Kraken not cracking under the pressure

On the latest episode of "Daily Faceoff Live," Mike McKenna and Frank Seravalli talked about the incredible start to the season for the Seattle Kraken.

Frank Seravalli: Let’s talk about a lot that happened in the hockey world over the weekend. What about the Seattle Kraken, I don’t think we’ve spent enough time talking about the Kraken, because as our headline says they ain’t crackin’ under the pressure this season.

When you take a look at how well they’ve played throughout November. Here’s the team order in terms of point percentage in November as we’re nearing a close. It’s the New Jersey Devils who went on a 13-game winning streak followed by the Seattle Kraken at 9-1-1 and then the Boston Bruins who are 18-3-0 this season Mike. It tells you how good the Kraken have been consistently for several weeks now.

Mike McKenna: Yeah, five straight wins for this club, and two of them were pretty big ones in overtime against the Rangers and Kings. A couple of really fast teams that you gotta keep your feet moving to be able to keep up with it. Frank, I was locked on the Seattle game Friday night against Vegas. They didn’t give the Golden Knights any space on the ice. With their pressure in the neutral zone and even the offensive zone, they didn’t allow Vegas to break out with any speed, they clogged up the middle. And you have to be committed to your systems to have players do that on the ice to find success with it, Frank.

And I look down the lineup, Burakovsky has been fantastic for this club. Somebody who played smaller roles on better teams now goes to Seattle and gets a chance to play top-line minutes. And other players that have come through, Vince Dunn is looking like a top-pairing defenceman. Yanni Gourde, started his season slow, but quietly played very well of late, giving them strength down the middle. And of course, I think they’ve got some good goaltending at the start of the year, now it's more team-based.

If they’re going to keep it rolling the only thing that makes me paranoid at this point the penalty kill is not great. It can improve, it’s not great but this Kraken team they’re not just finding ways to win they’re staying in games, keeping their feet moving and they’re sticking to their systems. Frank, they look pretty good right now do you think they might be a playoff team?

Frank Seravalli: 29th in penalty kill and I’m going to say I’m a believer in where the Kraken are heading but I don’t think they’re a playoff team this year. And the reason for that is I just think Edmonton and Calgary further down in the Pacific Division standings, they’re going to climb back and catch them, it’s a long season, and there’s still three-quarters of the way to go. And the one thing that stands out for me about Seattle is that they’ve done a ton of things right, you look at their scoring leaders at this point in the season. They’ve got a burgeoning star in Matty Beniers but they don’t have any other true stars I think that’s also something that might hold them back, what say you?

Mike McKenna: Yeah, I agree although I like what Burakovsky has done. I don’t know if he’s going to be a 40-50 goal scorer anytime soon but this is a guy that has taken the bull by the horns you know you hope that somebody will whether it's Beniers or if Shane Wright finds his stride in the American League gets a chance down the road. But you’re right, they’re a score-by-committee team which makes you a little nervous because you need game-breakers. This club is playing well now and they’re fun to watch, Frank.