5 questions facing the Seattle Kraken ahead of inaugural season
It’s been a long time coming, but the Seattle Kraken are finally one day from their inaugural season opener.
With the preseason over and training camp nearing its conclusion, many unknowns about the Kraken have been eliminated. But as they head into their first regular-season game at Vegas on Tuesday, there are still several lingering questions.
Let’s take a look at five of them.
1. When will Yanni Gourde return?
An answer to this question is getting closer.
Gourde, who underwent shoulder surgery in July, was a full participant at training camp at the end of last week, and he centered the top line of wingers Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle on Friday.
Head coach Dave Hakstol said Gourde is likely to travel with the Kraken on their first road trip, but he remained tight-lipped about a potential return date.
Still, it seems likely that Gourde — perhaps the biggest name taken in the expansion draft — will be back long before the original December return date. That’s good news for the Kraken, who could use his firepower.
2. What does success look like?
This is a big one. The Vegas Golden Knights won the Pacific Division and reached the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season, which set a high bar for the NHL’s newest expansion franchise.
But Hakstol has shied away from comparisons to other franchises, saying Seattle will set its own course instead of trying to live up to Vegas’ standard. So what is possible for the Kraken, and what will constitute success in their first season?
That answer will come with time, and the next three questions on the list will go a long way in determining it.
3. Will goalie Philipp Grubauer live up to expectations?
A major reason for Vegas’ early success was goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, the Golden Knights’ expansion draft pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished with a 2.24 goals against average and a .927 save percentage in his first season with the Golden Knights, both career-bests for him at the time.
Can Philipp Grubauer provide a similarly strong foundation for the Kraken? Grubauer signed a six-year contract with Seattle in July. He went 30-9-1 for the Colorado Avalanche in 2020-21, finishing with a 1.95 GAA, a .922 save percentage and seven shutouts. He was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the best goalie in the NHL as voted by general managers.
If Grubauer can put together another strong season, it would give the rest of the Kraken roster time to come together and build chemistry.
Which brings us to the next question on the list …
4. How long will the team take to mesh?
This is a brand new roster, meaning almost none of the Kraken have played together before. New lines, new defensive pairings, a new system— none of it will be an easy adjustment. While Seattle showed promise in the preseason — they went 4-2 — the regular season will be a different story.
Throughout training camp and the preseason, Hakstol has been searching for chemistry and the right combinations. Once the season begins, he’ll find out if the right pieces are in the right places.
“It’s just about learning guys’ tendencies,” defenseman Vince Dunn said during camp. “It’s a little bit of a different system than I think a lot of us are used to. It’s all about adapting to change right now.”
How long will it take for everything to come together? That remains to be seen.
5. Is there enough scoring on the roster?
This has been a significant question since the Kraken wrapped up the entry draft and free agency. Much of the scoring during the preseason came from the line of center Jared McCann and wingers Schwartz and Eberle.
But Seattle needs more consistency beyond the top line, something that could be helped once Gourde returns and either he or McCann moves to the second line. Eight Kraken forwards scored double-digit goals in a shortened 2020-21 season, led by Gourde (17), Alex Weinberg (17) and Joonas Donskoi (17), Eberle scored 16.
Seattle could also use some help from the blue line, and there’s reason for optimism there. Veteran defenseman Mark Giordano had nine goals and 26 points in 56 games in 2020-21 to lead all Flames defensemen. Dunn also showed scoring promise in the preseason, scoring three goals in his final two preseason games.
