Seattle Kraken Roll Call is assessing every player who held a significant place in the fortunes of the 2022-23 Kraken season. We’ll be looking at the highs and lows they experienced during the last campaign, as well as what the future may hold for them in Seattle. Today we feature 31-year-old winger Brandon Tanev.
Position: Left winger who can play the right side.
2022-’23 Kraken totals (GP-G-A-P): 82-16-19-35, 44 PIM
Contract Status: Tanev has two years remaining on a contract that pays him $3.5-million per season. He has a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a 10-team no-trade list.
Seattle Kraken Season Synopsis
The Energizer Bunny references were popular about a decade ago, maybe two decades ago, but in the case of Kraken forward Brandon Tanev, they’re appropriate now.
Although he’s anything but a bunny. He’s somewhat of a maniac on ice.
He’s the fireplug, the mucker, grinder, and plugger that every team likes to have on it.
He’s typically under control while appearing out of control. There was probably two or three occasions where he’d like to have a not-so-stupendous penalty back, but for the most part it was just good, clean fun. He drew substantially more penalty minutes from opponents than he took himself and had a dozen or so more puck takeaways than giveaways.
Highs And Lows
“Turbo” rates very high on the list when it comes to hockey’s all-important intangibles, and whether it’s his bulging eyeballs pose or just his style of play, he’s endeared himself to the burgeoning expansion team fanbase. Plus he’s coming off a career year in every category, highs in goals and assists, not to mention penalty minutes, while finishing the season a plus-21. After playing just 30 games in the Kraken’s inaugural season due to an ACL knee injury and surgery, he bounced back in a big way by playing in all 82 matches last season.
Tanev led Kraken forwards with 190 hits, 72 more than the next guy. He also blocked more shots than any Kraken forward. His analytics are all over the map, but then again, with this player it’s not about math, it’s about heart.
Tanev had four multi-point nights on the season, three two-pointers and then a blow up on March 21st in Dallas against the Stars when he finished with two goals and an assist.
He averaged about 14-minutes of ice time in the postseason, finishing with a goal and two assists over the 14 games. His goal came shorthanded in the 1st period of Game-2 in Colorado against the Avalanche and gave Seattle a 2-0 lead. The Kraken ended up losing the game 3-2.
What The Future Holds
Imagine where his point totals would be if he had a bit more, what’s called, “finish”. OK, maybe not that much higher, but he does get quite a few chances in close, ones created by his own tenacity. Then again, raw skills are not the appeal here. Tanev works for his opportunities and that work ethic helps drive the team identity.
It’ll be interesting to see what type of adjustment there might be in the Kraken’s bottom six forward group with some new faces on hand. Tanev will likely be skating alongside center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and winger Kailer Yamamoto. There could also be a rookie or two in the mix.
In a perfect world, is Tanev a player you’d move on from if you could find more offense lower in the line-up for the same cost? Maybe, but only if the replacement or replacements brought an energy level and determination close to his. Plus, at this stage of the franchise’s development, you’d be killing yourself on the marketing side of things. Tanev is a beloved player.
Recent Roll Calls:
— Seattle Kraken Roll Call: Alexander Wennberg
— Seattle Kraken Roll Call: Jamie Oleksiak
— Seattle Kraken Roll Call: Matty Beniers
