The Seattle Kraken hit the three-quarter mark of their inaugural season, and the NHL Trade Deadline is upon us. General manager Ron Francis has adopted a sales mentality, and several players, including captain Mark Giordano, are trading in exchange for draft picks. Even though his moves left Seattle with an exhausted roster, it remains time for Kraken’s three-quarter-season superlatives to come together, the third installment of four.
Most Valuable Player: Yanni Gourde
Honorable Mentions: Jared McCann, Ryan Donato
Jaden Schwartz received the MVP award at the quarterfinals, followed by Jared McCann at the half. However, the three-quarters mark a new name takes over the price, as forward Yanni Gourde took over the Kraken scoring lead. McCann remains the goal-scoring leader, but Gourde’s team leader 22 assists overwhelmed him McCann, with 38 points and 55 games on McCann’s 36. Gourde’s points per game rate leads the Kraken, and he has a great Roll taken over. with the team as well, each striker leads with a time-on-ice (TOI) average of 18:38 per game.
Gourde’s basic data also support his MVP recognition. He sits fifth on the octopus in the Wins Above Replacement (WAR, per Evolving Hockey), and his defensive impact was consistently strong. Gourde was expected to be a key player for Seattle in their inaugural season, and he did not disappoint.
Best Sniper: Jared McCann
Honorable Mentions: Gourde, Jordan Eberle
Even though McCann loses the MVP spot, he retains his position as the top scorer on the team, with a career-high 23 goals this season. Gourde and Jordan Eberle are on the road, with 16 and 15 goals respectively. McCann’s goal pace has not slowed down since his first jump into the shooting position, eight goals in 19 games since that point. Assuming he does not face injury problems, he should reach the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. Its new extension looks better and better by day.
Best Defender: Jamie Oleksiak
The top defender of the quarter, Vince Dunn, has increased his game since the half, but remains out of the running here. Our half-season winner, Mark Giordano, is now disqualified for his trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a result, the hulking Blueliner Jamie Oleksiak takes the lead.
As usual, Oleksiak flew under the radar this season. He was never the type of player to wow an audience with offensive skills or illuminate the scoreboard. In fact, his 14 points a year are only third among Kraken defenders, not with Giordano. However, he was quietly an enormously effective player who led the entire Seattle roster in the WAR and maintained a very strong defensive impact.
With the intention of being directly competitive with the bat, Francis signed a number of bad contracts. However, Oleksiak’s deal, at this stage, looks as if it will hold up as solid. He was a key player for the Kraken this season.
Most surprising player: Ryan Donato
Honorable Mentions: Soucy, McCann
No surprises in the most surprising place, as Ryan Donato keeps it like he has all season. A cheap free agent signing, he continued to impress and played his way into Seattle’s long-term plans. He sits 10th on the Kraken in goal, fourth in goals, and first under the striker in WAR.
Related: Which Kraken players should be moved before the 2022 trading deadline?
Donato’s ice time was pretty low all season, sitting at just over 13 minutes per game. As he continues to gain the trust of coaching staff, an increased ice age will likely lead to an increase in productivity, making his contributions even more impressive.
Most disappointing player: Philipp Grubauer
Honorable Mentions: Joonas Donskoi, Morgan Geekie
Philipp Grubauer makes his third appearance as our most disappointing player, as he failed to improve his game through a deep season. The former Vezina Trophy finalist continues to struggle, ranking close to the bottom of the league and just about every conceivable goalie statistician. Due to Kraken’s surprisingly strong defensive play, it’s obvious that most of the team’s fights stemmed from the inability of their starting goalscorers to stop the puck at a high level. Grubauer will have his job cut out for him as he works to taste his contract in the coming seasons.
As the lead on the trading deadline continues, some more dealers are expected from Francis. Look back at the end of the season to see how one of Seattle’s remaining players will make up our end-of-season superlative.
All stats powered by NHL.com and Evolving Hockey March 20, 2022.
Jake is a reliable source for the Seattle octopus here at The Hockey Writers. Hailing from New York City, he is an avid fan of all things hockey and has always been involved in sports, whether writing, watching or playing. An enthusiastic advocate for sports analysis, Jake will often weave it into his posts to support his ideas. More of his work can be found on his substack page, and he is a collaborator with @hky_tapetalk on Instagram. For any questions or queries, Jake can be contacted on his Twitter, @jakezrihen.
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