Seattle Kraken Press Clips - February 3-5, 2022
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Seattle Kraken Press Clips
February 3-5, 20221234603 Seattle Kraken Islanders on Wednesday. Eberle had an
assist — his second point in the past three
Kraken’s Jordan Eberle soaking up the NHL
games after going the previous eight
All-Star Game experience in Las Vegas
without scoring — in his first game back on
Feb. 4, 2022 at 2:27 pm Updated Feb. 4, Long Island since the Kraken selected him
2022 at 5:00 pm from the expansion draft.
By Danny Webster It was also the night goalie Philipp Grubauer
recorded the first shutout in Kraken history
LAS VEGAS — It’s been 10 years since
with a 19-save performance.
Jordan Eberle played in an NHL All-Star
Game. A lot has changed. “Off the ice and on the ice, he has the same
demeanor,” Eberle said of his goaltender, a
The team he’s on now, the Kraken, didn’t
finalist last season for the Vezina Trophy.
exist, nor did the Vegas Golden Knights, the
“You’re not going to get a lot of reaction
team that’s hosting the weekend. But that’s
out of him. Lately he’s been playing really
not stopping Eberle from embracing the
well and winning games for us. As a team,
privilege as the first Kraken player to
as we get better, we’re starting to play
participate in the NHL’s midseason summit.
better in front of him, and he’s making a
“It’s an honor,” Eberle said during media ton of saves.”
day Friday. “It’s kind of a cool thing to have,
The 15 wins are a far cry from where the
for sure. To come back (to the All-Star
Golden Knights sat at this time five seasons
Game) is neat with a new expansion team.
ago. They were a Western Conference-best
This time I get to share it with a little girl
35-13-4 on Feb. 4, 2018 and went on to
and a wife, and that part of it is kind of
finish with 109 points and make the Stanley
neat. Just trying to soak it in and enjoy it as
Cup Final in their inaugural season.
much as I can.”
“I think the only difficult thing I would say is
The forward, 31, is taking part in his second
the Knights set the bar so high that we’re
All-Star Game, the first since his second NHL
trying to compete with that,” Eberle said.
season in which he scored a career-high 76
points as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. The Kraken have a long way to go before
coming close to a playoff spot, but Eberle is
This season hasn’t produced that type of
proud of the way his team has responded.
offensive output from Eberle, with 26
Seattle is 5-4 in its past nine games that
points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 44 games, but
include wins against the Florida Panthers
he’s on pace to eclipse the scoring pace he
and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Kraken
had from his final two seasons with the
followed that with consecutive 3-2 losses at
New York Islanders.
the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers,
The Kraken entered the All-Star break with two perennial playoff teams in the Eastern
34 points (15-27-4), fourth-fewest in the Conference.
NHL, but closed strong with a 3-0 win at the“I like to think that we’re starting to catch our groove right now,” he said. “It took us some time to get going. Obviously, we haven’t had as much success as the Knights did in their first year, but for us it’s been about getting better every day and building the culture, and building an identity. “The last couple weeks, or really the last month, we’ve started to do that. I wouldn’t say we’ve won as many games as we should, but we’re more consistent in our play and we’re starting to beat some really good teams. It’s about building a foundation and building up from that, and I think we’re starting to do that.” Seattle Times LOADED: 02.05.2022
1234602 Seattle Kraken “We’ve lived through a tragedy, one of the
darkest periods of my life,” CEO Tod
‘We can get through anything’: Kraken at
Leiweke said of launching the Kraken during
midseason look to calmer seas ahead
a pandemic. “And if we can get through this
Feb. 4, 2022 at 8:56 pm Updated Feb. 4, we can get through anything. If we’ve
2022 at 9:02 pm drawn the crowds that we have in the midst
of a global pandemic, I’m amazingly
By Geoff Baker
optimistic.”
More than halfway through the Kraken’s
Those crowds, officially sellouts of 17,151
first season, the on-ice team is finally
fans a game, contain several hundred or
stringing together wins and consistent play.
more empty seats nightly. That’s
Likewise, off-ice operations are taking commonplace around the NHL, where
greater shape after some early-season venues usually fill to about 93% capacity
setbacks. but are down 6-7% this season for U.S.
teams compared with campaigns before the
For now, both remain a work in progress.
pandemic.
The NHL team’s debut in Seattle — the first
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has
new major winter-sports franchise since the
attributed attendance declines to hesitancy
NBA’s Sonics left in 2008 — had been highly
by some fans concerned about COVID-19
anticipated, given the near $1.2 billion
and added that others are put off by
arena investment and the forward-thinking,
vaccination requirements at some venues.
innovative approach taken by ownership
Bettman lauded the Kraken’s job and strong
toward its hiring practices, marketing and
attendance.
community building.
John Howie, a 53-year-old Queen Anne
Then, after a rush to get Climate Pledge
resident who is head of mergers and
Arena opened on time, the team
acquisitions for an IT security firm, has
experienced staffing shortages, a late-
Kraken season tickets in a lower-bowl
December snow event and ongoing COVID-
corner. He said Kraken games have an
19 challenges that spawned game
electric atmosphere similar to Seahawks
postponements and restrictions on how
games at Lumen Field and feels the team
players could be marketed.
has done “a really good job” overall.
But fans have generally responded well and
“And It’s getting better, actually,” Howie
earned praise across the league for their
said. “At the beginning of the season,
highly vocal, demonstrative support of a
especially for the first game, I was
Kraken squad that, at only 15-27-4 (15
disappointed by the pregame show. … I
victories, 27 regulation losses and four
thought there’d be more hoopla. But the
overtime losses), has spent most of the
new pregame show, which debuted last
season in last place.
month, is really good. They definitely upped
their game.”The Kraken had planned a more lavish Adjustments were needed before “The
pregame introduction for opening night. Tentacle” was hoisted to the rafters. But
engineers miscalculated the force required
But pandemic-related shipping delays
to raise and lower it, causing delays pending
meant seating at Climate Pledge wasn’t
machinery upgrades.
completely installed until right before the
Kraken’s Oct. 23 home debut against Projectors for the pregame intro also were
Vancouver. delayed. And curtain blinds covering the
wall of old north-end KeyArena windows
Kraken chief operating officer Victor de
weren’t closing properly because of 1960s-
Bonis said it wasn’t until the day before the
era framing around the glass. That had to
opener that staffers could rehearse the
be fixed so projected lighting wasn’t
entire game experience — everything from
interfered with by natural light from
in-game entertainment to the scoreboard
outside.
clocks, to a celebratory goal horn from the
decommissioned 1967 MV Hyak ferry, Also last month, organist Rod Masters from
which uses a 200-gallon, 65-horsepower air the 1977 hockey cult classic movie “Slap
compressor to blast out sound. Shot” was hired to play at games. And new
team dog Davy Jones was introduced.
“It was like a miracle what happened within
the 24 hours of time we had to get it right,” Masters approached the Kraken right
de Bonis said. “And then it’s all just been before the season, and it took time to
building since. Because it wasn’t possible to properly audition him given the last-minute
do then what we’re doing now with the scramble while launching the team. De
amount of time that we had.” Bonis said the dog was always planned, as is
a soon-to-be-unveiled team mascot.
The Kraken unveiled their upgraded, 4 1/2-
minute pregame intro last month; a vast Last month a statewide ad campaign,
digital, sound and laser light show featuring three dozen billboards depicting
culminating with a 26-foot-tall, 1,200- the team brand and players, was launched.
pound Kraken-like aqua tentacle But earlier plans to market players at events
descending from the arena’s rafters on were thwarted by pandemic restrictions.
chains.
So they got creative. Injured forward
Shipping delays meant “The Tentacle” and Brandon Tanev recently agreed to host
its LED lighting set — which also features 28 virtual meet and greets with fans and
ice shards, each weighing between 50 and appear on game broadcasts.
150 pounds — didn’t arrive until after the
“It’s just an opportunity for myself to
season began. A section of arena seating
continue to build the brand here in Seattle
was removed to get the towering prop
— the Kraken brand,” Tanev said.
inside, and it was still a foot too tall to clear
the entry. The arena opened during a nationwide
labor shortage that made it difficult to hireguest services and security personnel. There points below the 90-point season many
were a handful of security breaches, oddsmakers and pundits predicted.
including somebody walking off the street
Though nobody anticipated a repeat of the
into the locker room and sitting with Kraken
Vegas Golden Knights reaching the Stanley
players having lunch.
Cup Final their 2017-18 debut season, the
The security issues were resolved, but the Kraken’s underperformance likely impacted
Kraken still want to bolster staffing. enthusiasm and demand. Tom Wilkins, a
season-ticket holder from Snoqualmie with
That said, arena sales are going strong. The
lower-bowl, center-ice seats, said he has
Kraken lead the NHL in game-day sales of
enjoyed his arena experience but is
team jerseys, headwear and pucks, as well
concerned about the team’s prior poor play.
as money spent per person and the number
of items they buy at once. “You know, we’re spending a lot of money
here,” Wilkins said. “They weren’t supposed
NHL executive VP of marketing Brian
to be Vegas … but you know, we didn’t
Jennings said the Kraken had “the most
expect them to be fighting for last (place),
successful jersey launch ever” in the NHL in
either.”
terms of sales.
He expects improvement next season.
More locally, the three Kraken team stores
have sold more than 45,000 jerseys total. “The team had a chance to just come in and
own this city,” Wilkins said. “Really build a
At the Kraken Community Iceplex practice
fan base. And I think they’ve used up a lot
facility at Northgate, general manager Rob
of that goodwill. I think next year, if they
Lampman said the team is on pace for more
have a below-average team, I think they’re
than 1 million first-year visitors. Lampman
really going to have a hard time getting the
said all three Iceplex rinks are booked solid
attention of the average sports fan.”
with beginner hockey for children, youth
and adult leagues and public skating. The Kraken sold season tickets with
minimum commitments of three, five and
Shipping delays caused the restaurant
seven years.
overlooking two of the rinks to open several
weeks late and still isn’t maximizing crowds, Shane Savery, 48, of Normandy Park, made
which Lampman attributed to COVID a three-year commitment on one of four
concerns. But it recently added a brunch lower-bowl corner tickets with three friends
menu and has staged eight watch parties of and said they’re concerned about declining
Kraken games on the venue’s giant video secondary market demand. Savery said he
screen with hundreds of fans watching. paid about $180 a game for his ticket and
has trouble reselling it for above $100 on
On the ice, the Kraken went 5-4 the past
platforms such as Ticketmaster, StubHub or
two weeks against some of the NHL’s better
Vivid Seats.
clubs. Previously, they had endured a nine-
game losing streak and were tracking 30Season-ticket holders generally are not in it “It’s been incredibly difficult,” Leiweke said.
for the money, but many sell tickets for the “This has been the hardest thing I’ve done
games they can’t attend to recoup part of in my career by far. But what really
their investment. motivates me every day is knowing our best
days are in front of us.
Savery, who is fully vaccinated, said he feels
vaccine requirements inside the building — “If we can do what we’ve done amidst a
not the team’s poor play — is mainly what global pandemic, what’s that going to be
has softened demand. He said he and his like without that 10-pound weight on our
friends are debating whether they’ll ankle?”
attempt to get out of their contract.
Seattle Times LOADED: 02.05.2022
Bill Chapin, the Kraken’s senior vice
president of sales and service, said no fans
have asked out of commitments. Chapin
said proprietary league data shows Kraken
tickets still command the highest resale
prices of any team.
“I think our fans have been absolutely
incredible during a global pandemic,”
Chapin said. “We had snowstorms that, as
we know, isn’t really Seattle’s cup of tea.
We had postponements. And then we had
vaccine verifications that, wherever you sit
on the political spectrum, you know that’s a
factor.”
A league source indicated the Kraken are
indeed No. 1 in resale prices, and 58% of
fans are making a profit selling their season
tickets.
Leiweke said it still bothers him to know
some fans are selling seats for less than
they paid.
“But I can look you in the eye and tell you
that, if not for the global pandemic, this
would be different,” he said.
Given some of the things now in place
despite the challenges, he’s optimistic.1234633 Websites efforts and voted him into the All-Star
Game. He's in the final year of his contract,
USA TODAY / NHL's winners, losers at All-
and barring another playoff suspension, he
Star break: Alex Ovechkin, Nazem Kadri
should be in for a good payday.
thriving; Flyers floundering
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Mike Brehm
He has moved past two Hall of Famers this
The COVID-19 pandemic has played a
season for fourth on the all-time goals list.
prominent role for the third NHL season in a
And though he passed Dave Andreychuk's
row.
NHL record for power-play goals, only seven
This time, the omicron variant surged of his 29 goals have been scored with the
through rosters, postponing games and man advantage. He's a more complete
leading the league to pull out of the Winter player, setting up goals as well as he scores
Olympics and adjust its protocols. Home them to be among the league's leading
games in Canada were pushed back to a point producers, and is in the mix for his
later date in hopes that more fans would be first Hart Trophy since 2013.
permitted to attend.
Nadia Popovici
Not going to Beijing has allowed the league
The soon-to-be medical student had the
to reschedule games during the previous
biggest save of the season. She was in the
Olympic break. Plus, the shift to a five-day
stands at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena
quarantine for a positive test, the
for the Kraken's Oct. 23 home opener
reintroduction of taxi squads and the
when she noticed a suspicious mole on the
decision to test only symptomatic players
back of the neck of Vancouver Canucks
after the All-Star break could help the
assistant equipment manager Brian "Red"
league restore a sense of normalcy in the
Hamilton and let him know through the
schedule. Even with all the disruptions, the
glass. He followed up and had the
season is still scheduled to end on April 29.
malignant melanoma removed. "She
Here are the season's winners and losers at extended my life," he said. His efforts to
the All-Star break: find her identity so he could thank her the
next time his team was in Seattle became a
WINNERS
feel-good story soon after the league
Nazem Kadri, Colorado Avalanche pulled out of the Olympics. They had a
reunion and the Kraken and Canucks gave
After another costly playoff suspension,
her a combined $10,000 toward her
Kadri was in need of a strong regular
medical school expenses.
season. The second-line center has come
through, staying consistently among the Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
league's top scorers and keeping the
Sidney Crosby missed 12 games. Evgeni
Avalanche in playoff contention amid a
Malkin missed 34. Bryan Rust has been out
string of injuries. Fans appreciated his
twice. Players missed time in COVID-19protocol, as did Sullivan. But the Penguins firing of coach Alain Vigneault. That turned
remained in playoff contention as Sullivan into 10 losses, and they topped that with a
pieced together line combinations, and now team-record 13-game winless streak. This
they're taking off as the team gets team could look different soon. General
healthier. It's a shame we won't get a manager Chuck Fletcher said "everything is
chance to see how Sullivan would have on table" as he tries to retool the team.
fared with Team USA at the Olympics. Pending unrestricted free agent, All-Star
representative and captain Claude Giroux
Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky
would bring the biggest return in a trade,
This was supposed to be the season that but he would have to waive his no-
Spencer Knight would begin to grab the movement clause.
goaltending reins in Florida. But that hasn't
Seattle Kraken
happened because Bobrovsky is surging
after two sub-par seasons with the The preseason read on the expansion
Panthers. The two-time Vezina Trophy Kraken was strong goaltending, solid
winner is third in the league in goals saved defense and question marks on offense.
above expected, according to Their scoring has been OK, but the
moneypuck.com, and is a big reason why goaltending has struggled with Vezina
the Panthers lead the Atlantic Division. Trophy finalist Philipp Grubauer ranking
last among No. 1 netminders in save
Vancouver Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau
percentage. The Kraken are near the
He was a good analyst with the NHL bottom of the league, restoring lowered
Network, but his real strength is behind the expectations for expansion teams after the
bench. He returned there on Dec. 7, when Vegas Golden Knights' stunning first-year
the Canucks fired coach Travis Green and success.
Boudreau joined his fourth NHL team. The
New York Islanders
team won his first six games and got points
in the first eight. Though the Canucks have They had to play their first 13 games on the
been up and down a little recently, road because UBS Arena wasn't ready to
Boudreau has more than doubled the open. Then they couldn't take advantage of
team's point total and passed 1,000 career the home ice because a COVID-19 outbreak
games coaching. left them short-handed. Even though they
are playing better and have games in hand,
LOSERS
the Islanders have a lot of ground to make
Philadelphia Flyers up to reach the playoffs after back-to-back
seasons of reaching the third round.
Defenseman Keith Yandle's breaking the
NHL ironman record is a fantastic Arizona Coyotes
accomplishment, but it has been one of the
The rebuilding Coyotes are last in the
few highlights this season. The Flyers had
Central Division and are hunting for a home
an eight-game winless streak that led to the
next season after the City of Glendale said itwouldn't renew the lease. The city also USA TODAY LOADED: 02.05.2022 threatened to lock them out this season over delinquent taxes, but the team made good on the $1.3 million owed. Montreal Canadiens The 2021 Stanley Cup finalists are last in the Atlantic Division. They are missing captain Shea Weber, plus goalie Carey Price, who took them on a surprising run through the playoffs. He says he's still hoping to return this season. Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau are now handling the goaltending with Jake Allen out with an injury. They both spent all of last season in the American Hockey League. Marc Bergevin, a general manager of the year finalist, is out of a job and newly hired executive vice president Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes will try to restore the franchise. Sabres goaltending luck They have had to use six goaltenders this season, tied with the New Jersey Devils for most in the league. Craig Anderson, who had a strong start, went out with an injury on Nov. 2 and Dustin Tokarski entered extended COVID-19 protocol late that month. Malcolm Subban was hurt in his first game after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks. Then he and Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen suffered long-term injuries in a Jan. 11 game. Aaron Dell was suspended for three games for interference, and Michael Houser entered COVID-19 protocol. But maybe the luck is changing. Anderson and Tokarski were able to return to action on Jan. 29 to prevent the Sabres from having to use a seventh goalie.
1234483 Seattle Kraken in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the New York
Islanders.
How Seattle Kraken used unexpected
break to turn season around “We’re certainly creating a bit of an
identity, which is important,” Jordan Eberle
BY ANDY EIDE
said after the victory over his former
In general, an NHL hockey schedule is Islanders teammates. “You understand that
predictable. After training camp, the regular identity and then you try to strive for it
season kicks off with a regimented and every night, and then that just gives you a
dependable routine of a game every couple chance to win.”
of days and practice in between, and that
For the first time this season, it feels like the
repeats until the All-Star break. The Seattle
Kraken have a chance to win on any given
Kraken head into this season’s All-Star
night.
break after a schedule that was anything
but routine, though. Winning five out of 10 games isn’t cause to
begin planning a Stanley Cup parade down
Grubauer, Seattle Kraken blank Isles 3-0 for
Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle, but it
franchise’s first shutout
is a glimmer of hope and positivity.
The NHL schedule has been a scramble
This newfound identity and moderate
since COVID-19 led to a league-wide
success all go back to that unexpected
shutdown in 2020, then a restart in a
break.
bubble, which in turn pushed back and
shortened the 2021 season. It has Seattle Kraken staff turned the break into
continued with this season’s protocol lists midseason minicamp
and game postponements.
With a week off midseason, head coach
Seattle has struggled through the first half Dave Hakstol put his team to work.
of its inaugural season, but one of these
There were the familiar systems drills, but
unplanned postponements helped the
not like they had done prior in the season.
expansion club find its collective skates. Just
These practices were tough, long, and
after the New Year, a week’s worth of
physical. They were not the standard NHL
games were canceled. That gave the
practice. This was training camp.
Kraken, who were in the midst of what
would turn out to be a nine-game losing Regularly the Kraken will skate for about 45
streak, a valuable week off. minutes during practice, but these sessions
went well over an hour. The intensity was
The Kraken used that week wisely and now
higher, and there were so-called battle
find themselves playing well, and playing
drills, one-on-one reps, fighting for a puck in
the way they had hoped to from the start.
the corner, or racing down the ice to get to
They are 5-5-0 over the last 10 games and
a loose puck first. Those types of drills
registered their first shutout as a franchise
raised the overall competition level.The purpose was to go beyond crystalizing “I think it started after that little COVID
the system Hakstol wants. break we had,” Grubauer said after
stopping all 19 shots he faced Wednesday.
“This gives us an ability to get up and down
“Since then, I think we’ve had time to work
the rink and skate a lot in practice,” Hakstol
on some stuff. Like systematically, we
said after the first day of the break. “We
worked on a lot of things which you don’t
have a chance to execute and practice, to
usually have time to work on, so I think
touch on some things that we haven’t been
since then it’s been really consistent for us
able to touch on over the last month. One
and we’ve been playing smart hockey at the
of the biggest benefits for us that I believe
right times.”
is we can use it to just clear our minds. You
know, get our thought process squared Grubauer earned the first shutout in Kraken
straight and really get to work over the next history on Wednesday and has won five of
few days as a group here in practice.” his last seven starts with a 2.14 goals-
against average and a .918 save percentage.
Watching those practices, the buy-in was
If nothing else, that January break brought
obvious. Players skated hard and wanted to
back the Grubauer from Colorado.
win those puck battle drills. They embraced
the work. Still work to be done
“I think this week coming up is gonna be None of this is to suggest the Seattle Kraken
kind of critical that we put the work in and are fixed. Goal scoring has still been a
as much as we can,” center Morgan Geekie scarcity during this stretch. Over the just-
said at the time. “It sucks getting those completed four-game road trip, the Kraken
games canceled but we’re going to do the scored nine goals, and that includes one in
best we can to use it to our advantage.” overtime and an empty-net score.
The week was positive for goaltender “We’re not going to say we’re scoring a ton
Philipp Grubauer. but that really isn’t our DNA to begin with,”
Eberle said. “I like to make the comparison
He had struggled through the first half of
of the team that I played for (the Islanders).
the season and became the poster child for
We went to a couple of conference finals,
all Kraken ails, but he looked strong in
we defend really well, we’re not gonna
practice as that week progressed. Once
score a lot but we capitalize when we can.”
Seattle got back to playing games, Grubauer
was dialed in. The Kraken are built to grind out goals at 5-
on-5 and they’ve been finding the bare
Whether it was gaining more familiarity or
minimum of goals to put some wins
improved communication with his
together.
defensemen, he was playing at the level
that earned him a Vezina Trophy However, the power play is, to put it plainly,
nomination with Colorado the season a mess. Seattle was 0 for 2 with a man
before. advantage Wednesday and over the past 11
games is a dismal 3 for 40. With the thinmargin for error they are built to play with, finding a way to improve the power play is critical for the second half. The Kraken are not making the playoffs in 2022, but if they can play .500 hockey the rest of the way it just might help create some momentum for the offseason and next season. They won’t get a bonus break next year so will have to learn from how they’re playing now and carry it over. MYNORTHWEST.COM LOADED: 02.04.2022
1234498 Vancouver Canucks He scored five goals in his first nine games,
but 14- and 25-game scoreless streaks led
to being dealt to Florida, along with a
Ex-Canucks first rounder Jared McCann second and fourth-round picks, in exchange
was part of Jim Rutherford’s roster churn for Erik Gudbranson and a fifth-rounder.
The NHL trade deadline will indicate how “I don’t know what triggered this and I’ve
long Jim Rutherford believes the Canucks got to deal with it,” a flustered McCann told
need to go from playoff hopeful to annual Postmedia at the time. “Everything happens
post-season participant for a reason.”
Ben Kuzma His trade journey from Vancouver to Florida
to Pittsburgh and Toronto includes 39 goals
Remember Jared McCann?
and 84 points in 141 games with the
How can we forget. Penguins. It was there that he became part
of Jim Rutherford’s managerial mantra for
The speedy Vancouver Canucks’ first-round
acquiring and trading the same players for
draft choice of 2014 teased of potential
one reason or another.
with slick stick-handling, rocket of a shot
and some rare rookie swagger. Jared McCann drives the play for the Seattle
Kraken during Wednesday’s NHL game
However, he lasted but 69 games and it
against Mathew Barzal and the host New
took three subsequent transactions,
York Islanders.
including being unprotected for last
summer’s National Hockey League The club’s former general manger, and
expansion draft, to finally blossom as a first- current president of hockey operations for
line centre with the Seattle Kraken. the Canucks, landed and let loose 18
players and made 59 trades during his
McCann, 25, scored his 19th goal of the
Penguins tenure.
season Wednesday and is on pace for a
career-defining 38. He also leads the Kraken It could be a window on his current roster
with six power-play goals and was always retooling world, but the Canucks aren’t
wired to prove his doubters wrong. He positioned like the Penguins were following
developed a chip on his shoulder from their glory years. Rutherford built around
slipping in the draft to become a 24th an impressive core and there was always an
overall selection. urgency to build for the now and take a run
at it all, or at least make an attempt to get
McCann projected as third-line fit in
better.
Vancouver but was eventually moved to
wing. At age 19, the former hot-shot junior In Vancouver, the hockey ops czar has to
had yet to develop physically for the ponder contract extensions for J.T. Miller
demands of playing the middle and winning and Brock Boeser, or determine if it’s more
faceoffs. It only heightened his resolve. prudent to move one of the wingers.
Especially if a Stanley Cup contenderdangles the right package in advance of the plateau in two seasons as a bottom-six
March 21 trade deadline. forward — along with Nick Bjugstad as part
of a plan to help rejig a Penguins roster that
And how Rutherford contends with a roster
was eliminated in the opening round of the
that could produce trade value in Conor
2018-19 playoffs.
Garland, Tanner Pearson, Jason Dickinson,
Tyler Motte, Jaroslav Halak and Luke The cost was under-performing Derick
Schenn will give an indication of how long Brassard who was a third-line centre bust,
the Canucks will need to go from playoff along with Riley Sheahan and a second and
hopeful to annual post-season participant. two fourth-round picks.
“With parity in the league, it appears if you “I’m the youngest in the family, so I always
lose the wrong two guys, you drop had those times when I had the crap beaten
drastically and if you add the right two, you out of me by my two older brothers —
can move up drastically,” said Rutherford. “I getting smashed in the forehead a couple of
don’t want to trade draft picks unless times with hockey sticks,” McCann told
they’re later rounds picks because it’s not Postmedia in November 2019 when the
the cycle we’re in. Penguins rallied for a wild 8-6 home-ice win
over the Canucks .
“There’s trading to gain age, and if it takes a
couple of years, then we’ve got the right “I just have very high standards for myself
age group.” and I’m just a competitive guy.”
Rutherford acquired Pearson from Los NEXT GAME
Angeles for Carl Hagelin because the Kings
Tuesday
were in a salary-cap crunch. But the winger
lasted just 44 games in Pittsburgh in 2018- Vancouver Canucks vs. Arizona Coyotes
19, a season in which he played for three
7 p.m., Rogers Arena. TV: Sportsnet Pacific.
teams.
Radio: Sportsnet 650.
Pearson had three goals in first six games
McCann got a two-year, US $5.88-million
with the Penguins, but just nine when dealt
extension in Pittsburgh and would then hit
to the Canucks for Gudbranson.
double-digit goals on three occasions. He
Jared McCann tries on a Vancouver Canucks had 14 goals in 43 games, but in advance of
jersey for the first time, while then-Canucks the expansion roster freeze was dealt to the
executives Laurence Gilman (left) and Jim Maple Leafs for Filip Hallander and a
Benning (right) watch, after the Ontario seventh-rounder.
Hockey League centre was picked 24th
It ensured the Penguins got something for
overall in the first round by the Canucks at
McCann instead of likely losing him to the
the June 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia.
Kraken. His 32 points (14-18) at the time
McCann was acquired by the Penguins from were proof of improving potential, but the
the Panthers — he failed to hit the 10-goal Penguins were deep up front.McCann’s contract was also attractive — a US $2.94-million salary cap hit expiring this season to make the restricted free agent a signing priority — so the Maple Leafs rolled the draft dice. The expansion buzz was they could lose Alex Kerfoot and that would provide McCann a platform to blend into an improving roster. However, the Kraken picked McCann and it has proved prudent for a first-year club struggling with a 29th- ranked offence and 27th-rated power play. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 02.04.2022
1234503 Websites doubter on nearly any other team. The Avs,
as we say each week, aren’t any other
The Athletic / NHL power rankings: We
team, so Rantanen is fourth in the pecking
send one extra person to All-Star weekend
order in a very stupid system. Whatever.
from each team
Dom: He arguably should’ve been first or
By Dom Luszczyszyn and Sean Gentille Feb
second! Nathan MacKinnon was right that
4, 2022
this team had five players worthy of going.
It’s All-Star weekend in the NHL, so
Sean: For the record, I think the “one per
naturally, we did an All-Star theme.
team” rule is kind of stupid, even though I
The NHL made sure to send at least one see the logic — this is an event for little
player from every team to represent their kids, and every little kid should have their
franchise, and we thought “why stop team represented.
there?” For this week, we thought long and
2. Florida Panthers
hard about which other players should be
sent to Vegas to participate in All-Star Record: 32-10-5
festivities.
Last week: 2
Our criteria: Who would be the most fun
Dom rank: 2
addition? Not the most deserving —
although sometimes there’s overlap Sean rank: 2
between the two — but the ones who
Send him to Vegas: Aleksander Barkov
would improve the weekend’s overall fun
factor. Dom: The NHL is reviving the breakaway
challenge this year, an event with so much
Here’s who we got from Mikko Rantanen to
potential that has never lived up to the
… Ben Chiarot. Look, just trust us on that
hype. Barkov has a big bag of tricks and
last one.
would be a treat to watch there.
1. Colorado Avalanche
Sean: No complaints here. I wouldn’t mind
Record: 32-8-4 seeing Aaron Ekblad in a hardest shot
competition, either. Florida getting one rep
Last week: 1
is some tough luck.
Dom rank: 1
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Sean rank: 1
Record: 31-9-2
Send him to Vegas: Mikko Rantanen
Last week: 3
Sean: This is a boring answer, right?
Dom rank: 5
Rantanen is awesome. He’s good at
everything. He’s also tied for sixth in scoring Sean rank: 3
this season, which would make him a no-Send him to Vegas: Andrei Svechnikov Sean rank: 4
Sean: It’s wild that the permanently slept- Send him to Vegas: Nikita Kucherov
on Hurricanes already have the maximum
Sean: The caveat here is that he wouldn’t
allowable number of All-Stars. Huh.
actually participate in anything for fear of
Anywho, send Svechnikov and throw him in
reinjuring himself. Just put him between the
the breakaway challenge, too. Maybe he’ll
benches with a case of Bud Light and see
do the Forsberg and make a bunch of
what happens.
people pretend he invented it.
Dom: This is the best idea on this list. Make
Dom: He would be amazing for the
him a breakaway challenge judge while
breakaway challenge. Maybe he can do a
we’re at it.
one-handed Michigan that can actually be
named after him. Sean: The other option here was Anthony
Cirelli. Apologies to the under-the-radar,
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
two-way center. We are going with the
Record: 29-10-3 maniac.
Last week: 6 6. Minnesota Wild
Dom rank: 3 Record: 28-10-3
Sean rank: 5 Last week: 7
Send him to Vegas: Mitch Marner Dom rank: 6
Dom: While we were filling these out I got Sean rank: 6
an all caps exasperated text from Sean
Send him to Vegas: Jonas Brodin
about my choice here. For starters, Marner
has been amazing of late with goals in Dom: I’m picturing some sort of event
seven straight games and 16 points in those where defensive defencemen really get to
contests. But more importantly, he has flex their muscles and Jonas Brodin is the
golden retriever energy which is a much- star of the show. The Wild have been super
needed addition when everyone is mic’d fun over the past two years, but it’s
up. important to stay in touch with your roots.
Remember who you really are, Minnesota.
Sean: If there’s one thing we need, it’s more
Marner-centric content. Sean: Make Jacques Lemaire an honorary
assistant.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
7. Boston Bruins
Record: 30-10-6
Record: 26-14-3
Last week: 4
Last week: 8
Dom rank: 4Dom rank: 7 9. Calgary Flames
Sean rank: 8 Record: 23-13-6
Send him to Vegas: Brad Marchand Last week: 11
Sean: Maybe Marchand staying home is for Dom rank: 8
the best. He can mess around on his phone
Sean rank: 9
all weekend instead. Getting Actually Mad
about All-Star snubs is a waste of time, Send him to Vegas: Matthew Tkachuk
because half of these guys don’t want to be
Sean: I’m not saying this season has
there in the first place, but Marchand
convinced me that Tkachuk is a perfect
missing out is farcical.
hockey player, but … I’m not not saying
Dom: The league’s biggest heel needed to that, either. He’s over a point per game and
be at this event. Who knows, he could’ve part of one of the best lines in the league,
live tweeted from the ice during the skills and there’s something about his game,
competition. aesthetically, that just works for me. Plus,
his brother is already going to be there. No-
8. Pittsburgh Penguins
brainer.
Record: 27-11-8
Dom: He can score, he can make plays. He
Last week: 5 plays a complete 200-foot game. He has a
rare mix of grit and finesse. He might
Dom rank: 9
actually be the perfect player.
Sean rank: 7
10. New York Rangers
Send him to Vegas: Bryan Rust
Record: 30-13-4
Dom: Well, we know Sid is never going
Last week: 10
again so it has to be someone else and that
someone else needs to be Bryan Rust, the Dom rank: 11
league’s Donkiest and most unassuming
Sean rank: 10
star player. You may not know this, but over
the past three seasons, Rust has 0.96 points Send him to Vegas: Ryan Reaves
per game — the same as Johnny Gaudreau,
Dom: The best All-Star Game of all time was
and good for 30th in the league. Also, I
the John Scott All-Star Game. I don’t even
want this tweet on the scoreboard when
remember what year it was, but I know it
they introduce him.
was the best one. Ever. Ryan Reaves could
WHO THE FUCK IS BRYAN RUST potentially foster that same energy as a
lovable fan favourite fighter that we all root
— DOM AT THE ATHLETIC
for — a nice reward to acknowledge his
(@DOMLUSZCZYSZYN) MAY 27, 2016
career. That he’s a former Golden Knight isicing on the cake. Another added bonus: had to be his first beer the night before. I
Tom Wilson is going, meaning in between would like a repeat of that.
games we can have an actual heavyweight
Sean: I’m including the draft in its entirety
tilt between the two. It’s too perfect.
here, because it’s the best idea the league
Sean: Igor Shesterkin, snubbed yet again by has ever had.
those who love him most.
Dom: So good they said “nah, let’s scrap it.”
11. Vegas Golden Knights
13. Washington Capitals
Record: 27-16-3
Record: 25-13-9
Last week: 9
Last week: 12
Dom rank: 10
Dom rank: 13
Sean rank: 12
Sean rank: 13
Send him to Vegas: Jack Eichel
Send him to Vegas: Carl Hagelin
Sean: He’s there already. It’s not like
Sean: He’s getting older, but I still want to
anyone is going to hit him during the game
see Hagelin in another fastest skater
itself. Throw him out there; we haven’t
competition before it’s all over. For some
seen the dude play in, like, five years.
added fun, put him in the breakaway event,
Dom: Luckily the Pacific Division doesn’t too. Also, for Caps fans, having Hagelin
have to worry about the cap hit either. around might stop Evgeny Kuznetsov from
doing anything all that stupid.
12. Nashville Predators
Dom: “Another.” Did Hagelin do one
Record: 28-14-4
previously? Was he in an All-Star Game I
Last week: 13 forgot about?
Dom rank: 12 Sean: I said he was in a fastest skater
competition, not that he was in an All-Star
Sean rank: 11
Game. Excuse you.
Send him to Vegas: Matt Duchene
14. St. Louis Blues
Dom: I think it was Duchene’s first All-Star
Record: 26-13-5
Game a while back and it was possibly the
same year the NHL introduced the “team Last week: 14
captain” system for team selection. While
Dom rank: 14
many remember Phil Kessel being picked
last, one of the other highlights from that Sean rank: 14
game was Duchene’s hilariously awkward
Send him to Vegas: Jordan Binnington
mic’d up performance talking about whatDom: Vegas is all about star power, glitz, defenceman the world has ever seen. That’s
glamour, etc. This event has potential to the opposite of fun and we don’t want that.
bring out some major celebs and adding Plus, we’re bringing Matthew Tkachuk too
Jordan Binnington to the roster could entice so having them on the same team could be
one of the biggest in the world: Justin lots of fun too.
Bieber. Remember the shootout that was
Sean: Yeah, Doughty loves being asked
supposed to happen but never did? Bring it
about the Tkachuk stuff. Let’s get another
to Vegas.
round of that.
Sean: That’s right — everyone loves Jordan
17. Dallas Stars
Binnington.
Record: 23-18-2
15. Edmonton Oilers
Last week: 15
Record: 23-16-3
Dom rank: 17
Last week: 17
Sean rank: 17
Dom rank: 15
Send him to Vegas: Jason Robertson
Sean rank: 16
Sean: One of the fun Olympic storylines we
Send him to Vegas: Evander Kane
missed out on was whether Robertson was
Sean: Sometimes, things just make sense. going to force his way onto the roster. He’s
Also, the alternative is putting another full- been in the league a season and a half now,
season Oiler on the team, and we’re not and he’s been lights out for all of it. In any
about to do that. case, this would mean we still got to see
him and Joe Pavelski team up in a best-on-
Dom: Kane would be a natural in Vegas, he
best competition. Sort of. Definitely makes
already knows the town so well.
up for the NHL-less Olympics, yessiree.
16. Los Angeles Kings
Dom: How long until he headlines the
Record: 24-16-7 annual “most underrated player” lists?
Last week: 16 Sean: You mean The Loui Eriksson Award?
He might be too good for that, especially if
Dom rank: 16
he’s putting up numbers like this after next
Sean rank: 15 season.
Send him to Vegas: Drew Doughty Dom: Yeah, but he plays in Dallas where we
have to sit through “actually, y’all don’t
Dom: The alternative is that we hear
know how good Miro Heiskanen is.”
Doughty crying about it to the media for the
next year about how he wasn’t selected to 18. Vancouver Canucks
be an All Star even though he’s the greatest
Record: 20-20-6Last week: 18 assuming that’s why he’s there — but it
would be even more fun to see if he would
Dom rank: 18
try any Michigan variations during the
Sean rank: 18 actual game. One day.
Send him to Vegas: Quinn Hughes 20. New York Islanders
Dom: The NHL really sent just one Record: 16-17-6
defenceman from the Pacific to the All-Star
Last week: 19
Game. That’s disrespectful. Hughes
deserves to be there on merit, but he’s also Dom rank: 19
one of the most fun defenders to watch in
Sean rank: 21
the game, period.
Send him to Vegas: Lou Lamoriello
Sean: We know which Canucks defenseman
gets Bruce Boudreau’s vote. Dom: Anytime anything fun happens on the
ice, there needs to be a picture-in-picture
“HE’S THE FIRST DEFENSEMAN THAT’S
LouCam on the screen at the same time.
SCORED SINCE I’VE BEEN HERE, SO TO ME
IT’S BOBBY ORR,” SAYS BRUCE BOUDREAU Sean: He’s got some old friends he can say
OF LUKE SCHENN. #CANUCKS hello to.
— THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) 21. Winnipeg Jets
FEBRUARY 1, 2022
Record: 18-17-7
19. Anaheim Ducks
Last week: 21
Record: 23-16-9
Dom rank: 21
Last week: 20
Sean rank: 20
Dom rank: 20
Send him to Vegas: Paul Maurice
Sean rank: 19
Sean: Maybe he’s already there. If I were
Send him to Vegas: Trevor Zegras him, I’d be hanging out somewhere warm
after seven years of Winnipeg winters.
Sean: He’s already there, set to do who
knows what during the skills competition, Dom: The least the organization can do is
but make him a full-freight All-Star. Credit send Maurice there after he was a sacrificial
to the NHL for recognizing that the season’s lamb for them earlier this season. The team
breakout star had to be involved in one way hasn’t been any better since his departure.
or another, but it’s not enough. This
22. San Jose Sharks
weekend should be about fun. Nothing else.
Record: 22-20-4
Dom: I’m beyond excited to see what he
pulls off in the breakaway challenge — Last week: 22Dom rank: 22 would create the most fun … for whoever
he faces.
Sean rank: 22
Sean: Grubauer and Vegas are already a
Send him to Vegas: Tomas Hertl
match made in heaven.
Dom: This man’s catchphrase is “fun must
25. Detroit Red Wings
be always” and he has his own pool floaties.
He doesn’t even need to play, just throw it Record: 20-21-6
over to him floating poolside somewhere
Last week: 24
during intermission.
Dom rank: 25
Sean: He can hang out in the Bellagio
fountain on Friday night. Sean rank: 25
23. New Jersey Devils Send him to Vegas: Lucas Raymond and
Moritz Seider stacked on top of each other
Record: 15-25-5
in a trench coat
Last week: 23
Sean: Sneak the little kids in there.
Dom rank: 23
Dom: Okay, but they have to do every event
Sean rank: 23 stacked on top of each other in a trench
coat.
Send him to Vegas: Mackenzie Blackwood
Sean: Of course, idiot!
Sean: Put Blackwood in the Dunkin’ NHL
Save Streak™ and let Jack Hughes go against 26. Chicago Blackhawks
him as many times as it takes to have his
Record: 16-23-7
revenge.
Last week: 25
Dom: Can the league call it a Save Streak if a
goalie doesn’t actually have a streak of Dom rank: 26
saves?
Sean rank: 27
24. Seattle Kraken
Send him to Vegas: Marc-Andre Fleury
Record: 15-27-4
Dom: Has he been bad this season? Yes. But
Last week: 26 Marc-Andre Fleury has the ability to light up
any room he enters … probably. I’ve never
Dom rank: 24
been in the same room as him, I’m just
Sean rank: 24 imagining it. His mere presence would make
this game better, and again, the Vegas
Send him to Vegas: Philipp Grubauer
factor can’t be ignored.
Dom: Frankly, there aren’t enough goals in
27. Philadelphia Flyers
the All-Star Game and Grubauer’s inclusionRecord: 15-22-8 Send it to Vegas: The cannon
Last week: 29 Sean: I covered the Columbus All-Star Game
a few years back. Did they fire the cannon
Dom rank: 27
after every goal? Of course. Did I get
Sean rank: 26 annoyed after the first few goals? Of
course. Did it circle back to being funny by,
Send him to Vegas: Rasmus Ristolainen
like, the 10th? Of course. Should be a
Sean: This way, whatever GM signs him for mandatory inclusion at every one of these
$5.5 AAV this summer can say, “Hey, he was stupid things.
an All-Star.” Honestly, Ristolainen hasn’t
Dom: I think my only amendment is that I
been bad this season, outside of the fact he
would like something cannon-like that
plays for the Flyers, and thus has been bad
would be specific to Vegas. Like maybe the
by definition. He’s got the second-best
Blue Man Group starts wailing away after
expected goals rate on the team. Another
every goal, I don’t know.
big contract is coming, just watch.
Sean: A possible post-playing career job for
Dom: That’s like saying Chris Driedger leads
Ryan Getzlaf — Blue Man?
the Kraken in save percentage.
30. Buffalo Sabres
28. Ottawa Senators
Record: 14-24-7
Record: 14-22-4
Last week: 30
Last week: 27
Dom rank: 30
Dom rank: 28
Sean rank: 30
Sean rank: 29
Send him to Vegas: Alex Tuch
Send him to Vegas: Tim Stützle
Dom: It’s a shame he was injured for so long
Dom: I truly believe Tim Stützle would find a
because his presence at the All-Star Game
way to go four for three in the accuracy
wouldn’t be a sham, unlike the guy actually
shooting competition. His shot is nasty.
representing the team. Tuch has been a
Sean: I figured you’d want him in your revelation and it would be nice to get the
defensive forward competition. old band back together in Vegas.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets Sean: We had a really nice talk with him on
the podcast a couple weeks back, and I
Record: 20-22-1
heard from a toooon of Vegas fans who
Last week: 28 miss him.
Dom rank: 29 31. Arizona Coyotes
Sean rank: 28 Record: 11-30-4Last week: 31 Dom rank: 31 Sean rank: 31 Send him to Vegas: Phil Kessel Sean: All Phil wants to do is play cards and be left alone. Grant him that much. He’s stuck on this team and deserves something nice. Dom: Phil’s Poker Party should be a post- skills competition event. 32. Montreal Canadiens Record: 8-29-7 Last week: 32 Dom rank: 32 Sean rank: 32 Send him to Vegas: Ben Chiarot Dom: I just want to see someone who will absolutely fetch a first-rounder at the deadline (Chiarot) next to someone who didn’t (Mark Stone). For context. Sean: Congrats to Nick Suzuki, who I just learned is the Canadiens’ actual representative. He’ll be there to remind Vegas fans of what they’re not really missing. The Athletic LOADED: 02.04.2022
1234504 Websites $7.35 million per season contract extension
— with negotiations forcing him to miss
most of training camp and preseason —
The Athletic / The NHL’s 10 biggest Pettersson’s scored just 24 points in 46
disappointments of the 2021-22 season so games, a 43-point pace over 82 games.
far
In his first three seasons, Pettersson was an
By Harman Dayal Feb 3, 2022 elite five-on-five producer. Between 2018-
19 and 2020-21, he was sandwiched
Expectations are always recalibrated for
between Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan
players and teams prior to the start of a
Huberdeau, ranking 17th in the NHL with
new season.
2.5 points per hour. This year? He’s scored
Teams are under pressure to justify just nine five-on-five points, which equates
offseason acquisitions, fans and owners to a rate that’s barely fourth line calibre
don’t have much patience and management once accounting for his ice-time.
and coaching jobs are often on the line.
What’s changed for a player that was on the
That causes a lot of expectation to trickle
cusp of being anointed one of the NHL’s
down to individual players, the ones who
elite No.1 centremen just two years ago?
actually determine wins and losses with
their performance. Well, for one, he’s on the heels of a wrist
injury that forced him to miss the entire
Established stars need to continue leading
second half of last season. Pettersson’s
the way. There are splashy, new contracts
ability to create chances off the rush has
to live up to. Offseason departures leave
also cratered according to Corey Sznajder’s
vacancies for new players to step up the
tracking data. Pettersson’s carrying the
lineup. Highly touted young guns need to
puck into the offensive zone at a 23 percent
turn promise and potential into tangible
lower rate than his 2019-20 campaign and
NHL results.
there’s an even steeper decline in how
Two weeks ago, we looked at the 10 players often he’s making a play upon entering the
who’ve most pleasantly surprised this zone.
season. This time around we’re going to
Vancouver’s prized centre hasn’t looked like
analyze the opposite: the NHL’s 10 biggest
his usual self for most of the season, though
disappointments. Here they are, presented
his struggles have been exacerbated by
in no particular order.
tough puck luck. Pettersson’s line has
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks converted five-on-five shots at an 11.4
percent rate up until this season. This year,
The Vancouver Canucks pushed all their
his on-ice shooting percentage is less than
chips in to be competitive this season. That
half of that at just 5.5 percent. 5.5 percent
plan has failed miserably. Elias Pettersson’s
is the kind of finishing you’d expect from a
production falling off a cliff is one of the
sub-replacement level grinder with no
major reasons why. Fresh off a three-year,
offensive skill — clearly that will improve.Shot quality could have something to do against. The 25-year-old has surrendered
with the lower finishing rate but 3.59 goals against per hour at five-on-five
considering he’s driving scoring chances and while allowing high danger chances at the
expected goals for his line at a comparable highest rate of all forwards except rookie
rate as his rookie season (where he scored Yegor Chinakhov.
66 points in 71 games) according to public
CBJ's High Danger Chances Against Rate
underlying numbers, it’s far more likely that
he’s been the victim of bad bounces as well. PLAYER 5V5 HIGH DANGER CHANCES
ALLOWED/60
It’s been a nightmare combination of
deteriorating play, bad bounces and Sean Kuraly
confidence issues for Pettersson. Historical
11.1
comparables tell us top players like him
should bounce back, but it remains to be Cole Sillinger
seen to what extent.
11.1
Jack Roslovic, Columbus Blue Jackets
Eric Robinson
When Patrik Laine initially struggled
12.0
following the Columbus’ Blue Jackets’
blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets Alexandre Texier
last season it was the local kid, Jack
12.1
Roslovic, who emerged as a silver lining.
Roslovic exploded offensively with 34 points Jakub Voracek
in 48 games, a near 60-point pace on a Blue
12.2
Jackets roster starved for offence. His
playmaking dazzled on a nightly basis and Max Domi
with virtually no competition for a top-six
12.7
centre spot heading into this season, he
was the strong favourite to emerge as the Oliver Bjorkstrand
club’s No.1 centre to play with Laine.
12.8
Instead of a consistent top-six role, Roslovic
Gustav Nyquist
has been relegated to fourth-line minutes,
averaging just 12:16 per game. And you 13.0
can’t really blame the coaching staff for
Patrik Laine
their lack of trust. Roslovic’s risky style and
defensive warts were manageable last 13.2
season, but this year, they’ve completely
Boone Jenner
overshadowed anything he’s done
offensively (18 points in 42 games). The 13.9
turnovers and defensive inconsistencies
Jack Roslovic
have piled up and with it so have the goals14.1 the 2020-21 campaign. He has more to give,
but 14 goals and 23 points in 43 games is at
Yegor Chinakhov
least something you can live with if your
14.2 other top players are going.
Roslovic still has a lot to offer offensively — That’s where the Stars needed a lot more
he’s surprisingly scored five-on-five points from his linemate, Jamie Benn who’s
at a higher rate relative to his ice-time than notched just 20 points in 43 games. Benn’s
last season — but it means nothing when production has been on a downward slope
he’s giving all that and more up in the for a while but the toughest pill to swallow
defensive zone. After a beautiful has been the decline of his two-way game.
homecoming last season, colleague Aaron
Data via Natural Stat Trick
Portzline now believes Roslovic is “widely
assumed to be available for trade.” Benn was scoring at a 55-point pace last
season but his line still had a 71 percent
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin (tie), Dallas
goal share at five-on-five because he rarely
Stars
got scored on. His defensive metrics were
Dallas’ top line with Jason Robertson, elite, he was a monster play-driver in
Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski was top five helping Dallas control 57 percent of scoring
when I ranked every NHL team’s first line by chances and his line allowed just 1.02 goals
goal differential last week. It’s a dominant against per hour.
trio led by Robertson’s ascension as a
Not only has Benn’s offence continued
legitimate star.
declining, but the defensive impact has
Typically when you have elite production at eroded to the point where he’s been
the top of the lineup, it’s enough to outscored at five-on-five. Benn and Seguin’s
singlehandedly put you in the playoff contracts look like albatrosses right now.
picture. The Stars, however, are on the
Dominik Kubalik, Chicago Blackhawks
outside looking in because they’re
essentially just a one-line team. That Two years ago, Dominik Kubalik seemed
problem begins with the franchise’s two untouchable as a budding core piece for the
highest-paid players, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Chicago Blackhawks. Kubalik was just 24
Benn. and scored 30 goals in 68 games as a rookie.
Now, his future’s uncertain as a pending
Seguin and Benn combine for nearly $20
RFA, with the Blackhawks presumably
million against the salary cap and neither is
gearing up to make roster decisions ahead
coming close to even sniffing that level of
of the trade deadline.
obligation. In Seguin’s case, there’s at least
a reason for it, as he’s only had half a We’ve gotten to this point as a result of a
season to build back up since major knee down season where the Czech winger has
and hip injuries that required surgery and only produced 10 goals and 17 points in 46
shelved him for all but three games during games, a 30-point pace over 82 games. LikeYou can also read
