Seattle Kraken expectations for 2022-23

[Machinehead]

You know, it is a nice little forward corps, I'll give you that.

That being said, it does have question marks, and it lacks true star talent.

Because of the weak defense, it can't really afford question marks or lack of star power.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I’d give it the same odds as team rocket actually catching pikachu- it’s always possible, but it’s not happening. What they need are some mewtwos, and all I see are Raticates and a Dratini or two. We’ll see, but that won’t get past the elite eight.

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

No. They are a bubble team at most and only if the stars align for them.

 

[Sweetpotato]

...if McDavid gets long COVID, Huberdeau falls out a window and Eichel breaks his neck trying to comb his hair.

 

[Stickpucker]

How many points you have them getting?

Going from 60 -> 115?

What is the biggest jump in points in NHL history from season to season?

 

[GOilers88]

Super tall order for two rookies at 18 and 19 to step into the league at 1C and 2C and carry a team into the playoffs let alone a division title. I admire the optimism, but I just highly doubt it happens.

 

[Goptor]

If...

It is the year 2029

 

[NYRfan85]

...if they get a new coach. Hakstol was a terrible choice for the new team.

 

[RANDOMH3RO]

I think Seattle may surprise some people this season. I don’t think they will be the pushovers that everyone is expecting. Their forward group could be bubble playoff team potential. Their defense sucks a bit, but a lot of teams in the league have shaky d.

 

[Sharkbomb]

...every other team drops out of the Pacific Division.

 

[Jee]

That defense being a little weaker is an understatement.

 

[North Cole]

They're the only team in it?

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think having elite forwards makes their forward groups overall but I guess I agree that they are technically deeper than most. Not Minnesota or St Louis though.

I wouldn't say Seattle is deeper than let's say Edmonton. Who on Seattle is better than Kane? Or RNH? Or even Hyman? Edmonton's elite talent plus their support pieces are better. I am not an Edmonton fan, but I think it's unfair to say Edmonton is shallow beyond McDrai. Edmonton is way better than Seattle, and I think OP is laughable to suggest they can win this division. Some middling forwards all around doesn't make them "deeper" than most teams.

 

[madmike77]

If Mcdavid, Draisaitl, Huberdeau and Lindholm all suffer season-ending injuries in a massive mid-ice collision and the Canucks, Kings and Knights all suffer assorted season-ending injuries of their own, then I can see the Kraken maybe winning the Pacific this year.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

...if McDavid gets long COVID, Huberdeau falls out a window and Eichel breaks his neck trying to comb his hair.

I mean the Eichel thing is a real possibility. One bad snag and he could be in trouble.

 

[23Monahan]

Calgary (biased I know)
Edmonton
LA
Vegas
Vancouver
Anaheim/Seattle
SJS

 

[beowulf]

Ya no, there is a very big difference between what the Panthers had last year and what Seattle currently has. Also a big difference with regards to their divisional competition. It will take more than 50 points from Wright, more like a miracle for them to make the playoffs let along win the division.

 

[Figgy44]

...if the rest of the Pacific doesn't play. I mean playoffs are highly doubtful and you're talking about winning a division title.

I was thinking... if all other Pacific teams go down to a new variant of Covid and all forfeit to Seattle?

But if I'm being a bit more serious in answering OP's question, I think they can easily do it if they fire Hakstol and hire a Gallant type of coach who is great at flash in the pan sort of stuff. Not as extreme as Gallant, but I think they could also do something similar with an actually sorta available guy like Hartley/Boucher/Trotz?

How many points you have them getting?

Going from 60 -> 115?

What is the biggest jump in points in NHL history from season to season?

This post makes me feel like I'm reading off a Gaudreau stat line.

More recently though, Avs from 2013-2018 went 112 (1st), 90(7th), 82 (6th), 48(7th) to 95 (4th) over 5 seasons.

Not quite 55 points like 60-115, but 48 to 95 is 47 points and at the time, the central was a blood bath division. Is that close enough?

 

[Dog]

I think with one major trade landing before trade deadline or deadline for upgrade on defense like Chychrun and or Lundkvist they probably could make playoffs! Don't think they will will their division though!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Seattle kept a lot of games close last year by playing not to lose. There's a big change between that and attacking to win. They're not ready for that.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

last off season I insisted the Panthers had the best roster on paper in the league. they won the president's trophy.

this year, I look at Seattle and I see the deepest forward group in the West. IF Shane Wright can be an impact player. (50ish pts)

Burakovsky - Berniers - Bjorkstand
Schwartz - Wright - Eberle
McCann - Gourde - Donskoi
Tanev - Wennberg - Geekie

The defense is a little weaker, but if you look outside of Colorado and Calgary the West isn't exactly a powerhouse on the blue line so..

Dunn - Larsson
Oleksiak - Schultz
Soucy - Borgen

Grubs
Jones

Grubauer had a somewhat rough first season in Colorado. I see him turning it around this year with Seattle.

What do you guys think?

There were only 3 teams last season that scored less goals than Seattle, and only 8 teams that had more scored against them. One of the worst goal differentials in the league. It would be extremely rare to go from a -70ish goal differential to a positive one year over year without adding at least 1 major impact player or having multiple young players break out. Beniers and Wright could both be good, but teams that made that level of improvement were adding players like Malkin and Staal, or having huge breakout seasons from MacKinnon and Rantanen in addition to huge improvement from their defense and goalies.

Could it happen? Sure. But I'd put the chances at around the same level as winning the lottery.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

…there are several horrific plane crashes involving division rivals.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Still seems like a roster where a bunch of guys would need to overachieve. Plus, do you see them doing that with Hakstol running things? I don't.

Yeah, I don't see anything special about that roster that pixie seems to see. It would take a bunch of career years from guys for them to have a realistic shot because otherwise it's a forward group without any real elite high end talent types. And it's not like the defense has a lot of studs, either.

 

[Derailed75]

Some of the threads this year make me wonder if we are fully aware of the effects of long Covid.

The Kraken has zero chance at a winning record let alone play offs, what the hell are you smoking?

 

[Stickpucker]

I was thinking... if all other Pacific teams go down to a new variant of Covid and all forfeit to Seattle?

But if I'm being a bit more serious in answering OP's question, I think they can easily do it if they fire Hakstol and hire a Gallant type of coach who is great at flash in the pan sort of stuff. Not as extreme as Gallant, but I think they could also do something similar with an actually sorta available guy like Hartley/Boucher/Trotz?



This post makes me feel like I'm reading off a Gaudreau stat line.

More recently though, Avs from 2013-2018 went 112 (1st), 90(7th), 82 (6th), 48(7th) to 95 (4th) over 5 seasons.

Not quite 55 points like 60-115, but 48 to 95 is 47 points and at the time, the central was a blood bath division. Is that close enough?

47 point jump in one season is insane.

So the Kraken just need talents at the level of MacK, Rantenen, and Landeskog to see a 47 point increase. And to get a 100 pt season out of one of their players. Along with about 50-60 pts from a single dman.

Good luck to them.