The Seattle Kraken return to home ice tonight, looking to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks (15-32-6) have taken both meetings against Seattle this season, outscoring the Kraken 12-7 in the process. Their first matchup was a disaster for Seattle, with San Jose putting up eight goals in what remains the Kraken’s worst defensive performance of the season. With trade rumors swirling and roster changes beginning, tonight’s game is about more than just two points in the standings—it could be a turning point for the team’s direction.
Seattle made waves this week by placing Philipp Grubauer on waivers and sending him to the AHL. After posting a 5-15-1 record with a 3.38 GAA and .866 SV%, the organization hopes he can regain his confidence and fundamentals in Coachella Valley. In his absence, Joey Daccord takes full control of the net. While Daccord was in goal for Seattle’s 4-2 loss to San Jose earlier in the season, he’s been one of the Kraken’s most consistent players and will likely be looking to make a statement after that earlier defeat.
With Grubauer sent down, the Kraken may be shifting their focus toward developing younger players. The chemistry of Seattle’s top and third lines has been encouraging, but the second line continues to struggle, and the fourth line isn’t the same without Yanni Gourde. The trade deadline looms large, and tonight’s game could serve as a showcase moment for players on expiring contracts like Brandon Tanev and Gourde. There are also rumors that the Kraken could be open to moving veterans like Jaden Schwartz and Oliver Bjorkstrand, who each have two years left on their deals.
On the other side, San Jose may be at the bottom of the standings, but they’ve allowed their young core to thrive in top-line minutes, and the results have been promising. The Kraken will need to tighten up defensively and avoid another letdown against a team that’s already exposed their weaknesses twice this season.
Puck drops at 7:30 PM PT at Climate Pledge Arena. Can the Kraken flip the script and prove they’ve learned from past mistakes, or will San Jose continue to have their number?