Jets at Kraken
The Kraken enter Thursday night’s match with 19 points, one point out of a wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. The Jets enter with 20, good for third place in the Central Division.
Winnipeg is on game-five of a six-game road trip. After losing all three games on the California swing, they beat the Canucks 5-3 in Vancouver on Tuesday night. They finish the roadie on Saturday night in Calgary against the Flames.
The Kraken lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shoot-out on Tuesday. The Jets game is the middle one of three at home for Seattle, culminating with the return of the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. San Jose whipped Seattle 6-1 at Climate Pledge Arena back on November 5th.
The Kraken have posted a 2-2-and-2 record so far this month.
Drought
Seattle offensive output this season is downright offensive, as in, we should be offended. As we projected in our off-season previews, goal output would be tough for Seattle this season with a lack of high end talent. While injuries have played a part in it, a number of NHL teams have been dealing with similar maladies. Never an excuse.
The club is next to last in the NHL in goals-for-per-game at 2.50. Only the Calgary Flames are worse.
Morning Memories
Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, who spent the first two years of his NHL career with the New York Rangers, remembered seeing and chatting with legendary writer Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
Former Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko of the Kraken remembered him as well.
“Brooksie” passed away from cancer on Wednesday night at the age of 75.
Lots of Finnish
Kakko and I chatted this morning about some of the cool rinks in Helsinki and in his hometown of Turku. He grew up near the current NHLer he admired more than any other, Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars. Kaapo said that as an 11-year-old, he remembers going to see Rantanen play in a pro men’s league when Mikko was just 16.
His ultimate Finnish hero was Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne. Great choice.
I’ve interviewed Teemu a number of times and was privileged to drop by his HHOF pre-induction party in Toronto back in 2017. His co-host was his good pal and former teammate Paul Kariya, who became an Honoured Member the same year.
HHOF
I’m just back from this year’s induction ceremonies that were highlighted by first ballot entries “Big-Z” and “Jumbo”. That would be Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton.
As I pointed out in stories last week, it truly is a small hockey world, or as is often said about our big puck family, two-degress of separation. Besides climbing a mountain with Chara and working for NESN and the Bruins on TV when Thornton was traded to San Jose, I’m also connected to one of the women’s inductees from this year.
Team Canada great Jennifer Botterill, the sister of Kraken GM Jason, is now a regular on the panel of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC-TV and Sportsnet. Her very first telecast after her playing days ended was as the ice level reporter for the Canadian University Women’s Championship weekend on Sportsnet a decade ago. I was the play-by-play guy for the semi’s and final that weekend, alongside outstanding color commentator Cassie Campbell-Pascal.
It was an honor to work with both of them and super cool to see an emotional Botterill relishing her induction.
Enjoy the hockey action!!
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken’s Catton Staying In NHL Raises More Questions
