Kraken Establishing Identity In Playoff Hunt

The Seattle Kraken are correct successful nan operation of nan playoff title successful Pacific Division and Western Conference. The young franchise is looking to make nan 2nd postseason quality successful their first 5 seasons arsenic an NHL organization, and this twelvemonth presents a aureate opportunity.

As nan Kraken walk nan halfway constituent of nan regular season, they are 1 of galore teams that are clicking astatine nan correct time. The squad is 6-1-3 successful their past 10 games and trails nan Vegas Golden Knights by conscionable 5 points for nan Pacific Division lead.

A immense logic for this team's success truthful acold is establishing their personality and playing what adjunct coach Jessica Campbell called "Seattle Kraken hockey."

Kraken Identity Built successful Embracing Opportunity

Despite being a young franchise and a young team, nan Kraken are embracing an up-tempo style connected some sides of nan puck. As Campbell described to Breakaway On SI, from nan seasoned leaders to nan rookies connected nan team, she's seen nan Kraken return each time and each opportunity arsenic a caller situation they are fresh to meet, and it's showing up connected nan ice.

"We've done a really singular occupation this year. Our players person taken immense steps, embraced benignant of nan personality of being a hard-nosed team, difficult to play against," she said, "Day-to-day, practices, what I've seen is our players - from nan younker of our squad to nan seasoned halfway group that's been here, been portion of nan Kraken - they've embraced checking successful each day, embracing each crippled arsenic a caller challenge, not trying to, you know, tally connected momentum."

Not only is that a clear connection from nan coaching staff, but nan squad has besides embodied it. Not excessively agelong ago, nan Kraken were connected nan extracurricular looking successful connected nan playoff image and losers of 10 retired of 11 games. Instead of dwelling connected nan struggle, nan squad has seized nan opportunity to amended and hasn't stopped pushing.

Work Remains successful nan Second Half

That mentality has put them correct successful nan heavy of things, and they are presently seeing nan results. Most teams are impressed by nan Kraken's forecheck and their aggressiveness connected some ends of nan ice. Young players for illustration Berkley Catton, Shane Wright and defender Ryker Lee person played timely parts successful their caller surge, while their goaltending duo has provided reliable play successful net.

Still, Campbell and nan remainder of nan Kraken unit are urging nan squad to support going. Embracing that aforesaid mentality, they cognize that their biggest force arsenic nan slog of nan play wears connected them is complacency.

"We tin get better. We've sewage to proceed to get better," she said. "We can't ever get complacent. It's excessively reliable a league. It's excessively competitory crossed nan committee and thing tin happen."

As nan Kraken sculpt their identity, nan remainder of nan Pacific Division is taking notice. If it continues, knocking them retired of a playoff spot whitethorn go excessively daunting a situation for nan remainder of nan West.

Make judge you bookmark Breakaway On SI for nan latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!