A trio of Seattle Kraken goalie prospects realized a childhood dream during the 2024-25 season – stepping between the pipes for the first time in an NHL game.
Feb. 23, 2025 is the date Ales Stezka will never forget. The 28-year-old from Czechia got the start in Tampa, stopping 19 of 22 Lightning shots as the Kraken fell, 4-1. “‘Stez’ had a very good game,” then-Seattle coach Dan Bylsma said. “He had several good saves in the match, his glove was good, looked comfortable in there, and gave us every chance to win the game.”
Two days later in St. Louis, Nikke Kokko appeared in relief of Joey Daccord. Kakko played the final 29:57, making four saves on six shots as the Blues rolled, 7-2. The 2022 2nd round draft pick from Finland had made The Show two weeks prior to his 21st birthday.
On April 8 in Salt Lake City, it was Victor Ostman’s turn. A free agent from Sweden who signed with the Kraken in 2024, Ostman was called on to play the 3rd period after the Kraken had fallen behind by seven goals. The 24-year-old who played most of the season for Seattle’s ECHL farm club in Kansas City did his part, saving all 12 Utah shots sent his way.
Joey Daccord has been there. Long before he became a Kraken mainstay, Daccord made his own NHL debut for the Ottawa Senators on April 4, 2019. Played well, too, with 35 saves, though five got past him. So he was more than happy to mentor the trio of prospects who found themselves in the place he once was.
Daccord forced his way onto the Kraken with a sterling postseason run in 2022 for their farm team in Coachella Valley. This year, it’s Kokko trying to lead the Firebirds to a third straight appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. So after you hear Joey describe acting as mentor for his trio of understudies in this Kraken Reaction, he talks the valuable postseason experience Kokko is getting in Coachella Valley.