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Who Will Lead The Kraken In Points From The Blueline

September 7, 2021, 1:22 PM ET [9 Comments]
Sean Maloughney
Seattle Kraken Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Last week I posted a poll, asking who you all thought would lead the Seattle Kraken in goals this season.

Overall the results didn't surprise me too much though I was a bit intrigued to see how close the numbers were between Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz. Today we are going to take a look at the blueline, specifically who will have the most points from the backend. Keep in mind for this poll we are discussing total points not just goals. Here are the candidates:

Mark Giordano (9-17-26 in 56GP last season)
The 37 year old former captain of the Calgary Flames has shown he can still produce even into his later 30's. In 18/19 at the age of 35, Gio put up his best season with 74 points in 78 games and though he has since dropped back, he has remained a player capable of logging big minutes and producing. The 22:57 that Giordano averaged last season in ice time was the lowest in over a decade for the player and might be the new normal for the player. In order to keep him fresh for the season he may not play as much on special teams which will also cut into his point production.

Vince Dunn (6-14-20 in 43GP last season)
The young Dunn might have the best shot of all current players on the Seattle roster at becoming a true top pairing defender. Though there are still inconsistencies in the 24 year old's game, he has shown a strong puck possession ability and quick transition ability that makes him dangerous at either end of the ice. Dunn may end up being the PP quarterback on the blueline for the top unit for the Kraken which would certainly help to boost his point totals. Injuries have been a bit of a concern for the player but hopefully none of those remain a lingering concern.

Jamie Oleksiak (6-8-14 in 56GP last season)
The big defender is not known for being a dominant point producer but the 28 year old did score a career high 6 goals last season in a shortened 56 game schedule. Personally I would view this option as one of the more unlikely options but if Oleksiak is given more minutes and potentially even a top pairing role, he could earn a plethora more secondary assists.

Dennis Cholowski (1-2-3 in 16GP last season)
The biggest wildcard on this list is a player that remains a RFA. Cholowski impressed in his NHL debuit in 18/19 with 7 goals in 52 games for the Red Wings but has since dropped off and spent time bouncing between the AHL and NHL. He makes a great first pass out of his zone and in the powerplay time he has received he has shown confidence and the ability to get pucks towards the net. Perhaps with a new opportunity in Seattle he could return to some of his old offensive ways and end up on the first unit PP as a specialist.

Carson Soucy (1-16-17 in 50GP last season)
Despite being 27, the 6'5, 211lb defender has only appeared in 108 NHL games. Last season, Soucy put up a career high 17 points with the Wild with most of them being assists. Like Oleksiak, I don't see Soucy as a likely choice for this poll but a new team and maybe more responsibility will give Soucy a chance to up his totals.

Adam Larsson (4-6-10 in 56GP last season)
Many forget that when Larsson was first drafted by the Devils, he wasn't expected to be just a defensive specialist but instead a player with stronger offensive instincts. Over the years Larsson has evolved and become one of the better true shutdown defenders in the league and because of that his point totals have reduced. It will be interesting to see with the number of shutdown style players that Seattle has enlisted, if coach Dave Hakstol will try and encourage Larsson to become more involved in the play.