In our next addition to Seattle Kraken grades, we look at Oliver Bjorkstrand. The 29-year-old right-winger who has been with the Kraken over the past two seasons, he has been a solid player in that time.
Last season, he was a bright spot on a dismal offense. The forward, out of Denmark, hit some career highs in 2023-24, and tried his best to keep the Kraken attack afloat.
Season Recap
Appearing in all 82 games last season, Bjorkstrand was adequate. He was so-so, much like the rest of the Kraken goal-scoring efforts the previous season. With a previous career-high in points with 57, as apart of the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets, he set a new career-high last season with 59 points.
It was also the third straight season that Bjorkstrand had potted 20+ goals during the season, and the fifth of the last six seasons as well. His contribution was worthy enough of his $5.4 million AAV, but as his prime years roll on, he must be able to muster a little bit more before his contract runs out at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Again, as I say with all of the higher rankings on this team, he did not do enough to receive a grade higher than a B. No A's belong to anyone who played for the Kraken in 2023-24.
With 20 goals and adding 39 assists, which was a team-high last season, for that career-best 59 points, he was the second-best player on this team. He only sits behind Jared McCann, and I would argue that he is still ahead of Vince Dunn in terms of the three best skaters from last season.
Do you agree with Oliver Bjorkstrand's grade from the 2023-24 season?