The pandemic limited the Kraken’s ability to bond in their inaugural season. That’s one of many improvements in Year 2.
“Last year we might have known a couple guys beforehand, but you’re not 100% comfortable with everybody the whole year, because we’re still getting to know each other,” defenseman Will Borgen said.
“We all know each other pretty well. We hang out. We did Christmas together.”
The NHL Christmas break was Dec. 24-26. Many of the Kraken players and their families who stayed in Seattle went to forward Ryan Donato’s Kirkland house for a “white elephant” gift exchange. They picked numbers to determine order and could either select a new gift someone brought or steal someone else’s gift that they had an eye on.
Borgen is pretty sure he stole from the host himself — chocolates and a scent diffuser. He wasn’t feeling a bottle of wine.
“I have wine. I like chocolate,” he reasoned.
The gathering was another chance for the newest Kraken player, Eeli Tolvanen, to get to know his teammates away from the rink. Tolvanen hasn’t appeared in a game since being claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Dec. 12 but has put in long practices.
Seattle has been cold and rainy since he arrived, but Finland native Tolvanen said the weather reminds him of home. His hotel has a sauna — wildly common and beloved in Finland — and he’s been visiting it every day.
He and his girlfriend visited Donato’s Christmas gathering and went home with either the popular or passé gift of the day — wine and chocolate.
“It’s been nice for her to see some of the teammates and families here,” he said. “I feel like everybody’s been so nice to me and my girlfriend. It’s been a really easy couple of [days].”
“There’s a chance” Tolvanen’s Kraken debut is coming up, Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said.
“I don’t have anything set in stone. But he’s ready to play,” he said.
“It has to fit into our team concept. It’s got to be the right time for our team.”
Players often have to dive into a game situation with a new team days or even hours after switching clubs. With the Kraken (18-10-4) almost fully healthy and already enjoying a surplus of available players, there was no rush to get Tolvanen into the lineup.
He was a healthy scratch in Nashville seven straight times before going on waivers. He’s used the past two weeks to get back into game-ready shape.
“It’s been good, actually, getting the conditioning back,” Tolvanen said. “I haven’t played in a while, skating-wise. Get used to the systems and all that. So when I get to the first game, I don’t have to worry about anything.
“It’s been a month since I played. I wasn’t too worried that I wasn’t playing in the first couple games before Christmas.”
When to rest
Seattle practiced for more than an hour Tuesday at Kraken Community Iceplex. The first portion was for reacclimating after the break while the special-teams-heavy second half was spent on what Hakstol described as a few areas they wanted to work on.
The Kraken play 14 times in the next 25 days. There’s a recurring postgame joke that if the Kraken win, they take the next day off. Usually, that player request has been granted.
“The guys have had a little bit of fun with that. But in reality, we have to find our practice time when we can,” Hakstol said. “Along that stretch, there’s two or three days that look like practice days to me. If we can get two good practices during that short stretch, especially on the road, those would be really valuable.”
Wright scores in World Juniors debut
Shane Wright, Seattle’s fourth overall draft pick this year, had two points in an otherwise unsettling Team Canada loss Monday. The tournament hosts dropped their 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships debut.
Midway through the first period, Wright sent a low deflection past Czech Republic goaltender Tomas Suchanek for a power-play goal. The initial shot was taken by Olen Zellweger of the Everett Silvertips (Western Hockey League).
That opened the scoring. Wright also had the primary assist on the only other goal in an eventual 5-2 defeat. The Seattle Thunderbirds’ (WHL) Kevin Korchinski had the other helper. Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic saved all 10 shots he saw in relief Monday and is the announced starter Wednesday against Germany.