#NHLPeachy @NHL @SeattleKraken @RonFrancis10 Kraken Clinch First Stanley Cup Playoffs Spot in Sophomore Season
#NHLStats about the Seattle Kraken, who are headed to the postseason for the first time in their second NHL season. Seattle became the 13th team to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs by winning Thursday. The Kraken, Vegas Golden Knights and Atlanta Flames (now Calgary Flames) are the only franchises since 1968-69 to start from scratch and reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs within their first two NHL seasons (keep reading for more information in this regard).
1. Already with the largest win and point improvements for an NHL franchise from its first season to its second, the Kraken became the 11th club in the expansion era – and second in the past 40 years – to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs within its first two seasons. Half of the previous 10 instances came within the first two seasons of the expansion era (1967-68 and 1968-69) when new teams were assured four of eight playoff spots each year. Download the attachment for more information.
2. The Kraken will contest a postseason game for the first time, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs have a history in Seattle. The “Emerald City” last hosted a Stanley Cup Playoffs game 104 years ago when all five games of the 1919 Stanley Cup Final were played at Seattle Ice Arena, as the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) battled the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL’s second season. The last contest was held March 29, 1919, when Montreal avoided elimination with an overtime win, as the series was halted by the influenza epidemic. Click here (and then on the blue drop-down arrows) for more about the 1919 Final.
3. One year after hosting the Final, the Seattle Metropolitans competed for the Stanley Cup once again – this time heading to Ontario to face the original Ottawa Senators. The best-of-five series went the distance after the Metropolitans rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to force Game 5 but lost in the winner-take-all showdown thanks to a third-period hat trick by Senators forward Jack Darragh. The first three games were played at Laurier Avenue Arena in Ottawa, followed by Games 4-5 at Mutual Street Arena in Toronto. It was the third and final time the Metropolitans would compete in the Stanley Cup Final (1917, 1919 & 1920).
4. The Seattle Metropolitans hold the distinction of being the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup, claiming “Lord Stanley” in 1916-17 – the last season before the formation of the NHL. The Metropolitans defeated the Montreal Canadiens, then of the National Hockey Association, in the 1917 Final – a best-of-five series capped in Game 4 when Metropolitans forward Bernie Morris mustered six goals in a 9-1 victory to clinch the Cup.
5. Seattle will look to become the fourth franchise in NHL history to win the Cup within its first two seasons (the 1918 Toronto Arenas, 1926 Montreal Maroons and 1928 Rangers all did so). Six NHL franchises have reached the Final in their first trip to the postseason (1918 Arenas, 1926 Maroons, 1927 Bruins, 1968 Blues, 1996 Panthers and 2018 Golden Knights).
6. The Kraken can become the third team in NHL history to contest a playoff game with Cup winners from each of the previous 7+ years in their lineup – only the 1968 Blues and 1927 Bruins have done so. Their playoff run will be buoyed by Cup winners from each of the past seven years and eight of the past nine: Andre Burakovsky (2022 COL & 2018 WSH), Yanni Gourde (2021 TBL & 2020 TBL), Vince Dunn (2019 STL), Jaden Schwartz (2019 STL), Philipp Grubauer (2018 WSH), Justin Schultz (2017 PIT & 2016 PIT) and Martin Jones (2014 LAK).
7. Andre Burakovsky can become the sixth player in NHL history to win his first three championships with a different franchise each time; he would join Mark Recchi (PIT, CAR & BOS), Joe Nieuwendyk (CGY, DAL & NJD), Mike Keane (MTL, COL & DAL), Claude Lemieux (MTL, NJD & COL) and Al Arbour (DET, CHI & TOR).
8. Seattle can become the first franchise in NHL history to make its postseason debut with multiple Stanley Cup-winning goaltenders in its lineup (Philipp Grubauer and Martin Jones). The only clubs with one during their first-ever trip to the playoffs were the 2018 Golden Knights (Marc-Andre Fleury), 1981 Quebec Nordiques (Michel Plasse), 1968 Blues (Glenn Hall), 1968 Kings (Terry Sawchuk) and 1926 Montreal Maroons (Clint Benedict).
9. Philipp Grubauer (19-10-1 in 33 GP) can become the fourth active goaltender to reach 20 career postseason wins in less than 35 appearances; he would join Matt Murray (28 GP), Jonathan Quick (32 GP) and Marc-Andre Fleury (34 GP). Martin Jones has appeared in 62 career playoff games, including 18 in either the Conference Finals or Stanley Cup Final.
10. Ron Francis won back-to-back championships with the Penguins (1991 & 1992), scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 4 of the 1992 Final. Francis can become the fourth individual in NHL history to be part of a franchise’s first Stanley Cup win as a player and then guide another club to its first title as a general manager – only Brian MacLellan (1989 CGY & 2018 WSH), Jack Adams (1918 TAN & 1936 DET) and Eddie Gerard (1920 SEN & 1926 MMR) have done so to date. Of note, Lester Patrick was GM of the 1925 Victoria Cougars (a WCHL team that won the Cup) and tended goal for the 1928 Rangers under emergency circumstances.
* Franchises to Qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs Within First Two NHL Seasons
