Kraken Host Mammoth at CPA with 9 Games Left In Season, 3 points from Western Wildcard

    Seattle is 17-14-5 in Home Games this season, also has a Total has a record of  32-30-11, as well as a scoring differential of -21 which puts them at an overall ranking 27th out of 32 teams currently finishing the NHL Season. The Kraken are on a two game losing streak and with guys seemingly all struggling to produce out of the Olympic Break or finding a way to suffer from an unlucky concussion protocol injury at the wrong times due to this team lacking any real teeth. Be realistic, anytime you have Berkley Catton, a player referenced on broadcast as “The lil Cat” or the teams Number 1 Center, Matty Beniers, fighting for a team that may be one of the worst in the league as far as face-offs go. The Kraken simply do not win draws, except rarely and that’s not something the team has seemingly ever been a point of focus in practices. Inherently this lack of efficiency at practice and using them to resolve individual skill issues has been reflected in the way they develop young players. A blatant failure in addressing chemistry and team play issues in their matchups, as it has seemingly become clear to fans that multiple cliques exist within the Kraken locker room. Teams are too good with film and have plenty of film on what the Kraken want to do 73 games into the season. The Kraken need to adjust and find a way to just simplify and play better hockey. The players have talent, a little confidence and demonstration of why they made it to the NHL would go a long way. This team lacks any real fire within their leadership. The Kraken’s biggest problem is their unproductive forward group. They do not ever really use their skating to get in players' way and keep them from building speed when defending the attack making life as difficult as it can be on their defenseman and goalies. The forwards also never really stay with guys or make decisions quick enough defensively so it can feel like a heavy amount of odd man rushes with the defenseman being often out numbered in the defensive zone or net front.

‍     ‍Utah comes into this game following a 6-2 win against the LA Kings, with a 32-10-0 record when they score more than 3 goals. I feel like knowing the foe for this one is pretty simple. Vejmelka is a reason for 33 of Utah’s 38 wins. Emphasis on limiting the chances, cause Utah has more double digit goal scorers than any team in the league. The Mammoth also have 6 goal scorers with more than 20 goals. Understanding how dangerous Utah is offensively helps create an idea why they have been the first place wild card in a Central Division loaded with Colorado, Dallas,  Minnesota, Utah, Nashville, Winnipeg, and St. Louis all seeking their own playoff appearances. Utah has taken advantage of gathering points against Seattle with 5-3 (12/12) and 6-3 (1/17) wins coming at home, and on the road against the Seattle Kraken this season. The Mammoth are 4-5-1 over their last ten games. Barrett Hayton will be out with an undisclosed upper body injury for this game. Vejmelka should likely be the anticipated starter for the Mammoth.

‍     ‍The Seattle Kraken are 3-5-2 over their last ten games. The Defense as a whole does a great job protecting the slot and limiting net front chances. The biggest problem is opposition skates circles on a seemingly unorganized and defensively unaware forward group, and this most evident and identifiable on the Penalty Kill, which is last in the league. The Kraken need a more coordinated and simplified structure for how they defend the outside, this will help their penalty kill also which I think I mentioned is last in the league.  My idea for this would be a zone concept similar to football where the defenseman are both responsible for a zone in front of the goal and then a side slightly towards the corner, stressing not to chase the puck to the corner unless it can be fired out upon retrieval. The forwards would defend the high circles to the area above the slot, but not over pressuring down the walls, rather drop back into the zone and let them skate along the walls all they want, focusing rather on defending shooting lanes and taking away passes. The goaltenders have demonstrated an ability to make saves on pucks from distance. The Kraken need to use their skating to start eliminating space in the neutral zone and making guys feel pressure by staying with them rather than puck watching. By using this drop defense technique which would be similar to how teams defend the perimeter in the NBA that it takes pressure off of players to have to stay with guys, but rather focus on taking away key areas of the ice and being active and smart with the stick.

The previous 6 game road trip saw the Kraken go 1-3-2 and fall to 3 points out of the last and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Kraken are without Ryan Winterton (Illness) and Shane Wright (Upper Body Injury). Bobby McMann has scored 7 goals and recorded 4 assist through his first ten games since being traded, which is the best in team history and has to be a contract priority for the Kraken in the offseason as his burst of speed would compliment the play of some of the younger Kraken offensive talents. Tyson Jugnauth, Logan Morrison, and Jagger Forks have to be looks for the Kraken Opening Night Roster next season. It’s clear the future of big decisions has arrived for the Kraken. The team having no energy for a late season push or real identity leading to their current collapse and then an inability to return to the sustainable form that was supported by elite goaltending Pre-Olympic Break and that is the clearest reason the Kraken need to start re-analyzing the skaters that belong on this roster. Some of these guys are playing for a spot on their next team and it shows.

    Seattle has 9 games left and probably needs to win 7 of them to make it into the playoffs. After the Mammoth, the Kraken have 8 games remaining starting at home against Chicago Blackhawks and then a road trip; visiting the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild, then they are back at home against Vegas, Calgary Flames, then Los Angeles Kings. The Kraken finish the season with back to back road games against Vegas and Colorado.

Seattle Kraken Projected Starting Line up vs. Utah Mammoth 3/2 

McCann-Beniers-Eberle 

McMann-Stephenson-Kakko

Schwartz-Molgaard-Catton

Meyers-Gaudreau-Tolvanen 

Dunn-Larsson 

Evans-Montour 

Lindgren-Oleksiak 

Daccord

Let’s Go Kraken!

Very Respectfully,

Caleb Nance