‘Worlds’ View: Kraken on Rosters | Seattle Kraken

The IIHF Men’s World Championship is underway in Czechia en route to crowning a gold-medal team on May 26. Bookmark our “Kraken @ Worlds 2024” blog entries to catch all of the action, which includes seven Kraken players and one top prospect.

Opening Day, May 10: McCann and Team Canada Going for Gold Repeat

Kraken forward and 2023-24 leading scorer Jared McCann says he is “very happy to be back on the ice.” But rather than working out at Kraken Community Iceplex or in Toronto, where he trains in the summer with other NHLers, McCann is stationed in Prague, one of the two cities in Czechia hosting the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championship beginning Friday. McCann is representing Team Canada along with Kraken teammates Brandon Tanev and Jamie Oleksiak.

“It’s been great so far,” said McCann, arriving in Czechia from pre-tourney practices and a game against Team Hungary in Budapest. “I have past relationships with some players, such as Michael Bunting [now with the Pittsburgh Penguins]. We played together in the Soo [Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League]. Obviously, having Tanev and Jamie here makes things easier too.”

McCann said there hasn’t been much talk about defending last spring’s Team Canada gold medal because “there is no need; every guy here wants to win a gold medal.” The Canada squad is comprised of all NHL players whose teams did not advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Sizing Up Group A in Prague

The three Kraken and their Canada squad members (which includes likely NHL rookie of the year Connor Bedard playing in his first men’s championship after dominating the junior tournament) are part of Group A, based in Prague, for the qualifying round. The Canadians will face Great Britain to open play Saturday before facing opponents with deeper rosters with NHLers such as host Czechia and Finland in the coming days. Group A rounds out with Austria, Norway, Switzerland (getting much stronger in recent Worlds and a 5-2 winner over Norway in Friday’s first game in Prague) and Denmark.

Prospect Molgaard in Team Denmark Lineup

Kraken 2023 second-round draft choice Oscar Fisker-Molgaard will be competing for his home-nation Danish squad. Molgaard has impressed in pre-tourney practices and scrimmages. He will be joined on the team by countryman and former Coachella Firebirds forward Alex True (the Kraken’s expansion draft pick from San Jose). Molgaard finished a solid season in Sweden’s top pro league, notching nine goals and 12 assists in 50 games. The forward prospect scored two goals and three assists for Team Denmark’s U20 squad in five games this season and added four assists in two games of international play with the men’s team.

Grubauer Stars for Germany in Opener

In Group B, popular Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer will hear plenty of Gruuuuuu cheers while in goal for Germany. His hometown of Rosenheim is about a five-hour drive to Prague and closer to seven hours to Ostrava, where Group B is playing. The Germans opened the tourney with a 6-4 win over Slovakia and Grubauer’s Seattle teammate, Tomas Tatar. After a scoreless first period, Germany took a 2-0 lead only for Slovakia to tie the game. From there, the Germans notched up to a 4-2 lead they didn’t relinquish. Grubauer made 35 saves in net against a formidable Slovakia offensive group, which launched eight shots on goal in the first 20 minutes, then 11 in the middle frame, and 16 in the third period.

Burakovsky in Group B Play, GM Francis Says Confidence-Builder

Friday’s second game in Ostrav matches powerhouses USA and Sweden, the latter squad including Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky. During his end-of-season media session, Kraken GM Ron Francis said he was happy for Burakovsky to get more high-competition game action: “He was our leading scorer [in 2022-23] when he tore his groin 19 seconds into his first shift [after the all-star break] … So he missed a lot of hockey last year, didn’t get to play in the playoffs. He comes into this year feeling pretty good. Game Six, he gets hurt, comes back one game, gets hurt again … that’s kind of a freak thing that happens, and now you’re owed six weeks.

“Here’s a guy that missed a lot of hockey. And as a result, he’s not as confident in who he is and what he can do. I think that carried over into some of his game and his ability. I’m excited that he’s going to go play in the World Championships. I think that’s good for him to continue to play hockey and get some more games under his belt. And hopefully that helps him get his timing and back where next year he’s ready to go.”

Sweden won the opener, outworking Team USA for a 5-2 final. Along with Germany, Sweden, USA and Slovakia, Group B includes France and Kraken center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, a stalwart for his native country whose international play prompted NHL interest that landed him as a 28-year-old rookie who has now appeared in 700-plus games in the world’s top league. Bellemare and his French teammates will first face Kazakhstan. Poland (2002 was their last time in the top tier of IIHF Worlds) and Latvia fill out the Group B bracket.