Seattle Kraken
For me, the Seattle Kraken are a team that has in the past shown a glimmer of growth, but unfortunately for them, they have also shown the opposite. Two seasons ago the Kraken were able to eliminate the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs and forced the Dallas Stars to game 7 in the second round. Then less than a year later they failed to come close to making the playoffs.
So the real question for the Kraken are what team will we see this season? They have made a couple of small tweaks this offseason, but as a whole, the majority of their team is the same. They will be led by Matty Beniers and Jared McCann. These two players both took a dip in production last season. Beniers went from 57 points down to 37 and McCann went from 40 goals to 29 goals.
If this team wants to have any hope of making the playoffs then they are going to need to have all their top players contribute as they are expected to. The Kraken are a team that doesn't have any player that can shift the game in one way or another. McCann and his 62 points led the team last year. This is a team that needs to do things by a committee and they have the ability and personnel to do it, it comes down to whether will they do it.
Prediction
Last season Kraken finished 6th in the Pacific Division, this year I think they will move up on that list and end up in 5th. A little bit because I think they will improve, but mostly because the Calgary Flames will be much worse this season and as an Oilers fan that is music to my ears. So, while I still do not think that the Kraken will make the playoffs, I do think they will be knocking on the door once again.