Above Images: Ex-Kraken Tomáš Tatar (L), Alex Wennberg (C), Brian Dumoulin (R)
Former Seattle Kraken forward Kailer Yamamoto has been sent down to the AHL after three scoreless games with Utah Hockey Club. That raised our curiosity about how other members of the 2023-24 Kraken squad who’ve moved on are fairing.
Alexander Wennberg: Traded at the deadline to the NY Rangers, he scored a memorable OT goal in the playoffs against the eventual Cup champion Panthers. As a free agent, he signed this summer in San Jose. Wennberg has one goal and four assists in 11 games with the Sharks. (That one goal was the overtime winner as the Sharks rallied to beat Utah for their first win of the season.) His new team meets the Kraken on back-to-back nights, Nov. 29 in San Jose and Nov. 30 in Seattle.
Tomáš Tatar: The second of three players from last year’s Kraken roster still elsewhere in the NHL, Tatar is on his second tour of duty with the New Jersey Devils. Over the last 13 months, Tatar left the Devils to sign as a free agent with the Avalanche, was traded to the Kraken, then signed a one-year deal to return to New Jersey this summer. He has one goal and three assists in 12 games. The Kraken meet the Devils Dec. 6 in Newark.
Brian Dumoulin: Following his single season in Seattle, the Kraken traded the defenseman to the Anaheim Ducks over the summer in exchange for a 2026 4th round draft pick. His advanced metrics aren’t great, but the 12-year NHL pro is providing veteran leadership on a rebuilding Ducks squad off to a surprising 4-4-1 start. Dumoulin, averaging 18:46 TOI, will be back in Seattle to face the Kraken on Nov. 27.
Chris Driedger: An original Kraken, Driedger courageously fought his way back from an ACL tear in an international competition to lead Seattle’s AHL farm team in Coachella Valley to the Calder Cup Final. Like Tatar, he signed a one-year free agent contract with a former employer. Though he reunited with the Florida Panthers, he’s back in the AHL now. Driedger has won all three of his starts for the Charlotte Checkers, posting a 3.35 GAA and .897 save %.
Justin Schultz: After playing for three other teams during his 12-year NHL career, Schultz spent the last two seasons patrolling the Kraken blueline. As a free agent this summer, he didn’t find any takers, so Schultz signed with HC Lugano of Switzerland’s National League. However, a scan of Lugano’s box scores indicates he hasn’t suited up yet this season.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare: Released by Colorado from his pro tryout (PTO) on October 3, Bellemare hasn’t to our knowledge latched on with another team. He may, however, show up the next time France plays in an international hockey competition.
UPDATE: I posted this story on Oct. 31 at 7:45 am Seattle time. About one hour later, this news about Bellemare happened (stick tap to DJLR commenter Bellinghamster).
‘Cup Of Coffee’ Club
A trio of players who got brief looks with the Kraken last year are now playing in the AHL for the farm teams of their new organizations.
Devin Shore, 21 games with the Kraken last season, now with Minnesota.
Andrew Poturalski, 2 games, now with San Jose.
Kole Lind, 1 game, now with Dallas.
Marián Studenič, 2 games, is playing for Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League.
Hockey-Ing Like It’s 1995
The NHL doesn’t play in any of its classic old “barns” anymore – think Chicago Stadium, the Aud in Bufalo, the Montreal Forum, Maple Leaf Gardens – but on their current road trip, the Seattle Kraken are visiting some of the longest-operating venues.
Bell Centre, where Seattle squashed the Canadiens 8-2 on Tuesday, opened in 1995. So did Canadian Tire Centre, where the Kraken play the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, and TD Garden, where they face the Boston Bruins on Sunday. Only seven buildings in the league are older than those three.
The list of oldest current NHL arenas is somewhat misleading. Delta Center in Salt Lake City (1991) is just the temporary home of Utah Hockey Club. Like Utah HC, the Calgary Flames are getting a new arena to replace the Scotiabank Saddledome (1983). Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers play, may have opened at its current location in 1967, but a massive renovation was completed in 2013, and there’s plans underway for another one.
When Coach Is On A Walk, His Mind’s Still Racing
KING-5’s Paul Silvi asked Kraken coach Dan Bylsma what he likes to do when he’s not at the rink. “Be at the rink,” was the coach’s short answer. Come to think of it, that was his longer answer, too.
“My wife and my dog, we’re going to be on a walk, a hike, enjoying the outdoors. I’d say, ‘Trying to get my mind away from hockey,’ but it will be on hockey while we’re outdoors.”
19-Going-On-30 Kraken Prospect Zeb Forsfjäll
When Zeb Forsfjäll (pronounced Fours-fee-all) describes his style, the Seattle Kraken 2023 draft pick sounds a lot more mature than his age of 19. “Dare offensively and keep the defensive game,” the teen center told NHL.com’s Swedish-language website.
Part of the reason Forsfjäll can play boldly is because his Swedish Hockey League team, Skelleftea, has his back. “If you dare to play your game, everyone on the team, the leaders, say it’s just going out and playing.” Forsfjäll says he’s been told, “‘You’re here for a reason and if you make a mistake, we’ll back you.’ So no one who comes up is afraid to do wrong.”
The 6th round pick has been assigned a largely defensive role. It’s heady stuff for a youngster playing for not only his hometown club, but the defending league champion. Skelleftea coach Robert Ohlsson says admiringly, “He’s basically very responsible and plays hockey as a 30-year-old.”