2024-25 Kraken Roster discussion

[The Marquis]

Bjorkstrand and Kartye likely healthy scratches tonight. Yikes.

Wow. I mean… I’m a huge Bjorkstrand homer, but he has been invisible for the last 3.. or perhaps there’s a trade brewing. Kartye I feel has been more present, but still hasn’t done much of anything. That’s a big move holding out Bjorkstrand… who the heck is replacing him? I figure Hayden for Gourde and Gourde on the wing? Something like that? But I thought our other suite dweller was Fleury.

Edit: Didn’t realize Winterton was up.

 

[Fuhrious]

Kartye has been one of the team's best forwards the last two games per Hockey Stat Cards, so that's a bit surprising. Honestly the player that needs scratched is Burakovsky. I feel like I'm ready to accept that the guy is just cooked.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Wow. I mean… I’m a huge Bjorkstrand homer, but he has been invisible for the last 3.. or perhaps there’s a trade brewing. Kartye I feel has been more present, but still hasn’t done much of anything. That’s a big move holding out Bjorkstrand… who the heck is replacing him? I figure Hayden for Gourde and Gourde on the wing? Something like that? But I thought our other suite dweller was Fleury.

Edit: Didn’t realize Winterton was up.

While listening to ECH yesterday they did say that Bjorky did well under Hakstol but has struggled under Bylsma because he plays an east-west game as opposed to a north-south game. Still too early in the season to see trades, BUT given how much Francis spent in the off-season, I would not be surprised if they try some trades.

Kartye has been one of the team's best forwards the last two games per Hockey Stat Cards, so that's a bit surprising. Honestly the player that needs scratched is Burakovsky. I feel like I'm ready to accept that the guy is just cooked.

I don't see Kartye as a problem, either. Burakovsky on the other hand, has been very disappointing, considering he is now healthy. Schwartz has looked decent to me so far this season which has been a net positive given my expectations.

 

[majormajor]

While listening to ECH yesterday they did say that Bjorky did well under Hakstol but has struggled under Bylsma because he plays an east-west game as opposed to a north-south game. Still too early in the season to see trades, BUT given how much Francis spent in the off-season, I would not be surprised if they try some trades.

What practically speaking do you see as the difference with the east-west? I know what those words mean but when I've been watching I haven't quite picked up on where the responsibilities differ under Bylsma.

Bjorkstrand is definitely a forechecker first and foremost and benefits from a system with a lot of aggressive dump and chase, but it didn't look to me like we had stopped doing that under Bylsma.

FWIW, you'll find plenty of Jackets fans willing to trade a good return to get him back. They've gone back to an aggressive forechecking system under Evason and he would work there. But then I'm just kind of more lost on what the Kraken are supposed to be. You take the forecheck away from this team then what's left?

 

[The Marquis]

What practically speaking do you see as the difference with the east-west? I know what those words mean but when I've been watching I haven't quite picked up on where the responsibilities differ under Bylsma.

Bjorkstrand is definitely a forechecker first and foremost and benefits from a system with a lot of aggressive dump and chase, but it didn't look to me like we had stopped doing that under Bylsma.

FWIW, you'll find plenty of Jackets fans willing to trade a good return to get him back. They've gone back to an aggressive forechecking system under Evason and he would work there. But then I'm just kind of more lost on what the Kraken are supposed to be. You take the forecheck away from this team then what's left?

I wonder the same thing. Forecheck is important but leaves gaps open for breakaways, which happens a lot against the Kraken. The eye test says it’s a system that needs bigger guys.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

What practically speaking do you see as the difference with the east-west? I know what those words mean but when I've been watching I haven't quite picked up on where the responsibilities differ under Bylsma.

Bjorkstrand is definitely a forechecker first and foremost and benefits from a system with a lot of aggressive dump and chase, but it didn't look to me like we had stopped doing that under Bylsma.

FWIW, you'll find plenty of Jackets fans willing to trade a good return to get him back. They've gone back to an aggressive forechecking system under Evason and he would work there. But then I'm just kind of more lost on what the Kraken are supposed to be. You take the forecheck away from this team then what's left?

I have watched only bits and pieces of the last 3 games but when they looked better early in the season the focus seemed to be using stretch passed to get the puck quickly out of our zone. Then either dump and chase in or get a clean zone entry just by skating into it.

I did not seem them using dump and chase early in the season BUT the zone entries were clean. Now the opponents are clogging the entries up and I don't think they are quite committed to dump and chase, unless that has changed over the last few games.

Bjorkstrand is a solid forechecker but I don't think he is suited best for puck retrievals. And the team as a whole has struggled just getting into the offensive zone. If they want to get the puck out of the zone and quickly dump and chase, I don't think Bjorkstrand is the best fit for that role.

I have no doubt at all that Bjorkstrand would fetch a good amount in the trade. But like you, I am also lost on what they are actually trying to do. The scheme over the first few games was simple but it was working.

- Quick zone entry
- Puck battles (forechecking)
- Net front presence

The net front presence was already slowing down after the first 5 game, then zone entries started getting clogged. And you can't really forecheck if you can't get in the zone or get to a dump and chase in time.

 

[The Marquis]

It FEELS a bit like Bylsma is getting out coached. Like he’s exposed his plan and has no answer for the response.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

It FEELS a bit like Bylsma is getting out coached. Like he’s exposed his plan and has no answer for the response.

Yeah. The problem is that the team is trying to learn a system. They got that down (kind of) and the teams adjusted. They need to make adjustments in turn and are just unable to do so. I don't know if that is on coaching or players.

ECH alluded to something like this a few weeks back too where they were talking about the team getting used to the "standard" system before they start working on adjustments. Looks like the clocks running for them on that now.

 

[majormajor]

I wonder the same thing. Forecheck is important but leaves gaps open for breakaways, which happens a lot against the Kraken. The eye test says it’s a system that needs bigger guys.

We were a forechecking team under Hakstol, and we had the speed and tenacity for it. I was confused by the earlier comment on Bjorkstrand but now I'm confused on what is supposed to be different under Bylsma.

The forecheck needs speed and tenacity and we had it. Gourde and Tanev have lost some speed and that hurts the forecheck somewhat. We also really could use some size but I think of that more for the net front.

I have watched only bits and pieces of the last 3 games but when they looked better early in the season the focus seemed to be using stretch passed to get the puck quickly out of our zone. Then either dump and chase in or get a clean zone entry just by skating into it.

I did not seem them using dump and chase early in the season BUT the zone entries were clean. Now the opponents are clogging the entries up and I don't think they are quite committed to dump and chase, unless that has changed over the last few games.

Bjorkstrand is a solid forechecker but I don't think he is suited best for puck retrievals. And the team as a whole has struggled just getting into the offensive zone. If they want to get the puck out of the zone and quickly dump and chase, I don't think Bjorkstrand is the best fit for that role.

I have no doubt at all that Bjorkstrand would fetch a good amount in the trade. But like you, I am also lost on what they are actually trying to do. The scheme over the first few games was simple but it was working.

- Quick zone entry
- Puck battles (forechecking)
- Net front presence

The net front presence was already slowing down after the first 5 game, then zone entries started getting clogged. And you can't really forecheck if you can't get in the zone or get to a dump and chase in time.

I was confused because Bjorkstrand was the ultimate north south dump and chase player. I thought you were saying he couldn't do the east-west. The east-west stuff doesn't come as naturally to him. Retrievals were something he was doing at an elite level as recently as last year, he's squirmy and gets leverage and has the core and arm strength to win those battles at a high rate. I would need to watch more this year to know if that changed. Superficially his results are still good - best goal share on the team, best corsi %. So that scratching remains a mystery to me.

Do you know where ECH talked about Bjorkstrand? I'd appreciate a time stamp or a rough time of episode if possible.

 

[Scomerica]

Feels like the season is spiraling already. We need to get a win soon.