidate to be sent down due to being waiver-exempt, but he’s brought a physical element to the Kraken lineup that they need.
The Kraken are back in action on Wednesday against the Dallas Stars, and the decision must be finalized by then.
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