Kraken roll into Winter Classic with a little help from Larsson T-shirt

SEATTLE -- Adam Larsson has become the face of the Seattle Kraken’s recent surge of success heading into the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Park on Monday (3 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

And it’s not because the 31-year-old defenseman is the only player to play in all 201 Kraken regular-season games since they entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2021.

Kraken players have been proudly wearing black T-shirts featuring a photo of Larsson with a bowl haircut before and after games throughout their team-record tying eight-game point streak (6-0-2). Seattle (14-14-9) was winless in eight games (0-6-2) prior to the point streak, which includes wins in its past four games.

Larsson believes there could be a connection between the T-shirts and the team’s climb back to within three points of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

“I think so,” Larsson said Sunday. “We haven’t lost since. So, they turned the season around.”

The story behind the T-shirts was a mystery until Larsson revealed it after the Kraken’s practice at T-Mobile Park on Sunday. Larsson said they were revenge for a prank he played on Seattle forward Matty Beniers about two weeks ago.

“I pranked Matty in the morning,” Larsson said. “And, at night he got me back.”

When the players arrived for the game that night, the T-shirts were waiting for them in their locker stalls.

“They’re hilarious,” Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz said. “I still have mine in my stall at the rink.”

After being told Larsson identified him as the source of the T-shirts, Beniers admitted he was the culprit.

“It was just a funny prank,” Beniers said. “He got me before. I figured I’d get him back and they worked out. I think he liked them.”

Although the photo of him isn’t flattering, Larsson loves the T-shirts.

“I think it was awesome” he said.

Larsson said the photo is one his girlfriend Vera took a year or two ago.

“She cut my hair and then we just pulled it down like that,” Larsson said “Then, Matty somehow got a hold of it.”

It helped that Vera posted the photo on Instagram.

“Once it’s out there, it’s out there, you know,” Larsson said. “That’s social media.”

Beniers thought it would look good on a T-shirt.

“It’s just a funny pic of him, and the guys liked it,” Beniers said. “They enjoyed it. It will be fun to see what he comes back with.”

Larsson vowed to pay Beniers back at some point but is keeping his plan to himself for now.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I have to wait, though. He’s probably expecting it, so I have to wait.”

Learning of Larsson’s mischievous side might be a surprise to some. To those who don’t know him well, the native of Skelleftea, Sweden might seem like a quiet leader off the ice as an alternate captain while being a steady physical presence on Seattle’s defense.

“It depends on the ‘Lars’ that you know,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “He comes across as pretty reserved. He’s a really determined guy. I think that’s really what comes to mind. When I look at his game, his skills, his abilities, determination is a big part of that, and you see that through and through. His leadership doesn’t necessarily come through the things that he says, and he talks in the room. He’s a guy that’s well respected and when there’s something to be said, he’s a guy that will speak up.”

There’s also a lighter side to Larsson, as evidenced by his reputation as a locker room prankster.

“Oh yeah, there is,” Hakstol said. “You have to ask his teammates about that. I can’t give you that stuff. You should check into some T-shirts that have been floating around. I’ll leave it at that.”

Those T-shirts have become of fun facet of the Kraken’s postgame locker room attire. Goalie Joey Daccord, who wore his T-shirt after Seattle’s 2-1 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, wouldn’t say if superstition is a contributing reason.

“I don’t know how much has been disclosed, but they’re just hilarious,” Daccord said. “So, I like putting it on after a nice win.”

The Kraken would love to keep their roll going against the Golden Knights in Winter Classic.

The T-shirts are just a funny side story to what should be a memorable afternoon.

“It doesn’t really feel like a regular-season game,” Larsson said. "It feels like a different kind of event. But I think everybody loves it, just to see in here the baseball locker room and all that kind of stuff. I’m sure tomorrow will be a lot of excitement, so it should be fun.”