The Seattle Kraken are a relaxed yet focused bunch on the road. Relaxed in that they play without pressure or panic, as they’ve overcome some sleepy moments and a couple of giveaway games to compile a road record of 3-1-and-1.
That includes victories in Denver over the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche and in Calgary over the defending Pacific Division winning Flames.
“It’s a matter of just putting one shift together,” Kraken forward Yanni Gourde said postgame Tuesday, “and one shift, and then the next line is up and another good shift. You just tilt the ice a little bit and once they start feeling the pressure, they start turning the puck over and then you feel good about your game and you make plays.”
The Kraken have been solid enough away from home that they just as easily could have a 5-and-0 travel record, a couple of late fades in Anaheim and Chicago being the difference.
A visit to St. Paul, Minnesota and the Wild is next on Thursday night.
In the meantime …
Let’s Skate …
The follow-up news to our Kraken Daily earlier this week isn’t good for the Washington Capitals. As part of the injury plague we mentioned, the club has learned forward Connor Brown will miss the rest of the regular season after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee,
The 28-year-old will take at least half a year to recover. He was injured in the third period of the Capitals 6-4 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 17th.
Big Dollars
Sportico’s annual NHL team value assessment says that NHL teams are worth an average of $1.01 billion. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the most valuable franchise at $2.12 billion, while the Seattle Kraken check in at $890-million, up three-percent from last year. Seattle is ranked 17th out of the 32 franchises.
Sportico lists five Original Six Teams as the most league’s most valuable franchises, the Detroit Red Wings being the only club outside of that top group. The Wings are ranked tenth at $1.12-billion, nothing to shake a hockey stick at.
Enjoy the Hockey Action!
