Seattle Kraken 2022-23 Report
Kraken open season on fire, make minor roster moves.
Kraken open the season 14-2-1 but as young players push the roster a trade is made.
Kraken trade veteran defensive forward C Andrew Copp to Chicago for CHI 2nd round in 2026.
Kraken trade G Malcolm Subban and SEA 4th 2024 to Vegas for G Corey Crawford
Crawford wasn't finding a role in Chicago while Subbam had failed to step up for the backup role in Seattle as despite a 3-0-1 record he had just a .892 save percentage.
Kraken have injury shocker in net, make deal for depth.
Just 2 days after the Subban trade Jake Allen goes down for 4 months with a UCL tear. This leaves Corey Crawford as the starter with 21 yo former first rounder Spencer Knight as the backup despite a sub .900 save percentage in the AHL.
Just two days later the Kraken deal veteran forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (15gp, 1g, 2pts, -2), 22yo RD Danila Zhuravlyov (former 3rd #82nd 2018, 15pts in 29gp in AHL this year), rights to LW Kristoffer Ottosson (5th Rd, #180 ov 2019), and SEA 5th in 2023 to Vegas for stickhandling LD Olivier Kylington (25yo, 149NHLgp to date, 9g, 32a, 41pts) and rights to G Charlie Lisko (1st Rd #12Ovr 2022).
Kraken give up real solid 3rd/4th line forward who has been forced out of role by rookie Carson MacAuley along with 2 real solid prospects and a depth pick for depth defenseman Kylington and dispointing former first rounder in Lisko.
Kraken acquired veteran KHL netminder.
Kraken trade G Zachery Bouthillier (23yo, 17-4-1, .895svp AHL), LD Henry Thrun (21yo, 3rd Rd #89Ovr, 2019., 59gp 5g 31pts ECHL), rights to LW Jack Jensen (4th Rd #140 2020) to Nashville for G Juuse Saros (KHL netminder 26yo), and NSH 7th 2027.
Kraken acquire rights for Saros who might someday be starter but Predators will lose his rights in just 4 months while he rejects every contract. Kraken give up some depth prospects.
Kraken add G Juuse Saros and also claim RW Blake Pietile from waivers.
Juuse Saros surprises the Kraken by buying our his remaining years in KHL to accept their 2y, 8mil deal immediately. Pietila adds depth to origination along the RW.
Trade Deadline 2023
TJ Brodie sidelined for months
Brodie goes out for 3 months just as the deadline.
Kraken trade LD Kale Clague, LW Joel Teasdale, RW Dominik Bokk, rights to RD Brady Bouchard to Vegas for rights to C Nick Suzuki
Kraken acquire skilled forward Nick Suzuki who despite struggling in 2020-21 and 21-22 to become an offensive presence has top end talent. In return they;ve given up depth defenseman Kale Clague (3gp 0pts), along with top prospects Joel Teasdale (23yo, 6gp 0pts, +!) and RW Dominik Bokk (22yo 5gp 1g 4pts) and rights to former 6th rounder RD Brady Bouchard.
Kraken trade RD Christian Jaros, RW Blake Pietila, SEA 3rd Rd 2023 to Kansas City for C Derick Brassard, G Carl Stankowski and rights to RW Nikita Koroseltev
Kraken get some veteran depth in Brassard to cover for injuries to Greg Meireles. They add a potential skill player in Koroseltev who is AHL dominant much like reclamation successes Anton Rodin and Martin Frk. KC gets a 3rd out the deal.
Kraken claim RD Blake Siebenaler off waivers from Columbus.
Not wanting Tobias Bjornfot to sit in the press box, AHL veteran Blake Siebanelar is claimed to be the extra D.
Kraken win president trophy!
In a close contest the Kraken win the presidents trophy by just 2 points. While they were 1st in the league with 303gf they were just 4th with 207ga. Leading the way was LW/C Isac Andersson with league leading 46g, and 103pts but also in on it was RW Martin Frk (39g, 91pts), C Alexis Lafreniere (34g, 67pts), C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (27g, 60pts), RW Blake Wheeler (25g, 59pts), RD Adam Boqvist (9g, 59pts), LW Philipp Kirashev 23g, 55pts) and G Juuse Saros (.913svp 2.31gaa, 30gp).
Entering Playoffs
Isac Andersson (21yo, 82gp, 46g, 103pts) - Alexis Lafreniere (21yo, 81gp, 34g, 67pts) - Martin Frk (29yo, 79gp, 39g, 91pts)
Philipp Kurashev (23yo, 82p, 23g, 55pts) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (29yo, 82gp, 27g, 60pts) - Blake Wheeler (36yo, 78gp, 25g, 59pts)
Vladimir Tkachyov (27yo, 80gp, 22g, 54pts) - Greg Meireles (24yo, 74gp, 14g, 37pts) - Marko Dano (28yo, 78gp, 21g, 43pts)
Zemgus Girgensons (29yo, 81gp, 3g, 14pts) - MacAuley Carson (24yo, 68gp, 7g, 12pts) - Adrian Kempe (26yo, 78gp, 11g, 25pts)
ex: C Derick Brassard (35yo, 5gp, 1g, 1pts), C/RW Dominic Commisso (25yo, 5gp, 0g, 0pts)
Gabriel Carlsson (26yo, 78gp, 0g, 24pts) - Adam Boqvist (22yo, 82gp, 9g, 59pts)
Michael Matheson (29yo, 82gp, 3g, 43pts) - Artyom Zub (27yo, 82gp, 1g, 9pts)
Bowen Byram (22yo, 79gp, 4g, 42pts) - Oliver Kylington (25yo, 25gp, 0g, 13pts)
ex: Blake Sibenaler (27yo, 0gp, 0g, 0pts)
Jake Allen (32yo, 19-4-2, .907, 2.34, 1)
Juuse Saros (27yo, 23-5-1, .913, 2.31, 0)
ex: Corey Crawford (38yo, 11-7-2, .897, 2.81, 0)
IR: RD TJ Brodie (32yo, 59gp, 5g, 22pts)
Rd 1
Kraken defeat Ducks 4-0
Juuse Saros starts game 1 in a win, but Jake Allen retakes starting position. Superstar Isac Andersson scores 5 goals in 4 games.
Rd 2
Kraken defeat Canucks 4-0
Whole team contributes to a beat down of the Canucks. Jake Allen continues to be a success for the team upon his return.
Kraken defeat Flames 4-0
Flames thought they could compete but skilled players Tkachyov and Kurashev denied that hoped. Kraken continued to be a dominant force.
Kraken Enter Cup finals as favorite.
Kraken enter cup finals with a record of 58-17-7 against New York Rangers with record of 53-17-12. Kraken have goal differential of +96 versus Rangers +74. Kraken have defeated #8 Anaheim, #4 Vancouver, #7 Calgary whereas New York has defeated #7 New Jersey, #6 Montreal, #5 Florida.
Game 1
Breakout star Isac Andersson gets the Kraken up 1 midway through first. Early in the 2nd former 2nd rounder Philipp Kurashev gets Kraken up 2, and later in period Frk makes in 3-0. Allen seals the way for the win.
G2
Late if first Lafreniere gets Kraken up and Nugent-Hopkins scores on PP to make it 2-0. RNH adds another just 49 seconds in 2nd to make it 3-0. 2018 #26 pick Ryan McLeod closes gap to 3-1 mid way through period. Halfway through 3rd Chris Kreider gets New York within 1, but Allen shuts door from there ensuring Kraken win both at home.
Game 3
In New York Frk and Tkachyov sprint Kraken out to lead, but Bichnevich and McLeod answer to make it 2-2. After a scoreless 3rd JT Miller wins the game just after 5 mins into OT for New York.
Game 4
Kyle Palmieri opens the scoring in the first, but Tkachyov and Kurashev answer him in the second. Nick Cousins ties the game 6 minutes into the 3rd but Martin Frk scores 2 in the nest 5 minutes to seal the game for the Kraken,
Game 5
With the series on the line the Kraken and Rangers trade goals early with Miller and RNH scoring. RNH adds another early in the 2nd but McLeod gets two later in ther period to put the Rangers up. Kreider and Zibanejad add onto it in the 3rd to force a game 6 back in New York.
Game 6
Despite media issues, Jake Allen would once again start for Kraken. An early Greg Meireles goal would get them ahead, answered by Kyle Palmiere then Martin Frk would get Kraken back ahead. RNH would make it 3-1 in 2nd. Blake Wheeler put game out of hand mid-way through 3rd. McLeod would get one back, but Rangers would fail to recover.
Kraken back to back Champions!
Kraken Winning Roster
UFA
G Jake Allen
RD/LD TJ Brodie
RW Adrian Kempe
RW Blake Wheeler
Trades
G Juuse Saros
G Corey Crawford
LD Gabriel Carlsson
RD Oliver Kylington
LD Michael Matheson
LW Zemgus Girgensons
C Derick Brassard
RW Marko Dano
RW Martin Frk
UDFA
RD Artyom Zub
LW Vladimir Tkachyov
Draft
LD Bowen Byram (#17 2019)
RD Adam Boqvist (#6 2018)
LW Philipp Kurashev (#44 2018)
LW/C Isac Andersson (#16 2019)
C MacAuley Carson (#134 2018)