Kraken 2024 Offseason chatter

Irie

Registered User
Nov 14, 2010
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If that was the case they would have him switched to winger in the OHL and play him like that in the AHL...
Actually, no they would not.

More centers that played exclusively center in the CHL and even the AHL end up playing on the wing in the NHL than center.

The hope is always that a drafted center will be able to play center in the NHL, but some players are more productive as wingers in the most competitive league on the planet.

Wright is much better at finding open space without the puck than creating space with the puck. His defensive instinct is more in line with am F1 winger mentality than a center's. The hope is that he will learn the center game and develop the skills required to be a top six pivot. Personally, i am really pulling for the kid to succeed on this path, but my gut tells me he will eventually be more effective on the wing and become an outstanding top line goal scorer, just maybe not a Jack Hughes, Suzuki, Petersson type center we all hope he might become.
 

majormajor

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Jun 23, 2018
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Wright is much better at finding open space without the puck than creating space with the puck. His defensive instinct is more in line with am F1 winger mentality than a center's. The hope is that he will learn the center game and develop the skills required to be a top six pivot. Personally, i am really pulling for the kid to succeed on this path, but my gut tells me he will eventually be more effective on the wing and become an outstanding top line goal scorer, just maybe not a Jack Hughes, Suzuki, Petersson type center we all hope he might become.

I'd say he looks a lot like an F3 center who comes in late and takes a pass coming down the middle.

I'd be fine with him playing a lot on the wing too, and seeing how that goes. It would be good for him if he did learn to play more aggressively the wingers have to.
 

RayMartyniukTotems

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Jul 8, 2022
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Something about the Sprong situation seems kind of weird.

We know about his issues in Seattle with Hak. He goes to Detroit on a very affordable 1-year "prove it" deal and has a decent season, maybe a hair worse than his last year in Seattle once you account for the 10 more games played, still posting 43 points in 76 games. I'd think those numbers would still earn him a decent bit of interest from a number of teams around the league?

Instead, Detroit shows no interest in bringing him back, and we're going into day 2 of UFA and he's still chilling out there.

I dunno, seems odd.
UR talking about Stevie why at the controls and that means power freak! I've seen and heard him in interviews with "lesser" folks and guy comes off as an arrogant A-hole
 

RainyCityHockey

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Dec 24, 2019
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Well, they could always wait till September and have him hold up his new contract at the start of training camp.

I mean now that they know you're waiting for it...:sarcasm:

giphy.webp
 

Fuhrious

Registered User
Feb 3, 2004
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For some reason I was compelled to bounce into the VGK subforum and read their Offseason Thread. Pretty universally down on the Stephenson signing and happy to see him leave at that term/hit.

It's bad enough when it's the braying donkeys in the main board, another when it's the team's actual supporters in the subforum. Feels more...informed?
 

Fistfullofbeer

Moderator
May 9, 2011
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Whidbey Island, WA
For some reason I was compelled to bounce into the VGK subforum and read their Offseason Thread. Pretty universally down on the Stephenson signing and happy to see him leave at that term/hit.

It's bad enough when it's the braying donkeys in the main board, another when it's the team's actual supporters in the subforum. Feels more...informed?
Meh. I get that concern but in a lot of cases it is more of a, "he is not our player anymore. he has sucked for a while". But, we are not the Knights. He is going to have a different role here than on the Knights. Does not mean he will be successful with us, but it also doesn't mean he won't be successful here.

Also, the big benefit of Stevenson is that it gives Beniers and Wright more time to get better facing "lesser' competition.

I know it is very likely that the contract ages poorly but I think it may benefit the Kraken more than people thing.
 

Fistfullofbeer

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May 9, 2011
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Whidbey Island, WA
Do you guys feel Ryker Evans is a lock to be in Seattle full time next season?
I think so but training camp will be interesting. I think Evans is close to a lock and expect him to beat out Mahura.

I am also hoping that Winterton beats out Tanev but even if that were to happen I doubt Winterton starts in the NHL unless Tanev gets traded.
 

The Marquis

Moderator
Aug 24, 2020
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Washougal, WA
So I was just looking at Capwages.com, the seeming replacement for capfriendly. That site has the Kraken at 51 contracts with Matty and Seppala not yet extended (but qualified) but counted among them, so one would have to assume the plan would have to be to move at least one player.

Just saying
 

Fistfullofbeer

Moderator
May 9, 2011
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Whidbey Island, WA
So I was just looking at Capwages.com, the seeming replacement for capfriendly. That site has the Kraken at 51 contracts with Matty and Seppala not yet extended (but qualified) but counted among them, so one would have to assume the plan would have to be to move at least one player.

Just saying
I still say it's Tanev. This is more hope than anything which has basis .. :)
 

RayMartyniukTotems

Registered User
Jul 8, 2022
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Do you guys feel Ryker Evans is a lock to be in Seattle full time next season?
Pretty much now that they off-loaded Dumoulin to the "Quackers"!

What does that mean for Live Streamers?
 

PocketNines

Cutter's Way
Apr 29, 2004
13,509
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Badlands
Do you guys do a summer ranking of your prospects? For many years we have ranked our prospects 1-20 and we start with a poll about who's #1, then who's #2 and so forth. I'd love to see a Kraken version of this.

What you need to know about anything with a Tkachuk and St. Louis has been generated by the Tkachuks growing up in St. Louis. So as long as either player is in the league, some Blues fans will covet them and cannot ever let it go. The reason is that nobody has any memory. They remember nostalgia for Keith, and I remember how he was the chokingest dog bum to ever play in the NHL in crunch time. A man who was literally sent home from camp one year for obesity. So naturally they want the bum's kids, and there will absolutely not be an offseason (hasn't been one in about six years) where completely baseless – but absolutely craving - speculation from Blues fans about either Tkachuk doesn't occur. See, Robert Thomas and the Tkachuks were best friends growing up, and Thomas is the current 1C. It's horrible to endure from a rational perspective.
 
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Dr Quincy

Registered User
Jun 19, 2005
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So I was just looking at Capwages.com, the seeming replacement for capfriendly. That site has the Kraken at 51 contracts with Matty and Seppala not yet extended (but qualified) but counted among them, so one would have to assume the plan would have to be to move at least one player.

Just saying
4 of those contracts are slidable- Catton, Rehkopf, OFM and Sale.
 
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RainyCityHockey

Registered User
Dec 24, 2019
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Just a question.

Today at 4:00 p.m. ET is the deadline to hand out qualifiying offers for your restricted free agents.

The Kraken have Kyler Yamamoto and Matty Beniers as guys that still haven't, officially ben given their QO.

We all know Yamamoto won't get one but what about Beniers?
Is Francis just waiting till the last minute or even trying to pull a Lou Lamoriello and doesn't bother telling anyone?
Or is he just waiting till the final minute to inform people of that QO being handed out?
 

Kraken Jokes

Registered User
May 28, 2010
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With LA and Byfield agreeing to a 5-year, $6.25AAV contract, is could this be a good comparable for Matty Beniers? If so, I wouldn't be opposed.

I know it only buys 1 year of UFA eligibility but we get him at a decently low cap hit for 5 years instead of just a 2-year bridge deal. The hope is that, if things go well, we can give him that 8-year extension after year 4.
 
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Irie

Registered User
Nov 14, 2010
4,636
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Pacific Northwest
Just a question.

Today at 4:00 p.m. ET is the deadline to hand out qualifiying offers for your restricted free agents.

The Kraken have Kyler Yamamoto and Matty Beniers as guys that still haven't, officially ben given their QO.

We all know Yamamoto won't get one but what about Beniers?
Is Francis just waiting till the last minute or even trying to pull a Lou Lamoriello and doesn't bother telling anyone?
Or is he just waiting till the final minute to inform people of that QO being handed out?

I am pretty sure that all QOs had to be tendered by June 30th before the UFA period opened. If Francis hadn't qualified Beniers, he would have been a UFA on July 1st. Players had until the 15th to sign the QOs, but that can be extended I believe. Beniers was never going to sign his QO, so those dates don't really mean much.
 

Fistfullofbeer

Moderator
May 9, 2011
30,733
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Whidbey Island, WA

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