4th Kraken Awards Go to Daccord, Montour, Schwartz

Following Tuesday’s season finale, which adorned fans with all sorts of prizes, the post-game festivities allowed the players to express their thanks with raised sticks and tossed fish into the stands. There was lots of cheering for players who won the fourth annual Kraken player awards, now a four-season tradition.

The four awards include the Pete Muldoon Award to honor the Kraken’s most valuable player. The MVP was voted on by Seattle-area media. The winner, announced in the post-game ceremony, is goaltender Joey Daccord, who finished the season with 27 wins and was top seven among all NHL goaltenders in the advanced analytics stat of goals saved about average (per MoneyPuck) and top 10 in several traditional categories. By any measure, this season marked Daccord as the No. 1 goaltender heading into next October and future seasons beyond.

The Fan Favorite award, rightfully and logically voted by fans, went to newcomer-turned-star Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour, who set a career-high with 18 goals and pretty much entertained and thrilled the Kraken faithful every shift with his speed, free-wheeling use of the entire ice sheet (so many joinings of the rush all year, a regular sight to see him crease-front in the offensive zone and Tuesday he even pulled off a behind-the-back pass to fellow free-agent Chandler Stephenson on the first Seattle power play of the night before electrifying the crowd with a power play score). Any walk on the plaza on game nights reveals more No. 62 jerseys than you might think, especially for a player in his first year.

The Guyle Fielder Award was established to identify the season’s player and teammates who best exemplifies “perseverance, hustle and dedication” associated with a Seattle hockey legend. Players and coaches vote on the Fielder Award. Kraken leading goal scorer and greatly admired alternate captain Jaden Schwartz. His 26-goal count on the season is his second-most goals across his long career. Schwartz was also de facto captain when Jordan Eberle was sidelined for 40 games. Fielder played 15 of his 22 pro seasons in Seattle, winning Pacific Hockey League championships with the Totems. He is No. 4 in scoring among all pro hockey players, trailing only Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe.

Daccord was a double-winner on the night, winning the Three Stars award for earning the most points in the post-game honors that come after home wins. It’s a 3-2-1 point system. All for the awardees grew high-decibel cheers from the Climate Pledge Arena crowd, with Daccord, of course, hearing the “Joey! Joey!’ chant.