Kraken Should Use April As Audition For Game 1 Starter

With the Seattle Kraken on the verge of clinching their first-ever postseason berth, there are still a few questions that need to be answered before the playoffs start. The biggest is which goaltender will start Game 1. With seven games remaining in the schedule, and eight overall for the month of April, this is the perfect time for the Kraken to hold auditions to see which goaltender steps up and earns the starting role for the start of the 2023 postseason.

Philipp Grubauer Season To Date

While Philipp Grubauer hasn’t had the strongest season, there are parts of his game that have improved since last season. He has lowered his overall goals-against average (GAA) from 3.16 in 2021-22 to 3.05 this year and has a goals saved above expected of 5.0 at five on five through 34 games this season. He has also helped the Kraken collect at least a point in seven of his last ten games, which has helped move them closer to securing a spot in the postseason.

The bad news is that despite his overall recent record, Grubauer’s play has actually hurt Seattle over his past ten games. Since March 2, 2023, the German goaltender has an overall .877% save percentage (SV%) and has posted a SV% of .900 or below in five of those games. What is also concerning is that he has made 25 or fewer saves in eight of those contests. While his play has been better this season compared to last, there are still some questions and concerns surrounding his form heading into the postseason.

Martin Jones Season To Date

With Grubauer missing a large portion of the season due to injury, Martin Jones has stepped in and performed well as the Kraken’s starter. In 46 games, he has a 2.99 GAA and won 25 games for the first time since the 2018-19 season. He has also recorded three shutouts this season which included back-to-back games against the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins in early January. Overall, it has been a good bounce-back season for the one-time Stanley Cup champion after some tough years in the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks organizations.

Related: Kraken’s Tough Final Stretch of the Season Is Underway

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Unfortunately, like Grubauer, his recent play has not been great. In his last ten games, he has a record of 2-5 and a .851 SV%. He also has been credited with five straight losses against playoff-bound teams, with his last win coming against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 19, 2023, where he made 27 saves on 30 shots. The hope is this rough patch is only temporary, and he can play as he did in January when he went 9-2 with a .912 SV% and two shutouts in 11 games.

How The Kraken Could Split The Games

In order to determine which goaltender gets the Game 1 start, Seattle could run auditions throughout the month of April. This would mean splitting the schedule in half, allowing both Grubauer and Jones to play four games and earn the right to lead their team into the postseason. While the schedule is not 100 percent equal when it comes to non-playoff teams and playoff teams, here is one way the Kraken split the starts:

In the proposed start schedule, each goalie gets a start versus potential first-round opponents, the Vegas Golden Knights, plus at least two home games. Both Grubauer and Jones also get the opportunity to start consecutive games in a row to show that they can either build off a win or rebound after a defeat. While the schedule is not completely balanced, it provides plenty of opportunity for either goaltender to convince the Kraken’s coaching staff they deserve to be the team’s starter for Game 1 of the playoffs.

Team Success Will Rely On Goaltending

If the Kraken want to make some noise in the playoffs and win a round, they will need whoever is between the pipes to step up and win them a few games. The problem is, as of right now, it is hard to have faith in either netminder based on their recent play. Someone needs to step up; otherwise, Seattle’s first-ever trip to the postseason could be over quite quickly.