GDT: GAME ONE, MIDDAY EDITION: St. Louis Blues (0-0-0) at YOUR SEATTLE KRAKEN (0-0-0), 1:30pm PDT, 9:30pm Morocco Time

[Bear of Bad News]

Time for a little bit of Mitch in the Midday (there's a dated Seattle reference).

I don't see lineups yet but I also now avoid the site formerly and still known as the Twitter box.

Click to read more...

 

[The Marquis]

Can’t wait!

I’ve heard some folks talking about the lines on podcasts and on news sites. Sounds like:

McCann-Beniers-Eberle
Schwartz-Stephenson-Burakovsky
Tolvanen-Wright-Bjorkstrand
Kartye-Gourde-Tanev or Gourde-Kartye-Tanev

Dunn-Larsson
Oleksiak-Montour
Evans-Borgen
Mahura

Also @Bear of Bad News are you in Morocco?

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Also @Bear of Bad News are you in Morocco?

Sadly (or perhaps not), no - I'm doing another odd reference to something the anchors used to do on SportsNight.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I voted for the hometown team AND Other. Other being, just the fact that hockey is back!

I am more pissed that I should be about the game being mid-day. This is not baseball damn it. I actually want to watch the game.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

So fired up right now.

 

[kihei]

I'll probably get to see a couple of periods before my little grandson comes home from day care. Not ideal, but some hockey is better than no hockey.

Later: Just remembered I'm not in Seattle lol. It starts at 4:30 PM in Toronto. Might have to catch it on replay.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Here's the Davy Jones report:

Kraken vs. Blues PREVIEW: Ringing in the Regular Season

Seattle’s finally opening the season at home for the first time in franchise history, and the Kraken are hell-bent on making sure they don’t repeat last year’s devastatingly slow start. On paper…

www.davyjoneslockerroom.com

 

[The Marquis]

I'm definitely happy about my flexible work schedule today. I will be watching.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Per Tod Lieweke on KJR this morning, the Kraken will have an honest-to-God captain in time for today's game.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

WHO WILL THE CAPTAIN BE?

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I bet it's either Eberle, Larsson, or....Mark Giordano coming from the top rope!

 

[Quackenator]

My guess is Eberle but it doesn’t matter to me. My work day is light and stoked to watch during the day! Hoping Daccord gets the start and that we start the year 1-0. I’ll take a stab and say 2-1 kraken with goals by McCann and Tolvy

 

[Scomerica]

1.30 is so dumb. Isn't the league trying to get viewers? Heck even 4.30 would work better

 

[The Marquis]

1.30 is so dumb. Isn't the league trying to get viewers? Heck even 4.30 would work better

I really doubt it's the league. I'd put BIG money on it being ESPN. Look what they did to college football. They have a lot more power than the leagues.

 

[josra33]

1.30 is so dumb. Isn't the league trying to get viewers? Heck even 4.30 would work better

Seattle Vs. St. Louis or Boston Vs. Florida? I know where my eyes would go.

 

[Cisse]

I must say that at this point of the season I'm still optimistic. Bring it on!

 

[Scomerica]

I really doubt it's the league. I'd put BIG money on it being ESPN. Look what they did to college football. They have a lot more power than the leagues.

Yeah but its a tuesday. There's no NFL/College football today to compete against and NBA hasn't started yet.

 

[PocketNines]

I love you guys already but I had to vote for my despicable St Louis Blues. I have half an hour left to spontaneously drive up there and go to the game but it's not going to happen. (I did vote for Schwartz and Dunn to have a big game against the Blues I love those guys forever.)

 

[Bear of Bad News]

We're grateful to have you!

 

[Fuhrious]

Not sure I’ll be able to catch this one or not, due to the timing. I remember in my younger days taking time off (or skipping classes) to watch all the games on baseball opening day or whatever like it was some holiday. Being an adult is overrated.

 

[PocketNines]

on our side of things. since we are in somewhat direct competition for the last wild card spot already and the puck hasn't even dropped ...

our top line of Holloway Thomas Neighbours is the one we are happiest about. Neighbours is a born captain and is the new core's leader, he drags the team to the front of the net, this is a player whose jersey I will probably get next. Thomas emerged as a true 1C last year but had a ridiculous defensive skew to his deployment compared to other scoring centers, the hope is that Faksa can draw some of his harder defensive minutes and free him up. Holloway we last saw in the Final playing well, and he is motivated.

The next couple lines are grim. Texier is a newbie (Saad is on paternity leave), Buchnevich is not a natural center though they have a good record with him there, and Kyrou is one of my least favorite Blues in 50 years. Kapanen on the third line is an indication we have no depth. Schenn looked washed last year and we are all awaiting that moment, and Joseph is another newcomer from Ottawa. So unenthused about these two lines.

4th line is ok - Toropchenko Faksa Walker but just ok

Leddy Parayko is a contender's second pair and it's our top pair. Broberg Faulk and Suter Kessel is an opportunity for mentoring of Broberg and Kessel who we hope are going to be real pieces going forward.

Binnington - I love him and one day we are going to be friends. He did the one thing. He simply did it. I always will owe him. He is 5 wins from the all time franchise wins record, he knows it, and he wants it, and he starts out strong in regular seasons typically the first month+. Hofer is also a legit potential NHL starter as a backup.

 

[GrungeHockey]

1.30 is so dumb. Isn't the league trying to get viewers? Heck even 4.30 would work better

It's the warm up game for them with the banner raising in Florida being their Eastern time zone main event.

Being retired, I love it. Hockey every afternoon would be fine with me

 

[majormajor]

1.30 is so dumb. Isn't the league trying to get viewers? Heck even 4.30 would work better

I really doubt it's the league. I'd put BIG money on it being ESPN. Look what they did to college football. They have a lot more power than the leagues.

Yeah but its a tuesday. There's no NFL/College football today to compete against and NBA hasn't started yet.

For ESPN it is about the margin between hockey viewership and whatever else they would be showing. First NHL game of the year can beat out golf re-runs or whatever else they show on ESPN on Tuesday afternoons these days (I wouldn't know). For the league I'm sure they're pleased to get a triple header on ESPN to start the year. This game is in addition to the prime-time game later, it's not instead of it.

 

[Fuhrious]

Yeah...3 games today, none of them exactly barn burners as far as rivalries go. Panthers obviously land the "prime time" slot to raise the banner, not entirely sure why the Kraken had to flex to the crappy afternoon slot instead of the incredible display of hockey that is going to be the Utah - Chicago matchup at 10EST?

 

[Scomerica]

It's the warm up game for them with the banner raising in Florida being their Eastern time zone main event.

Being retired, I love it. Hockey every afternoon would be fine with me

Don't get me wrong i'll still try and watch. Just the whole having to work thing during it