Editorial Note: This was written by Dan White, who would like an opportunity to write for our site. Please enjoy his article on the Kraken’s goaltending, and why they need to put more trust in it.

The Kraken have had a very exciting start to the season, having gained points in 10 of
their first 13 games. In a season where expectations are both high and low (depending
on who you talk to), this has been a fun start!

However, one thing has become clear early on – the Kraken will only be as good as Joey Daccord will let them be.

Daccord, colloquially known as the Honorary Mayor of Seattle, has started 11 of the first 13 games of the Kraken’s season. At the current trajectory, Daccord is on pace to play 70 games this season. This is simply not sustainable in today’s NHL. For context – the last time a goaltender has played 70 games was Cam Talbot of the Edmonton Oilers in 2016-17, where he participated in 73 games. In the 2024-25 season, only five goaltenders played more than 60 games. In today’s NHL, a team truly needs to rely on two goaltenders more than ever before; not just for balance, but for load management.

Of course, the season is young. The Kraken have played only one back-to-back series of games thus far, and they have another 12 on the books this season – including a back-to-back road trip this weekend against St Louis and Colorado. Logically, it makes the most sense to put a backup goaltender in against the struggling Blues (4-8-2), and then save Daccord for the Avalanche (8-1-5). The Kraken should REALLY want to win against Colorado, as they will be paying a visit to former Kraken coach Dave Hakstol, who is now an assistant coach for the Avs, to say nothing of the blistering pace the Avalanche have set for themselves.

So it begs the question; “Why doesn’t the coach trust our backups?” The reality is simple: Grubauer has played subpar hockey at best during his tenure as a Kraken, and New GM Jason Botterill was well aware of this. So he went out and got a proven winner in Matt Murray as a depth option – and to create a competition in the crease.

However, how can there be a competition if neither player gets a chance to prove themselves?

If the Kraken want to be competitive down the stretch, burning out your starting goaltender less than 20% of the way into the season is not a winning formula. Daccord showed signs of being human in the last game against San Jose, allowing five goals on 20 shots. Yes, this was a divisional game, which always results in crucial points – but, San Jose is a rebuilding team and has been for several years. Daccord had already shown signs of being tired in the previous game against Montreal. This San Jose
match-up should have been a prime opportunity for Grubauer to get an opportunity, or Murray to step in…and they still put Joey out there.

Coach Lambert needs to do the Kraken a favor and give Murray a chance to prove that he still has what it takes to be an NHL goaltender; he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017, and was integral to their efforts in 2016, having played 11 playoff games for them after Marc-Andre Fleury went down with an injury. Granted, Murray ran into some health troubles of his own, having missed over 21 consecutive months of playing between 2023-25, and his play suffered. But he has worked hard to get his health back to normal, and is ready to step back into a regular role with the Kraken.

Clearly, there is a lack of trust in our goaltending outside of exactly one player, and that is not a recipe for success. It needs to be figured out fast if the Kraken want to truly be considered a playoff contending team. Currently, both Gru and Murray have zero trade value. If they had an opportunity to play well, their stock could rise – having three quality goaltenders come the trade deadline is almost unheard of.

As we all know, logic isn’t always the solution. There needs to be a sense of comfort and trust within the locker room, too.

Look forward to seeing one of the back-ups in action this weekend – at the current rate, it might be one of the only times this season you will see them play.