The Seattle Kraken brought back Eeli Tolvanen and added Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson this offseason which was good enough to rank as the 7th most improved team this offseason according to Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic .
The Kraken have been missing star power and game-changing veterans like Stephenson and Montour and their additions this offseason will greatly help the Kraken.
Luszczyszyn gave the Kraken a net rating of +21 with their key departures being Kailer Yamamoto, Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin. The Kraken only had two key additions but their young talent which includes 2022 fourth overall pick Shane Wright give the team more offensive power and provide balance to the roster.
Their free-agent signings will help with their goal-scoring struggles last year. Montour was the best offensive defenseman option and Stephenson is one of the more creative offensive players the league has to offer.
Luszczyszyn had this to say when ranking the Kraken seventh overall:
"I don’t love what Seattle did this summer from a financial perspective, but the Kraken do look better going into next season as a result. Brandon Montour is a top-pair caliber defenseman and serves as a massive upgrade over Justin Schultz. With Ryker Evans serving as an internal upgrade over Brian Dumoulin, Seattle’s back end looks the strongest it has ever been.
Up front, Chandler Stephenson isn’t what he once was, but he’s certainly stronger than Kailer Yamamoto. He may not be worth the money, but his addition reinforces the Kraken’s advantage from 2022-23: a deep forward group.
Together, those two give Seattle a big offensive boost, something the Kraken seriously lacked last season. While the team’s offense still grades out as below average, it’s a big step up from their bottom-three ranking prior to free agency."
The six teams to rank above the Kraken were the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Utah, San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators.
Opinions of the Kraken's offseason have been all over the place. Just yesterday Bleacher Report gave the Kraken an F grade for their offseason and today the Athletic ranks them seventh overall.
Related: Bleacher Report Gives Kraken An F Offseason Grade
Time will tell about who's correct. How Montour and Stephenson age will be impactful and how successful they are this year will be a major determining factor.
Make sure you bookmark THN’s Seattle Kraken site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Related: Tye Kartye Can Elevate His Game And Find A New Role With The Kraken
Related: Kraken's Goaltender Situation Heading Into The 2024-25 Season
Local Seattle, WA
Most Popular
Comments / 0