Kraken Down
With three consecutive losses at home, one of them in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, the Seattle Kraken find themselves with a .500 record and in 5th place in the Pacific Division. They’ve played the same number of games (9) as the first place Vegas Golden Knights and sit four points back.
Once again, just like over the entire course of last season, the club is slightly better on the road than at Climate Pledge Arena. Two years ago when they made the playoffs, the Kraken were a whopping 26-11-and-4 away from Seattle.
The only time they’ve been better at home than on the road was during the inaugural season when the expansion team finished in the basement of the Pacific Division with 60 points.
Somehow this club needs to take care of the home cookin’. Maybe the head coaches haven’t been winning the match-ups over time. (The home team gets last the last line change following most stoppages in play).
With that in mind, time to hit “Simmer’s Sunday 9”, Seattle style:
1) Here’s Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma talking about that very thing … getting on the road to find their game. The club starts a five-game trip on Tuesday in Montreal against the Canadiens.
2) The indefinite loss of top defenseman Vince Dunn will gradually wear away at the team’s overall effectiveness in all zones. “Dunner” was placed on long term injured reserve retroactive to October 17th with an undisclosed issue.
The club isn’t deep enough along the blueline to overcome this injury, or lord forbid, multiple injuries.
“Big Rig” lefty D-man Jamie Oleksiak left Saturday night’s game for a period of time after blocking a shot with his knee. He returned, but we’ll see if there’s any longer term repercussions when the team resurfaces in Montreal for a practice on Monday.
3) Watch Dunn walk behind teammate Jordan Eberle during the “After Hours” segment on Hockey Night in Canada a week ago Saturday. Not good.
4) “You have to execute under pressure,” Bylsma said after the 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.
The Kraken didn’t do it. He said they lost too many puck battles and didn’t execute opportunities when they saw them.
The Canes swamped the Kraken, out-chanced the home team and out-shot them 39-19.
5) For any Kraken fan’s NHL education, here’s a little bonus. Which Pacific Division team has made the playoffs the last three seasons?? Canucks? Golden Knights? Flames? Nope, none of those three.
That would be the pesky and consistent Los Angeles Kings. See why they’re pesky and consistent in our brief conversation with Hockey Hall of Fame recognized broadcaster Nick Nickson just a few days ago. The Kings just keep on, keeping on …
6) Speaking of educations, or at least something any hockey fan will want to pay attention to: Two-time Stanley Cup winner, 16 years a member of the Lightning and their former captain, Steven Stamkos returns Monday night to Tampa for the first time as an opponent.
He and his Nashville Predators roll in for a game that starts a little after 4:30 pm Pacific.
“Everything speaks for itself, but just the person himself is going to be missed in the locker room, on the road, everywhere,” said current captain Victor Hedman at the time of “Stammer’s” departure. “It’s obviously going to be very different going into that locker room and not seeing No. 91.”
7) The Winnipeg Jets are 8-and-0 to start the season, two wins away from tying the all-time NHL record for winning streaks to start a season. They would need to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs at home on Monday and the Detroit Red Wings on the road on Wednesday to get there.
One of their victories came against the Kraken, the aforementioned OT game on October 24th. Winnipeg next sees Seattle in Manitoba on January 16th.
8) What’s most fascinating about Jordan Eberle officially being named the Kraken’s captain on opening night, is the fact that he’s the one player most likely to leave at the trade deadline next season in the second year of his two-year contract. And, maybe even this year if the team is struggling and a Stanley Cup contender really wants “Ebs” and is willing to take on that extra contract season.
Either way, there’s a strong likelihood Matty Beniers is named team captain to start the 2026-’27 season, even in the off chance Eberle is still around.
In this clip, the 34-year-old captain talks about Beniers and somewhat ironically, also about the one thing he’s missing in his career. The one thing that could take the veteran away …
9) Before the season, I predicted the Kraken would fail to make the playoffs. If that unfolds, remember not to “kill the messenger”. On as a guest in the preseason with Jimmy Murphy and Pierre McGuire. (Seattle segment starts at the 20-minute mark).
Check out a variety of Pacific Division interviews and presentations with our “Krackin’ Canuckleheads” podcast at https://www.youtube.com/@simmerpuck
You can also follow us on twitter/X @simmerpuck.
