Who is the Player to Watch Against the Seattle Kraken?
Jared McCann is widely considered to be the Kraken's player to watch for Seattle's franchise. Let's break down how he could impact the Rangers on ice and what to look out for in tonight's game.
While the New York Rangers are coming off a 3-2 win over San Jose which featured eight different Rangers tallying points, the Seattle Kraken are also coming off a 3-2 win of their own against fellow Big-Apple foe the New York Islanders.
The Rangers continue their season in a 9 p.m. EST road contest on Sunday against the Kraken. Seattle currently possesses a 9-8-1 record compared to the Rangers' 10-4-1. The Kraken currently sit at ninth place in the Western Conference while NYR is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the Metropolitan Division. Records aside, Jared McCann is easily the Kraken's player to watch for Seattle's franchise.
Let's break down his play style and see how he could impact the Blueshirts on the ice.
Jarred McCann
Seattle Kraken left wing is a former first-rounder who was kicked around three different franchises (Vancouver, Florida and Pittsburgh) all before he turned 23 and really found a home in Seattle in 2021.
By 2023, he was on a 46-goal pace and quickly becoming a crowd favorite, with many Pittsburgh natives still perturbed he was let go.
Jared McCann - a former first-rounder who was kicked around 3 franchises before he turned 23, is on a 46-goal pace.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) January 15, 2023
He's really found a home in Seattle.
Now a more experienced, 28-year-old Kraken veteran, he is a proven NHL playmaker and locker room leader who can create his own scoring finishes and chances at the net.
For the 2022-23 season, the Canada native appeared in 80 games. He had 29 goals, which included a career-best nine power-play goals, and another career-high in assists with 33. He led the Kraken in points with 62, which was among the league-worst in terms of highest point total per team at the time. But, a lead nonetheless.
McCann also did his part in getting the puck on net, by setting another career-best in shots on goal with 216 during that same campaign. That was also good enough to lead the Kraken that season.
A gifted two-way center, McCann was selected by the Vancouver Canucks with the No. 24 pick of the 2014 NHL Draft following his second season with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League. He was claimed by Seattle from Toronto in Expansion Draft, July 21, 2021.
Transitioning back to this year, McCann has played in all 18 games so far this season while earning a total of 21 points across nine goals and 12 assists. He leads the Kraken in games in both goals and assists, with the next highest teammate being Jordan Eberle with six goals.
In their most recent matchup just last night — standing at 6'1" and weighing 191 pounds — McCann scored Seattle's second goal of the night at the 5:26 mark of the third period.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that the Rangers are currently ranked 13th in the league with 55 goals this season, averaging 3.7 per contest. Seattle has scored 54 goals this season (three per game) to rank 15th in the NHL.
With that stat in mind, it's evident that the Kraken's leading forward is their man to watch on the ice for this matchup. But, when we compare him to Rangers' leader Artemi Panarin (10 goals, 12 assists for 22 total points) — it's obvious New York has the slight leg up.
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How to Tune In
Puck drop is slated for 9:00 p.m. EST. The matchup will be aired on ABC (dependent on location) and is also available for streaming on ESPN+ and Fubo.
Blue Line Station's own Jennifer Streeter will be in the Climate Pledge Arena press box and press conferences for live coverage of this matchup. Be sure to tune in to both her and our Twitters for live updates.