Jordan Eberle: Kraken ‘gelling,’ why Seattle is so tough to play against

After a disappointing inaugural season, it stands to cause that expectations for the Seattle Kraken can be low getting into Yr 2. However boy, that hasn’t been the case in any respect for this workforce this season.

The Kraken have been one of many hottest groups within the NHL over the past month and gained their seventh recreation in a row on Thursday with a 3-2 additional time win towards the Washington Capitals, giving Seattle 13 wins in its final 16 video games.

Matty Beniers scores in OT, Seattle Kraken rally previous Capitals 3-2

At the moment, the Kraken have the second-most factors within the Western Convention and the fifth-most factors within the NHL.

“Yeah, we’re taking part in nicely proper now. It’s been lots of enjoyable,” Kraken winger Jordan Eberle informed Mike Salk Friday morning throughout Seattle Sports activities 710 AM’s Brock and Salk. “We’re gelling as a workforce, we’re discovering methods to win … And final evening I believed we performed one in all our greatest wins of the season, so we have to preserve it going.”

Eberle, 32, is among the extra veteran gamers for Seattle and was one in all only a few scoring threats the workforce had final season. This yr, Eberle is tied for second in factors and is fifth in objectives.

A difficulty the Kraken have introduced up when speaking about their struggles final season was that COVID-19 protocols made it exhausting for the workforce to get to know one another. That hasn’t been the case this season.

“That was positively an impediment slightly bit for us. I feel greater than something, it was simply having a model new group collectively, having a brief period of time to get to know one another and simply the turnaround of being drafted, discovering a spot right here, coming into camp. I imply, all the pieces’s new,” Eberle mentioned. “This yr we had a baseline of what we had completed final yr, possibly as little because it was, however simply all the pieces being acquainted once more after which on prime of that we added some fairly massive items. We had lots of items in place final yr, however we have been simply lacking a couple of issues. And as soon as we addressed these, we’ve actually taken off.”

Eberle’s line specifically has actually taken off. He performs reverse fellow veteran winger Jared McCann with star rookie Matty Beniers at middle. Beniers is tied for second in factors on the Kraken and is tied with McCann for the workforce lead in objectives.

“Canner and I received to have the ability to play slightly bit final yr (collectively) and simply developed some chemistry. I’m a robust believer within the extra you play with guys, you simply perceive their tendencies and there’s refined issues of what they love to do once they have the puck or the performs they wish to make,” Eberle mentioned. “However as quickly as you decide up on that stuff you possibly can simply react simpler to it and faster and it simply provides you that half second. So Canner and I are beginning to get that slightly extra from taking part in with one another for some time.”

And Beniers has been a giant a part of the Kraken’s success, scoring the game-winner in additional time on Thursday.

“He’s solely 19 years previous, so he’s gonna proceed to develop and get larger and stronger and simply get higher,” Eberle mentioned of the rookie.

And whereas Eberle’s line with McCann and Beniers has been the highest scoring unit for Seattle this season, Eberle careworn that the Kraken have among the greatest depth within the NHL.

“I feel the power of our group that we now have as a workforce is in our depth,” he mentioned. “We’ve got 4 traces which might be powerful to play towards. And on any given evening, a kind of traces goes to carry out and rating. These are the powerful groups to beat, for my part. These are the groups that go deep within the playoffs. It’s nonetheless fairly early and we don’t need to get forward of ourselves, however issues are going nicely for us.”

However making the playoffs is unquestionably a giant aim for Eberle and the Kraken this yr.

“It’s been enjoyable. This rink we’re taking part in at is among the nicest within the league and I feel one of many loudest, so to get the playoffs right here and get this metropolis actually seeing what playoff hockey is all about is our No. 1 aim and hopefully we get there,” he mentioned.

Hearken to the complete interview with Eberle at this hyperlink or within the participant under.

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