One: Connecting to Competitiveness
The Kraken face Vancouver at Climate Pledge Arena Friday, then head to Alberta to play Edmonton Saturday and Calgary Monday to total three games in four nights. The team will practice in Calgary Sunday to continue the process of becoming the relentlessly competitive squad that new coach Dan Bylsma envisions on the ice this season.
At Thursday’s media scrum after a pair of spirited training camp workouts, Bylsma said he is looking for his team to play fast with “more cohesiveness.”
“In order to play fast, in order to play quick, you need to have to be connected,” said Bylsma. “That's what clearly wasn't there in game one [last Sunday’s preseason opener, a 6-1 loss to Calgary]. But as we go along here in camp there is more connectedness with five-man units executing the puck up the ice together.”
Seattle looked more locked-in during Tuesday’s road game in Vancouver and arguably outplayed the Canucks at even-strength. Fans can expect more regulars to be in the lineup for the VAN rematch and that should upgrade the cohesive play and, here’s hoping, goal-scoring.
Two: When Special is Not So Special
Bylsma said the two groups on ice Thursday was more about refining special teams play as compared to prepping one particular group for Friday’s game. He said he will draw from both groups to fill out his lineup card against the Canucks. Bylsma and his coaches prioritized power play execution, which of course gives reps to potential penalty killers. But Bylsma was clear after Tuesday’s 3-1 loss (Seattle nearly tied it late before an empty-netter ended the suspense) that six penalties called on his charges provided way more PK duty for Kraken skaters than he wanted. Two penalties were too-many-men whistles, no doubt an area that will be cleaned up before the regular season starts Oct. 8.
Three: Mixing and Matching Lines and Pairs
The Kraken brain trust started camp with full intention to afford game time to not just rostered players but younger prospects (most of whom have returned to their juniors team) along with a blend of prospects and NHL-tested players who will form the nucleus of the AHL Coachella Valley roster. Game 3 fuels that desire with fans likely to see two forward lines of regulars and two more trios headed to the AHL to start the season (but populated with potential callups if injuries dictate). Anticipate a similar look on the blue line, two pairs comprised of regulars and a third pair that might work together for the Firebirds. Check back on the app and website Friday morning for lineup updates, including who starts in goal, Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer, while the other probably gets the Saturday nod. The guess here is AHL-bound goaltender Niklas Kokko (a 2022 second-rounder who starred in the top Finland pro league playoffs last spring) will see some action Friday and/or Saturday, similar to how his goalie partner in Coachella Valley, Ales Stezka, played the third periods in the first two preseason games.
