Seattle Kraken’s Quarter-Century Team: Honoring the franchise greats

Yesterday, the NHL revealed its Quarter-Century Team for the Seattle Kraken. As the league celebrates the best of the past 25 years, the Kraken haven’t been around for that entire span, but here is a look at the players selected to Seattle’s First and Second teams.

First Team

Forwards

• Jordan Eberle
• Yanni Gourde
• Jared McCann

Defense

• Vince Dunn
• Adam Larsson

Goaltender

• Joey Daccord

The group of forwards here comes as no surprise. Jordan Eberle, the second captain in franchise history, has been a staple on the Kraken’s top line. Yanni Gourde is the heart and soul of the team; while his stats may not lead the Kraken, his impact is felt in every game. Jared McCann lets his numbers do the talking: he leads the Kraken in goals (209) and points (211), while Eberle and Gourde are third and fourth all-time in franchise points.

There really was no other option on defense beyond Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson. Dunn, considered one of the best picks in the expansion draft, has delivered as the top point-producing defenseman in Kraken history. Meanwhile, Larsson holds the team record for most games played and also boasts one of the best plus/minus ratings in franchise history—a remarkable feat given his extensive playing time.

Joey Daccord is a fitting choice as the First Team goalie. While he hasn’t accumulated as many wins as Philipp Grubauer, he has put up impressive numbers in a shorter span. He’s posted a 2.62 GAA and a .910 save percentage, enough for the Kraken to commit to him long-term with a five-year extension. Who knows? He may even be on the next All-Time Team as well.

Second Team

Forwards

• Matty Beniers
• Oliver Bjorkstrand
• Jaden Schwartz

Defense

• Brandon Montour
• Jamie Oleksiak

Goaltender

• Philipp Grubauer

The Second Team features some familiar faces. Matty Beniers had a Calder-winning rookie season, and Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jaden Schwartz have both been consistent contributors. They rank fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively, on the Kraken’s all-time points list. Bjorkstrand’s fifth-place rank is especially noteworthy since he wasn’t part of the inaugural team—he was brought in from Columbus after that first season.

On defense, we see the Kraken’s most recent high-profile addition, Brandon Montour. He signed with Seattle this past offseason and has already made a significant impact—from recording his first career hat trick to holding down the blue line during Dunn’s absence. His partner, Jamie Oleksiak, also earned a spot; he’s been a constant presence for the franchise, tied for third in most games played (270) and ranking third in total ice time behind Larsson and Dunn.

There were only four realistic goalie options for the Kraken, so seeing Grubauer on the Second Team is no surprise. While he hasn’t fully lived up to the expectations of his big contract, he does hold the all-time franchise lead in wins and recently became one of the winningest German goaltenders of all time.

Honorable mentions

A few players who didn’t make the cut but could have been considered include Will Borgen, Alex Wennberg, and Brandon Tanev. While they may not have carried the same load as those listed above, each played crucial roles in building this new franchise from the ground up.