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KRAKEN THIS MORNING: Ron Francis' fingerprints, future direction and more with Everett Fitzhugh (4/9) · Seattle Kraken Audio Network

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Cracking this morning, a presentation of the Kracking
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Audio Network and Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Here's Mike Benton.
• 0:12
  Speaker 2: Five games left in the regular season. This one's got
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: plenty of meeting also in different ways, more than just one.
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: We welcome you to Cracking this morning. On a Thursday,
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: April ninth, the Kraken, with five games left, sit nine
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: points out, so any kind of margin for air has
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: virtually dried up and hopes to hold off playoff elimination.
• 0:31
  Speaker 3: The Cracking taken on Vegas.
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: For the third of four meetings here for this regular season,
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: and we'll also see Lane Lambert versus John Tortorella between
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: the Kraken and Vegas bench for the first time since
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: both coaches were named to their post. Everett fits You,
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: who joined us of course on Cracking Weekly, is back
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: with us in just a bit for pretty good reason.
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: A major move going down for the Kracking and in
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: their organization.
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: On Wednesday afternoon.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: Ron Francis, who have been with the organization since twenty
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: nineteen a GM, eventually elevated to the role of President
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: of Hockey Operations. He will step down at the end
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: of this season. The Kraken announcing earlier on Wednesday reaction
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: from that move, with Everett coming up in just a
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: bit as the Kraken back home after back to back
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: losses in Winnipeg and Minnesota, most recently Tuesday night, a
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: five to two loss to the Wild despite holding a
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: two to one lead at the end of one period
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: of play, and the Kraken right now trying to get
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: out of the slide of zero five and one over
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: the course of the last six games, aiming for their
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: third win in three tries against Vegas this season and
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: a four to four to one overall record on home
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: ice against the Golden Knights. Before we get to Everett,
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: here's a look back at two nights ago, with the
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: Kraken looking to start out strong against the team in
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: Minnesota will usually wins when they start out strong.
• 1:57
  Speaker 4: Back to Caprice off left circle. Caprice walks in behind
• 2:01
  Speaker 4: the goal, wrap around try and it's off the side
• 2:04
  Speaker 4: of the goal. Joey the cord got over there quickly
• 2:07
  Speaker 4: to make the stave and it just went off the
• 2:09
  Speaker 4: side of the net and the cracking forcing the cord
• 2:12
  Speaker 4: a quick up for Copo Coco right side down for Schwartz,
• 2:15
  Speaker 4: back to Coco to the highest lot.
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: Monteur scars Brandon Montour a one timer.
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: Right before the power play expires, and the Seattle krack
• 2:29
  Speaker 4: and get on the board first. It's a one nothing
• 2:31
  Speaker 4: lead with nine thirty six to play in the opening
• 2:34
  Speaker 4: twenty well.
• 2:35
  Speaker 5: This whole thing started with a great up pass from
• 2:38
  Speaker 5: Joey to Cord all the way down to Deaden Schwartz
• 2:40
  Speaker 5: the far blue line, who got the zone entry, got
• 2:43
  Speaker 5: that puck down to Coppo Coco, who gets deep on
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: the power plan, waits for Montour to get into that
• 2:48
  Speaker 5: shooting position just inside the center blue line.
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: He lets a one time or go boom back of
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: the net.
• 2:54
  Speaker 4: One up wild failed clear kept in by Stevenson right
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: side in the slot Adam Lars.
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: It scores.
• 3:04
  Speaker 4: The big cat on the prowl here at Minnesota Chandler
• 3:08
  Speaker 4: Stevenson to Adam Larson as he whipped it in. Load
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: of the ice beats volstet five hole and the Kraken
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: regain their lead. It's a two to one, cracking edge
• 3:19
  Speaker 4: with six fifty to play. In the first well, Jenner
• 3:21
  Speaker 4: Stuston and Adam Larson. Chris cross is as Jenner's Houston
• 3:26
  Speaker 4: comes down the right side. He cuts to the middle,
• 3:28
  Speaker 4: finds Larson, who has set up for a one timer
• 3:30
  Speaker 4: in the slot and the big cat puts it low
• 3:33
  Speaker 4: on vals dead cracking, have their lead back two to
• 3:36
  Speaker 4: water crack in her back end. Here's bet Myers. Now
• 3:38
  Speaker 4: we're gonna have a fight right at center ice. It's
• 3:40
  Speaker 4: gonna be Jamie Alexiak and Marcus Folino Feleno. It's one
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: on Alexiak. Now the lockhorns right at the logo. Marcus Felino.
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: Two chams of the right side of the head, Alexiak
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: with another strong right of his own Polino. A couple
• 3:56
  Speaker 4: of rabbit punches to the kidneys, and now Alexiak will
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: wrap him up. Jamie Alexiak too strong, hard across the
• 4:03
  Speaker 4: top of the head. Melino as him locked up. They'll
• 4:06
  Speaker 4: exchange rights in an alexiact. We'll take him down to
• 4:09
  Speaker 4: the ground hard. Right at the face off Don and
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: says McCann to the trailer, Schwartz shoots scozs Jaden Schwartz
• 4:20
  Speaker 4: the trailer on the play comes into the left side
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: of the zone and fires one off the crossbar and
• 4:27
  Speaker 4: in Balstett wants to take a look at it. But
• 4:29
  Speaker 4: the Kraken have regained the lead three to two. Early
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: here in the second well Jere McCann down the left
• 4:36
  Speaker 4: side with a ton of speed delays finds Jenen Schwartz
• 4:40
  Speaker 4: going down the middle, puts a perfect pass under his blade.
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: Schwartz fakes the shot, goes to the left and puts
• 4:46
  Speaker 4: it over Balsta's left shoulder.
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: Three to two, Kracking. They're reviewing the play. Kole Yis
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: is overturned.
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: We have no goal, all right, so they took the
• 4:58
  Speaker 4: goal off the board. Freddie gadrou Oh got his glove
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: or his stick into the glove of deper Volstet, so
• 5:06
  Speaker 4: it'll remain a two to two hockey game now with
• 5:09
  Speaker 4: eighteen oh eight to play in the period, though control
• 5:12
  Speaker 4: the puck now a one timer shot knocked down a
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: stuff dead by Tara Seko and they score.
• 5:19
  Speaker 3: The points.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: Shot from Spurgeon to coordinate the same didn't know where
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: the puck was, he thought he had it and Tara
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: Seko first to it to get the wild to lead
• 5:31
  Speaker 4: three to two of the offensive zone bald He turns
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: and shoots back door tap in.
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: They score.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: Marcus show Headson against.
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: His former team and the Kracking down a pair four
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: to two.
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: Fine two was your final Minnesota over the Kraken, as
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: the Wild scored four unanswered goals beginning in period two
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: and the Kraken now looking to get back on the
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: winning track with serious playoff implications at play and a
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: shakeup as well underway in the Crack in front office. Well,
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: needless to say, what a day, and we have a
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: home game and a home stand opening up here for
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: tonight the Crack and taking on the Vegas Golden Knights.
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: Big shout out, big.
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: Thank you to everet fits to you and al Kiniski.
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: As I mentioned on Cracking Weekly, we kind of peel
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: back the curtain on this because after the bulk of
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: our conversation where we touched more on the bigger picture
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: for this summer and a recap of the road trip
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: than major news breaking. Of course, that's what happens in
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: this day and age in this business. Ron Francis stepping
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: down at the end of the season as Cracking President
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: of Hockey Operations. Ever refits you now joining us here
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: for a lengthier chat on this heading into the game
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights. Fast thanks again, Buddy
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: for doing this ron Francis has been here since twenty
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: nineteen in some management capacity. A Hall of famer is
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: time is now done stepping down at.
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: The end of the season. Your instant reaction to this.
• 6:59
  Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean I think number one, it's it's a
• 7:02
  Speaker 6: little bit of shock, just because I mean, ron Is
• 7:06
  Speaker 6: is he had shovels in the ground, right He was
• 7:10
  Speaker 6: here when this was NHL Seattle. He was here when
• 7:14
  Speaker 6: there was nothing more, you know, barely more than a
• 7:18
  Speaker 6: dream of an ALA hockey team. And so I mean
• 7:22
  Speaker 6: I think for him to help build and create this
• 7:26
  Speaker 6: organization from the ground dump and I mean he was
• 7:29
  Speaker 6: instrumental and very very many aspects of this and this organization.
• 7:34
  Speaker 6: I mean he'd helped design the locker room for goodness sakes, right, Like,
• 7:37
  Speaker 6: he was very hands on that this wasn't just you know,
• 7:44
  Speaker 6: retirement job after Carolina for him. You know, he was
• 7:47
  Speaker 6: very instrumental in helping establish this organization here in Seattle
• 7:53
  Speaker 6: and helping bring the thirty second franchise to life. And
• 7:58
  Speaker 6: I mean obviously, you know, you go to the playoffs
• 8:01
  Speaker 6: in year two. Yeah, there were some missteps. No GM
• 8:04
  Speaker 6: is perfect, you know, and obviously I think there was
• 8:08
  Speaker 6: just maybe growing thought that a change in voice was needed,
• 8:12
  Speaker 6: so he and Todd decided that, hey, you know, maybe
• 8:15
  Speaker 6: the time for him to step down was now. But yeah,
• 8:19
  Speaker 6: I think you know when I when I was running
• 8:22
  Speaker 6: some errands downtown today and I'm driving up ninety nine
• 8:26
  Speaker 6: heading back home and my phone is incessively buzzing, my
• 8:30
  Speaker 6: first thought was My initial thought was, oh, this can't
• 8:33
  Speaker 6: be good. And then I pull up to a stop
• 8:36
  Speaker 6: light and then there boom, there it is. So yeah,
• 8:40
  Speaker 6: I think shock was was my initial reactions to all
• 8:43
  Speaker 6: of this.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: Reports sat Jason Bottrell will have nobody filled in the
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: role above him, as he'll continue on in the organization.
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: Before I get to the bottlel meaning of this, there's
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: perspective I want to add to those fits and you
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: touched on some of this. For Meg, changes usually mean
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: a fresh approach. There's hits and there's misses that we
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: can recap. But six years ago this team didn't even
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: have a name, and this is now. This is how
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: thirsty this hockey town was for the NHL. When you
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: consider thirty two thousand ticket deposits were dropped in the
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: blink of an eye. Ron Francis self lay a foundation.
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: No matter how you slice it, he's a hall of
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: famer who's got respect across the hockey world. Criticism will
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: come for any regime. Gratitude is also a big part
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: of this, from helping design Crack in community ice Plex
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: with his input, the ends and ounce of it, the
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: Krack and name itself, the birth of the Coachella Valley Firebirds,
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: and more so, what do you define as the most
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: meaningful move of the Ron francisira Oh?
• 9:50
  Speaker 6: I mean, listen, I think meaningful to me is just
• 9:54
  Speaker 6: helping bring NHL hockey to Seattle. This is a market
• 9:57
  Speaker 6: that has never had hockey passed, you know, the junior
• 10:02
  Speaker 6: level recently, and then obviously the minor pro level, you
• 10:05
  Speaker 6: know with the Breakers and the Totems and those teams
• 10:09
  Speaker 6: back in the fifties, fifties and seventies. But you know,
• 10:12
  Speaker 6: I think he helped bring legitimacy to the Seattle Kraken
• 10:19
  Speaker 6: from day one. I mean, anytime that you could bring
• 10:21
  Speaker 6: in a hall of famer to run your organization, you know,
• 10:26
  Speaker 6: I think that is that's a huge, huge feather in
• 10:29
  Speaker 6: your cap. And I think, you know, from day one,
• 10:32
  Speaker 6: he helped Seattle become something to talk about now. Obviously,
• 10:38
  Speaker 6: the results, you know, we can't talk about the good
• 10:41
  Speaker 6: without the bad. I understand the results weren't where a
• 10:44
  Speaker 6: lot of people expected them to be, you know, and
• 10:48
  Speaker 6: I think obviously everybody in the organization from the top down,
• 10:53
  Speaker 6: will will bear some responsibility for that. But I think
• 10:57
  Speaker 6: the long lasting for me, the law lasting impression that
• 11:04
  Speaker 6: Ron Francis left on this organization is that he brought
• 11:09
  Speaker 6: legitimacy to an HL hockey in Seattle because of of
• 11:14
  Speaker 6: his Hall of Fame resume, because he chose Seattle. He
• 11:18
  Speaker 6: didn't have to come here, and you know, I know
• 11:21
  Speaker 6: the track record in Carolina, probably maybe a lot of
• 11:25
  Speaker 6: folks were questioning him coming in. But you know, how
• 11:28
  Speaker 6: many times have we seen coaches and gms get second
• 11:33
  Speaker 6: kicks at the can and and then they run with
• 11:35
  Speaker 6: those opportunities. Paul Maurice, you know, in in Florida winning
• 11:40
  Speaker 6: you know, back to back Stanley Cups and and you know,
• 11:43
  Speaker 6: so I think Ron is going to be somebody who
• 11:46
  Speaker 6: is going to be remembered and helping the the first
• 11:50
  Speaker 6: generation of Krack and hockey become successful. But you know,
• 11:54
  Speaker 6: regime change sooner or later, everyone goes through it and
• 12:00
  Speaker 6: and now was the Krakens time to usher in a
• 12:03
  Speaker 6: new voice. Uh, a new a new way if you will,
• 12:09
  Speaker 6: And and and while still paying respect, I think to
• 12:13
  Speaker 6: to Ron Francis for for his commitment and his dedication
• 12:18
  Speaker 6: to this company.
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: Evera fits you joining us here for Kracken this morning.
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: Tough to say what the next chapter of this next
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: regime is going to bring, So I lay the facts out,
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: sends Jason Botterol to Goverro's GM. There was the Mason
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: Marchman trade didn't work out. He was out in six months. Kraken, though,
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: got out of the Andre Borakowski deal. Philip Grubauer worked
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: with a new goalie coach, had a great turnaround year.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: Ryan Lindgren was added to give some muscle on the
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: back end. We saw promising debuts up front with the
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: likes of Oscar Fisker, Mulgard, Berkeley Catton and Jacob Allanson.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: And you, I mean, folks, you tell me Malanson is
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: going to be a fan favorite the way that he
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: is trending right now. Then Bobby McMahon, that was the
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: big move of the deadline. Arguably, when you talk about
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: that week at deadline time, the ultimate headliner in the NHL.
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: The challenge now is to get him signed. So from there,
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: who knows. Either of course, get to work really hard
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: to overhaul on this roster or decide if the future
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: is now to me? There are merits here to both arguments.
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: But what's your feel on what could be ahead here?
• 13:28
  Speaker 3: Fitz?
• 13:29
  Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean I think number one, we're gonna until
• 13:33
  Speaker 6: that happens, then we're gonna keep going back to this. Well,
• 13:37
  Speaker 6: the kra can need an offensive force. I mean, da
• 13:40
  Speaker 6: Kracken need a top fifty, top forty NHL player. They
• 13:46
  Speaker 6: need a guy that's going to be a top line
• 13:48
  Speaker 6: player on twenty five of thirty two teams around the
• 13:53
  Speaker 6: league twenty eight of thirty two teams around the league.
• 13:56
  Speaker 6: You need a player that when you're down the goal
• 13:59
  Speaker 6: with a minute and a half left in the game, hey,
• 14:02
  Speaker 6: you over the boards, you know who that person's gonna
• 14:05
  Speaker 6: be and simply put the crack and just don't have that.
• 14:08
  Speaker 6: So with McMahon, I mean, right now, internally, that's got
• 14:12
  Speaker 6: to be that your number one. Your number one goal
• 14:15
  Speaker 6: is to get him resigned. Just over a million bucks
• 14:19
  Speaker 6: after Nick Schmaltz got his eight by eight he now,
• 14:22
  Speaker 6: I mean unlust. There's someone else that pops, which I
• 14:25
  Speaker 6: don't think there will be as of right now. Bobby
• 14:27
  Speaker 6: McMahon is going to be your highest sought commodity in
• 14:32
  Speaker 6: the pre agency market. So if you're the kracking, you know,
• 14:36
  Speaker 6: we've talked a lot about the last five years. We've
• 14:39
  Speaker 6: got draft capital, We've got trade pieces, you've got assets.
• 14:43
  Speaker 6: The word assets keeps coming up every single summer. Well, listen,
• 14:46
  Speaker 6: you got four first in the next two drafts. You've
• 14:49
  Speaker 6: got what I think twelve picks in the first three rounds,
• 14:56
  Speaker 6: give or take over the next three years. You've got
• 14:59
  Speaker 6: some players on the roster right now that a number
• 15:03
  Speaker 6: of teams. If you listen to all the experts and
• 15:06
  Speaker 6: the pundits around the hockey world, they'll tell you that
• 15:09
  Speaker 6: they kicked around some of these guys' names during the
• 15:12
  Speaker 6: last deadline or two. So the Crackety definitely have a
• 15:16
  Speaker 6: lot of pieces. And I think right now Jason Monstrell's
• 15:20
  Speaker 6: biggest it's my opinion, you know, but I think his
• 15:25
  Speaker 6: biggest focus is going to have to be the overhauling
• 15:27
  Speaker 6: of this roster. The Seattle Crackett team has a lot
• 15:30
  Speaker 6: of really good pieces on this roster. This is not
• 15:34
  Speaker 6: a bad hockey team, but I do think that there
• 15:37
  Speaker 6: is a lot of the same player and I think
• 15:40
  Speaker 6: there is not enough dynamic offensive production from this team.
• 15:47
  Speaker 6: You know, and you can go back to the last
• 15:51
  Speaker 6: handful of games the cracket had played. You know, each
• 15:54
  Speaker 6: team seems to have this dynamic duo. It's Connor and Scheifey,
• 15:59
  Speaker 6: It's Maltz and Keller, It's McDavid and dry Cydle, it's
• 16:04
  Speaker 6: you know, McKinnon and mccar or you know, it's it's
• 16:09
  Speaker 6: you know, I could go on and on right there.
• 16:12
  Speaker 6: Every single team has these duos. They have these players
• 16:16
  Speaker 6: that are able to find the back of the net
• 16:20
  Speaker 6: consistently put up sixty seventy eighty ninety points a season,
• 16:25
  Speaker 6: and that's where the cracking have to go. And you know,
• 16:29
  Speaker 6: we've talked about this a lot, Mikey. They're going to
• 16:32
  Speaker 6: have to be this summer. They are going to have
• 16:35
  Speaker 6: to be some very difficult, some very uncomfortable, some very
• 16:41
  Speaker 6: unpopular decisions that have to be made. There are a
• 16:45
  Speaker 6: lot of people, and listen, you know, I'm gonna we
• 16:50
  Speaker 6: have to think about the fan here as well, because yes,
• 16:54
  Speaker 6: this is a business and your job is to win
• 16:56
  Speaker 6: hockey games. But as somebody you're there as well, who
• 17:01
  Speaker 6: spent the majority of my career working in the minor leagues,
• 17:05
  Speaker 6: this is the first time a lot of folks in
• 17:08
  Speaker 6: Seattle have ever bought a hockey jersey. They've ever felt
• 17:12
  Speaker 6: an affinity total player, They've got fan favorites. This guy
• 17:17
  Speaker 6: is my guy, all right. Remember when you were in Stockton, Alaska, Everett,
• 17:22
  Speaker 6: and you had to make the hard decisions, and so
• 17:24
  Speaker 6: and so got traded, so and so left, and the
• 17:27
  Speaker 6: fan base wasn't happy, but it was for the greater good.
• 17:30
  Speaker 6: Those are the decisions that have to be made this summer.
• 17:33
  Speaker 6: There are going to be players on this team that
• 17:36
  Speaker 6: fans love that might not be here next year, and
• 17:42
  Speaker 6: they have to be okay with that. And I think
• 17:44
  Speaker 6: in order for this team to move forward, there's going
• 17:47
  Speaker 6: to have to need to be some difficult decisions that
• 17:50
  Speaker 6: have to be made this summer. And I think you
• 17:53
  Speaker 6: know in my mind, you know I'm willing to talk
• 17:57
  Speaker 6: to talk to you about three year four untouchables on
• 18:02
  Speaker 6: this roster, but everybody else make me an offer if
• 18:06
  Speaker 6: it means to improve this team. This is just one
• 18:10
  Speaker 6: broadcaster's opinion. So take it for what it's worth. But
• 18:13
  Speaker 6: you know it's gonna be it's gonna be a hard
• 18:15
  Speaker 6: job this summer because you know, we talked about it
• 18:19
  Speaker 6: on Cracking Weekly. You know, al Kiniski told me he
• 18:23
  Speaker 6: was talking to Bill Armstrong, the GM of Utah Mammoths,
• 18:28
  Speaker 6: and he and he and Al were in the same
• 18:31
  Speaker 6: draft class, so they know each other a little bit,
• 18:33
  Speaker 6: and they were talking about, you know, the Utah mammoths
• 18:36
  Speaker 6: and their maturation year over year. Well, last year, Utah
• 18:40
  Speaker 6: was in a very similar spot Seattle is right now.
• 18:43
  Speaker 6: They were in the playoff conversation with ten fifteen games
• 18:48
  Speaker 6: to go. They were playing meaningful games, but they just
• 18:51
  Speaker 6: weren't winning those games. And he went into last offseason
• 18:54
  Speaker 6: and said, Okay, we're now going to play meaningful games
• 18:57
  Speaker 6: once again in March and April. But now we're gonna
• 19:00
  Speaker 6: in those meaningful games, and now they're in the playoffs.
• 19:02
  Speaker 6: So coming into this season, the Kraken, for my money,
• 19:06
  Speaker 6: this is just ever fits you talking to here. Obviously
• 19:09
  Speaker 6: the goal of the playoffs, but for my money, your
• 19:12
  Speaker 6: bottom line, bargain basement, absolute floor goal this year, the
• 19:18
  Speaker 6: lowest goal you could have was to be playing meaningful
• 19:22
  Speaker 6: games in March and April. If you look back at
• 19:24
  Speaker 6: this season, the Kraken did that. Now it's been quite
• 19:27
  Speaker 6: the falloff in the last three weeks here, but Game
• 19:31
  Speaker 6: sixty five mattered, Game seventy mattered even right now going
• 19:35
  Speaker 6: into game seventy eight, even though Seattle mathematically not eliminated
• 19:40
  Speaker 6: for playoffs. So hey, game seventy eight still batters. You're
• 19:43
  Speaker 6: still in the playoff until that is by your name. Well,
• 19:47
  Speaker 6: now next season, with everything that's happened with the year
• 19:50
  Speaker 6: the way you had it, now another massive offseason change.
• 19:54
  Speaker 6: I mean you're going to coaching changes each of the
• 19:58
  Speaker 6: last two years and now a GM change and a
• 20:01
  Speaker 6: president change back to back years. Play like you've done it.
• 20:06
  Speaker 6: You've done it. So now you have to go out
• 20:09
  Speaker 6: and make the playoffs. So now, whatever that takes, whatever
• 20:12
  Speaker 6: moves that takes, your kracking need to be a playoff
• 20:17
  Speaker 6: team next season.
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: Nine thirty am. Todd Liwikie news conference coming up later
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: on today will have more of this. By the way,
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: coming up in the pregame show is served up by
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: Frostpured Corps, Light Choose Chill and speaking Out Meaningful Hockey.
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: It's April ninth and the Krakens certainly are playing a
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: meaningful hockey game, trying to stave off elimination. Nine points
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: back of the cut line with five games to play,
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: facing Vegas, it's Lane Lambert versus John Tortorella now, And
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: to me, there's something always like foward to two I
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: fits no matter what time of year or a game,
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: I'm gonna go to a bit of a different rounde
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: as far as the roster here, and we usually talk about,
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: you know, what the veterans can do, But for me,
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: I would love to see what can Berkeley Canton do?
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: What can Oscar Fister Breguard, assuming he is in can
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: do can Maddy Vaniers rise above the noise in a
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: top line situation and finish strong?
• 21:10
  Speaker 6: Yeah? I mean, for my money, I think Oscar Fisker ballguard.
• 21:14
  Speaker 6: I think Berkeley Catton. You know, I'll throw Jacob Alanson
• 21:17
  Speaker 6: in that mix. I know Ryan Winterton just got back,
• 21:21
  Speaker 6: you know, but maybe you'll get a few games in here.
• 21:23
  Speaker 6: These are all auditioning for spots next season, whether that
• 21:27
  Speaker 6: be here, whether that be starting in Coachella Valley, whatever
• 21:32
  Speaker 6: the case may be. If you're a vet like Matt
• 21:35
  Speaker 6: e Vaneers. You want to end this year on a
• 21:37
  Speaker 6: high note. I mean, you won the Calder, you have
• 21:40
  Speaker 6: a sophomore slump, maybe a half of a junior slump,
• 21:43
  Speaker 6: and then now this year you've bounced back, You've had
• 21:46
  Speaker 6: a very strong defensive season. Offense still not where it's
• 21:51
  Speaker 6: where you want to be. And me, I think he's
• 21:53
  Speaker 6: a what eighteen goals now, Maddy Vaneers nineteen goals right now,
• 21:59
  Speaker 6: So I mean maybe an outside shine of that twenty
• 22:03
  Speaker 6: five goals season. He has to go on a tearer
• 22:05
  Speaker 6: six goals at five games, but you know, you'd like
• 22:08
  Speaker 6: to maybe see if you can go on a run
• 22:10
  Speaker 6: like that. But I do think this is, you know,
• 22:14
  Speaker 6: for as important as these games are collectively for the
• 22:18
  Speaker 6: team and for the organization going into the summer, these
• 22:22
  Speaker 6: games are just as important individually. I think whatever makes
• 22:27
  Speaker 6: these guys pick, they're going to have to find it
• 22:30
  Speaker 6: because even though you're you're probably not going dancing this year,
• 22:35
  Speaker 6: you still want to go into the summer with a
• 22:38
  Speaker 6: good taste in your mouth. So yes, Berkeley Catton, can
• 22:41
  Speaker 6: you show me something new in the last five games?
• 22:44
  Speaker 6: Oscar Fisker Moolgar, can we get that first NHL goal
• 22:47
  Speaker 6: in these last five games, not even years. Let's put
• 22:50
  Speaker 6: some offense together, string some goals together these last handful
• 22:53
  Speaker 6: of games. Right, I think all of that can be
• 22:56
  Speaker 6: what be seen as a net positive going into the season,
• 22:59
  Speaker 6: because again you've got guys auditioning. You know, again, if
• 23:03
  Speaker 6: you never know what can happen this summer just because
• 23:06
  Speaker 6: you're signed to a contract. But I mean, you can't
• 23:08
  Speaker 6: be moved, right, And I'm not referring or or or
• 23:12
  Speaker 6: suggesting or alluding to anybody in particular, but again, when
• 23:17
  Speaker 6: you have another season of massive change coming, you need
• 23:22
  Speaker 6: to put yourself individually in the best possible spot to
• 23:25
  Speaker 6: say I want to be here. I'm a part of
• 23:28
  Speaker 6: this team, and it's not going to be you know,
• 23:32
  Speaker 6: I'm gonna make this a very easy decision on you.
• 23:35
  Speaker 6: You're gonna keep me around. I want to be here
• 23:37
  Speaker 6: to build and and and watch this thing grow. So
• 23:41
  Speaker 6: these last five games are crucial for the cracket. You
• 23:44
  Speaker 6: can play spoiler. A lot has to happen. You know.
• 23:49
  Speaker 6: I saw I was reading somewhere online that's somebody put
• 23:52
  Speaker 6: in a cracking playoff predictor and they ran it, you know,
• 23:57
  Speaker 6: a million or so on times and I think another
• 24:00
  Speaker 6: times the Kraken made the playoffs. So you're telling me,
• 24:04
  Speaker 6: you're telling me there's a chance. And again to quote
• 24:07
  Speaker 6: the great big al Kiniski, until there's that E next
• 24:11
  Speaker 6: to your name that stands for eliminated. As far as
• 24:15
  Speaker 6: I'm concerned, tomorrow and night or tonight is a playoff
• 24:18
  Speaker 6: game for the Seattle Crack and they can play spoiler
• 24:21
  Speaker 6: against Vegas and they have an opportunity to climb closer
• 24:25
  Speaker 6: to a playoff spot. But you gotta win games. And
• 24:28
  Speaker 6: at the end of the day, this is a this
• 24:30
  Speaker 6: is a this is a results based business. Herm Edwards
• 24:34
  Speaker 6: said it you play to win the game. Kra Can
• 24:36
  Speaker 6: need to focus on winning. You to these last pard games.
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: So you're telling me there's a chance, is of course
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: from one of the funniest movies, one of the funniest
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: movies of all time. Let's have some fun informing and
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: entertaining here tonight.
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: Face appreciate you, buddy, thank you.
• 24:51
  Speaker 6: All is a pleasure.
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: Mikey Free all right, awesome, Everett, thank you very much.
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: Everet fits you joining us here. He and Alconiski will
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: be on the call tonight in the booth A little
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: past seven o'clock Pacific time. We're on air six thirty
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: pregame show served up by Frostbrewed Corps, Light Shoose Chill.
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: As Ron Francis again, we'll step down at the end
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: of the season from his role as President of Hockey Operations.
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: More reaction from.
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: This was CEO Todd Lewicki, who will meet the media
• 25:19
  Speaker 2: nine thirty in the morning coming up today at Climate
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: Pledge Arena. More on that coming up in our broadcast
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: coverage as well for this game tonight. As Francis, who
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: was a big part of the Kraken and their startup
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: in twenty nineteen before they even had a name NHL
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: Seattle to the Seattle Kraken. Francis instrumental at building the
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: first Stanley Cup playoff team in Kraken history, the construction
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: of Kraken Community Ice plus under his watch the Coachella
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: Valley Firebirds as well. Francis though moving on it a
• 25:50
  Speaker 2: peers where the Kraken are close to missing the playoffs
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: for the third consecutive season. Once again, more reaction from
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: Todd Leiwiki coming up at nine point thirty this morning.
• 26:00
  Speaker 3: We'll get you.
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: Covered with everything from more reaction from Wednesday's news, to
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: lineup developments and much more for the Kraken and Golden Knights,
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: and matchup three of this season, all coming up at
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: six point thirty with airtime coverage seven o'clock a little
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: past half of the puck drop once again across the
• 26:17
  Speaker 2: global Credit Union Crack and Audio Network and Sports Radio
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: ninety three point three KJRFM. Big thank you to Everett
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: Fitzi once again for joining us and for kracking this morning.
• 26:27
  Speaker 3: I'm Mike Benton. Have a happy Thursday. You're home for
• 26:30
  Speaker 3: the Kraken.
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM