Yahoo Sports Kraken Players Praise Speed and Competitiveness In First Days Of Training Camp
Multiple Seattle Kraken players praised the speed and competitiveness in HC Dan Bylsma's practices.
came here to compete 😤
day one of training camp, pres. by @Starbucks, is wrapped & #SeaKraken hockey is officially back. pic.twitter.com/EEaFW56qJD— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) September 19, 2024
With each new season, players are becoming faster and stronger, and to be competitive in today's NHL, one of the two has to be part of the team's identity. The Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights won Stanley Cups and did so by dressing heavy lineups that won every puck battle and dominated the boards. In years past the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning used speed to their advantage.
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In the early days of training camp, it appears the Kraken are leaning towards being a fast-paced team. The Kraken have players on the back end who are capable of playing a physical game but the makeup of their lineup trends towards speed.
Josh Mahura, Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour all praised the speed and competitiveness in the team's first practice. Practicing fast will not only help the team get into game shape quicker but also set the tempo for what's expected when the games begin to matter.
Mahura signed with the Kraken in the offseason after winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers and mentioned just how competitive the first practice was.
"The first day was really competitive. It was a lot of fun, a lot of leaning into guys again and getting that physical contact. So I think you always expect that on day one but to see the guys really embrace that and be working out there to try to get better, especially on day one is a great sign."
Josh Mahura’s biggest takeaway from the coaching staff’s messaging is their emphasis on “compete.”
“[They] want to be a really competitive hockey team from top to bottom. And as an individual you just have to embrace that.” #Seakraken pic.twitter.com/TJJZ68ZRF1— Allyson Ballard (@strainsovhorror) September 19, 2024
Beniers also touched on some of the drills they ran and talked about how much he enjoys drills that involve winners and losers, specifically ones where the losers have to skate.
Matty Beniers got to the point with the level of battle drills in the opening group of camp:
“It’s pretty fun when there’s a winner and loser, and the loser has to skate lines.”
Said there’s already a healthy amount of chirping as a result, in the dressing room. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/ie7wlTaSqk— Mike Benton (@Benton_Mike) September 19, 2024
With aspirations to make the playoffs, every game and every point is incredibly valuable. A strong or weak start to the campaign could make or break the season and Bylsma seems to be doing everything in his power to do so.
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Related: Kraken Day 1 Recap Of Training Camp
Related: Photos: Brandon Montour Makes his Debut at Kraken Training Camp
