When Jaden Schwartz scored in Saturday’s game at Edmonton, he reached the 20-goal mark for a second time with the Kraken and sixth in his career. He’s now the second Kraken player to notch the milestone this season -- with Eeli Tolvanen’s 21 leading the squad -- while four additional players have a shot at getting there in the final 11 contests.
Forwards Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, and Shane Wright all have 17 goals while Brandon Montour, who has already set the franchise scoring record for defensemen, has 16. The franchise record for 20-goal scorers is six, set by the 2022-23 playoff team.
If the Kraken does manage to equal that mark, a huge reason will be the rise of both Beniers and Wright.
“Both players have picked up their consistency for a good portion of the last two months,” Kraken coach Dan Bylsma said on the past road trip. “Matty's line has been at the forefront of our team playing against other teams’ best players and at the same time giving us offense at the other end of the rink. We keep talking about Shane because of the consistency of what he's now done it over these last months, where he not only shows up on the score sheet but gets multiple chances every game. You're seeing his shot more often, which is promising for the future too.”
Alternate captain Schwartz had played 52 combined games for St. Louis over two seasons before first surpassing the 20-goal mark with 25 in 2013-14. Beniers and Wright are both at relatively young career inflection points. Schwartz likes their increasingly complete performances.
“They both have a lot of speed,” Schwartz said. “They see the ice well and are skilled players who shoot the puck well. It’s been fun to see [Wright’s] game grow from when we first drafted him. He’s a very focused guy. You can tell how much he loves the game ... It’s good to see all of his hard work has paid off.”
Going to 20 Again
McCann, 28, is the first Kraken player to achieve 100 goals and 100 assists with the franchise, breaking through both benchmarks earlier this season. The veteran forward has filled many roles beyond goal scorer this season, including as a primary penalty killer and occasional center -- a position requiring more defensive duties plus setting up teammates for scoring chances. If McCann again reaches 20 goals, he’ll be the first Kraken player to do so in each of the first four seasons.
As avid fans know, McCann holds the regular-season franchise record with 40 goals during the 2022-23 playoff year in which Seattle fell just short of reaching the Western Conference final. Second on Seattle’s most-goals-in-a-season list? McCann’s 29 last season. Third? McCann’s 27 in the inaugural season.
McCann this season is second in Kraken shots on goal, his 168 trailing Montour’s 201. Montour has scored six goals in 11 games this month, which happens to be the exact number of Kraken contests remaining for the D-man to add to his goal totals.
The mix of Kraken veterans and younger players aiming for 20 goals affords hope for seasons ahead – and fits into GM Ron Francis’ plan for building a roster.
When Beniers (No. 2 overall in 2021) and Wright (No. 4 in 2022) were drafted, Kraken GM Ron Francis was clear the intention was for both to become franchise cornerstones – a vision now coming into focus in the team’s fourth season. Beniers will be hard-pressed to replicate his 24-goal rookie campaign of two years ago, but he has already surpassed his 15 from last season.
Even more promising is the chemistry he and Kakko have developed with maybe a third link in Nyman Viewers who watched Saturday’s matchup on the Kraken Hockey Network are no doubt savoring the prospect of those two lining up in future games alongside hot prospect Nyman -- who notched his first NHL assists on Kakko’s two goals. Their line impressed during 5-on-5 play and on the same power play unit with Montour and Jordan Eberle as Kakko scored twice on assists from Beniers and Nyman.
Wright on Time Since December
In mid-November, Wright was a healthy scratch from the lineup for three games, including one in which he spent an in-game session in the GM booth with Francis and player development director Jeff Tambellini. In his first full NHL season, Wright has been among the Kraken’s best overall players and scorers since returning from the reset.
His consistency stands out, as does his tenacity on the forecheck in generating quality scoring chances for himself and his linemates. He has produced a trio of two-goal games and scored with both high-level finesse and by doing the so-called “dirty work” of standing his ground near the opposing crease.
Eberle, who has eight prior 20-goal seasons including two with the Kraken, won’t reach that milestone this time after missing three months due to a rare pelvic injury. But he has been one of the team’s best producers in March since returning from his surgery. He counts Wright among teammates who have excelled this season and said he thinks Beniers has upped his game as well.
“Wrighter has obviously taken a step ever since, really, December,” Eberle said. “He makes a lot of little plays. His speed is very underrated. His shot is underrated. He's got a lot of tools that make him an offensive threat. I see the confidence coming into his play.
“I think it’s the same confidence for Matty too. He keeps growing as a player. He's engaged. I’ve always said the things that impressed me with him, were his defensive play and the way he controls the puck [in all situations]. Both are very cerebral players with hockey IQs off the charts.”
