Seattle Kraken celebrate a goal (photo by Dinur Blum, via Flickr).
The Seattle Kraken, unlike the NHL’s previous expansion team in Vegas, have experienced plenty of growing pains. Last year, they finished with a 27-49-6 record. That was good for last in the Pacific Divison and slightly ahead of Arizona, avoiding the Western Conference basement.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom last year; there were several positive moments, like milestone goals, game-saving saves, and some upset wins over Stanley Cup contenders.
In the offseason, the Kraken acquired more impact players such as Andre Burakovsky, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Justin Schultz. They also made headlines this summer by drafting Shane Wright, who will be the face of the franchise when he’s ready to accept the mantle.
This team will continue to find its footing as they navigate the murky waters of a stacked conference featuring the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Avalanche. As the puck drops on year two, they are still building rivalries from coast to coast. Here’s a look at some of the Seattle Kraken’s important dates during the 2022-23 season
Why would a late-season game against the Coyotes would make this list, let alone be one of the more critical games on the calendar? The answer is relatively simple, in seven days, the Seattle Kraken will face off three times against Arizona.
There could also be a lot at stake at that point in the season. No one is saying either team will be in the draft lottery sweepstakes or playoff chase; however, the Desert Dogs have many more problems than securing a new arena deal.
Last year, the Seattle Kraken finished just three points ahead of Arizona. They had an entire offseason to soak that in and figure out how to get some separation in the standings.
Yet, if these two teams stay the current course and don’t make the necessary adjustments, these three games in seven days may significantly impact their place in the standings.
Most people would think a Tuesday night matchup with the Sabres in the middle of January isn’t important. But this contest has a few storylines to follow.
First, the Kraken played Buffalo twice last season and went 2-0, scoring 12 goals. The team performed even better against San Jose (more on that in a moment), but the Sabres struggled against the upstart franchise. Buffalo will be out for a bit of revenge this year.
The Kraken may be prime for the picking because it will be the second night of their first Eastern back-to-back of the season.
On Monday, they are in Montreal. It will be an emotional night for Kraken rookie Shane Wright The presumptive first overall draft pick for most of last year skates in front of the team that passed on him at number one.
There will be plenty of buzz when the Seattle Kraken roll into Buffalo, whether it is warranted or not. How they respond on these two nights will go a long way toward handling more important back-to-backs like Tampa Bay and Edmonton the following week.
Last season the Kraken faced off against the 2020-21 Stanley Cup Champions twice. They lost both games while scoring a single goal. Tampa is fresh off appearing in their third straight Cup Finals and is re-focused after losing their grasp on the silver chalice.
Whether their opponents are an expansion team or a veteran team jockeying for a playoff spot, Tampa has skated with a target on their back for years. Seattle didn’t match up well against them at all last year; however, the calendar turned towards a new season, and a unique opportunity presents itself.
For the Seattle Kraken to take the next step, they must hang with the league’s powerhouses and shed those expansion team blues.
There were several teams that Seattle struggled with in their first season, but not against the Sharks. They played like superstars every time the teams faced each other. The four games against these division rivals were tight; Seattle had a 3-1 record, their best numbers against anyone.
Once upon a time, in 1992, San Jose was an expansion team. Like the Kraken, they struggled initially. Over time, the Sharks built rivalries and the Kraken will do the same.
Geographically, San Jose is the closest American-based NHL team to Seattle. So even though there has been much fanfare about games with the Vancouver Canucks, the Sharks are also one of their authentic rivals.
In their first season, the Kraken did not pick up a win against 12 NHL teams. Their worst performances were against Vegas and Calgary. However, considering the short distance between the two hockey markets, going winless against their Pacific Northwest rivals stung more than the rest.
The Canucks gobbled up their new rival in four contests, outscoring them 19-8. Round one went to Vancouver. But that’s okay because one day, Seattle will turn the tide and find its way back into the matchup,
A new journey begins with a single step. When the Seattle Kraken secure their first win against Vancouver, it will count much more than just another point in the win column.
For those Seattle Kraken fans who have been supportive since day one, what games are you looking forward to this year? Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments.