Seattle Kraken have 5 players in COVID protocol on eve of opener

SEATTLE (AP) – The Seattle Kraken is expected to be without five players at the season opener in Vegas due to COVID-19 logs, coach Dave Hakstol said on Monday.

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Forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Johansson and defender Jamie Oleksiak were put on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list on Monday. Forward Calle Jarnkrok has been in the log since the end of last week. McCann, Oleksiak, Donskoi and Johansson were all absent from the final practice session on Monday before the team left for Las Vegas.

Seattle general manager Ron Francis said at the start of the training camp that the entire squad had been vaccinated. But it’s terrible timing for the Kraken on the eve of the first game in franchise history.

“Things happen quickly and sometimes at inappropriate times,” Hakstol said. “There are different challenges as the season progresses and this is one of them for us early on.”

McCann focused on Seattle’s top line alongside Jordan Eberle and Jaden Schwartz. Donskoi and Johansson are expected to fill in on the second or third row, and Oleksiak is likely one of the top four defensive pairings for Seattle.

Hakstol said the roster is being reshuffled to make sure it’s filled before heading to Vegas. This included Seattle demanding young striker Alex Barre-Boulet from the Lightning’s waivers. Hakstol said depending on the trip, Barre-Boulet could join the team in Vegas in time for the kick-off.

Hakstol also said striker Colin Blackwell (lower body) is out indefinitely and Yanni Gourde remains day after day in his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery. Gourde has been practicing and going on the opening road trip with the team but said he wouldn’t play in the opening game.

“At some point we will decide about it. We’re not there yet, but I feel very good, ”said Gourde. “I think we’re taking steps in the right direction and it’s very exciting, but it won’t be the first game.”

Seattle also announced that Mark Giordano will become the team’s first captain, an expected move after captaining Calgary for the past eight seasons.

Seattle Kraken’s captain has a beautiful sound.

We are happy to announce Mark Giordano (@ MarkGio05) as the first captain in the history of our organization. pic.twitter.com/zHu95dI1Lm

– Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 11, 2021

Seattle’s alternate captains will be Eberle, Schwartz, Gourde and defender Adam Larsson.

Front runner on and off the ice.

Jordan Eberle (@ jeberle_7), Yanni Gourde (@YanniGourde), Adam Larsson (@ AdamLarsson3) and Jaden Schwartz will act as your #SeaKraken substitute captains in the 2021-22 season. pic.twitter.com/LcmqTGFbz4

– Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 11, 2021

“I am honestly honored to take responsibility as captain of this group of guys and a new organization, a new team,” said Giordano. “It means a lot to me.”