Could Kraken contend in NHL debut

In the 1974-75 National Hockey League season the first-year Washington Capitals won all of eight games in an 80-game season. These were the days before overtimes and shootouts so the Caps were able to muster five ties for an overall record of 8-67-5.

One safe prediction for the Seattle Kraken, who begin their first-ever regular season Tuesday night in Las Vegas, once we `Release The Kraken,’ Seattle will win more than eight regular-season games. However, a more interesting question will be whether the Kraken can approximate the success of the Las Vegas Golden Knights who went to the Stanley Cup finals in their 2017-2018 debut.

Speaking of Vegas, oddsmakers aren’t predicting the Kraken to reach the finals this season but there’s some support for the idea of Seattle’s newest team making the post-season in their maiden voyage. The Kraken have put together a fairly set lineup heading into the season. While Seattle has the earmarks of a defensive-minded team all of the forward lines had their moments in the pre-season.

Your Kraken offense

Jared McCann, primarily a left wing in his NHL career, has played well centering the Kraken’s top line between high-priced free agent Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle. McCann scored a goal in the first pre-season game against the Vancouver Canucks and added a shootout goal against the Calgary Flames in an overtime road victory. Yanni Gourde, coming off two Stanley Cup championships with the Tampa Bay Lightning, was viewed as the center on the top line, but Gourde is still recovering from shoulder surgery. He’s practicing with the team and could be in the lineup by December.

Coach Dave Hakstol has put together an all-Swedish line of Marcus Johansson-Alexander Wennberg-Calle Jamkrok. The trio converse in Swedish on the ice which could make it confusing for defenders not fluent in that language. Jamkrok’s already earned a place in Kraken lore when former Seattle Seahawk legend Marshawn Lynch announced his selection at the draft. Not sure of the pronunciation Lynch eventually said “my man Calle.’’

In the pre-season, Seattle often used a `hitting and energy’ line of Brandon Tanev-Riley Sheahan-Nathan Bastien. Hockey guru Frank Seravelli on his Daily Faceoff website projects Mason Appleton on that line with Tanev and Sheahan on opening night. That would make sense as Appleton, who played on a few different lines, has a lot of potential. Tanev and Sheahan (who scored the first Kraken pre-season goal) will see action as forwards on the penalty kill. Bastien, who at 6’4 205 provides size and muscle around the net, should still get playing time this season.

The Kraken also has what could be called `a surprise line’ of Joonas Donskoi-Morgan Geekie-Ryan Donato. Donato and Geekie weren’t guaranteed a spot on the roster but were two of the best forwards in the exhibitions. Geekie had two goals in the Kraken’s opener against Vancouver in Spokane. For trivia fans, Donskoi’s the only Kraken to score a game-winning overtime goal in the Stanley Cup finals, playing for the San Jose Sharks against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

Solid defense and stellar goaltenders

It was obvious on draft day that Kraken general manager Ron Francis was looking to build a solid defense. Seattle immediately reached an agreement with veteran defensemen Marc Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, and Adam Larsson. Giordano and Oleksiak were even in attendance at Gas Works Park for the public announcement of the Kraken draft picks.

Giordano, the long-time Calgary captain, and the 6’7 255 pound Oleksiak who was called the `biggest player in the league’ at the draft will be one defensive pairing. Larsson and Vince Dunn, who was instrumental in the St. Louis Blues 219 championship season, will be another pairing as will Haydn Fleury and Carson Soucy – the most penalized Kraken last year with 51 minutes in the box. Giordano and Dunn will both quarterback the power play from the point. With injuries and the bump-and-grind of the 80-game season, Jeremy Lauzon and Dennis Cholowski should also see action on defense.

Saving the best for last, the Kraken boast two of the top five goaltenders in the National Hockey League from last season. Philip Grubauer had the league’s second-best goals-against average (1.95) and Chris Driedger (2.07) was fifth. Grubauer finished second in the Vezina Trophy (top goalie) voting, With the NHL closing down most of February due to the Winter Olympics, there will be a lot of back-to-back games and four games in a week which will dictate a need for two solid goalkeepers.

However, another reason for Kraken optimism – they’re not in a very good division. Only Vegas and the Edmonton Oilers finished over .500 in the Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, all league powers a decade ago have fallen on hard times. The Kraken look to be on a par with Vancouver and Calgary for the three through five spots in the standings. The fourth-place team in the Pacific will need a better record than the 5^th place team in the Central Division to make the playoffs.

Hopefully, it’ll be an exciting season to match the enthusiasm of Seattle hockey fans.