For now, fans will have to wait until Lambert puts out a lineup in a game next fall to see how his systems and philosophies play out. That means, in coming months, words alone spoken at events such as these will be crucial in answering fan questions about Lambert replacing former head coach Dan Bylsma in April the same week Botterill was promoted to the GM position and Ron Francis named president of hockey operations.
Some fans at Wednesday’s event described a “whiplash” and “sleepless” feeling from all the changes, even while understanding the need to switch things up after a disappointing 79-point season. They came to the event largely seeking reassurance from both Lambert and Botterill that there’s a plan in-place to take things forward. And they didn’t mince words when peppering both about topics ranging from the team’s goaltending to its winless performance last season in back-to-back games.
Dennis Harlock, 73, a Toronto native who said he was at Maple Leaf Gardens to witness the Maple Leafs win their last two Stanley Cup titles in 1964 and 1967, has lived in Seattle for years and followed the Kraken since inception. He came to Wednesday’s event wanting to hear from Lambert, Botterill and Leiweke that there’s urgency for the team to become a playoff contender in the near-term.
“I’m a hockey fan and though I like to see Seattle win, I go to watch hockey,” he said. “I don’t mind if they’re losing if they play well. But I’m not sure whether the Seattle fanbase on its own is really willing to support a team that underperforms and doesn’t get better. Especially because we have baseball and football to go watch.”
And Harlock, who asked questions during a Q&A part of the event, came away satisfied the team plans a quick standings jump.
“I did hear that, if nothing else from a business perspective,” he said. “Sports is a business, right? I mean, people say they like hockey and football and baseball, but they’re putting money into the team as a financial investment. And the team needs that to do well financially. It doesn’t have to be a (championship) winning team, but as long as it does well, the value goes up and then everybody is happy -- the owners and the fans.”
Harlock said Lambert seemed to be “a pretty thoughtful kind of guy” as did Botterill. It was Botterill, in particular, who confidently gave several long, context-laden answers to a variety of questions.
One concerned the team’s goaltending, with Botterill saying the team will soon name a new goaltending coach familiar with both Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer. Botterill added that new coach Lambert also “had success with Grubi back in the Washington days” from their time with the Capitals earlier in Grubauer’s career.
“We understand it’s a key area,” Botterill said. “We’re going to be expecting and challenging our group, certainly, to improve in that area.”
On a question about the team’s 0-12 record in back-to-back games, Lambert stressed the need for a “mentality” about attention to detail.
“I always say that your structure and your detail and your predictability to each other are your safety blankets,” Lambert said. “And you know, with back-to-back games at times you’ll get into a hotel at 3 or 4 in the morning and you play the next night. So what? You’ve got to be able to play and you’ve got to be in position. And you give yourself a chance to win as long as you’re in the right spots and you’ve got the right mentality.”
Kraken fan Bruce Hobert, 68, liked what he heard from the new coach.
“He’s got great experience and he’s worked with some of our key players this year,” Hobert said. “He seems committed to the youth that we have with the team. And also, being able to watch him try to get more mileage out of some of the veterans should be pretty exciting.”
Hobert was also impressed by how GM Botterill addressed a question about the one-way contract given veteran forward John Hayden, stressing it solidifies the team’s NHL-level depth and toughness beyond just having him available to play for the AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. Botterill said next season’s “condensed schedule” due to a prolonged Olympic break in February, will make such depth necessary at the NHL level where Hayden has shown he can play.
“One thing I did appreciate hearing from the general manager was that they’re talking about John Hayden,” Hobert said. “I think everyone recognizes Hayden in terms of toughness, which is something I think we’ve lacked in past years. So, that’s one thing I want to see more of this year.”
Kraken season ticket member Helen Montgomery, 53, from Ballard, feels the relationships Lambert previously established with Kraken players such as Jordan Eberle, Chandler Stephenson, Grubauer and Andre Burakovsky are as important as anything else.
“I think it speaks well of him that a lot of our players thought well of him,” she said. “That to me is the crucial part. It’s nice that the front office likes him, but the players are the ones that are going to have to respect him and actually work with him.”
Those initial first impressions are all that fans such as Montgomery, Hobert, Harlock and Gibson have to go off for now. In that regard, Lambert’s initial foray into the public realm was a success as Kraken supporters wait to see how the results of his approach pan out.
“I’m hoping that is something he can deliver on and I hope it’s something he means,” Gibson said of Lambert’s approach to relationship building and accountability. “It seems like he means it. We’ve been blindsided a bit by all of this (change) and we’ll see where it goes. But I’m cautiously optimistic.”
