The Kraken Are Desperate, and Time Is Running Out
The Seattle Kraken are in serious trouble. After losing three straight and seven of their last nine, the Kraken are clinging to playoff hopes by their fingernails. They visit Florida on Tuesday night sitting at 31-29-9 with 71 points, and the math is getting uglier by the day. To make the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, Seattle has to leapfrog both the Kings (73 points in 70 games) and the Predators (75 points, 70 games). The Kraken are about to play their 70th game. That window is closing fast.
"We're a desperate team," defenseman Brandon Montour said. "We're even more desperate now." Montour knows the Panthers organization well, and he also knows what Seattle needs: wins. The Kraken are 0-2-0 on their current six-game road trip and sit at just 14-15-4 away from Climate Pledge Arena this season. In other words, the road hasn't been kind.
The Kraken's Offensive Weapons Are Still There
Jordan Eberle leads the team with 22 goals and 49 points. The 36-year-old captain is having his best season since 2017-18, when he scored 25 goals, and he's within six of his career high. That's the kind of production the Kraken need right now.
Behind him are two of Seattle's young stars. Matty Beniers, just 23 years old, has 18 goals and 44 points after entering the league as a second overall pick. Kaapo Kakko, 25, was also a second overall pick and brings 11 goals and 30 points to the lineup. On the blue line, Vince Dunn leads the Kraken in assists with 30, while Montour has chipped in 20. Together, those two defensemen have combined for 19 goals, with Dunn accounting for 11 of them.
Panthers Are Wounded Too, But Worse Off
Florida is a mess. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions have lost three of four and are unlikely to make the playoffs. They trail six teams for a wild-card spot and would need to make up 14 points with just 12 games left. That's basically over.
The Panthers are also dealing with serious injuries. Defenseman Niko Mikkola suffered a knee-on-knee collision against Calgary on Friday and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Forward A.J. Greer, who has 14 goals and 24 points in 68 games, is suspended for three games after shoving Calgary's Connor Zary into the boards from behind. On top of that, Florida has nine players on the injured list, including standouts like Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Anton Lundell.
Seattle isn't healthy either. The Kraken have three on the IL, including forwards Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz. Forward Ryan Winterton is also taking a leave of absence for a family matter after appearing in 62 games with four goals and 14 assists.
This is a must-win situation for Seattle. The Kraken need to capitalize on a vulnerable Florida team and keep their season alive.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.