A feeding frenzy north of the border Tuesday left few remaining Kraken skaters goal-less on the season.
Six different scorers– Brandon Montour recorded the first hat trick of his career and Seattle’s first hat trick since January 2023– combined for an 8-2 win over the 6th-place Montreal Canadiens. Twelve different Kraken made the scoresheet on the first of a five-game road trip, and six recorded multiple points.
Jamie Oleksiak opened the scoring beating a screened Sam Montembeault from 52 feet out for his first of the season, leaving depth piece Josh Mahura, ‘fourth-line’ staple Yanni Gourde, and stay-at-home defenseman Will Borgen on the hunt for their own.
Oh, and André Burakovsky. Seattle’s flashiest free agency signing of the 2022 offseason and one of the costlier forwards on their roster today ($27.5 million total over five years) is still without a goal 10 games in.
Several injury-related absences prevented Burakovsky from playing 10 consecutive games until January and limited him to 49 games total last season, greatly hampering his productivity. His seven goals, 16 points, and 7.6 SH% all set new career-lows. Burakovsky’s 11-year NHL tenure is characterized by fairly steady scoring otherwise, including six seasons accumulating at least 30 points.
Understandably, finding an offensive groove is harder deprived of good health and consistent game action.
During the IIHF World Championship in May, Burakovsky aided his Swedes to a bronze medal with four goals and 11 points, tied for the ninth-most points in the tournament alongside the likes of Erik Karlsson and John Tavares. Back in Sweden for the offseason he worked with his trainer “every day,” and worked with the pro team in his hometown.
“I had a good summer,” the winger told reporters at training camp. “It was good not to do too much rehab this summer and just work on my strength and a lot of stuff I needed to work on to get better.”
That makes his cold start somewhat unexpected.
There’s an indistinguishable three second difference between Burakovsky’s average ice time this season and last. There’s been no sign regarding the return of the ailment he dealt with briefly during the preseason.
Head coach Dan Bylsma observed earlier this month that successful chemistry usually pans out as being “two guys, a pair, that are aligned” with an “interchangeable” third, perhaps making Burakovsky’s lineup vagrancy a product– as opposed to the cause– of his goal-less start. Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz, Burakovsky’s linemates the first three games, spent nine together without him before being broken up in Montreal. Meanwhile, Burakovsky paired with Eeli Tolvanen and Matty Beniers, as well as Tye Kartye and Brandon Tanev. Stephenson and Burakovsky have been reunited the last two games.
Tuesday’s win itself doesn’t put immense pressure on Burakovsky to kick into a higher offensive gear, seeing as depth scoring from forwards and defense meant the Kraken were nearly invulnerable to a potential loss. Noting his team’s tendency to stay in the perimeter and hesitate to shoot, Bylsma felt Seattle’s performance was an improved one.
“There’s no secret to scoring goals in this league. You gotta have shot volume, you gotta have guys at the net, you gotta have people in and around the net. And it’s not just one guy, it’s two guys that can converge on the net and get the opportunity,” he said post-game. “Tonight, in the first in particular we were very good at that.”
Does that assessment worsen the fact that Burakovsky didn’t score?
The winger dished up his sixth assist of the season and committed the offensive zone blueline turnover resulting in Alex Newhook’s breakaway attempt late in the first period.
With the Kraken already leading 3-0 and Joey Daccord saving the shot sans issue, Burakovsky’s blunder and his hesitancy to shoot when he circled the net with possession moments prior went unnoticed. Eight goals also served to mask the fact that he failed to log a shot and Seattle controlled merely 31.08% of the shot quality in all situations with him on the ice, even with 71.43% of his shifts beginning in the offensive zone.
When it comes to creating chances and tilting the ice in Seattle’s favor individually, Burakovky’s start to the season is similar to the 10-game stretch following his official return from injury in January. He’s recorded 14 shots, generated 1.17 expected goals, and three high danger chances so far, compared to seven shots, one goal, 0.66 expected goals, and two high danger chances then.
Over the final 10 games of last season, he recorded 21 shots, 2 goals, 2.21 individual expected goals, and eight high danger chances.
Kraken Without Dunn, Montour in the 6ix
Perhaps tonight is the night for Burakovsky. Toronto Maple Leafs’ projected starter Joseph Woll surrendered four goals in his team’s 5-1 loss to the St Louis Blues last week, his first game of the season. Joey Daccord is set to oppose him.
Unsurprisingly, Vince Dunn will miss his sixth consecutive game due to a mid-body injury keeping him on LTIR until at least Nov. 12. Brandon Montour will also be out of the lineup, as the defenseman flew back to Seattle for the birth of his second child. There’s no timeline for his return.