We are one month into the NHL season and the Seattle Kraken have been on the ice showing us what they are capable of. Things may have not started as well as some expected for their first season, but there have been signs of promise. If anything, the slightly subpar start has allowed expectations on the team to drop a little and become more realistic.
Regardless of how the team does this season, fans will be keeping an eye on who will be its top scorer.
Of course, the higher the total from this player, plus those behind him, the more chance Seattle has of making the playoffs. Everyone is wondering if the Kraken can do it. Betting sites have them down as a playoff contender, with sportsbook comparison sites like winners.net organizing these sites by the best offers, demonstrating the high volume of brands putting odds on Pacific Division. Although there is little expectation of them winning the Pacific Division. As of November 4, they are +3500 to win the division and are listed sixth of eight in the betting.
But, if the Kraken do make the playoffs, which player will be the top scorer and push them forward?
Early Leaders in the Points Race
As reported by si.com, the first Seattle Kraken goal was scored by Ryan Donato, which sent the team on its way for the new season. Since then, we have seen players emerge to lead the team.
Three forwards stand out as having good starts to the season. Two were forced to miss games and are scoring at a great pace. As of November 4 and after ten games, Brandon Tanev has six points. With all of them coming from goals, he is the top scorer on the team. However, that only puts him second in points. He follows Jared McCann, who has seven points from his first eight games, with three goals and four assists.
The player to watch may be a little further down the list. As reported by NHL.com, Yanni Gourde had shoulder surgery this summer, which forced him to miss the start of the season. Despite this, the forward has returned sooner than expected and boasts five points from his first six games with his new club.
A key member of the Tampa Bay Stanley Cup-winning team from last season, Gourde is expected to play an important role in the Seattle offense. This will be a much greater ask than in Tampa and should lead to him scoring a lot of points.
Although he’s missed pre-season and some regular season games, he’s off to a flying start, which bodes well for what is to come. Given what he has done so far, it would be no surprise to see him end the season as the Kraken’s top scorer.
