By Charles Hamaker 

Northgate, WA – After yesterday’s “full” team practice and the news that the team had reassigned goaltender Chris Driedger to AHL affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds to activate Philipp Grubauer off injured reserve, the Seattle Kraken held an optional practice ahead of their Wednesday night matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. While it was an optional and only ten players were visibly practicing (to us, at least) there were a few notable pieces of information that we could see on the ice as the team looks to snap out of their current four-game losing streak amidst the current four-game homestand, and just a few games ahead of the All-Star break. Here’s what happened at today’s “optional” practice! 

Bellemare gets second practice in  

Forward Pierre- Édouard Bellemare, who’s been dealing with a lower-body injury since December 21st, 2023, and has missed 13-games because of that ailment, was out working with skills consultant Matt Larke about an hour ahead of the team's optional practice. Bellemare, who we saw on Saturday the 20th getting work in with Larke and Vince Dunn but wearing a tracksuit and in obvious pain, was getting in shooting and skating work in with Larke. It’s another step-in progress, wearing an actual practice jersey this time and a tick faster in his skating and drill, but Pierre-Edouard is still likely a few weeks off from an actual return to being available to play for the Kraken, which is in line with the timeline given once he was placed on injured reserve back in September. Still, good to see him out there.  

Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn during the teams December 18th, 2022 Morning Skate. (Photos by Liv Lyons)

Attendance for the optional skate 

There were ten players visible that we could see for today’s morning skate, including the teams two current goaltenders on the roster even if one was only quick. Philipp Grubauer, Matty Beniers, Oliver Bjorkstrand, John Hayden, Joey Daccord, Jamie Oleksiak, Ryker Evans, Tye Kartye, Vince Dunn were all present in some capacity during the optional morning skate, as Pierre-Edouard Bellemare who we just mentioned. Joey Daccord was present for this morning skate in the capacity that he was seen heading over to rink two to get some work in and was in the locker room afterwards taking his gear off. Considering that Grubauer has just come off injured reserve and Daccord was getting individual work in, I’m going with Joey as my starter for tonight’s game against the Blackhawks.  

Matty Beniers was the second player and first skater on the ice on rink one, coming in shortly after Philipp Grubauer had begun to get his work in, and the 2022-23 Calder Trophy winner could be seen getting some shooting and stick work in while wearing a standard white practice jersey. Bjorkstrand was back on the ice and getting work in after missing yesterday’s practice with a personal matter, and Vince Dunn was one of the latest participants to hit the ice and was joined by traditional defensive pairing partner Adam Larsson in some drills. Every other participant listed was doing drills as normal or were players that didn’t have any sort of injury designation.  

Hearing from Hak 

Head coach Dave Hakstol spoke quickly with local media following the optional morning skate, with a few notable tidbits regarding “updates” of sorts to certain players and their status. Philipp Grubauer, Vince Dunn, and Oliver Bjorkstrand will all be available to play in tonight’s game, per Hakstol, and we expect the latter two of those three to get action tonight. Dunn had been out of action for all four of the games in the team's current losing streak with an injury he said yesterday wasn’t related to his fight against Columbus’ Cole Sillinger and wasn’t an illness, but rather an issue he’d been dealing with previously. Oliver Bjorkstrand is available after missing yesterday’s practice with a personal matter, and there isn’t much against the suggestion that he’ll be back in the lineup tonight.  

What’s next? 

Following today’s morning skate, the Seattle Kraken will be taking on the Chicago Blackhawks, who have won three of their last eight games and two of their most recent four. Seattle and Chicago will battle at Climate Pledge Arena with a puck drop time of 7PM PST, getting broadcast on TNT and MAX, as the Kraken look to get back into the win column and start adding to their point total once again as it appears that they will at least get Vince Dunn back healthy for tonight’s game. This will be the second game of the team’s current four-game homestand, and there will be three games left after tonight ahead of the NHL’s All-Star break.  

https://www.whereweconverge.com/circling-seattle-sports

Cover photo by Liv Lyons during the Seattle Kraken’s 2023 Training Camp.