Kraken Win Second Preseason Game with Unproven Roster, Edge Flames 4-2 at Climate Pledge
Sunday night’s Seattle Kraken preseason game was closer to the Coachella Valley Firebirds versus the Calgary Wranglers than it was to Kraken versus the Calgary Flames. Truthfully, we learned more about the Seattle Kraken projected roster from who was not in the lineup.
But nonetheless, the Kraken still handled business with a 4-2 win at Climate Pledge Arena.
Ty Nelson scored a second preseason goal and continued his strong camp. As of now, he’s the main young defenseman making a bid for a roster spot for the Kraken. Nelson led defensemen in ice time tonight and, at 5-on-5, Seattle outshot Calgary 18-9 with Nelson on the ice. Per Natural Stattrick, Nelson was a positive in every metric they track.
“He certainly has a little bit of a knack for joining offensively, but [he has] a really good head on his shoulders defensively,” head coach Lane Lambert said of Nelson. “And he skates well, so he can close quickly. That’s important to be able to do in this league, because if you don’t and you’re a step behind, the puck ends up in the back of your net.”
Analysis: 5 Kraken Youngsters to Watch at Rookie Camp
Ushering in a new season, rookie camp begins for the Seattle Kraken on Friday. For many Kraken youngsters, rookie camp and the scrimmage against the Vancouver Canucks’ rookies on September 12 and 13 are just the typical preseason rituals. Many of these players will return to their junior team after training camp or are already penciled into the Coachella Valley Firebirds lineup.
But for some of these players, rookie camp serves as an extension of training camp. As part of the new NHL and NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, there’s only four preseason games and training camps were shortened. As a result, many NHL teams have invited youngsters on the bubble of the roster to get them playing early and make early assessments on their opening night rosters.
Looking towards rookie camp, which players bear watching with eyes on earning an AHL or NHL role?
Jani Nyman
Nyman has played parts of two seasons in the NHL and been a great scorer in the AHL. He averaged just 10:34 of ice time when he played in the NHL last season, and had four goals and seven points in 28 games, not taking quite the jump the organization hoped.
The 22-year-old Nyman is still waivers exempt, and is in a crowded forward group. His previous NHL games played and 49 goals in 117 AHL games might not matter. On the NHL roster, the Kraken has offensive winger options like Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Kaapo Kakko, Berkly Catton, and Mackie Samoskevich, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers this offseason. Competing for fourth line minutes, there’s also still recently re-signed Jacob Melanson, Curtis Douglas, Ryan Winterton, and Ben Myers.
Analysis: Kraken Announce Sweeping Roster Updates
The Seattle Kraken whittled down their training camp roster significantly on Saturday, sending 20 players to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, their AHL affiliate.
Stock Watch: Who Shined in Kraken’s Preseason Opener?
Several Kraken players managed to raise their stock regarding their chances of making the roster or moving up the organizational depth chart in the preseason opener against the Canucks, while others did the opposite.
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