The next team in the 2023 Fantasy Hockey Team Preview is the Seattle Kraken. This team really popped off in their second season as a franchise. They not only surprised during the regular season but in the playoffs as well, knocking off the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. The offense and depth are what led the Kraken last season. This should be the case once again, but they could get better goaltending as well. Fantasy-wise, there are some solid options at all positions for this team.
The Kraken will be good again this season, but the West will also be tight. They are no lock for the playoffs despite the roster they have. They played and won like a team last season. If that happens again, there will be lots of fantasy hockey value oozing from their group. Let’s get into each position and the fantasy value you can expect from players in Seattle this season.
Seattle Kraken Fantasy Hockey Preview
Kraken Forwards
The Kraken didn’t have any point-per-game players last season, but they did have a lot of players who put up a good deal of points. Led by their top line, Jared McCann surprised us with a 40-goal, 70-point season. He could very well do this again with Matty Beniers, his centerman, getting better too alongside him. McCann and Beniers will both play on the top power play, something that is always valuable in fantasy hockey. 70-plus points for each of them this season isn’t a stretch. As for Jordan Eberle, he is a safe and effective fantasy option in the later rounds of the draft. He’ll continue to benefit from these talented young players.
If Andre Burakovsky can stay healthy, he is going to be a very dangerous player this season. He will get second-line minutes and power-play time. He found his scoring touch in Colorado and took his talents to Seattle last season. The winger recorded 13 goals and 39 points in 49 games. His linemates will be effective in helping produce offense, even if they change.
Players like Alex Wennberg, Jaden Schwartz, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen are more fantasy streamers than full-time roster players. While they are definitely all players to watch, Yanni Gourde has the edge over them. He plays physically and could realistically reach 50 points this season.
Kraken Defensemen
The Kraken defense has a few good options. Vince Dunn is far and above the top among them. He broke out last season as the team’s top defenseman, getting top minutes and power-play time. He scored 14 goals and 64 points and could reach that again easily. He is only 26 years old and getting better, plus he has Adam Larsson beside him.
Larsson is playing some of the best hockey in his career. Along with the other big defensive numbers he puts up, the veteran defender recorded 33 points. That’s not too bad for someone who can also cover the more physical stats for fantasy. He isn’t a top option, but Larsson should definitely be looked at in later rounds when the pickings start to get slim.
The rest of the Kraken defense is solid, but only Schultz really has a fantasy hockey impact. He will help run the power play, likely the second unit, but has the ability to produce offensively. Last season he put up 37 points, which is not bad at all. That is nearly the extent to which he will help out. If your fantasy hockey leagues have blocked shots and penalty minutes, then he adds a bit of value there.
Kraken Goalies
Philipp Grubauer stepped up last season for the Kraken. Early on he dealt with an injury, but he came back and took full control over the net in the second half. Despite his save percentage finishing at .895, 22 of his 36 starts were quality starts. That means he had a few blowup games, but for the most part, held the team in games. Grubauer should once again lock down the net as the starter and give good value in fantasy. The Kraken have proved they can score to help him rack up wins. I wouldn’t be surprised if his SV% climbs up over .910 this season with the addition of Brian Dumoulin on top of Will Borgen also taking another step forward.
The Kraken have players you will want to target in fantasy hockey this season, but they also have a lot of fringe talent. I see this team as hit or miss. The top guys will perform, but the rest you need to be careful of. Stay away from the Kraken in the late rounds after the fantasy locks are taken. Next up in the 2023 Fantasy Hockey Team Preview is the Vancouver Canucks.
Make sure to check out all of the sleepers and breakouts of the 2023 fantasy hockey season!
Looking for more great fantasy hockey analysis? Check out our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit for team previews, rankings, and all the sleepers you can shake a stick at.