Studying Schultz

When Justin Schultz joined the Kraken last off-season as a free agent, it was a move that just made sense.

A native of the Pacific Northwest (Kelowna, BC) and a veteran defender with two Stanley Cups earned, Schultz knew he was coming to places he loved both on and off the ice. He also knew he was coming to a team that would welcome another right-hand blue liner with the ability to quarterback a power play.

And Schultz took on all those responsibilities with flying colors.

"(Seattle) is a great place to play, the fans are amazing, the city's amazing," Schultz said at the end of last season. "I think we all just love playing here and playing for each other. . .I think we all see the potential of this group."

In just under 1300 minutes of ice time during 73 regular season games, the player Ron Francis described as a "reliable defenseman" formed a solid pairing alongside first Will Borgen, and then Carson Soucy. Only Vince Dunn scored more points than Schultz (34) who tallied seven goals and 27 assists, 12 of which came on the power play - a count that tied with Jordan Eberle for second most on the team.

But above and beyond his contributions on the scoreboard, Schultz was an integral part of bringing the Kraken's rush offense to life.

At even strength, the now 33-year-old's passing was an integral piece of the team's ability to move the puck quickly and accurately. That skill helped upped Seattle's ability to play with speed by more quickly setting up Kraken scorers to get quality looks while opponents were on their heels.

But it wasn't just passing to set up offensive plays where Schultz shined. His contributions start in the defensive zone where he is responsible for getting the puck out of an opponent's attack zone. In that end of the ice, he completed passes 71.8-percent of the time placing him third among Seattle defenders after Adam Larsson and Will Borgen.

And once the puck was out of the Kraken's own end, Schultz continued to contribute by moving the puck tape to tape. Only Larsson had a higher success rate of passing in the neutral zone and in the offensive zone, Larsson, Dunn and Schultz ranked as the top three (and within one percentage point of one another) in terms of completing passes in the Kraken attack zone.

If you look at Schultz's passing game in all areas of the ice, last season, among 213 defenders with at least 500 minutes of even strength ice time, he ranked twenty-seventh in terms of passing success rate. That means more puck movement, more possession, and more opportunity to score for the Kraken while all those things are limited for the opponent.

And about those Stanley Cups.

Players who earn a championship are rightly revered in the NHL. Often referred to as the hardest trophy to win in sports, teams that find a way to win the CUp are commonly credited with a deep understanding of the leadership, work ethic, and skill that it takes to be named the best.

With two championships to his name, it would be easy - and more importantly correct! - to say that Schultz brought a veteran presence to the locker room. He embodies calm and composure, but it doesn't stop with intangibles.

During the Kraken's first ever playoff berth, Schultz played in all 14 games and tied Jaden Schwartz for the third most points on the team (3-7-10). That wasn't just impressive among Kraken skaters. Of the 98 defenders to play 50 minutes or more in the 2023 playoffs, Schultz ranked fourth in points per 60 minutes of play (2.32), sixth in goals per 60 (.66), third in power play goals per 60 (1.95), and sixth in power play points per 60 (5.84).

All in all, Francis' shrewd move to bolster his team's defense with the addition of Schultz remains impressive. And just like Kraken fans, as a veteran presence, Schultz is ready to see what more is to come from this group.

"We have tons of guys with tons of experience, good experience," Schultz said. "That rubs off on the younger guys that haven't been (deep in the post-season). . . . This group has something special about it. We just go out there and play and believe in each other. It'll be a good summer for us to get all amped up for next year."