Culture Club: The Vibes Are Good

If you spent any time around the Kraken this year, you could tell something felt different. Head coach Dave Hakstol said he sensed it from the first day of training camp. This was a group of players who were not only enjoying the journey they were on…they were enjoying it because they were on it together.

As the group formed strong connections among themselves, they refused to let tension or stress overtake the team. They forged a foundation of being at your best, playing for one another, and never forgetting to have some fun. That helped fuel an impressive season and playoff run that grabbed the attention of the hockey world.

As the 2022-23 season came to a close, Kraken players shared what made this year's team so special.

Adam Larsson

"I don't think (I've been around a group like this before). We're very, very close. It feels like we're a very close group and it's a very fun place to be. I think everyone feels that every day after a win or loss. We come here with a smile ready to work. That's what brought us to where we are today and something I think this group has done a really good job of - just working together and taking it day by day."

Justin Schultz

"We didn't listen to any outside noise… we played like we were in juniors…like we were kids. …We just go out and have fun. You see that in practice…we have fun together and that rubs off on games. It takes a little bit of the pressure off. This is a great group. Everyone in the organization has been great. It's a great place to play. The fans are amazing, the city's amazing. I think we all just love playing here and playing for each other and we're all pretty excited for next year. I think we all see the potential of this group."

Jordan Eberle

"I think that was a big piece of this group - us coming together and building that foundation, setting that bar. That's one of the toughest things to do in an organization is switch the culture, turn it into a winning one. And obviously, we're on the right track doing that."

Oliver Bjorkstrand

"(It's about) character from each guy. I think everybody is a team player. It's helped us a lot. As you know, throughout the year, it's been all four lines helping out so it's really a team effort. I think we embrace it."

Morgan Geekie

"I had lots of fun this year - it was great to see the growth of the team…The locker room is great. That's all you can ask for as a player. (Even beyond what you see publicly), away from the rink it's fun to hang out and spend a lot of time and get to know (each other) and our families.

"I think you saw that come playoff time when our lives are on the line and we came together as a whole and had lots of fun. It's fun to go to battle with those guys. I think it just speaks to the group and how it's built."

Alexander Wennberg

"It's just a great group of guys and everything from staff to players…I feel like everyone here is really excited to hang out with each other and fight for each other on the ice and that's what we need."

Jaden Schwartz

"You could tell having a year under your belt with everyone, guys get to know each other more and build chemistry off the ice…all these little things go into a team. You can see how well we gelled off the ice and how much we played for one another on the ice. And that's something that we're going to continue to grow and work on. There's obviously a lot of fun coming to the rink with this group and just building every day."