[deep inhale]
[deep exhale]
Alright. Let’s go over this.
Here’s some Highlights:
Game Notes:
- Your TOI Leader was Brandon Montour, who logged 21:24
- I just…don’t know what to say about the defense in this game that isn’t universally negative. They were fine for about four minutes of the opening period, and then Detroit gave them an exposure so bad you’d have to check for melanomas afterward. They were slow, they were out of position, they couldn’t clear the net-front, they lost their man far too often to count…there was just a complete lack of cohesion that made the team look system-less and gormless. It was, to be frank, a disastrous effort from a bunch of players who should’ve been a helluva lot better. By far the worst was Patrick Kane’s tally; three Kraken are all clumped up on the left side of the ice. Nobody’s picking up Gustafsson, Kane, OR Rasmussen, and they have all the time in the world to both come up with a passing play and had a guy back to take a shot on a potential rebound. Just a total Hindenburgian effort on the backcheck.
- The need for momentum in this system to get anything done feels like such a passive way to play hockey and it’s killing the offense of this team’s ability to create anything. They did get on the board, but it once again came far too late to matter. In the NHL, you need to make your own momentum these days, and increasingly I’m starting to wonder if Bylsma’s system can adapt to that or not. The Kraken did eventually try and take control of the game from the possession standpoint, but what good is that when you spent the first 20 minutes digging a grave so deep you can see the entrance to Hell?
- Real bad night for penalties, too. Seattle gave up 3 goals on 5 penalty kills, and it could’ve been more given how they were playing.
- Really, I think this has just highlighted how the reliance on older defenders is still holding this team back; Detroit played this game like they were on fast-forward, and the Kraken simply couldn’t keep up with it. They need to be far more mobile against teams like this, or they’re gonna run into losses like this head-first.
- Phillipp Grubauer finished his night with a .250 SV% on 4 shots faced. Daccord finished the night afterwards with an .842 SV%. I don’t know if there’s a goalie in the league right now that could’ve rebounded from their defense playing this bad.
Was there anything good about this game?
- Ollie Bjorkstrand and Matty Beniers kept this from being a shutout. That’s nice. They also both broke scoreless streaks in this game, which is nice.
- That top 5 pick is looking better and better
That’s about it. This game sucked.
The Charts, via NaturalStatTrick.com



The Kraken continue their road trip on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That game is at 4pm PT. Let’s hope they remember what defense looks like in the meantime.
Thanks for reading, and as always…
Keep Calm, and Post Zoidberg When We Win.