Kraken notes: Alex Wennberg prepares for preseason debut
Fresh off Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout win over Calgary, the Seattle Kraken returned to Northgate on Thursday for another day of training camp.
The Kraken will play two more preseason games this week, facing Edmonton in Everett on Friday and Calgary in Kent on Saturday. Seattle’s preseason schedule is tightly packed, featuring six games in 10 days.
“I think it shows us the way,” defenseman Jeremy Lauzon said after Thursday’s practice. “I think our schedule is gonna be hard down the line. We have a lot of games in not a lot of days. In the season, we have a tough schedule like that — a lot of games back-to-back. It’s just going to prepare us for the regular season.”
Head coach Dave Hakstol said it can be taxing on players — both physically and mentally — to go through such a busy stretch. Even though the players don’t see the ice in every game during the preseason, they are still putting in some kind of work each day.
“It’s a busy time, but everybody has been through busy times and challenging times before in preseason,” Hakstol said. “It’s not unlike some of the challenging schedules that we go through during the regular season. From my perspective, I don’t spend too much time thinking about it or worrying about it.”
Welcome back
While most of the Kraken’s players will be entering their fourth preseason game on Friday, center Alex Wennberg is looking forward to taking the ice for the first time. He missed the first three preseason games after he and his fiancee, Felicia, welcome their son, Rio.
“It’s amazing,” Wennberg said Thursday. “Obviously, life is doing a 360 right there. There’s a lot of new things and stuff you need to learn, but it’s been amazing.”
Wennberg first returned to practice on Tuesday. He signed a three-year deal with Seattle in July as an unrestricted free agent.
“We have to remember as he goes into a game, it’s going to be his first game,” Hakstol said. “He’s got to probably work through some of rust, that game action. that’s number one. From there, for him just to get into the flow the way our team’s building and the way our team’s playing and do his part. He has a quiet leadership to him from what I’ve seen over the first weeks in town. That’s going to be something we’ll look towards as well.”
Wennberg, Marcus Johansson and Calle Jarnkrok — all from Sweden — have quickly built noticeable chemistry during training camp. Friday’s game will be the first time the trio will have the chance to play together in a game atmosphere.
“Obviously, we go really well together,” Wennberg said. “We’ve been really hitting it off. We have practice to get the chemistry going well and now we finally get a game to try it out. I’m super excited. I feel like we can do something good about it and so it’s a good test to go out there (Friday) and try it out.”
The chemistry hasn’t gone unnoticed by Hakstol, who has been paying close attention to player chemistry as the new roster comes together. Wennberg’s line spends a lot of time together off the ice. While Hakstol said that doesn’t always transfer, it has in this case.
“Those three guys for sure seem to have some chemistry away from the ice surface and away from the rink,” Hakstol said. “Most importantly, some of that chemistry carries through with the different skill packages that they have. They do fit together.”
Noteworthy
▪ The Kraken made roster cuts Thursday. Three 2021 draft choices will return to their juniors teams, while five players were released from tryout agreements. Defenseman Ryker Evans, Seattle’s second-round draft choice, will play for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats. Fellow draft picks Ryan Winterton and Jacob Melanson will also return to their juniors clubs. Forwards Brent Gates Jr., Tye Kartye, Ryan Lohin and Cole MacKay and goalie Frances Marotte were released from tryout agreements.
▪ The Kraken practiced in separate groups on Thursday, but Hakstol said players from both groups will play in this weekend’s games.
▪ Forward Nathan Bastian had a personal day and didn’t practice on Thursday.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 5:00 PM.
