After a fairly underwhelming inaugural season, the Seattle Kraken rebounded in an enormous method of their 2022-23 marketing campaign. 

The younger group, led by Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers, set a franchise document with an eight-game successful streak and even made it to the second spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However can the latest group within the league proceed being a risk within the Pacific Division now that it has made some massive modifications within the first half of the offseason?

Right here’s a take a look at whose inventory is rising, falling or unclear.

Rising: Skilled blue line

Positive, conserving an NHL roster younger is one thing that may assist guarantee a group has long-term success. That being stated, having a protection with some expertise — and playoff expertise at that — can even assist propel the Kraken within the upcoming marketing campaign.

Seattle prolonged qualifying gives to 4 restricted free brokers together with Vince Dunn, who tallied the second-most factors for the Kraken final season with 64 in 81 video games. He additionally ended the season with a +28, which speaks volumes for a 26-year-old blueliner who additionally contributed seven factors (one objective, six assists) within the playoffs.

The protection will get a fair larger enhance now that two-time Stanley Cup winner Brian Dumoulin is becoming a member of the group, so so long as Seattle’s protection stays wholesome the Kraken may very well be even more durable to get by way of than they have been final season.

Falling: Goaltending

The success of a goalie tandem is without doubt one of the hardest issues to foretell within the offseason. However from the look of issues proper now, Seattle may use some assist between the pipes.

Philipp Grubauer had a stable sufficient marketing campaign in his second tour with the Kraken, however he additionally sustained his fair proportion of accidents and is getting a bit lengthy within the tooth on high of it. 

Martin Jones has hit the free agent market after one season in Seattle and it doesn’t appear like he’ll be round to again Grubauer up. That leaves younger Boston native Joey Daccord, who posted a 3.14 targets in opposition to common by way of 5 video games performed final season.

After all, the offseason isn’t over and the Kraken can nonetheless beef up their arsenal in internet earlier than coaching camp opens. Proper now, nevertheless, that’s an space that may very well be missing subsequent season.

Inventory unclear: Depth

What the Kraken lacked in celebrity energy, they greater than made up for with depth. The plucky roster was in a position to roll 4 traces with ease and showcased pace and strain their Western Convention rivals couldn’t match. It’s no marvel they have been in a position to leapfrog the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche within the first spherical of the playoffs.

However normal supervisor Ron Francis has been very busy this offseason and has damaged the roster up. Seattle has parted methods with Morgan Geekie, Daniel Sprong and Ryan Donato — all of whom performed key roles within the Kraken’s 2022-23 success. There was some addition within the type of younger winger Kailer Yamamoto, however whether or not Seattle can nonetheless roll 4 traces on any given night time is a bit up within the air.

After all, head coach Dave Hakstol doesn’t assume the group’s system will change as a result of members of final 12 months’s class have departed.

“I imagine the system adapts slightly bit, but it surely grows, as properly,” Hakstol stated in a Seattle Sports radio interview. “I imagine the way in which that we play as we proceed to enhance, as our roster continues to develop and enhance, we will proceed to achieve success inside this method and play this manner.”

We’ll simply have to attend till the 2023-24 season begins in October to see if that holds up.