When was the last time the NHL was considered a blueprint for for anything in sports?
Ladies and gentlemen, the 4 Nations Face-Off rocked the sports world like a Tkachuk brothers’ punch.
There it was, the headline above Dan Wetzel’s column: “Could it be a blueprint for the NBA?” Wetzel isn’t a hockey writer. He’s been a Yahoo Sports national columnist since 2003, as well as a best-selling author. Wetzel joined a legion of prominent media voices extolling last week’s NHL in-season tournament, which many even inside hockey undersold prior to the event.
Wetzel called the first of two USA vs. Canada meetings, “One of the most intense, skilled, thrilling and talent-rich games ever played.” (The encore didn’t disappoint, either.) Wetzel didn’t write “hockey games,” which would have been high praise in itself. Any Games. And there’s more. “In an era where leagues are trying to find a way to pump excitement and meaning into the old all-star game concept, the NHL has not only found it, but is ready to have it breathe life into the entire product.”
For all of us who love hockey, yet have come to acceptance about its niche status among the “Big Four” team sports in the U.S., these are words to cheer for.
Don’t Take The Clickbait
Jared McCann scored the game-winner in Saturday’s Kraken 2-1 upset of the champion Florida Panthers. Which reminds us…
Welcome to clickbait season, that period leading up to the March 7 NHL trade deadline. All it takes is one tweet (which happened), claiming, oh, let’s say Jared McCann was being dangled by the Kraken. Before you can say “unsubstantiated,” roughly 312 online team sites were gurgling up 300-word fanboy explanations of how McCann would fit on the club they follow, stories with less meat than a veggie burger.
Then a more reliable source, let’s say Elliotte Friedman, says no, it was other teams inquiring about McCann, not Seattle initiating such discussions. Now, McCann could indeed be dealt; GMs talk to each other about practically everybody, especially on teams like Seattle expected to be sellers. In the meantime, our advice is Caveat Lector (reader beware!)
Reasons (Not) To Trade Oliver Bjorkstrand
When a story includes factual analysis of a potential Kraken trade chip, we’re happy to point to it. The New Jersey Devils’ Infernal Access kicked the tires on Seattle forward Oliver Bjorkstrand.
“Bjorkstrand produces consistent offense at 5v5, where the Devils are severely lacking juice. He is tied for 64th in points during that game-state with names like Anze Kopitar, Timo Meier, and Robert Thomas.
“He possesses underrated playmaking ability and an excellent shot that can beat goaltenders cleanly. He’s also better than you think at creating offense in tougher areas of the ice. Bjorkstrand ranks in the 71st percentile in high-danger shots, 87th percentile in high-danger goals, and is shooting a whopping 32% from that home plate area (91st percentile). He is one of just two Kraken forwards – Jaden Schwartz being the other – who owns a positive rating offensively and defensively, per HockeyStatCards.”
Of course, those sounds like great reasons not to trade the Kraken’s 2024 All-Star.
Why Joey Daccord Is Virtually Unbeatable
Kraken goalie Joey Daccord sparkled again Saturday, stopping 26 of 27 shots in the victory over Florida. Among goalies with 19 or more games played, he’s 8th in the NHL with a 2.45 GAA, and 6th in save percentage at .917. Which reminds us…
Fans typically first see Daccord when he skates onto the ice with teammates for pregame warmups. Sean Shapiro wrote about how Daccord prepares in the two hours prior.
“Daccord will arrive around 4:15 pm and study the information Kraken coaches have posted in the locker room. He’ll focus on offensive tendencies for the opponent: where they attack on the power play, how they enter the zone. After that Daccord will head to the trainer’s room, typically for routine treatment.
“Then he’ll strap on a headset and enter virtual reality through a program called NHL Sense Arena. Different colored pucks will be shot at him virtually, and he’ll ‘catch’ the pucks with either his glove or blocker hand depending on the color or object.
After that, a drill known as ‘goalie cannon’ where robotic shooters fire pucks. Daccord will finish with (virtual) shots from real shooters, which NHL Sense Arena has filmed and converted.
“According to Daccord it’s the most realistic part of the prep because he can track the shot off the blade of a shooter’s stick.
“‘I think it’s something that you’ll see more of, you get more of the form and function, the puck tracking, and it doesn’t put strain on the body,’ Daccord said. ‘For me, it really is the best of both worlds and it helps me feel better in the real game.'”