Between the pipes: Seattle’s roller-coaster ride at goalie

The Seattle Kraken have found themselves riding a roller coaster of 6-2 games over the past week. One of those 6-2 outcomes was a rousing success, but the other two went firmly in the loss column—and in both of those defeats, Philipp Grubauer was between the pipes. This inconsistency has left fans scratching their heads about how the coaching staff is managing the netminders.

Grubauer managed to snap a previous five-game losing streak when the Kraken pulled off an overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks. It wasn’t his cleanest performance, but a late-game Kraken scoring surge set up a Vince Dunn game-winner. That victory seemed like it could turn the team’s fortunes around for good.

Another strong effort followed against the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes). Grubauer let in just two goals on 30 shots for an impressive .933 save percentage, appearing calm and in control. But once again, Seattle’s momentum fizzled, culminating in two gut-punch losses and some head-scratching decisions in net.

The 6-2 Saga

The recent trio of 6-2 games started with a meltdown against Columbus, where Grubauer gave up five goals in 35 minutes on just 19 shots. He was pulled in the second period, prompting Joey Daccord to step in and stop all four shots he faced. The very next contest saw Daccord earn the start—he gave up two early goals in the first period, but then the Kraken offense exploded for six unanswered to pick up a 6-2 win of their own.

That small glimmer of hope faded quickly in Detroit. The coaching staff turned back to Grubauer, who gave up three goals on four shots in just over six minutes. Pulled again in favor of Daccord, it was déjà vu from the Columbus fiasco. Unfortunately, Daccord had just come off an injury and was now forced into action for the second half of a back-to-back. While he’s shown flashes of brilliance, this heavy workload sparks questions about long-term risk and whether the coaching staff is managing Daccord’s return wisely.

It’s puzzling to see Daccord—fresh off the injured list—thrust into back-to-back games, especially when we saw the exact opposite scenario earlier in the season. In an 8-5 loss to San Jose, Grubauer wasn’t pulled mid-game because Daccord was penciled in to start the following night. Now, we’re seeing the reverse, with Daccord thrown into action to pick up Grubauer’s slack.

Managing the Netminders

From a fan’s perspective, it’s tough to figure out what the coaching staff is aiming for here. When Grubauer struggles, the instinct seems to be to go to Daccord. Yet if Daccord is fresh off an injury, is it wise to overwork him? Particularly in a game like Detroit where the Kraken were already behind the eight-ball after a horrific first six minutes. If the coaches planned on giving that game away (based on the scoreboard), wouldn’t it have made sense to let Grubauer finish it out rather than risk Daccord’s health?

With the Kraken sitting in a precarious spot in the standings, it’s true that every point is precious—but at the same time, it feels like wins and losses are turning into an afterthought if the team can’t find consistency in net. Throwing Daccord into high-pressure, immediate-relief situations could hinder his development and push him back onto the injury list if he’s not fully recovered. If management sees him as the future, protecting him should be paramount.

At the core of this dilemma is a need for a clear plan. Who is the number one goalie? What matchups make sense for Grubauer vs. Daccord? How do you manage back-to-backs, especially when one goalie is still shaking off the injury rust? The fans can only hope the coaching staff reevaluates its approach before the Kraken lose more valuable games—and potentially their most promising netminder—to questionable decisions.

For now, the biggest concern is keeping Daccord healthy. No matter how much the Kraken need wins, burning out your newly returned goalie isn’t the answer. With careful scheduling and a commitment to letting each netminder ride out both the good and bad nights, Seattle might finally achieve some stability in net. Until then, fans will be left wondering which version of the Kraken—and which version of their goalies—will show up on any given night.