Because the Seattle Kraken gear up for one more preseason bout versus the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night time – this time at house – the second week of coaching camp wraps up. It got here with extra drills, gamers getting reduce, and an necessary member of the common lineup lacking in motion. Let’s recap week 2.
Andre Burakovsky Absent from Follow
Kraken ahead Andre Burakovsky was absent each on Wednesday and Thursday for follow. As per sources across the crew in Seattle, head coach Dan Bylsma said that each situations had been “upkeep days” for the 29-year-old Austrian.
The 11-year veteran has had a tough go since becoming a member of the membership by way of free company in 2022. Not solely was his 2022-23 reduce brief as a consequence of a groin damage that required surgical procedure, however final season he couldn’t go well with up for a plethora of contests due to higher and decrease physique accidents. He concluded 2023-24 with solely 49 video games to his identify, the very same quantity because the season earlier than.
Most probably as a consequence of inconsistent well being, his statistics had been nowhere on the identical degree final season, as he tallied 16 factors by way of seven objectives and 16 assists versus 39 factors two seasons in the past.
What would possibly begin to get irritating is that the franchise is paying him a median of $5.5 million per season. This coming marketing campaign would be the third of a five-year deal, but he has been unable to remain on the ice. Whereas that’s not his fault per se, from a enterprise and tactical perspective, the scenario incurs the danger of getting worrisome.
Berkly Catton and Younger Weapons Reduce
As is all the time the case with each coaching camp, not everybody makes it during. In some instances, it’s a matter of not performing as much as par. In others, the teaching workers needs to see what they’ve in a prospect with out ever anticipating that stated participant shall be a severe a part of the professional roster this season.
There was a pair of teams despatched again right down to minor groups and leagues this week. Some names didn’t increase eyebrows. Others might need been good to maintain round for one more week to place via the grinder.
On Monday, Sept. 23, the likes of Caden Value, Lukas Dragicevic, and Jakub Fibigr had been despatched to their respective Kraken associates. Defenseman Dragicevic partook within the preseason curtain raiser final Sunday towards the Calgary Flames and struggled. The crew misplaced 6-1 and he was a minus-2. The others weren’t included in both of this week’s two potential lineups (Seattle performed and fell to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.)
Associated: 4 Non-Playoff Groups From 2023-24 That Can Win the 2025 Stanley Cup
Wednesday’s spherical of cuts had been extra notable as three gamers had been despatched again down: Berkly Catton, Nathan Villeneuve, and Carson Rehkopf. As most are conscious, Catton is the thrilling ahead the Kraken drafted eighth general within the most-recent draft. Villeneuve (drafted within the second spherical this summer season) was the lone objective scorer versus Calgary on Sunday, and Rehkpof logged 11:04 on the ice Tuesday in Vancouver.
That Catton and Berkly have already been given their marching orders is probably a bit stunning. Granted, Bylsma and his workers want to begin determining what their ultimate roster goes to seem like in a few weeks, nevertheless it might need been pertinent to see what they’ll do on the NHL degree yet another time, a minimum of in follow. Seattle has 4 preseason video games remaining, together with Friday towards the Canucks. There have been alternatives to have them play a bit extra.
Bylsma Figuring Out Traces
Lineups at follow this week took the form a regular-season roster would possibly take. Nicely, not precisely, however they’re getting there.
As an illustration, Group 1 on Thursday featured strains like Jared McCann, Shane Wright, and Jordan Eberle, a trio that mixes youthful vitality (Wright), veteran savviness (Eberle) and confirmed offensive punch (McCann.)
One other intriguing line had Yanni Gourde at centre with Tye Kartye and Ryan Winterton to his left and proper, respectively. Gourde is a veteran of that trio, with Kartye getting into his second full season with the Kraken and Winterton nonetheless vying for a spot after being featured in 9 video games throughout 2023-24.
We now have additional proof that we might have incorrectly guessed the defensive pairings in an article a couple of weeks in the past as Brandon Montour was paired with Jamie Oleksiak, which meant Vince Dunn skated with Adam Larsson. The blue-line duos in Group 1 had been capped off by Josh Mahura and little-used Cale Fleury (22 video games with Seattle since 2021-22).
In lots of respects, these are strains that will, in reality, begin a regular-season recreation in some unspecified time in the future this season. Week 2 of camp is proving to be an astute train of juggling strains that will turn out to be useful down the street.
Opening day on Oct. 8 looms. This weekend specifically (Friday, Sept. 28 to Monday, Sept 30) is large. Between the time of writing and subsequent Tuesday morning, the Kraken may have battled in three extra video games. They hop on a airplane after Friday’s match versus the Canucks to play the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. The shifts on the ice develop extra necessary, and the decision-making by the coaches extra even handed.
