The NHL is set to debut its 32nd franchise in a media orgy of celebration tonight, so maybe not a great time for a bunch of them to go on the COVID protocol.
Up to five players on the Seattle Kraken could miss the team’s first game due to to COVID.
By Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago
One of the most intriguing storylines of the 2020-21 season was who the Capitals would potentially protect and who would they possibly lose over the offseason during the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft. Would it be [sigh] TJ Oshie or a depth member of the Capitals defense?
Instead, after surprisingly earning a majority of the starts in goal, rookie Vitek Vanecek played his way off the team and was the Capitals’ player selected by the Kraken. Vanecek’s skill, potential, and salary made him a perfect value pick for Seattle. He was slated to be the second or third goaltender on the Kraken’s depth chart.
Vanecek’s selection was heart-breaking. Well, until it wasn’t.
One of the biggest dramas headed into the Expansion Draft was if the Washington Capitals would protect TJ Oshie. Oshie, 34, had just completed the fourth season of an eight-year contract where he has a cap hit of $5.75 million per season. With NHL teams stuck dealing with a flat cap over the next few seasons, it made sense if the Capitals wanted to make the Osh Babe available – no matter how painful. Instead, the beloved forward had one of his best seasons as a pro, forcing Capitals GM Brian MacLellan to make him one of 11 players on the team’s protected list.
On Thursday, after the first on-ice day of Capitals Training Camp, Oshie said he was 98 percent sure he would remain in DC. The two percent of uncertainty came after the Seattle Kraken announced their head coach.
“When I saw [Dave Hakstol] went there… I was like hmmm,” Oshie said laughing. Hakstol was Oshie’s head coach in college and the person who helped the winger develop into a star.
Four hundred and twenty days after the Seattle Kraken released the design of their inaugural jersey, the team is finally making them available to the public.
Kraken jerseys, both home and away, can be purchased exclusively on NHLShop.com for the next five days. They went live at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.
Former Capital and 2021 Vezina Trophy finalist, Philipp Grubauer, signed a six-year, $35.4 million contract with the expansion Seattle Kraken on the first day of free agency, leaving the Colorado Avalanche — the team Washington traded him to after he won the Stanley Cup in 2018 as a backup.
In late August, Grubauer first toured Seattle’s new facilities. Now, he has the equipment to play the part. Sunday, Grubauer’s longtime mask designer, David Gunnarsson, released the design of his first mask.
“I am very happy to release the first Kraken mask for my friend Philipp Grubauer,” Gunnarsson wrote. “It is a design built on the awesome team logos, loaded with 3-D effects and vintage style. Thanks Grubi for the paint adventure!”
The Seattle Kraken have a creative team name and incredible branding. From its logos (monster ‘S’ logo/Space needle shoulder patch) to its color palette, the team’s identity is memorable and perfectly captures the area.
The team’s inaugural season jersey patch is no different. On Monday, the design leaked on social media after the team uploaded the full jersey design on its fan club The Depths.
Oft-injured but otherwise awesome forward Marcus Johansson is the latest ex-Caps player to join the expansion Seattle Kraken.
The deal, just announced, is for one year and $1.5M.
By Peter Hassett 3 months ago
Journeyman defender Connor Carrick has played for four teams in his seven-year career, and he’s about to add a fifth. The Caps 2012 draft pick signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.
According to the team, Carrick’s deal is for one year and $800,000.
By Peter Hassett 3 months ago
Ex-Caps goalie Phillipp Grubauer and the expansion Seattle Kraken will have to restructure and resubmit their contract after the league rejected their first draft.
As reported by CapFriendly, Grubauer’s initial deal was front-loaded in violation of league rules.
By Peter Hassett 3 months ago
And we’re back where we started.
The Capitals have acquired goalie Vitek Vanecek from the Seattle Kraken. You may remember Vitek Vanecek from the Washington Capitals, the team he played for up until like one week ago.
By Peter Hassett 3 months ago
