A Kuhl Season

The old adage goes that a change of scenery can do wonders. Well, if you're Karson Kuhlman, this NHL season has been living proof, and if you're Team USA (for whom Kuhlman will play for in the 2022 IIHF World Championship), you hope that trend continues.
Kuhlman joined the Kraken in January after being claimed off waivers from Boston. He had a solid start until injury took him out of the lineup for a month and a half, but it was when the fourth-year pro came back to the ice that his game took off. Hockey players aren't ones to talk about themselves, but when asked, the 26-year-old forward agrees with the assessment.

"You never want to be not on the ice watching," Kuhlman said. "But when you're injured, and you can take a step back and watch the game and maybe see where you can add and improve your game a little bit. I really think that I took that in and helped me. I was able to run with it the last 20-25 games."
Kuhlman's return to the Kraken lineup was in the last game before the trade deadline. Dave Hakstol placed him on a line with Yanni Gourde, and while the two would be separated for six of the final games of the season, they spent the majority of the remaining time (13 games) on the same line, including the last eight.
It was a good fit. Individually, Kuhlman put up career highs in individual shot quality (.82 per 60), assists (7) and points (10) with a 5.85 shooting percentage. More importantly, with Gourde, Kuhlman helped form one of the Kraken's most effective lines.
Kuhlman and Gourde ended up playing 159.88 minutes together in 5-on-5 play (per Evolving-Hockey.com) and of all the lines Gourde played on this season, they were part of the third best in terms of tilting the ice Seattle's way with shot quality (55.71% with Jared McCann), and the only of Gourde's line with a goal plus-minus ratio was when the center played with Colin Blackwell and Mason Appleton (it was a plus-two goal difference).
"(Kuhlman) is very good," Gourde said. "His energy, his drive, (his ability to) play the game north-south, he is predictable (in his play), his reliability in the defensive zone. He helped our line, he helped me as a linemate. I knew what I was getting out of him every single night.
"And he works really hard. We had that chemistry where I knew what he was going to do with the puck, and it makes us look faster."

Gourde counts compete and speed among the tools in Kuhlman's skill set. They are both things the player prides himself on. He works specifically with a speed coach every off-season and says playing with tenacity is something that's become a natural part of his game.
That matches perfectly with Gourde, whose competitiveness isn't just visible to the eye, it's measurable - he's among the top three Kraken players in loose puck recoveries this season (per Sportlogiq).
"You can't teach that amount of energy and fire (Gourde) brings, it is pretty contagious," Kuhlman said. "It's nice to be around. But beyond that, I think we both keep it simple. We play a pretty simple game. We like to win puck battles. We get in on the forecheck. We get to the net and shoot pucks. It's nice to play with another guy that's like-minded like that."

The two translated their chemistry to shorthanded playing situations, as well. As a forward pair on the penalty kill, Gourde and Kuhlman spent 27.87 minutes together. Their partnering coincided with the Kraken's transition to a more aggressive style, and this was the perfect duo to bring it to life. They generated .88 expected goals per 60 minutes of play and challenged their opponents with scoring chances of their own.
"Power killing" is an ask for hard work, but that's what Kuhlman and Gourde are all about.
"Guys on the power play are obviously skilled guys," Kuhlman said. "If you give them time, they're going to pick you apart a lot of times, so I think (an aggressive penalty kill) is a great thing to do. And I think our coaches do a great job preparing us."

Kuhlman and Gourde obviously clicked, but in addition to that tying to matching skill sets, it came from the time spent communicating about anything and everything on the ice. Gourde, a player who prides himself in talking to his teammates as much as possible, could be seen often working with his linemates to break down plays or plans for the next shift. Kuhlman said it helped him get settled quickly into a role in which he could contribute. You have to think it's also a tool that can help him quickly bring to life a new roster in Team USA.
"Communication is big, especially when I was coming in," Kuhlman said. "It's about getting the systems down, getting a feel for how other guys play, just that communication. That open line is pretty nice to have."
Kuhlman hopes to be back in Seattle for next season, but first, he'll bring his skill set to Team USA as they play for gold. And if the past few months are any indication, he has all the right tools to join a new team and be a difference-maker in short order.