Goalie Daccord Expected To Start Again For Kraken Tuesday In San Jose

Wally Pipp. Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (above photo) is getting Wally Pipp'd.

Grubauer, in the third of a six year, $35.4 million contract - and the Seattle Kraken's #1 goalie for all that time - returned to the active roster Jan. 24.

The Kraken were hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Climate Pledge Arena that evening. The Hawks, minus injured phenom Connor Bedard, seemed an safe choice to work Grubauer into action. 

They're vying with the San Jose Sharks not only for worst record in the NHL, but for lowest-scoring team in the league.

But coach Dave Hakstol prefers to stick with the hot hand, and understudy Joey Daccord has been sizzling. Daccord beat the Blackhawks that night 6-2, making a couple of his now-expected did-you-see-that saves.

Daccord also started the 4-3 OT loss to the St. Louis Blues two nights later. Made sense, because Seattle and St. Louis are neck and neck for the final Western Conference wild card spot.

But four goals against. Maybe the workload - Daccord had started 18 of the last 20 Kraken games at that point - was finally taking a toll. Another of the league's bottom-dwellers, the Columbus Blue Jackets, were next on the schedule. 

Columbus would be playing the second of back-to-back road games. What's more, the first half had been a disaster, blowing a 4-1 3rd period lead to the Vancouver Canucks before losing 5-4 in overtime. Surely this was the chance to provide Grubauer with a confidence-building win.

Instead, Daccord backstopped the Kraken's 4-2 victory Sunday. (And don't call me Shirley.) Media speculation began to grow that the team preferred to give Grubauer his return start on the road. This would avoid the potential embarrassment of fans turning on Grubauer, should he permit a "soft" goal.

Except the road start isn't going to happen, either. In their final game before an extended break, the Kraken are in San Jose to play the lowly Sharks. How lowly? Scoring an NHL-tied for worst 2.08 goals per game, and allowing an NHL-worst 3.92 goals per game.

Joey Daccord was first off the ice at morning skate, indicating he's likely between the pipes for the 12th time this month. That would be more than any goaltender in the NHL. 

Coach Hakstol has said bluntly on many occasions that he has to make tough decisions in a tough business, and do what gives his team the best chance to win.

Tale of the tape: Daccord's goals-against average is 2.36, his save percentage .920. Grubauer's numbers are 3.25/.884.

Grubauer hasn't played since sustaining a lower body injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 9. That's an appropriate segue into who Wally Pipp is.

He was a longball-hitting first baseman who played in the majors for 15 years. As the story goes, Pipp removed himself from a game with the New York Yankees due to a headache on June 2, 1925.

The story would have been immediately forgotten save for the replacement Yankees first baseman: Lou Gehrig. The "Iron Horse" would go on to play 2,130 consecutive games in a Hall of Fame career before succumbing to the ravages of ALS.

Ever since, injured athletes run the risk of being "Wally Pipp'd" by unknown replacements who go on to become stars.

We're not suggesting the scenario is currently playing out between the Seattle Kraken pipes. However, unless Grubauer plays soon, plays a lot, and plays well, Kraken fans may find themselves on Wally Pipp watch.