It has been a successful second season for the Seattle Kraken as they continue to find ways to win. Not many believed in this team heading into the 2022-23 season, but those that are Kraken fans knew this team had potential. After a rocky first season in the NHL, general manager Ron Francis did some rebuilding during the offseason bringing in goaltender Martin Jones, Stanley Cup Champion forward Andre Burakovsky, and veteran defenseman Justin Schultz. The Kraken also were preparing to have rookie center Matty Beniers on their top line from the beginning of the season. All these moves have paid off as the team finds themselves on top of the Pacific Division.
Thanks to a 4-3 OT victory over the New Jersey Devils last night and a Vegas Golden Knights loss to the Detroit Red Wings, the Kraken are now the top team in the Pacific Division. They have a 27-14-4 record and 58 points while still owning a game in hand over the Golden Knights.
Thanks to a complete team effort, it has been a remarkable season for the Kraken, as it hasn’t been just one player that has gotten them to these new heights. The combination of a potent offense, a solid defense, and strong goaltending has propelled the Kraken to where they are at this point in the season.
The Kraken has enjoyed a strong start to 2023 as they are 9-2-0 in the month of January, which saw them start the year with eight consecutive wins, including a 3-0 shutout of the NHL-leading Boston Bruins on Jan 12th.
The season is far from over, though, as the Kraken have 37 games remaining and must keep their foot on the gas to stay in the top spot as the Pacific is heating up with the Edmonton Oilers surging up the rankings.
If the Kraken wish to make a deep playoff run this season, they will need to add pieces at the March 3rd trade deadline to bolster the roster. While the Kraken does not appear to need much, they could see GM Ron Francis make a splash, as forward Bo Horvat has been linked to the Kraken.
The Kraken’s next game is slated for tomorrow night as they host the Colorado Avalanche for the second game of their five-game homestand.
