Seattle Kraken: Replacing Brandon Tanev for the rest of the season
Now that Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev is out for the season, who will replace him as the heartbeat of the team?
Seattle Kraken forward Branden Tanev’s stats don’t overwhelm anyone. Offensively, he’s got a ceiling of 30-40 points with maybe three or four coming from the man advantage. No one will confuse him with Connor McDavid.
The Toronto native’s defense is pretty solid. Twice in his NHL career, Tanev finished among the top 30 for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best defensive forward. That’s very good but not irreplaceable.
He is also one of the faster players in the league. Not McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon fast, but more than fast enough to make a difference. These are all physical tools but Tanev’s biggest value to Seattle lies in the intangibles.
Forget the crazy-eyed publicity photos; that’s just for show. Ask any Seattle Kraken fan; Brandon Tanev is the heart and soul of the team. Every time he steps on the ice, Tanev gives 100 percent, no questions asked. As we’ve written before, Tanev plays the game like the red light/green light robot from Squid Game, obliterating anything wearing a different color jersey that moves. It’s a role he relishes and it energizes his teammates.
Unfortunately, Tanev’s season ended December 18 with a torn ACL during Seattle’s 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Someone needs to fill that void. It’s unlikely Kraken General Manager Ron Francis trades for an energy player, so whoever steps up will have to come from inside the organization.
Here are the most likely internal candidates.
Filling the void
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamie Oleksiak is a big body at 6-7, 255-pounds. While his 86 hits and 30 penalty minutes don’t lie, Oleksiak is slow and, as a defenseman, doesn’t make many plays in neutral territory. He should be Seattle’s enforcer in the defensive zone, setting a physical tone on the back end. That’s not the same as what Tanev does.
Alex True
Although not always in full control of his game, Alex True plays hockey the right way. At this point, the 24-year-old’s talent hasn’t developed as much as his 6-5, 200-pound frame has, and he doesn’t move very well either. That’s why True hasn’t permanently cracked the NHL roster.
If he can pull it together, True has the makings of a decent energy player. The key is to have him play aggressively and unleash his mean streak without making big mistakes that lead to penalties.
Colin Blackwell
If anyone can pick up Tanev’s mantle on this team, it’s Colin Blackwell. Scouts use terms like spark plug and energy when describing him. To replace number 13, Blackwell has to kick it into another gear. Maybe he has it, though that remains to be seen.
Not the right guys
Defenseman Carson Soucy is Oleksiak light. Forwards such as Ryan Donato, Joonas Donskoi, and Calle Jarnkrok might seem like good fill-ins, but Tanev’s style of play doesn’t fit their respective games.
The Answer
Tanev brought a lot of intangibles to the table. The Seattle Kraken can’t replace him with just one person. It will take a team effort to ramp up both intensity and physicality. They’ll need it because they aren’t winning games with defense and goaltending.
Ultimately Tanev will be back to his wide-eyed, hard-hitting self, but it won’t be this season. Meanwhile, Seattle can find another high-end energy player in their organization now, that they can develop into a good linemate for Tanev. The NHL’s version of the “Bash Brothers.”
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Who do you think the Seattle Kraken can use to replace Brandon Tanev’s grit and energy? Let us know in the comments section below.