Season 4 in the books and this franchise SUCKS

[DavidGee24]

After the strong second season, the team took a big step back in season three, and then took another step back in season four, where it looks like they'll end up with the fourth-worst record in the league. How the HELL does this happen while Vegas continues to be an elite team with no end in sight?

Philip Grubauer cost the team dearly. It's still just stunning that in one year he went from a Vezina Trophy finalist to one of the worst goalies in the league, and he stunk it up for four years in a Kraken sweater. Thankfully there won't be a fifth as they're sure to buy him out.

It just doesn't look like it's going to happen for Matty Beniers. He looked good as a rookie but has settled into being pretty much a third-line center. Shane Wright might not be much better, but at least he has flashes of greatness and then disappears for a while. There's still hope for him.

Chandler Stephenson is a solid player, but the contract they gave him was just stupid. They should've kept Morgan Geekie who would have been probably at least as good and a lot cheaper.

Players to really like and who should continue to wear a Kraken sweater:
Wright
Vince Dunn
Brandon Mountour
Jared McCann
Eli Tolvannen
Kaapo Kakko
Jaden Schwartz
Adam Larsson
Ryker Evans
Michael Eyssimont
Jani Nyman
Joey Daccord

The franchise is totally loaded with draft picks, some really good prospects in the minors, and apparently will have a lot of spending money this offseason, but one problem: the guy who's been spending it poorly will still be spending it. They really should fire Ron "Lighten Up" Francis.

Oh well, maybe this team will be good again next year. I'm tempering my expectations though.

[douche]

And Francis is promoted to president?

[Donn Beach]

Interesting, the Kraken are run by a woman. It be nice to hear their tech savvy approach was aimed at improving talent evaluation rather than fan experience

Holloway is constantly looking for feedback — surveying season ticket members or asking fans in the elevator at Kraken games about their experience.

“If your customer isn’t liking your product, there’s going to be churn and it’s going to be hard to grow,” Holloway said. “So for us, it’s really important to listen to the fan.”

Speed also matters — not just on the ice, but also in execution of front office initiatives.

Holloway said the team leans on “iterating quickly.”


“That’s not being reactive,” she said. “That’s just being able to move quickly without a lot of red tape, and I think that’s important. It’s similar to a startup.”

Technology, meanwhile, is “in the DNA” of the franchise, said Holloway.

“This is a sports team,” she said. “But it’s really enabled by technology.”

That shows up in various forms — from the team’s smartphone app (which doubles as a free transit pass for fans), to the new first-of-its-kind live game streaming deal with Amazon.

It doesn’t hurt that Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is a Kraken minority owner. He was “instrumental” in building the team’s app, Holloway said.

“Andy is great,” she said. “He is extremely smart, but also empathetic and a great partner. And he loves hockey, so that’s the most important thing.”

https://www.geekwire.com/2024/seattle-k ... franchise/

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Sounds like the Mariners pumping money into stadium improvements but not the product on the field. When it gets down to brass tacks, fans don't really care that much about tech stuff, they just want to see good competitive hockey. What is it about Seattle that it's team's owners can't understand this?

[DavidGee24]

Sounds like the Mariners pumping money into stadium improvements but not the product on the field. When it gets down to brass tacks, fans don't really care that much about tech stuff, they just want to see good competitive hockey. What is it about Seattle that it's team's owners can't understand this?

Well, the Seahawks are nothing like the Mariners. They swing for the fences which is why in bad years they win 9-10 games. As for the Kraken, they also spend but have a HOF player as GM who somehow can't evaluate talent. That Stephenson contract in particular was dumb at rhe time and will only get dumber.

[Bil522]

Sounds like the Mariners pumping money into stadium improvements but not the product on the field. When it gets down to brass tacks, fans don't really care that much about tech stuff, they just want to see good competitive hockey. What is it about Seattle that it's team's owners can't understand this?

Well, the Seahawks are nothing like the Mariners. They swing for the fences which is why in bad years they win 9-10 games. As for the Kraken, they also spend but have a HOF player as GM who somehow can't evaluate talent. That Stephenson contract in particular was dumb at rhe time and will only get dumber.

Stephenson needs a creative center to set up goals for him

[DavidGee24]

Stephenson needs a creative center to set up goals for him

Stephenson is a center. He's a solid player, but not someone you want to give a long-term contract to, especially at his age. When he got that contract pretty much everyone said that was the worst contract given out that offseason.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Any opinions on the HC hire? A 60 year old that has less than 2 seasons as a head coach in the NHL doesn't do a lot for me.

[DavidGee24]

Any opinions on the HC hire? A 60 year old that has less than 2 seasons as a head coach in the NHL doesn't do a lot for me.

The Kraken screwed that one up too. Generally an incoming coach will want to bring in his own staff and the Kraken decided not to fire assistant Jessica Campbell (and of course we all know why). Anyway, this eliminated all of the top potential hires like Rick Tocchet and the Kraken got the leftovers.

So expect another 35-47 season with the fan base channeling its inner Hudson from Aliens and yelling "WHY DON'T YOU PUT HER IN CHARGE?!?"