Opportunity Knocks ...

Kraken forward Colin Blackwell averaged about 12 minutes of ice time per game with the New York Rangers last season. He scored 12 goals (representing a 21-goal pace for a full schedule) and handed out 10 assists.
Blackwell says getting more minutes from his previous NHL organization-up from seven to 10 minutes worth of shifts playing for Nashville-means the world to a hockey player looking to prove himself.

"It was great to finally get the opportunity to play more," says Blackwell on a recent Zoom call with reporters. "Nashville was sort of a log jam. I developed a lot of confidence playing with high-end players."
One of those players was star scorer Artemi Panarin. Blackwell showed his versatility playing "up and down" lines one to four. He also earned time on the NYR power play and coaches trusted his defensive skills to be part of the penalty kill squad too.

The 28-year-old, 5-foot-9, 190-pound, high-energy Blackwell takes pride in his versatility to play either wing (he's a right-handed shot) or center. He played wing for the Rangers but as part of Team USA in the men's 2021 IIHF World Championships he played center the entire tourney.
"I will play anywhere the coaching staff and management needs," says Blackwell. "I look forward to meeting my new teammates and playing to the skill set of my line mates."
Blackwell likes the look of the Kraken roster: "One of the best things is how hard we are going to be to play against."
The Boston-area native (hometown Lawrence is 30 miles outside the city) knows the "hard to play aganst" feeling well. He singled out new teammate and former Dallas defenseman Jamie Oleksiak as a player he tried to check hard in a first game against the league's heaviest player (the Kraken D-man is 6-7, 255). Let's just say it didn't end well; Blackwell called it "hilarious" and noted he thinks the encounter is available on YouTube.

Blackwell's Team USA experience at the recent Worlds included lockering next to Seattle's 2021 first-round draft choice (No. 2 overall), Matty Beniers, who performed admirably during the tournament and impressed Blackwell as both a solid player and "even better person."
Beniers, who recently announced he was staying at the University of Michigan for the coming season, has mutual feelings about Blackwell.
"He mentored me," said Beniers. "He was awesome."
For his part, Blackwell is looking to keep up the momentum from his past season, during he averaged a top-third-in-the-league 1.61 points (including one goal) per game in scoring per 60 minutes of individual ice time.

"I've always learned that being patient, good things will happen and something will pop up," he told the New York Post during a hot streak last spring. "I think the only thing that I can do - and it's the hardest thing for an athlete - is kind of believe in yourself. Confidence is everything. I think once I get the opportunity to show my stuff, I'll be good to go."
Blackwell is definitely pumped to be part of his new team and city.
"I know we can rally around the city and fans," says Blackwell. "I plan to totally immerse myself in Seattle and go with it."