The 2021-2022 NHL season is over. If you know me, I have been kind of back and forth on this league over the years. With the introduction of a closer team, it was a given that I was going to show an interest this year. I was generally supportive of the Kraken, but I want to start by bringing up the other team that I have been following, the Vancouver Canucks.
I have been following the Canucks for a long time. After all these years, I couldn't simply abandon them. Additionally, never seeing a team that I support win the Stanley Cup means that it would be easier for me to have two options each year. I have remained loyal to the Canucks.
Before the season started, I insisted that the Canucks needed to make the playoffs this year. I didn't view the Canucks as ready for a run on the Stanley Cup, but they certainly appeared ready to start making regular appearances in the playoffs. This, by the way, was the primary reason that I openly rooted for the Canucks when they played against the Kraken.
For the second straight year, the Canucks got off to an atrocious start. To further complicate things, the Canucks appeared to have completely given up while awaiting needed change. Playoff hopes were slim, and the team clearly needed a new coach.
For similar reasons, there was a lot of pushback aimed at the general manager. Personally, I felt that the team's roster, despite its performance, was improving. Despite that, it's undeniable that Benning made a number of big mistakes. I was fine with whatever decision the Canucks made in that position. Their decision was ultimately to part ways.
The Canucks were a little slow, but the changes were made. Their new coach had an immediate impact. The question for the rest of the season was if the change was too late. While the Canucks stayed in the playoff picture longer than many anticipated, they failed to climb out of the hole they dug.
Although the Canucks improved substantially, I honestly felt they needed to reach a legitimate .500 winning percentage. By that, I mean looking at wins and losses because I hate the loser point, which actually helped the Canucks. They fell one win short.
We know there will be changes in the off season. Some people think that the Canucks might need to take a step back to restructure the team. I'm hoping that's not necessary. They have a lot of good pieces in place, and I would prefer that the Canucks upgrade their roster for next season.
As for the Kraken, there's not a whole lot to say. It didn't help that I had limited opportunities to watch them play. Their season was uneventful, which is actually what I preferred. I wasn't happy when Vegas reached the final in their very first year. An expansion team should build towards success rather than have it handed to them. I openly wanted the Kraken to miss the playoffs. I wanted them to build the right way.
The Kraken finished low in the standings, but not last. I would say their season wasn't far from what I wanted. Late in the season, they signed Beniers. He seemed to play well after joining the team. That was a good way to finish, giving hope that both of the teams I'm following are moving in the right direction.
No comments:
Post a Comment