Will the Seattle Kraken make the Playoffs in their Maiden Season?

[summer tooth]

The Kraken have drafted some big studs, such as Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde, Tanev, and Donkey. Do you think they will make the plofs in their maiden season?
Their first game is against the Golden Knights on October 12th!

Click to read more...

 

[amnesiac]

no, Id be shocked

 

[summer tooth]

no, Id be shocked

Don't forget they will have their terrific fans, colloquially known as Krak Heads

 

[5 Minute Major]

Not a chance. Vegas caught lightning in a bottle. Not this time around for the expansion team.

 

[summer tooth]

Not a chance. Vegas caught lightning in a bottle. Not this time around for the expansion team.

True but they did draft a young man who has just won the Cup 2 years in a row. He could do it again.

 

[ricky0034]

I think they'll be right on the bubble, could easily see it going either way

I think they miss by like 5-10 points if I had to pick a side but voted too close to call here

 

[EdJovanovski]

No

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

They play in a crap division, so I wouldn't be completely shocked if they did.

But with that said, if I had to guess now, I'd guess that they miss the playoffs.

 

[Dr Salt]

I'm not betting on it, but their division is so awful.

 

[Peat]

They're in a crap division and should be reasonably hard to score against. I wouldn't bet on it, but I don't think it's an outlandish idea either.

 

[SNES]

Must have low expectations for “big studs”…
Solid miss. Bottom 10

 

[summer tooth]

Must have low expectations for “big studs”…
Solid miss. Bottom 10

Maybe not mega-studs but several 30+ point scorers, lots of good efforts in playoffs

 

[trick9]

No.

I don't think they are even trying to.

 

[Rockomax]

They will struggle to score, but they shouldn't allow to many goals either. Ultimately I don't believe they make it.

 

[ForsbergForever]

The expansion draft made it very clear that Francis wants to build through the draft (at least one hopes that's the purposeful plan and he didn't tank it on accident). I still don't know who's going to score the goals for this team.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I realize that expansion draft rules improved in comparison to when expansion drafts were held for Nashville, Atlanta, etc. but their expectations should be more inline with those teams in their first few years not Vegas.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Probably not, but that division will be so weak it's possible. They should defend pretty well, but offensively they'll need guys to really take advantage of the extra offensive opportunities they haven't gotten elsewhere ala Vegas.

McCann, Donskoi, Jarnkrok, Appleton, Blackwell, and Gourde (when he gets back from injury) will be guys who haven't traditionally been given those opportunities but will probably have the chance.

Eberle is the only forward who's historically been played as a consistent top 6 / PP1 player.

Ultimately I think coaching will hold them back.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I want to say not even close with that roster, but that division makes it hard to do so before a single game is played.

On the flip side...really hard to have faith in Hakstoll. Or Botteril. Or Francis for that matter.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

I said no, but to be fair I also said the same thing about Vegas.

This team looks less talented than Vegas though and that Vegas team was largely catalyzed by the Vegas shooting which occurred right before their season started.

The Pacific is terrible so they’ll probably be in the mix with Calgary/Vancouver for the last spot. Vegas and Edmonton will likely take the top 2 spots in that order.

 

[Albatros]

They do have a chance, mostly because of their competition though.

 

[Painful Quandary]

Yes. The Pacific Division is weak that outside of Vegas, who is a lock, the other playoff spots are entirely up for grabs. I also like how Seattle is built, they are sound defensively and have good goaltending, and those type of teams tend to better on the ice than they look on paper.

 

[DJJones]

I don't see it at all. They're going to be terrible.

I don't even think they want to be good this year. Play well enough to showcase some assets for deadline and go big on next years draft.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I think if they play a low event / boring style of play they will challenge for the playoffs in the pacific on the strength of their D and goaltending. Vegas is the only team in the Pacific I see as a lock so there are at least two other open spots and wouldn't shock me if they get in, but would lean against it.

 

[Lays]

Pretty confident saying no. Don’t really like the moves they made

 

[Pip]

I would say they’re likely to make it. Their division really sucks. Edmonton and Vancouver have huge potential to nosedive with their terrible defense cores.