2024 25 Kraken Roster Discussion
- Thread starter Fistfullofbeer
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The two teams area just one or two spots from each other and near the bottom of the standings. Funny thing is, they both sorta could really use the same things.
1.) A game changing true #1 center
2.) A coach who coaches a system that wasn't commonplace in the 90s.
#2 bugs me.
Case in point - last night against EDM (and MIN and STL and WSH and TBL recently etc.). Teams with good X and O coaches know exactly how the Kraken want to move the puck. They choke off the puck movement at the critical points, the Kraken's transition fails, the Kraken cough up the puck and it goes the other way and ends up in the net. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat...
This is extra annoying because the Kraken have a lot of good PMDs and their forwards are mostly light and agile. This team cannot afford to fail at transition, especially not to fail to get out of a heavy forecheck because they don't have the troops to fight grunt wars in the trenches.
Fuhrious
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- Feb 3, 2004
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Honestly this is a good summation of why it surprised me to hear the players mutinied against Hakstol. Despite his other shortcomings, he was at least playing a fast skating transition system that fit the players he had. Between that and an unsustainable-to-the-point-of-comical shooting % we got the cinderella playoff season and a team that was incredibly entertaining to watch.
This iteration isn't either of those things and seems to be asking players to run a system they clearly don't fit or even like. So are they happy with the results of their little revolt?
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
I’m not a fan of having two #1 D on the same team. I’m not down on Owen Power but I think he’s being wasted behind Dahlin.
Does Seattle need a #1 D like Power?
Does Seattle need a #1 D like Power?
I am not convinced that Power is that much of an upgrade over Montour or Dunn. Our biggest single need is an elite top line forward. Does not matter if its at wing or C but that is what this team should try to target via trade or UFA this off-season. Especially if it's a trade which will involve significant assets going the other way, like Power would.
Dead Coyote
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- Oct 10, 2017
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We're basically a worse version of the Sabres.
Can't play defense, can barely score, a few young talented players who can't put it together and be elite. Except Sabres have Dahlin and Thompson who are better than anything on the Kraken roster, and have young talent in spades. I wish we had a Benson, JJP, Kulich, etc. Hopefully our prospects get there but they're probably a few years away.
I think Thompson would probably be the main piece we'd be interested in realistically, though I'd prefer just getting guys I mentioned that are younger, but I don't see either of our teams as being great trading partners.
Maybe if they wanted some overpaid old wingers...
Dead Coyote
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I'd prefer a center as wingers are generally more available in the draft/FA and we could theoretically move both Beniers and Wright (or Stephenson) to the wing, but yeah, really more than anything I think what we need is an elite offensive talent. I think Ownership would also be happier to step back and not interfere as much if we had someone like a Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid, Kane, Draisatl, Kucherov, etc who could really showcase high skill and would put bodies in the seats and was always dangerous as a scorer.
We have the goalie, our defense isn't amazing but on paper should be fine (Dunn and Evans sucking defensively is something of an outlier this season but if we had more talent up front we wouldn't have to invest in PMD like Dunn + Montour either) and we have a boatload of middle six/bottom six talent, we really just need a full line of elite offensive production
LOL. Yeah we do. But for now, I will be happy with 1 forward on the team who is elite ofensively and we can count on to generate chances when we are down.I'd prefer a center as wingers are generally more available in the draft/FA and we could theoretically move both Beniers and Wright (or Stephenson) to the wing, but yeah, really more than anything I think what we need is an elite offensive talent. I think Ownership would also be happier to step back and not interfere as much if we had someone like a Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid, Kane, Draisatl, Kucherov, etc who could really showcase high skill and would put bodies in the seats and was always dangerous as a scorer.
We have the goalie, our defense isn't amazing but on paper should be fine (Dunn and Evans sucking defensively is something of an outlier this season but if we had more talent up front we wouldn't have to invest in PMD like Dunn + Montour either) and we have a boatload of middle six/bottom six talent, we really just need a full line of elite offensive production
Fuhrious
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Previously, I feel like Dunn (and now Montour and Evans) were able to freestyle more because Larsson (and to a lesser extent Oleksiak) were playing really solid lockdown D. This season both have really started to show their age.
The whole D is not playing well as a unit but I think the inconsistencies from Oleksiak and Larsson have definitely hurt the team. Both by stunting the offense that Dunn and Montour can generate as well as the team defense as a whole since them trying to cheat has caused more problems.
Oleksiak should be moved this off-season and we need to get a more mobile D-man to pair with Montour. Someone who focuses on defense but can skate. Larsson, we can only wish he can bounce back.
The Kraken are similar to the Sabres in that they play scissors to other teams rocks, and then it doesn't work. Both are brittle teams that leak goals against when it matters.
Overall view: This team is half-baked, if that. The root issues remain the rosters overall talent, depth, "size", maturity (the team's "demography" is unbalanced, another issue shared with the Sabres) and the system. The top 12 "real" playoff teams are bigger, heavier, more talented and/or savvy, deeper and play more solid hockey. It follows the Kraken need to get bigger, heavier, more talented/savvy, deeper and play more solid hockey if they want to compete with the good teams. Good teams are hard to break down and the Kraken are not. This team's root problem starts with the team D, backup goaltending and iffy coaching. The offense is spotty but leaking bad goals every game is a more serious problem.
UFA: The Kraken currently belong to the bottom half group of mediocre teams that are aiming for a WC spot. The WC was created to give the mediocre teams something to aim for and create the illusion they are competing. I know it's tempting to add an expensive, soon-to-be overthehill top end UFA to push the team towards the top of the mediocre bottom-half horde, but in the long run doing that will create its own set of problems. It's a bit like peeing in the pants to feel good, it's not really a solution... unless that UFA is the rare unicorn true 1C. I mean it's fine to aim for a WC spot and nothing wrong with entertaining the fans, but the overall goal has to be to compete for the cup. Vegas never babbled about grabbing a WC spot, they talked winning the Cup from day 1.
Overall view: This team is half-baked, if that. The root issues remain the rosters overall talent, depth, "size", maturity (the team's "demography" is unbalanced, another issue shared with the Sabres) and the system. The top 12 "real" playoff teams are bigger, heavier, more talented and/or savvy, deeper and play more solid hockey. It follows the Kraken need to get bigger, heavier, more talented/savvy, deeper and play more solid hockey if they want to compete with the good teams. Good teams are hard to break down and the Kraken are not. This team's root problem starts with the team D, backup goaltending and iffy coaching. The offense is spotty but leaking bad goals every game is a more serious problem.
UFA: The Kraken currently belong to the bottom half group of mediocre teams that are aiming for a WC spot. The WC was created to give the mediocre teams something to aim for and create the illusion they are competing. I know it's tempting to add an expensive, soon-to-be overthehill top end UFA to push the team towards the top of the mediocre bottom-half horde, but in the long run doing that will create its own set of problems. It's a bit like peeing in the pants to feel good, it's not really a solution... unless that UFA is the rare unicorn true 1C. I mean it's fine to aim for a WC spot and nothing wrong with entertaining the fans, but the overall goal has to be to compete for the cup. Vegas never babbled about grabbing a WC spot, they talked winning the Cup from day 1.
Man. I agree with all of this so much it annoys me.
- We don't have talent
- We don't have size
- We don't have grit
The team has never had any real identity. Or any real leader. Our 'identity' has been a depth team or an energy team. Is that really an identity? I don't know. But I don't think so. Francis has not tried to really "build a team" in my opinion. It has been an attempt to get players with mediocre talent, fit them into the "team" and hope that giving them more ice time and "opportunities" works. Giordano was not on the Kraken for long but I actually liked what he bought. A lot of leadership and lead by example on the ice. Gave it his all and despite his size he played hard and produced.
I like Eberle and feel like he has stepped into the leadership role well, but I don't think he is the type of leader we need. We need someone who plays pissed, calls out the team and leads by example on the ice. Eberle has been doing the last pretty well to be honest, but this team needs more from its Captain.
Also, I am not advocating anything here, but going into season 5, how patient do we think ownership is really going to be. I know a lot of people here have expressed continuing to build via the draft and be patient. While I agree and think we could try to be quiet with trades and FA for another 2 seasons while continuing to build via the draft, I don't think that would be a real option for ownership. They can't be ok with another 2 seasons with us drafting top-10. This is not an Edmonton or Montreal market.
The last paragraph is what worries me right now. They go with the middle approach. Continue to add mediocre and talent and hope it works to get us close to that WC spot. They are not trying to ace a test. They are just trying for a passing grade.
