Bjorkstrand notched two assists, three shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Bjorkstrand set up goals by Shane Wright and Jaden Schwartz in the contest. In 2023-24, Bjorkstrand set career highs with 39 assists, 59 points and 25 power-play points in 82 games. The playmaking winger is likely to fill a middle-six role at even strength while also featuring on the power play to begin 2024-25.
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Kraken's Ryker Evans: Dishes pair of assists
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Evans recorded two assists, three shots on goal, two hits, two blocked shots and a plus-3 rating in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Evans was in the lineup over Josh Mahura with the Kraken playing a lineup that looks very similar to what they're expected to roll out for Opening Night versus the Blues on Tuesday. The pair of helpers were Evans' first points in four preseason outings. While it looks like he's set to begin the year on the third pairing, he won't have an obvious path to power-play time -- Brandon Montour and Vince are expected to be the blueliners that see time with the man advantage.
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Kraken's Will Borgen: Earns two points in win
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Borgen scored a goal, added an assist, logged two hits and went plus-2 in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Borgen typically isn't a huge part of the offense -- he set a career high with 25 points last season. The 27-year-old helped out on a Brandon Tanev goal in the second period, and his teammate returned the favor late in the third. Borgen will likely begin 2024-25 on the third pairing with no power-play time, though he can be a help to fantasy managers playing in deep leagues that reward physical play.
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Kraken's Brandon Tanev: Pair of points Wednesday
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Tanev scored a goal, dished an assist, blocked two shots, added two PIM and went plus-2 in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Tanev opened the scoring at 5:52 of the second period, and he set up a Will Borgen tally in the third. The 32-year-old Tanev is not guaranteed to be in the lineup all the time, but he is valued for his penalty killing and defense. The winger is penciled in for a fourth-line role to begin 2024-25, which is a spot he may have to share with Tye Kartye or John Hayden.
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Kraken's Brandon Montour: Goal, assist in win
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Montour scored a goal on two shots, added an assist, blocked five shots and logged two PIM in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Montour's pair of points came in the second period, which included the game-winning goal. The 30-year-old defenseman looks to be settling in with his new team after signing a seven-year contract with the Kraken on July 1. Montour is expected to play in a top-four role and see significant power-play time, though he'll likely end up closer to his 33-point 2023-24 season than the 73-point campaign he produced in 2022-23.
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Kraken's Shane Wright: Makes good impression
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Wright scored twice on five shots in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Wright ends the preseason with three goals in four games after tallying twice in the second period Wednesday. He made a spin move to bury his first goal before striking from the top of the right circle for his second tally. The 20-year-old is expected to begin in the NHL this year, though he'll likely have to settle for middle-six minutes initially.
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Kraken's Philipp Grubauer: Looks ready for season
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Grubauer stopped 28 of 30 shots in Wednesday's 6-2 preseason win over the Oilers.
Grubauer struggled in his first two preseason outings, but he bounced back well in his third and final start of the exhibition slate. The Oilers scored twice in a span of 1:51 in the middle of the second period, but the Kraken, with a mostly NHL lineup, rallied back as Grubauer closed the door in the third. The 32-year-old netminder is poised to share the crease with Joey Daccord early in 2024-25, but it's possible head coach Dan Bylsma opts to ride the hot hand. The Kraken open their regular season Tuesday at home versus the Blues.
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Kraken's Jared McCann: Late scratch Wednesday
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McCann (lower body) won't play Wednesday versus the Oilers.
McCann was a late scratch before the contest. It's unclear how significant the 28-year-old's injury is, but given that this is the Kraken's preseason finale, there's a chance it's a precautionary move by the team with one of its top forwards. The Kraken open their regular season Tuesday at home versus the Blues.
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Kraken's Philipp Grubauer: Set to start Wednesday
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Grubauer is expected to serve as the starting goaltender in Wednesday's home preseason game against the Oilers, Alison Lukan of Root Sports reports.
Grubauer turned aside 31 of 36 shots in a preseason start against Edmonton on Sept. 28, and he'll get another chance to face the Oilers during Wednesday's preseason finale. After posting a 14-16-2 record, 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage over 36 regular-season appearances last year, the 32-year-old will likely begin the 2024-25 campaign in a platoon with Joey Daccord.
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Kraken's Ales Stezka: Sent to AHL
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Stezka was waived by the Kraken on Tuesday for the purpose of being assigned to AHL Coachella Valley.
Stezka could be the first goaltender recalled from Coachella Valley if one of Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer were to miss time. Stezka performed admirably for the Firebirds in 2023-24, going 18-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 27 regular-season appearances. The 27-year-old has yet to make an appearance in the NHL.
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Kraken's Gustav Olofsson: Hits waivers
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Olofsson was put on waivers Tuesday for the purpose of reassignment to AHL Coachella Valley.
Olofsson earned one goal and 11 assists in 51 games for AHL Coachella Valley in 2023-24 before adding five helpers in 18 playoff contests. He has appeared in four NHL regular-season contests with Seattle in the past two years, indicating he will probably spend most of 2024-25 in the minors.
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Kraken's Mitchell Stephens: On waiver wire
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Stephens was placed on waivers by the Kraken on Tuesday.
Stephens signed a two-year deal with Seattle this offseason in the hope of making the 23-man roster for Opening Night, but that was not to be. The 27-year-old center did play in 23 games for the Habs last year, so it's possible his former club would consider claiming the Ontario native instead of letting him pass through to AHL Coachella Valley.
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Kraken's Brandon Biro: Headed to Coachella Valley
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Biro was placed on waivers Tuesday with the purpose of being assigned to AHL Coachella Valley.
Biro produced 43 points across 59 regular-season contests with AHL Rochester in 2023-24. The 26-year-old will likely play out the season with Coachella Valley, barring injury to Seattle's forward group.
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Kraken's Ben Meyers: Waived Tuesday
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Meyers was placed on waivers Tuesday for the purpose of being sent to AHL Coachella Valley.
Meyers contributed 11 goals and 25 points in 32 games for AHL Colorado in the 2023-24 regular season. He also picked up one goal, two helpers and 34 hits in 23 NHL outings between Colorado and Anaheim last campaign. Meyers could be a call-up option for Seattle during the 2024-25 season.
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Kraken's Max McCormick: Waived Tuesday
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McCormick was designated for waivers by Seattle on Tuesday.
McCormick has 94 games of NHL experience with the Senators, Hurricanes and Kraken but was unable to force his way into the NHL roster to open the 2024-25 campaign. Assuming he clears, the winger will be reassigned to AHL Coachella Valley -- though he should be on the shortlist of potential call-ups.
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Kraken's Joey Daccord: In net against Calgary
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Daccord will guard the road crease in Monday's road exhibition contest versus the Flames.
It will be Daccord's third appearance of the preseason -- the 28-year-old turned away 19 of 20 shots in Friday's win over Vancouver. Daccord will form a tandem in net with Philipp Grubauer in 2024-25, at least to start the season.
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Kraken's Max Lajoie: Ticketed for AHL
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Lajoie was placed on waivers Saturday for the purpose of reassignment to AHL Coachella Valley.
Lajoie signed a two-way deal with Seattle in the offseason after logging an assist in seven games with the Maple Leafs last campaign. The 26-year-old defenseman will probably spend the bulk of the upcoming season with AHL Coachella Valley, where he'll serve as a depth option for the Kraken.
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Kraken's Philipp Grubauer: Set for preseason start
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Grubauer was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, according to Mike Benton of the Kraken Audio Network, indicating he will guard the road goal in Saturday's exhibition contest against Edmonton.
Grubauer allowed four goals on 19 shots in a 6-1 loss to Calgary in preseason action last Sunday. He earned a 14-16-2 record, 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage across 36 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. Grubauer will compete with Joey Daccord for starts during the upcoming campaign.
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Kraken's Logan Morrison: Joining AHL club
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Morrison was cut from the Kraken's camp Friday.
Morrison faced an uphill battle to make the NHL roster, and he fell well short of the mark. The 22-year-old will spend most of the 2024-25 campaign with AHL Coachella Valley. He was one of eight players trimmed from the Kraken's camp roster ahead of the opening of AHL training camps next week.
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Kraken's Nikolas Brouillard: On waivers
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Brouillard was put on waivers Friday, per PuckPedia.
Brouillard recorded five goals, 36 points and 137 PIM in 70 regular-season games with AHL Hartford in 2023-24. Although the 29-year-old defenseman has found success in the minors, he's never played in the NHL, and that's unlikely to change this year.
