We knew the odds were long for the 22-year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia, but Kraken prospect Jacob Melanson went as hard as he could for an NHL job. For now, it’s back to the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League after the former 5th-round NHL Draft pick from 2021 joined about two dozen others in being cut from Kraken training camp over the weekend.
He has the grit and determination; the question was whether or not he’s developed the skill and hockey sense enough to bump someone else out of the big show.
Not yet.
“I thought he was just OK in rookie camp, I thought he was better here, certainly in the Vancouver game the other night,” Kraken head coach Lane Lambert said on Sunday.
Melanson hammered young Canucks forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki two minutes into the game on Friday night. The Neutral zone hit led to a post-whistle visit from big Vancouver winger Evander Kane.
He ended up with a decent amount of ice time, 13:45, but his roughing call at 12:10 of the 3rd period led to the Canucks game winning, power play goal. Melanson was a bit overzealous crashing the net as he picked up the infraction in the ensuing scrum. That’s his nature. He’s a shi(f)t disturber.
“He plays the game a certain way and sometimes in training camp it’s not easy, when you’re playing (most of the time) against your teammates, to sort of play that way,” Lambert pointed out. “So just a continuation of him getting into that game action against opponents who do not wear the same jerseys or are in the same organization.”
Three nights earlier he had five hits in the Kraken’s preseason game against the Flames in Calgary. A media pal on hand there described Melanson’s game this way via text:
“Threw a couple hits and was moving up and down the ice well. Had a good, 4th-line game.”
While former Kraken pest Yanni Gourde stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 175-pounds, Melanson brings a similar approach only with added bulk upon delivery. He’s 6-foot, 208-pounds.
Gourde was undrafted, Melanson a low round pick. There’s likely chips on those shoulders. There’s also some hidden talent. Melanson posted a hat trick in the first intra-squad scrimmage during week one of camp.
“Obviously it’s nice, it’s intra-squad, so everyone’s still trying to figure everything out, but it feels good, gives me a bit of confidence knowing I can score, gives me a little boost of energy out there,” he told SHI last week.
Melanson’s also smart, and like most Nova Scotians, a delight to be around. His provincial heroes include Sidney Crosby of the Penguins and former Bruin turned Panther Brad Marchand.
“There’s a lot of Toronto, Montreal, and also Boston’s pretty close, so there’s a lot of those fans there,” Melanson said. “There’s a lot of love for Marchand. It’s kind of on and off. There’s a lot of Toronto fans who hate him, but love the fact he’s from the east coast.”
The Kraken rookie played one NHL game last season. It happened this past March 6th in Nashville.
“I try to remember as much of it as I can, it was so quick,” he recalled. “I get the call and I’m playing the next day. I had to fly to Nashville. It was pretty surreal, just being on the plane there, I was just trying to soak in the feeling of ‘holy, this is happening right now’. The guys here welcomed me really well and helped me fit in rather nicely.”
The goal is to get back to the big show as quickly as possible, although his wait just got a little longer. Eventually, the big club can always use a guy who helps define team identity by being a pain in the arse for opponents.
“I’m just sticking to my same game plan, just keeping it simple, being consistent, getting pucks in, being physical, just playing the way I do,” he said. “Getting pucks to the net, getting my body to the net. I’m pretty big, so if I get to the net heavy, get to the corners heavy, I’m harder to stop.”
The Coachella Valley regular season opens Friday October 10th at home against the San Diego Gulls.
Earlier Kraken:
— Seattle Kraken Injuries Piling Up
