Kraken Goalie Joey Daccord's Spectacular Statistics
Management Must Determine If Daccord Is Long-Term Answer In Goal
Caroline Anne Photo - Kraken Goalie Joey Daccord's Spectacular StatisticsEditor's Note: This is the second of a three-part series examining the unlikely rise of Seattle's newest sports hero.
While we can't flip ahead to the end of Joey Daccord's netminding story, we can say the current chapter has the makings of a best-seller.
As we detailed previously, Daccord, at age 27, earned his first significant NHL opportunity with the Seattle Kraken this season. Prior to 2023-24, he'd played a total of 19 major league games.
Largely due to #1 goalie Philipp Grubauer's long term injury suffered Dec. 9 against the Lightning, Daccord has already played 24 games for the Kraken during the past three-plus months.
Joey Daccord's Winning Numbers
Three's A Crowd (In Net)
Once Grubauer returns to health, current backup Chris Driedger will presumably be headed back to AHL Coachella Valley. Short term, coach Dave Hakstol will have to get Grubauer some starts, though Hakstol's shown an inclination in the past to stay with the hot hand.
Long term, general manager Ron Francis will have to decide how to juggle three NHL-quality netminders. Each comes with a caveat:
- Grubauer has one fantastic postseason on his Kraken resume, but an inconsistent, injury-prone 2+ regular seasons. He has three years left on a contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $5.9 million.
- On Dec. 27, Driedger backstopped the Kraken's 2-1 victory in Calgary, his first NHL action in 19 months. He'd suffered a torn ACL at an international tournament in May, 2022. Driedger's current three year contract expires at season's end.
- As for Daccord, he's signed through the 2024-25 season at a bargain AAV of $1.2 million. The great unknown for Francis and Hakstol is whether Daccord can maintain his stellar play.
Daccord Could Be Tim, Or He Could Be Jim
Some goalies who burn bright at first soon fade out. Others are a beacon that stands the test of time.
At one end of Joey Daccord's potential goaltending future stands Tim Thomas. Like Daccord, Thomas was born in the U.S., played college hockey, was drafted by a Canadian team, and didn't land a full-time NHL gig until late in (hockey) life.
Before he was done, Thomas won two Vezina Trophies, plus a Conn Smythe as playoff MVP for leading the Bruins to a Stanley Cup in 2011.
Spectacular like firworks but with the same lack of staying power was Jim Carey. Like Daccord a Boston-area native and former college goalie, Carey captured his own Vezina for the Capitals in 1996.
Because his celebrity namesake - the Jim Carrey with an extra "r" - had starred in Pet Detective, Caps fans called their Carey the "Net Detective." Yet he would play just 73 more NHL games before disappearing completely from pro hockey.
In part three Monday, Daccord talks about a team-wide re-commitment to defense which has helped the Kraken climb back into the playoff race.
