GDT: Game 1: Seattle Kraken @ Vegas Golden Knights - 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET

[Bear of Bad News]

Just one road game against a solid team. No biggie.

 

[The Marquis]

Just one road game against a solid team. No biggie.

You’re absolutely right. Perspective is important… however “Solid” puts it mildly. Their last game was when they won the cup and the make up of the team changed, I believe, the least of any cup winner of the last 25 years or something to that effect. Basically the odds on favorites to win the cup again. Kraken were a bit messy and Tanev may be out for a bit. Good thing we have Kartye in the press box. It wasn’t a bad game for sure but damn I hate when they lose to those bastards.

 

[Fuhrious]

Playing them first was a tough draw, having to sit there for a half hour while they raised their banner in front of a packed house. Gru looked like typical “regular season Gru” and overall they just seemed a bit disjointed (too many Dzone clear biffs, no real flow in the Ozone, PP a complete mess). In particular, Bura looks a little tentative so I hope he shakes that after a couple games.

 

[The Marquis]

Playing them first was a tough draw, having to sit there for a half hour while they raised their banner in front of a packed house. Gru looked like typical “regular season Gru” and overall they just seemed a bit disjointed (too many Dzone clear biffs, no real flow in the Ozone, PP a complete mess). In particular, Bura looks a little tentative so I hope he shakes that after a couple games.

The D-zone clearance kerfuffles led to about 80% of the Knights shots. It was wild. Terrible giveaway after terrible giveaway and nearly everybody was to blame. Felt like Wennberg, Tanev and Tolvanen were the guys I noticed with the worst passing or just silly giveaways, but I'd love to see advanced stats to see if that lines up.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

The D-zone clearance kerfuffles led to about 80% of the Knights shots. It was wild. Terrible giveaway after terrible giveaway and nearly everybody was to blame. Felt like Wennberg, Tanev and Tolvanen were the guys I noticed with the worst passing or just silly giveaways, but I'd love to see advanced stats to see if that lines up.

Well, the guys will have a chance to show they're better within a couple of hours playing in Nashville tomorrow.

Hopefully they'll be able to stop giving away the puck in their own zone(was a problem as well the last two years) cause the start to the season is pretty tough(seven of ten on the road) and you don't want to get yourself in a position having to chase the rest of the division early on.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Getting the shitty games out of our system right at the start of the season, good!

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Getting the shitty games out of our system right at the start of the season, good!

Well, hopefully not all at once cause that would mean trouble trying to make the playoffs.

BTW: The start of the season ain't that much fun for the Kraken.
@ Nashville
@ St. Louis
Colorado
Carolina
NY Rangers
@ Detroit
@ Carolina
@ Florida
@ Tampa Bay
Nashville
Calgary
@ Arizona
@ Colorado
Edmonton
Colorado
@ Edmonton

I really "like" that Colorado + Edmonton stretch....

 

[Quackenator]

too early to hop on the Daccord train?!

I'll be the conductor this year. just let me know when we can officially get goin

 

[The Marquis]

Well, hopefully not all at once cause that would mean trouble trying to make the playoffs.

BTW: The start of the season ain't that much fun for the Kraken.
@ Nashville
@ St. Louis
Colorado
Carolina
NY Rangers
@ Detroit
@ Carolina
@ Florida
@ Tampa Bay
Nashville
Calgary
@ Arizona
@ Colorado
Edmonton
Colorado
@ Edmonton

I really "like" that Colorado + Edmonton stretch....

Ok, so this is 16 games (17 counting last night). If you break this down into thirds of the league according to last seasons points (the Kraken are in the middle third)

Top Third: 9 games
Middle Third: 5 games
Lower Third: 3 games

This is DAMN tough. I can't imagine this not being the toughest start of the entire league. No Anaheim, San Jose, Montreal, Columbus, Ottawa or Philly in that entire stretch.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Ok, so this is 16 games (17 counting last night). If you break this down into thirds of the league according to last seasons points (the Kraken are in the middle third)

Top Third: 9 games
Middle Third: 5 games
Lower Third: 3 games

This is DAMN tough. I can't imagine this not being the toughest start of the entire league. No Anaheim, San Jose, Montreal, Columbus, Ottawa or Philly in that entire stretch.

Yeah, not much fun.

Gotta get some points in the next two games to get into some kind of rhythm.
If not things could look bleak pretty early on....

too early to hop on the Daccord train?!

I'll be the conductor this year. just let me know when we can officially get goin

I don't think Grubauer's great or worth his contract.
Though, I just don't see how we put this one on him.

The first was a cross ice pass with Doumoulin being really bad, the second one was Tanev doing dumb stuff and scoring on him and the third one was a breakaway after a stretch pass.

I mean, he actually ended the game with an 0.6 goals above expected even after giving up three.

 

[The Marquis]

That’s a solid enough stat for Gru there

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Pretty much the same as last year really. Lots of speed and lots of effort, tenacious, don't quit. Lots of shots but an inability to capitalize on many of them and a dismal power play. Lost to a better team.

I guess we really shouldn't have expected anything different as it's pretty much the same team as last year as well. So, just like last year, if they want to be better, fix the PP.

The PP? We gave away a good PP guy just like that

 

[Fuhrious]

too early to hop on the Daccord train?!

I'll be the conductor this year. just let me know when we can officially get goin

There is zero reason to think Daccord would be any better than Gru…

 

[Quackenator]

My belief in Joey is one reason but with Gru's contract, its definitely his net for the time being. We are still better in net this year than last

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Getting the shitty games out of our system right at the start of the season, good!

This year 3 with all the road games to start is starting to have the same feeling as year 1 when the Kraken were on the "Road" until "January"

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

My belief in Joey is one reason but with Gru's contract, its definitely his net for the time being. We are still better in net this year than last

Kraken are going to miss Jones' heroics and Sprong's goals and Donato's goals and versatility...hopefully Daccord can make up for some of the wins Jones was in net for as for the goals...everyone has to up their game and production

 

[Quackenator]

Kraken are going to miss Jones' heroics and Sprong's goals and Donato's goals and versatility...hopefully Daccord can make up for some of the wins Jones was in net for as for the goals...everyone has to up their game and production

Personally, i do not and will not miss Sprong or Jones....easily two of my most overrated players from last year.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Personally, i do not and will not miss Sprong or Jones....easily two of my most overrated players from last year.

You are kidding me right? Jones was the reason this team won a lot of games they had no business winning especially with Gru struggling to find his form or any form...and Sprong 21 goals are nothing to sneeze at...you don't replace those in a heart-beat...so the Question begs to be asked did you watch many Kraken games last year?

 

[Sad People]

Ive said it before and will say it again but if this team flounders because of losing a player like Daniel Sprong then we have bigger issues to deal with.

 

[Quackenator]

You are kidding me right? Jones was the reason this team won a lot of games they had no business winning especially with Gru struggling to find his form or any form...and Sprong 21 goals are nothing to sneeze at...you don't replace those in a heart-beat...so the Question begs to be asked did you watch many Kraken games last year?

i'm sorry but we are on different wavelengths on player evaluations. Jones was not a savior, he was a warm body who's not even signed to a team this year cause its well known that he's garbage. Sprong can score goals but that's about it. I dont get to watch much on TV but i'm lucky to get to go to a handful of games and have been watching hockey since 93 so i'm not new to hockey.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

i'm sorry but we are on different wavelengths on player evaluations. Jones was not a savior, he was a warm body who's not even signed to a team this year cause its well known that he's garbage. Sprong can score goals but that's about it. I dont get to watch much on TV but i'm lucky to get to go to a handful of games and have been watching hockey since 93 so i'm not new to hockey.

Ive said it before and will say it again but if this team flounders because of losing a player like Daniel Sprong then we have bigger issues to deal with.

Personally, i do not and will not miss Sprong or Jones....easily two of my most overrated players from last year.

I don't miss Sprong but I do think it is unlikely we get his goals replaced with any of the additions to the roster.

I don't miss Jones either but credit where its due, he was pretty damn good at the start of last season and kept us in the playoff race. I would not be surprised if Daccord does well in the NHL. Honestly, we don't need "stud" goaltending. I will just take a league average or 0.90+ SV%.

 

[Sad People]

I don't miss Sprong but I do think it is unlikely we get his goals replaced with any of the additions to the roster.

I don't miss Jones either but credit where its due, he was pretty damn good at the start of last season and kept us in the playoff race. I would not be surprised if Daccord does well in the NHL. Honestly, we don't need "stud" goaltending. I will just take a league average or 0.90+ SV%.

I give Jones credit as well. The only reason why we were in that position last year to make it to the playoffs is because of how well Jones played during Grus absence, dude was dang near lights during that stint. But his on ice play dipped significantly after that. His overall production should be able to replaced by Daccord. Maybe not the 20 or something wins but the stats Jones put up at the end of year should be able to be replaced.

Sprong as well i dont miss either. IIRC his year last year was a statistical anomaly with how much he scored, such an anomaly i dont ever expect him to replicate it. His shooting % was insane or something like that i cant really remember. I do hope his production can be replaced by Beniers being in year 3 now, he should pot more goals then he did last year, a hopefully fully healthy Burakovsky for the entire year, IIRC, he missed half the year, got injured in the first game back from the all star break, and Tye Kartye seemed to have a knack for finding the net as well. With all 3 of those things combined i think we should be able to replace the production we lost in FA.