The Seattle Kraken concluded the regular season with a fittingly topsy-turvy 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. As was discussed in the Kraken Team Awards earlier this week, the campaign featured a series of highs and lows, and a lot of that was encapsulated in Thursday’s win. It was a fun game between two teams with little to play for except pride. Here are some takeaways.
A Good Way for Kraken to End a Bad Week
Regular season finales often bring out the fighting spirit in clubs that generally have not impressed – the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday as well. Seattle sleepwalked through the first two matches that began this four-game road swing. A pair of losses to the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues last weekend were courtesy of performances from a tired team that didn’t seem to want to be on the ice.
Related: Seattle Kraken’s 2023-24 Team Awards
Then came Tuesday’s bout versus the Jets in Winnipeg when Dave Hakstol’s group rekindled some “oomph.” It still ended in defeat, 4-3, but at least the club showed some character, making the match compelling despite trailing 3-1 early.
It all culminated in Thursday’s curtain call against the Wild. Minnesota got its home crown buzzing with the first goal of the match, but from that point onward, the Kraken played with poise and determination. Joey Daccord made several incredible stops that kept his side in the game. Yanni Gourde netted a brilliant short-handed breakaway goal in the third period, and Tye Kartye’s deflection would be the last goal Seattle scored this season against a goalie. And yet…
Kraken Fun Facts
Kartye’s goal was not the game-winner. Gourde’s empty-net score at 18:14, when the Wild were on the power play, made it a 4-2 game. As it turns out, the cushion was needed since the Wild made good on their power play moments later to close the gap to 4-3. It wasn’t as exciting a conclusion as T.J. Oshie’s empty-net goal to send the Washington Capitals to the postseason earlier this week, but it was still a weird situation when an empty-netter proved to be the game-winner.
Thursday’s match was also left-winger Pierre Edouard Bellemare’s 700th of his NHL career. This was his first season in Seattle, and for all we know, could be his last, as he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. It wasn’t a memorable one – Bellemare was hampered by injuries, which limited his participation to 40 contests. His official tally is four goals and three assists.
The coolest fact about the game and this season concerns Jared McCann. He led the team in goals and points with 29 goals and 62 points. On face value, those aren’t amazing numbers. What if we raise the cool factor and say that he has led the Kraken in goals and points in each of the franchise’s first three seasons? That’s decent, but perhaps it lacks a “wow” factor. It’s not as though Seattle overwhelms opponents with a blistering attack. Fair enough. How about:
That’s right. McCann and Wayne Gretzky are the only two players in NHL history to lead a franchise in goals and points in each of its first three seasons. That’s not something Kraken fans probably expected to read this morning, especially at the end of a playoff-less campaign.
Kraken Looking Ahead
Seattle is done for now. But, as we all know, there are always things to look out for. The team needs more offensive firepower. This group doesn’t cut it, and free agency will be a big deal this summer, as will the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Speaking of the draft, the Kraken finished as the eighth-worst team in the NHL. They tied the Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres with 81 points but earned fewer victories (only 34). As such, they shouldn’t hold their breath at getting the first-overall pick. In fact, as per this graph courtesy of Tankathon, they’ll probably make the eighth or ninth selection. We’ll explore the Kraken’s options as we get closer to the big night.
There is also the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Unlike the Kraken, the Firebirds earned a postseason berth, so fans will get a chance to see how players like Shane Wright, Ryan Winterton, Chris Driedger, Logan Morrison and Cale Fleury fair.
There you have it. Another Seattle Kraken regular season is in the books. It wasn’t great, with a final record of 34-35-13, but there’s always next season.
