Jordan Eberle and the Kraken: Week One
The first week of Jordan Eberle being a member of the Seattle Kraken shows that the Vegas Golden Knights are the exception, not the rule. A 1-3-1 record by the Kraken is a stark contrast to the dominance Vegas had to begin their inaugural season. Offensive woes haunt the Kraken. As of Oct. 20, exactly one week since their first game, the Kraken sit 26th in goals and 30th in shots on goal.
Eberle, an offensive dynamo, has seen little production and is a negative on the defensive end so far. Zero goals and just two assists paint the picture for the struggling winger, as he is in a tie the worst plus/minus on the team with a -5. Eberle did not earn his status in the NHL because of his stellar defensive abilities; however, being an issue on a defensively sound team is something to note.
Carter Hart makes an amazing save on Jordan Eberle to save a goal! pic.twitter.com/YSBMbS97eq
— Philly Sports Reports (@PhlySprtsReprts) October 18, 2021
A poor defensive showing is a change from Eberle’s time with the New York Islanders. Eberle had a positive plus/minus differential for the past two seasons and was on pace for over 20 goals each season. A quick five-game analysis is somewhat an overreaction, but noticing trends that have the potential to stick throughout a season is worthy of examining.
Lack of effort is not a problem. The Kraken play hard regardless of the score. Their season opener to the Vegas Golden Knights is a perfect example – they came back from a 3-0 deficit in an eventual 4-3 regulation loss. The most shocking loss came at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Kraken looked like an expansion team as their defense was non-existent in a 6-1 blowout.
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The only caveat for the Kraken is the division they play in. The Pacific Division is the weakest in hockey, and despite a slow start, they still sit fourth in the standings, as of Oct. 20. Eberle and the Kraken have time to turn their early season misfortunes around, but for now, their crippling offensive incapabilities are hurting their playoff chances.
