Have No Fear, Kraken Underdogs Are Here

Here's the best news Seattle Kraken fans have heard all summer: the Kraken off-season officially ends at 11:15 am PT Monday morning.

That's when a two-day rookie camp, open and free to the public, begins at Kraken Community Iceplex. After an off-day Wednesday, the full training camp - including some of those rookies - kicks off Thursday with Session 1 at 9:40 am, Session 2 at 12 noon, and a 45-minute scrimmage slated to begin at 12:40 pm.

Everybody loves underdog stories at training camp. Here's three players to root for, one from each of three categories.

Ben Kerr of Last Word On Sports calls Melanson a "strong talent" who plays bigger than his size, and is Kerr's "sleeper pick" among Kraken prospects.

"He is a punishing checker, able to cause havoc on the forecheck as well as lay the body in his own end and the neutral zone. He is willing to mix it up with opponents and play in the tougher areas of the ice. 

"Melanson is a goal scorer with a quick release and hand-eye coordination to score in tight to the net. That is often where he is found, screening goalies, looking for loose pucks and creating issues for opposing defences. He can continue to work on his skating in order to take his game to the next level at the pro level."

We were talking about "playing bigger than your size." Well, as a 5-8, 153 pound hockey player, Yamamoto has been an underdog his entire career. If that's not reason enough to root for Kailer, he hails from Spokane, played in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs, and is attempting to rebound from injuries which limited him to 58 games last season.

Kraken radio broadcaster Everett Fitzhugh spoke about Yamamoto on a recent Signals From The Deep podcast. "He's had so much pressure put on him in that bubble that is Edmonton, one of the most volatile hockey markets that has not gone to the Final since 2006. Playing with McDavid, playing with Draisaitl, sometimes a change of scenery for a guy like that can be great. 

"I'm very much looking forward to seeing what he can do back in his home state. The first ever Washington native to play for the Kraken. I remember when we played the Oilers in Everett in the preseason, his whole family was there. There were a bunch of Yamamoto jerseys; that was something to see. I've always been a fan of his."

Eeli Tolvanen was selected 30th overall in the first round by the Nashville Predators in 2017. From then on, for whatever reasons, Tolvanen was a square peg and the Predators were a round hole.

"The Kraken took full advantage when the Nashville Predators inexplicably placed Tolvanen on waivers last December," writes Mike Gould at Daily Faceoff. 

"Tolvanen popped off for 16 goals and 27 points in 48 games with the Kraken to close out the regular season, before following it up with eight points in 14 playoff contests."

Though Tolvanen proved a perfect fit with his new team, some still want proof it wasn't a short-term aberration. Says Gould, "The 24-year-old Finn is a great shooter who perfectly completes Seattle’s top-nine forward group. Playing with Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand would be a plum assignment for pretty much anyone."