The Need to Knows
- The Time: 7:30pm PT
- The Place: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA
- Place to Watch: KING 5, KONG, KHN, SN1, SNE, SNP, ESPN+
- Place to Listen: Kraken Audio Network via KJR 93.3-FM
Know Your Enemy
The Stars are pretty comfortably in the second spot in the Central division, 6 points behind Winnipeg and 5 points ahead of Colorado. According to Moneypuck, a Dallas loss to Seattle would reduce their chances of winning the division by 11%, pretty high leverage for a game at this point in the season.
It’s been less than two years since these two teams met in the playoffs, with Seattle losing by just one goal in game 7 of the second round. Two years feels like twenty.
Dallas loaded up on the trade deadline getting elite winger Mikko Rantanen. With Joe Pavelski retiring after last season, the Roope Hintz/Jason Robertson/Joe Pavelski line, the best line in hockey was broken up. But now Rantanen has taken Pavelski’s place on line and while their skillsets are very different, the Stars are fully powered up.
Dallas also has goalie Jake Oettinger, who is a firebreathing dragon and has been one of the best goalies in the NHL the last few seasons.
This is going to be a tough one to win.
Game Preview
We don’t know what the status is of Chandler Stephenson, who has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. He did return to practice and practiced normally, so it seems more likely than not that he’s going to return.
The Matty Beniers/Kaapo Kakko/Jani Nyman has been an interesting recent development. Trading for Kakko has unlocked Beniers. Nyman is a fascinating addition to the line with his cannon shot as the Kraken try to find out where he fits into the lineup.
If Stephenson returns, keep an eye of Shane Wright’s role. Before Stephenson was injured, Wright had been banished to the fourth line playing with Michael Eyssimont and Tye Kartye. But with the injury, Wright was elevated to playing with Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle.
Seattle is out of the playoffs and the best thing for them at this point is a regulation loss to get a better draft position.
We only have 9 Kraken games left this season. It’s almost over.