Young Kraken Players Getting Tested Under Duress

BUFFALO, New York – There were contrasts between performances by young Kraken players the past six days in a loss at Columbus and then snagging three of four points in the state of Florida to remain in the hunt for a Western Conference playoff spot.

And when it comes to player development and teaching moments, they meant plenty. 

The Kraken were on-the-brink Tuesday against the Florida Panthers before Matty Beniers led a charge back from three goals down the final 5:43 of regulation to force overtime and steal a point in an eventual shootout loss. Then, in Tampa two nights later, Shane Wright helped Brandon Montour deliver a 4-3 overtime victory over the Lightning that moved the Kraken within three points of Nashville for the final conference wild card spot with a game in-hand.

The difference between being three points back as opposed to six with 11 games to go is huge. And through it all, younger Kraken players have taken on key roles in keeping their team alive. 

Some have rightly pointed out that the Kraken being in playoff contention has sometimes come at the expense of ice time for young players. That is indeed the case, not just for the Kraken but all NHL teams that prioritize winning down the stretch. Playoff spots don’t always come around often. So, when opportunity arises you take it by going with your best.

That usually has nothing to do with ages on birth certificates. Your best players are those most likely to deliver when called upon. Chandler Stephenson at age 31 has won two Stanley Cups for different teams, so it’s no surprise to hear coach Lane Lambert describe him as “a man possessed” who “understood the moment” in leading the Kraken throughout Thursday’s important win. Same with Montour, 31, another Cup winner who met the moment with two goals that same game.

When it comes to younger players less experienced in such high-pressure situations, they must show they can also meet the moment.

The Kraken against Florida started four former Top 8 overall draft picks from the past six years in Beniers and Kaapo Kakko at No. 2 overall in 2021 and 2019, respectively, as well as No. 4 Wright from 2022 and No. 8 Berkly Catton from 2024. Catton was even elevated to the top line against the Panthers and Lightning.

One player not partaking in Florida was young wing Jani Nyman, a second-round pick from 2022 who’d been on the ice for four opposing goals in just 8:15 of playing time in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets last Saturday. 

Nyman can be a potent player when fully engaged on offense and defense.

But he’s still only 21 and had yet to encounter the high-pressure stakes of an NHL playoff race. He was also only up from the AHL on an emergency basis given the absences of Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann due to injury and Ryan Winterton being on personal leave. Thusly, the Kraken sent Nyman back to Coachella Valley and recalled Oscar Fisker Molgaard, 21, a second rounder from 2023, to see whether he could engage and contribute under duress. 

Nobody is gauging a player’s entire future based on a game or two. Nyman will get additional chances down the road. But right now, it is merely about right now. And Molgaard, who’d played for Denmark last month at the Winter Olympics, has had some higher stakes play of late that Nyman has not.

Molgaard started as the third line center Thursday night, pushing Wright to the wing in hopes of generating creativity out of both. It was Molgaard making a solid neutral zone play along the wall that gave the Kraken possession ahead of a Freddy Gaudreau rush and Montour goal that opened the scoring. And much later, it would be Wright making a key overtime play to keep the puck in the offensive zone and set up Montour for the winning goal.

Those Molgaard and Wright plays can only happen if a player is engaged and situationally aware during a game that wasn’t for those shying away from the physical stuff.

Wright took a nasty hit down in the Lightning end in the first period. He remained on the bench several minutes before returning and staying engaged throughout. 

Beniers also got roughed up, but persevered and played strong, remaining aware enough in overtime to maintain puck possession and initiate the rush that begat the winning goal.

Engagement, awareness and perseverance are key parts of player development. The little things are often what you need from younger players not only for their growth, but to justify crucial ice time in games that matter.

In Tuesday’s game against the Panthers, Beniers got the unlikely three-goal comeback started by scoring to cut the deficit to 4-2. And it wasn’t just any goal: Beniers worked the puck to the net front, then wrapped it around a poke-check attempt by goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and put it over the goal line after being knocked off his skates and sent sprawling to the ice.

I immediately turned to the Seattle-based Sound of Hockey correspondent sitting next to me and mentioned “Bobby Orr” in terms of goal style. Of course, as others have since written, Orr’s famous Stanley Cup overtime winner for Boston in 1970 against St. Louis was scored before he was tripped and sent flying through the air by onetime Seattle Totems defenseman Noel Picard.

It made for arguably the most famous photo in NHL history because an aerial Orr encapsulated the superhuman player he was.

But Beniers scoring while still flying through the air and crashing to the ice? Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone within 500 miles of the Boston area Beniers hails from. But his goal was more impressive. 

Beniers scoring that goal was a sign of his emerging leadership. And not simply because it helped pick up young teammate Wright, who’d accidentally scored on his own net just moments prior. 

The goal itself was almost as if Beniers willed it to happen, choosing to carry the entire team, not just Wright, on his back. 

Beniers doesn’t score that goal any prior season. Doing it this season was a surefire sign of his continued development at age 23.

As for Wright, 22, he’s had a rough few weeks between a scoring drought, the own-goal and the physical punishment taken in Thursday’s game. But he persevered and delivered the game-winning assist. 

We’ve seen Kakko, 25, elevate his play at a critical time the entire second half. Truth is, he didn’t have much of a first half because of injury. That’s also about perseverance.

And with 20-year-old Catton? He continues to be creative, drive plays in the offensive end and had a secondary assist on Montour’s overtime winner. Catton was also engaged. You don’t see a player his size dropping the gloves instantly for his first NHL fight after Jordan Eberle got decked unless he’s aware of what’s happening around him.

We’ve heard coach Lambert muse before about too many “passengers” in games. Thursday’s win was not for passengers standing around as disinterested third parties. That’s why Catton continues to see ample ice time – almost 20 minutes against Florida and more than 18 in Tampa – regardless of his young age.

With 11 games to go, it’s about putting a winning combination out there. And if younger players keep contributing, it’s a win-win that will generate Kraken victories while furthering their career development through new experiences veteran players have already endured.