Seattle Kraken - Tumblr Posts
GUYS!!!!!!
Ok so I started watching hockey recently (Go Kraken(im not from seattle..)) and I started kinda in the middle of the losinh streak, so I hadn't seen them win a game. The VERY FIRST win that I saw from them was a few days ago, and my oven was on. I didn't think much about this, I was just super excited.
Well, there was another game tonight. The oven was on, and they got 2 point before 10 minutes passed. (I couldn't watch this one, unfortunately, but I was looking at the scores.)
I realized the connection of the ovens and Oven Theory was born. I told all my friends Oven Theory, I told my dad and mumma about Oven Theory. I couldn't keep the oven on all game, which was understandable. But the oven was always on when they got a point.
So I kinda zoned out for a while, partway through the third period. When I snapped in again, we were 3:26 into overtime. I told my friends about it, we had a short conversation, then I turned on the oven.
LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER THE KRAKEN SCORED!!!!!!!!
TAKE THAT DAD I WAS RIGHT ABOUT OVEN THEORY!!!!!
I'm so incredibly happy and excited rn
my favorite part about watching Seattle hockey is because whenever they’re on a power play it says “sea pp” but I read it as “see peepee” and start laughing uncontrollably.
LETS GO!!! The kraken have taken over tumblr as most popular nhl team (it’s a good day)
of these twelve teams, which is your favorite?
PIT, PHI, NJD
TOR, FLA, BOS
MIN, COL, DAL
SEA, VAN, EDM
Your 2024-25 Seattle Kraken Narratives
When we last left Kraken hockey, it was the end of a disappointing third season that signaled big changes ahead if our intrepid team was going to get their groove back. After a busy summer including major signings, new coaching staff, and inadequate use of sunscreen, there’s a lot to be excited about in season 4. Join @yamball, @seattlesinbin, and me as we break down the overarching storylines and player narratives for the 2024-25 Kraken season…
Photo credits: McCann/Eberle, Oliver Bjorkstrand
Overarching Storylines
Do we name a captain?
The Kraken have spent two and a half seasons now with four alternates sharing the responsibilities of Captain. It is likely time to convert one to a C. When Jordan Eberle signed his extension, we wondered if an announcement of his Captaincy would follow; some of the media campaigns seemed designed to set it up. And if an A ascends, will another be named? We think Jared McCann’s commitment to the team and quiet leadership make him very deserving.
Can we get the vibes back?
Something was off in the room last season. We’ll never know what it was, and how much it had to do with injuries or with coaching, but we do know that ownership is trying a big change with well-liked Coach Dan and Coach Jess coming in to lead. Adding Brandon Montour also feels like it sets a direction: he’s well known for bringing good energy (and tunes) to the room. We miss the “we’re playing for each other” mentality of season two and would love to see it return.
Does the new broadcast deal grow the fanbase?
The Kraken have parted ways with Root Sports and will enter their fourth season in a new broadcast arrangement that will see their games aired on local channels and via Amazon streaming. This will hopefully remedy the previously puzzling decision to limit the audience right off the bat (er, stick) for a new professional sports franchise by sequestering their games on cable. Seattle is a town of passionate sports fans who will go down defending their teams, but the Kraken haven’t been here long enough for the city to imprint on them. With rumors of stalled season ticket sales swirling (in addition to the significant ticket cost) and other, larger issues with regional sports broadcasts, this move is a no-brainer. Having games available over a local channel and streaming can bring more casual Seattle fans into the fold, strengthen the fanbase, and bring more money to the organization, especially as the org has kept their award-winning broadcast crew largely intact for the move. (Notably, Nick Olczyk will be moving on from the team to join the new Utah broadcast crew.)
Can we get to the playoffs again?
The season two Kraken squad got out ahead of their own timeline. While that (importantly) cemented Seattle as a ‘hockey town,’ it also may have created some mismatched expectations for a building team. There are other signs of growth to look for, like: coming from behind to win, winning by a lot, regularly winning in regulation, avoiding losing streaks, stringing together wins, and finishing the season well over .500. That said, we have a lot of contracts expiring in 2025. If we don’t make it back into playoffs contention, the trade deadline could be hard on fans’ hearts.
Photos left to right: Dan Bylsma, Jessica Campbell, Ron Francis
Coaching Staff and Relevant Management
Dan Bylsma Head Coach
After many years away, Dan Bylsma returns to the NHL Head Coach role. Dan has experienced the rapid rise and fall of the NHL coaching carousel before, from winning the Stanley Cup just four months after his promotion to head coach of the Penguins in 2009 to almost quitting coaching altogether after a difficult tenure with the Sabres. Dan had to rediscover his passion for coaching through the Firebirds, and his success over the past two seasons makes him a strong leadership choice as the Kraken begin to bring up more of their young prospects to the main club. Can Disco Dan translate his Firebirds success to the Kraken stage?
Jessica Campbell Assistant Coach
We have the first full-time female coach in the NHL! It is amazing and also expected to come with a lot of scrutiny. We like that her role is relatively nonspecific (working with the forwards) which will hopefully make it harder to tie her to the success of any one element of the game (she will work with Woods on Special Teams) and give her space to do her thing and tune out the noise.
Bob Woods Assistant Coach
Also new to the Kraken this season, Woods will take on the role of working with defensemen. He is not new to former teammate Ron Francis, nor is he new to former adversary Dan Bylsma, a rising coach through the Penguins AHL system at the same time Woods was rising through the Capitals’ in Hershey. It sounds like there is strong mutual respect and drive.
Ron Francis General Manager
Ron made some big swings in the offseason that have garnered the full spectrum of praise, skepticism, and derision. He may have made the best of the challenge of attracting free agents to a building team–always a pricey proposition–but will still be on the hot seat for those contracts to work out since he is in a “contract year” himself. Eyes will also be on the trade deadline and whether he can get the team what they need to compete in the short term. Otherwise…
Honorable mentions:
There is some continuity from the Hakstol years in the coaching staff via Steve Briere (Goalie Coach) and Dave Lowry (Assistant Coach).
Photos left to right: Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, Jared McCann
Centers
#10 Matty Beniers Current contract ends: 2031
Kraken fans spent several tense months wondering about Matty’s contract status, as his entry level contract expired at the end of the 23-24 season. There was nothing to worry about. Matty is now locked in with a nice 7x$7.1AAV deal that will see him as a Kraken until he’s 28 and an UFA. GMRF said in the press release of the signing: “Matty has been a core part of our team since making his NHL debut, not only on the ice, but in his commitment to our community and our fans.” This solidifies Matty as one of the young pieces this team is building around, and makes a statement that the organization believes in him after a challenging sophomore season. We love seeing the organization put such a strong vote of confidence in his skill, hockey IQ, and character. Can he live up to that belief in him and get back to form in season 4? It will be interesting to see how he responds to Dan Bylsma’s coaching.
#37 Yanni Gourde Current contract ends: 2025
Yanni enters a contract year with an A on his chest and a need to step up. This past season was the least productive he’s ever been, with him taking over 42 minutes of average ice time to register each point. As a key part of the leadership and a fan favorite, we’re pulling for Yanni to bounce back at a necessary time. But with at least three other Centers in the mix, will Yanni still center the third line? Fortunately, he appears comfortable going where he’s needed.
#17 Jaden Schwartz Current contract ends: 2026
Schwartz’s health has been an unpredictable antagonist throughout the short history of the Kraken, to the point where he significantly restricts his practice time. We don’t know what this year will bring, but if he’s healthy, it’s always a good thing, especially for the room – the team universally adores him.
#9 Chandler Stephenson Current contract ends: 2031
We do not envy Chandler Stephenson besides his paychecks. He comes into a new locker room after being at the top of many “worst contracts of free agency” lists. To make his contract seem “worth it” to a great many people would be to surpass almost everything he’s done before. That being said, his history of boosting Burakovsky’s production as linemates back in Washington may be valuable. Is a productive Burky enough to offset that contract? 😅
#51 Shane Wright Current contract ends: 2027
It may be time for the Shane Wright era of the Kraken to begin. The test, as with all rookies, will be how his skills match up to the season-long grind of the NHL. Dan Bylsma will also feel this test as he tries to find the right chemistry for Shane on a line. The drama of 2022 will likely be resurrected whenever we play Montreal as well, which may still be fun to watch as long as you can ignore the internet noise. Note: Shane will not be eligible for the Calder trophy for rookies.
Honorable mentions:
Center Logan Morrison had an exceptional rookie season with the Firebirds, breaking the 40 point mark. He got some ice time with the Kraken last season and may again this year. We also picked up Center Ben Meyers from the Ducks on a one-year contract but with the degree of existing depth we’re expecting to see him on the Firebirds.
Left wingers
#95 Andre Burakovsky Current contract ends: 2027
Burky has a history of injury and streaky productivity to overcome. In the devastatingly limited time he’s been healthy enough to play with the Kraken, he’s been both a points leader and someone who’s struggled to find consistent chemistry. We wonder if former linemate Stephenson will provide the chemistry match he’s been missing. The hard forechecking style of Hakstol’s system also wasn’t a good match for a breakable sniper; will Bylsma work better? The biggest question, though, is just whether he can stay healthy.
#52 Tye Kartye Current contract ends: 2025
Karts fought to even have expectations placed on him at this level. Cut from his juniors team and ignored in the NHL draft, his entry into this league was nothing short of a fairytale, helped along by Jessica Campbell’s skills coaching. In a contract year before he’s RFA, he should be out to prove that he can handle more ice time. He’ll likely have the opportunity with two coaches who know him well, but then Karts needs to leverage that into a strong season.
#19 Jared McCann Current contract ends: 2027
Canner, our beloved son, struggled along with the rest of the team last year and will be looking to bounce back. A big question on some of our minds as we enter this season is: could Canner be given a letter this season, especially since it seems likely someone will be named captain? And perhaps even more pressing: will opposing teams please stop hitting him in the head?!!
#13 Brandon Tanev Current contract ends: 2025
There are two fandom camps about Brandon Tanev. There are those for whom he is a fan favorite, who delight in his chaos and PK puck-clearing performance. Then there are those for whom these specific talents simply can’t make up for his lack of finishing and point productivity, particularly last season. Tanev should be pushed to level up his game and compete for this spot in a contract year, or we may be hearing his name as a trade piece before he becomes a UFA.
Right wingers
#22 Oliver Bjorkstrand Current contract ends: 2026
The stage is set for the Maestro’s comeback. Through the past season, Bjorkstrand and his changing linemates stumbled through a season plagued with injuries that led to a dismal low +/- of -20. That’s enough to shake anyone’s confidence, and he famously didn’t even get a vacation in February! All signs point to our latest All-Star improving this season but trouble will brew if he isn’t able to jive with the coaches and young talent.
#7 Jordan Eberle Current contract ends: 2026
“We need more from him” is true for many players after last season, but perhaps most of all for Ebs. Ebs had a down year (like almost every other player on the team), and was even rumored to be up for trade prior to the trade deadline last season. This was quickly countered by Ebs signing a 2x$4.75AAV contract with a full NTC. There’s a lot of goodwill following his 1000th game ceremony, and the contract was widely approved of by fans, but given his age there is a lot of pressure to sustain a high level of play before fans get disgruntled. We wonder if we’ll see him moved off the top line in favor of a better-scoring winger.
#15 John Hayden* Current contract ends: 2025
Will he make it? Hayds was an instrumental player on the Firebirds last season and earned himself a one way contract, meaning he won’t earn less if he plays for the Firebirds again. There’s a strong argument that the Kraken would benefit from having a grittier player like him, since they were sometimes criticized for letting teams run over them last season. Although he can play Center, he also plays either wing and we think he’s most likely to be competing for RW.
#20 Eeli Tolvanen Current contract ends: 2026
Tolvy has signed on for two more years, with the Kraken showing that they don’t want to say goodbye to our favorite waivers rescue. Tolvy’s been able to find an identity here that’s still fairly new to him, trusted to be as physical as he wants to be. Last season was a career high in points, TOI, and games played at this level, showing he can handle a full-season grind. Tolvy should just focus on not taking a step back — either staying steady or improving — and he’ll be good to go.
Honorable mention:
Ryan Winterton had a dynamite season with the Firebirds, finishing his rookie season with 35 points in 58 games, and a lot of chemistry with Shane Wright. Though he’s listed as a Center, he was playing RW, and could compete for one of these spots at training camp.
*bubble players
Photos left to right: Will Borgen, Brandon Montour, Ryker Evans
#3 Will Borgen Current contract ends: 2025
Will is 28, and entering a contract year to become a UFA. This is a big “prove it” year for him to get the best possible situation next summer, either with the Kraken (we hope) or another team. In a lot of ways, all he has to do to prove it is keep on the path he’s been on – the last two seasons have shown strong, steady growth. Prepare to endure the stress of hearing him talked about as a trade piece, but the biggest question for now is whether he’ll stay paired with Oleksiak or, with Montour on the squad, anchor the third pair with Evans or Mahura.
#29 Vince Dunn Current contract ends: 2027
We don’t need to look farther than the season-crushing losing slump when Dunn was injured to see how he’s the engine of the Kraken offense. There hasn’t been a lot of wiggle room for Dunn and partner Larsson to have an off night, which is a heavy load physically and emotionally. The addition of Brandon Montour, with a similar offensive skillset to Dunn, may help balance the work, while pressure from Larsson’s contract year might increase it. We also can’t have the engine of this team leading the Kraken in PIMs, which Dunner did last season. We’ve seen flashes of a maturing player counterbalanced by a hotheaded streak. We’ll be interested to see if Dunn continues to mature into a leader this season.
#39 Ryker Evans* Current contract ends: 2025 (RFA)
Last season, we got to see Evans thrive…when he went back down to the Firebirds. It wasn’t that he looked out of place on the Kraken, but that he looked tense, and was frequently relegated to haunting the press box by a coach inclined to double down on veterans. The pressure of stepping into a core special teams role during Dunn’s injury was also a lot to place on the shoulders of a rookie defenseman, and the addition of Montour should create room for Evans to develop at a more natural pace. We are excited to see if he blooms under Bylsma’s coaching at this level the way he did in Coachella Valley, but first he’ll need to compete for a spot.
#6 Adam Larsson Current contract ends: 2025
This might be a nail-biter of a season when it comes to Lars. In a contract year, guys are going to be talked about. A universally well-liked and respected defenseman like Lars is going to be mentioned in trade talks if the Kraken are not playoff contenders. Lars is in a good spot to control his own destiny; he’s been consistent and reliable. We hope the Kraken, and his D-partner with a contract through 2027, can prove his destiny still waits for him in Seattle.
#28 Josh Mahura* Current contract ends: 2025
Mahura joined the Kraken on a one year contract and is expected to compete with Evans for a spot on the bottom defensive pairing. If Evans earns the spot, Mahura could play the sort of reserve role he did for the Panthers last season. In the 2022-23 season, however, he played all 82 games with the Panthers and had a decent playoffs workload, so he has valuable veteran experience. His close friendship with Montour may help both of them adjust to a new team.
#62 Brandon Montour Current contract ends: 2031
Monty had an unbelievable 73-point season in 2022-23, and then he got hurt. In 2023-24, it took him a while to heal and settle back into his game, so the biggest question is: which Montour will we be getting? If he can stay healthy and regain those heights, he’ll be one of the best point-producing defensemen in the league and the front end of his contract will look great. If not, it’ll be a long seven years.
#24 Jamie Oleksiak Current contract ends: 2026
Jamie has been a face of the Kraken franchise since he was drafted by the team— earlier this summer he went to Alaska with Buoy to lead community outreach. He has settled into a dependable second line pairing with Will Borgen over the past two seasons, but we’re expecting a shakeup. It will be interesting to see how he plays with Brandon Montour being in the lineup, as they are the likely second pair for our defense! Given that Larsson is in a contract year (and a potential trade piece if the season doesn’t pan out) there may be additional pressure for him to step up and define himself on the blue line this season.
Honorable mention:
The Kraken added LHD Maxime Lajoie on a one year contract, a pickup from the Leafs. With either Evans or Mahura already likely to ride as a seventh defender, we think Lajoie will play for the Firebirds. Cale Fleury previously held the role of seventh defender on the Kraken main squad before becoming a full time Firebird. He has thrived in the AHL and might also be someone who returns to the Kraken if injury relief is needed.
*bubble players
Photos left to right: Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord
The biggest question for both goalies is if we see a true tandem 1A/1B situation emerge with an even split of games (or even alternating games) or whether one will be The Guy with the other as backup. Their relationship with each other is also a question. Joey had a lot of chemistry with past backup Chris Driedger, and Grubi had a lot of chemistry with past backup Martin Jones, but we haven’t gotten as much of a sense of this tandem. Will they hit their stride as a true team?
#35 Joey Daccord Current contract ends: 2025
If you hadn’t been paying attention to the Firebirds during the 22-23 season, you might be forgiven for thinking Joey Daccord came out of nowhere. But Joey definitely reached a new level in his play that season, helping the Firebirds make it all the way to the Calder Cup finals before earning a spot on the main squad, displacing Chris Dreidger. He was exactly the kind of energy the Kraken needed last year, shouldering the majority of games while Gru was out with an injury. He swiftly became a fan favorite and took on an ‘America’s sweetheart’ status after his performance in the Winter Classic; will he also become The Guy in a contract year?
#31 Philipp Grubauer Current contract ends: 2028
The main storyline that continues to follow Gru (though he is beloved by fans) is whether or not he can live up to his hefty contract. The hockey pundits universally agree his contract is an anchor on the Kraken’s cap space, and they might be right, but Gru’s stats are moving upward again, after a very rocky first year. Being injured for long stretches two years in a row also hasn’t helped his case as remaining Seattle no.1 goaltender—and being a backup is complicated by that hefty contract we mentioned. Hopefully this year can see him healthy and with a solid team in front of him and get him back on track!
***
Quote sources: Jessica Campbell, Shane Wright, Brandon Montour, Joey Daccord
OKAY some kraken blinkies. freee to use as always and such. happy preseason opener guys. those are 750 x 100 and these ⬇️ are 150x20
[ID: two blinkies, each with two different sizes. they're in kraken colors with the kraken logo in one corner. one reads "we're so back" and the other reads "it's so over". ID end]
adam larsson preseason game sept 27, 2024
happy hockey month to all those who celebrate - 7 days until the regular season!
dictionary poem xxiv by Keaton St. James, featuring your 2023-2024 Seattle Kraken
adam larsson and vince dunn oct 8, 2024
THE EVOLUTION OF BRANDON TANEV
One of the best parts of hockey season.
