One: Building Habits & Getting in Sync
Going into the pre-season game against Calgary, head coach Dan Bylsma talked about the need for 21 days to build a lasting habit while also pointing out that NHL training camps are only 20 days long. So it was with that mindset that Bylsma talked post-game about his team not putting “it all together” yet in Sunday’s 6-1 loss.
But again, habits take time.
Five days into camp, Kraken players are working through the process of ingesting new systems and building chemistry with teammates and linemates. And Bylsma said he saw a concerted effort from his players against the Flames. Watching the elements of the team game come together cleanly and players being even more in sync is a natural progression for the process of training camp and something to watch for against the Canucks.
Two: Set the Tone
After a clean sheet in the first period of the game versus the Flames, both Seattle and Calgary took three penalties in the middle frame, and the Kraken were sent to the box five times in the last 20 minutes of play. Bylsma wasn’t surprised that play turned feisty, and while he was proud of his team responding to adversity, It wasn’t how he wanted the game to be played. “I don’t want us to be reactionary…I want us to be the aggressor in how we play and in terms of physicality.”
Going into a visitor’s building can demand even more intentional command of energy and pace of play, so look for the Kraken to focus more on playing within their systems and channeling emotion.
Three: Know the Opponent
Tuesday marks the first pre-season game for the Canucks as well as the first of two matches these teams will play before the puck drops for real on the 2024-25 season. Vancouver is coming off a successful season where they finished first in the Pacific with 109 points and came within one game of a trip to the Western Conference Final.
This year, as the team looks to at least replicate – if not build on – that success, they’ve made key off-season additions, including forwards Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and former Kraken Daniel Sprong. But the Canucks’ most notable add might be their most recent: the Canucks signed goaltender Kevin Lankinen on Sept. 21. Vancouver already has Thatcher Demko, who played the majority of the Canucks’ regular season as well as young Arturs Silovs, who stepped up in the playoffs. But Demko has also dealt with injuries, including one that took him out of the playoffs and is now lingering – putting his ability to be ready for this season’s start in question. So, what the netminding tandem looks like near and long term is something to monitor.
