Chandler Stephenson leading the Kraken with 48 points in the season’s final month ranks as a positive and welcome development given what lies ahead this summer.
Kraken general manager Ron Francis hopes for significant off-season upgrades to vault the team back to contention through trades or free agency, utilizing resources that could include stockpiled draft picks, AHL prospects and surplus salary cap space. To gauge how impactful those acquisitions might be, let’s check back on last summer’s two biggest free-agent signings in franchise history.
That would be Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour, both now among the top Kraken producers at their positions.
Montour, as many had hoped, leads all defensemen in average ice time and has a club record 16 goals among blueliners. And then there’s Stephenson, perhaps somewhat surprisingly given he’s no longer teamed with powerhouse Vegas linemate Mark Stone, nevertheless on-pace for the third-highest point total of his career and taking a run at the most ever by a full-time Kraken centerman.
Stephenson’s presence has enabled younger teammate centers Matty Beniers and Shane Wright to make solid progress in developing the middle core of the team’s forward lines. Stephenson said this past week he felt “pretty close” performance-wise to his best Vegas campaigns in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
“I think having the summer to reflect and just prepare and know what to expect, really helped,” Stephenson said. “I didn’t have any expectations coming into this year. I didn’t know what to expect even (Seattle) traffic-wise. Or any situation, whatever it may be.”
But he’s found a comfort level now, as has a team that’s spent all season shuffling him around varying line combinations.
Gaining a solid middle core can be the toughest task for any NHL team with playoff aspirations. But the ascension of Beniers and Wright this season, along with Stephenson, now offers three promising center options for the top three lines with star major junior prospect Berkly Catton possibly set for his NHL debut next fall.
Stephenson suffered an undisclosed injury midway through Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota and there’s no word yet on his anticipated return.
But up to now, Stephenson, Wright and Beniers have combined for the second most points ever by Kraken centers on the top three lines. They have 126 with 12 games to go and are well in reach of the club-high 143 notched by Beniers, Yanni Gourde and Alex Wennberg during the team’s playoff season two years ago.
The 45 combined goals by Stephenson, Wright and Beniers is also near to eclipsing the 51 from two years ago by Gourde, Beniers and Wennberg on that prior playoff team.
Say what you want about the Kraken not contending as hoped. But the team’s big signings from last summer have very little to do with it and, in fact, have positioned the squad for what could be a very quick turnaround akin to what took place two years ago.
Stephenson’s team-high 37 assists include 17 on the power play -- twice as many as the next closest Kraken player. And his faceoff success rate of 52% ranks second highest in team history among regulars behind the 52.5% by Morgan Geekie three years ago – though Stephenson has taken nearly twice as many draws.
Francis prioritized landing a veteran center last summer, largely to ease pressure on Beniers and Wright, both adjusting to full-time NHL life. And both have found their stride, tied with Jared McCann for third most goals on the team at 17 apiece.
Wright is also tied for the third most Kraken points at 40. The Kraken has never had two centermen finish top-three in points, which could happen if club leader Stephenson doesn’t miss significant time from here on.
“I think obviously just having time this summer to regroup and come back, hopefully, we can build off of what we’ve been doing,” Stephenson said. “And then carry it over next year.”
