Kraken 9
Nine items of interest to Seattle Kraken fans and hockey aficionados anywhere.
1) Kaapo Kakko will represent the Kraken when he plays for Team Finland during the upcoming Four Nations Face-off in Montreal and Boston. He’s been revitalized in Seattle, putting up his best points-per-game numbers in his career. Then again, he’s getting opportunities with the Kraken that he didn’t get with the Rangers. Ice time makes all the difference. Overall he’s been a positive addition to the club.
2) The main man who went the other way in the Kaako deal on December 18th, Will Borgen, is obviously well liked by New York General Manager Chris Drury. Borgen signed a five-year contract with the Rangers in late January. The 28-year-old righty D-man is kind of a poor man’s Jacob Trouba, in reference to the Blueshirts former captain who was sent packing in a deal with the Anaheim Ducks in early December.
Both are physical. Trouba is more well rounded, but then again, he’s twice as expensive as Borgen and has a longer deal. The Rangers are 12-9-and-3 with Borgen in the lineup.
3) The Kraken won’t be participating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this time around. That makes two consecutive misses following their magical run after the 2022-’23 season.
In case you’re wondering, here’s the status: With 25-games to play, the Kraken are 11 points out of a playoff spot and sitting next to last in the Pacific Division. I think we’ve broken the news to you a few times before: they’re simply out of it. It’s a big couple of months coming up for GM Ron Francis.
4) The Kraken, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, and Calgary Flames are the NHL teams with just one representative in the upcoming Four Nations tourney.
Only one team has no one involved. That would be the Eastern Conference’s top team, the Washington Capitals. Maybe proof that hockey is the ultimate team game, or maybe because Russia wasn’t invited.
5) The only Western Hockey League team to clinch a playoff spot already; your Everett Silvertips. Holy smokes, they’re 37-9-and-7 this season and on top of the entire league with 81 points.
The rebuilding Seattle Thunderbirds, a team that made the Memorial Cup Final just two seasons ago, are having a tougher go. They’re in 8th place in the Western Conference with 41 points.
6) Kraken Trivia: How games has Kraken captain Jordan Eberle missed due to his pelvic injury this season: A) 29, B) 37, C) 40, D) 45. The answer is below underneath item number-9.
7) Back to junior hockey in Washington state. How could we forget to mention current Spokane Chiefs center and Seattle Kraken prospect Berkly Catton. The 19-year-old scored a career high four goals and added an assist in Spokane’s 9-1 romp over the T-Birds last Friday night.
The 8th-overall pick in the last summer’s NHL Draft has 79 points in 40 games this season. He missed almost a dozen regular season matches due to his participation in the World Juniors and to being dinged up. If he bulks up a bit, gets stronger, he could eventually be the number-one center the Kraken have dreamed of.
8) Another prospect to watch, a bit further along in the process, is Jani Nyman of the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League. Dude has a howitzer of a shot and presently sits atop the AHL in rookie goal scoring with 18.
Nyman was a 2nd-round pick of the Kraken back in 2022 and spent most of the past two seasons in the top pro league back in his native Finland. He has 30 points in 45 games this season for the 3rd place team in the Pacific Division.
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Enjoy the Hockey Action!!
Trivia Answer: The answer is C. Eberle has missed 40 games following pelvic surgery.
