Three Takeaways From Kraken's 6-2 Loss To Vegas

The Seattle Kraken are in the midst of a four-game losing streak -- tying their four-game skid from late-October through early-November -- and they've now fallen further behind in their battle for a Western Conference wild-card spot. Here are three takeaways from Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights:

1. Offense once again is the problem for Seattle

The Kraken did surrender a whopping six goals Saturday against Vegas, and coach Dan Bylsma has spoken about their isses allowing goals (see video below), but over the course of their current losing streak, it's been Seattle's offense that's failed them. Indeed, prior to Saturday's game, the Kraken scored only two goals in their previouis three losses, and in all four games of their current losing streak, they've scored two goals or fewer.

Obviously, that's not good enough.

The Kraken currently are 23rd-overall in goals-for per-game at an average of 2.80, so this power outage isn't anything new. If Seattle is to get back into the playoff race -- and they're now seven standings points behind fourth-place-in-the-Pacific-Division Vancouver Canucks, and seven points behind fifth-place Calgary -- they need to jump-start their offense. Somebody -- or multiple bodies -- need to step up, otherwise the playoffs will be a distant possibility for this Kraken team.

2. Kraken center Stephenson chips in pair of assists in first return to Las Vegas

Veteran center Chandler Stephenson made his first return to Las Vegas after signing with the Kraken last summer, and Stephenson did contribute to Seattle's cause, posting two assists Saturday to give him 20 assists and 23 goals in 34 games.

The 30-year-old Stephenson hasn't been on a pace to come close to his career-high of 21 goals and 65 points, but Seattle just needs him to play solid 'D' while chipping in a good deal of offense.

If Stephenson can improve at both ends of the ice, Kraken GM Ron Francis will feel better about investing seven years -- at an annual cap hit of $6.25-million -- in Stephenson. It's still early days in Stephenson's Kraken career, but if he can produce offense the way he did Saturday, Seattle will be a very happy place for Stephenson.

3. Grubauer loses again

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer had a modest two-game win streak in mid-December, but he's now lost his past two games, and he's given up 11 goals in that span. Grubauer's record now is 3-10-0 on the season, and obviously, there's nothing good about that.

We said it recently, but it's clearer with every loss Grubauer posts: his current contract is almost certainly going to be bought out. The Kraken can't afford to be paying him $5.9-million a year to be Joey Daccord's backup and a regular loser of the games he does play. It's not all Grubauer's fault that he's at where he's at, but there's too much that's wrong about Grubauer's play to keep him around much longer.

The Kraken look prepared to keep Grubauer for the rest of this season, but beyond that, the road ahead for the Kraken and Grubauer has a fork in the road, and Francis and Grubauer will be moving in different directions. Grubauer isn't an elite goalie, and barring a miracle, his time in Seattle won't last much longer than this year.