Kraken will open season at home for first time, playing an Oct. 8 matinee | Notebook

For the first time, the Kraken will open a new season at Climate Pledge Arena, and it’s an opportunity to play hooky from school or work.

The league announced every team’s home opener and the Kraken will host a matinee against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 8, which is a Tuesday. If past seasons are any indication, it will be part of an ESPN triple-header that includes the most recent Stanley Cup champions, raising their banner on the national broadcast.

This spring’s victors, the Florida Panthers, announced an Oct. 8 matchup with the Boston Bruins and Utah Hockey Club is set to host the Chicago Blackhawks in their first game at 7 p.m. Those are the only three games that day, so the three tilts presumably make up the ESPN slate, with the Kraken leading off.

The Kraken went 0-1-2 against the Blues last season. St. Louis has a 7-2-0 all-time series advantage.

These games will mark the North American kickoff of the 2024-25 regular season. O2 Arena in Prague is set to host the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 4-5.

The Kraken’s preseason schedule was announced last week. They’re scheduled to play the same three teams as usual — the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, home and away.

Former Kraken players on the move

Longtime second-line center Alex Wennberg, whom the Kraken dealt to the playoff-bound New York Rangers at the trade deadline this year, got a raise in free agency. He signed with the San Jose Sharks, agreeing to a two-year deal with a $5M average annual value.

The Kraken organization’s third goaltender, Chris Driedger, was linked to several teams but wound up back with the Panthers on a one-year deal. He was selected from Florida in the expansion draft. Under recently promoted Kraken coach Dan Bylsma, Driedger just led Seattle’s top affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, to the Calder Cup Finals. But he wasn’t expected to be retained.

Kraken general manager Ron Francis said Ales Stezka is expected to be the organization’s No. 3 goalie going forward, behind Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord. Finnish goaltender Niklas Kokko, drafted in 2022, is due to arrive in North America next year and Victor Östman is under contract, available if needed.

Devin Shore, who played 21 games for the Kraken last season, signed with the Minnesota Wild. Marian Studenic, who appeared in two games with the Kraken, is headed overseas after signing with Färjestad of the Swedish Hockey League.

Kailer Yamamoto, who spent the entire season with the Kraken but played sparingly toward the end, and fellow forward Ville Petman did not receive qualifying offers and were free to talk to other teams. Neither signed Monday.

Development camp begins

Seattle prospects will descend on Kraken Community Iceplex on Tuesday for development camp, which runs through Friday.

Jagger Firkus, fresh off a Memorial Cup run and winner of the David Branch Player of the Year Award as the Canadian Hockey League’s most outstanding player, will be in attendance, as will the entire 2023 draft class, including first-rounder Eduard Sale.

Center Berkly Catton, the Kraken’s eighth overall pick in last weekend’s draft, is expected to attend, along with other members of the 2024 group.

The prospects are scheduled to take the ice Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. and will be coached by Bylsma. That’s open to the public. On July 3 there will be 3-on-3 scrimmages at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and are reserved for season ticket holders. All are invited to a 10 a.m., 5-on-5 tournament on the final day of development camp, followed by a barbecue in the park on the south side of the Iceplex, which is open to the first 400 fans.

Notes

• Francis said Dave Lowry will be retained as an assistant coach, the only one of former head coach Dave Hakstol’s assistants who’s sticking around. He oversees the Kraken penalty kill.
• Steve Briere, the goaltending coach, also remains. Francis said they’re still working through decisions on the rest of Bylsma’s staff and hope to have more clarity by the end of the week.
• Francis also has a meeting with Matty Beniers’ camp tomorrow. The 21-year-old Kraken center, a restricted free agent, needs a new deal. “We’re moving forward but we’re not there yet,” Francis said.
• The Kraken announced a flurry of depth signings Monday afternoon with Ben Meyers (one-year, one-way, $775,000 AAV), Mitchell Stephens (two-year, two-way, $775,000 AAV), Nikolas Brouillard (one-year, two-way, $775,000 AAV), Brandon Biro (one-year, two-way, $775,000 AAV) and Maxime Lajoie (one-year, two-way, $775,000 AAV) landing deals. Nearly all have NHL experience and will contend for Kraken roster spots, but will ultimately likely wind up in the minors next season.