Seattle Kraken: Four Bold Predictions for the 2022-23 Season
Prediction 1: Seattle Kraken Don’t Name a Captain
The regular season started Wednesday, and the Seattle Kraken has yet to name a captain. While there are several good options at the team’s disposal, naming a captain is very serious business. There has been nothing but silence on the topic, which could only lead to the assumption that there may not be a captain for Seattle this season.
As mentioned before, while Mark Giordano did a decent job as captain, the decision to name a leader so early in the franchise’s history could have been premature. It is important to let leaders grow into their position. While Gio was a great captain for the Calgary Flames, he grew up in that organization and with the players around him.
In recent years, many teams opted out of naming a captain shortly after losing the player who previously held that position. Giordano is no Seattle Kraken legend, but there is lots of pressure when taking on such a significant role.
What the Seattle Kraken need this season is to split the responsibilities between their strongest leaders. Let the players focus on building chemistry and consistency, and allow their next leader to reveal himself through his actions and leadership.
Splitting up the workload takes the pressure off of one player. With so many new faces looking for guidance going into the new season, it’s almost too much for one person.
More than ever, the Seattle Kraken must work together as a team. If their leadership group can set the example and show the rest of the team what it looks like to work cohesively as a team in such an important role, that could be the sign of a beautiful start to the 2022-23 season.