For the first time in his career and in a Seattle Kraken uniform, we saw the full ’82 season of Brandon Tanev. If his performance this season is any indication, the Kraken has a steal for the next two seasons. Team depth was one of the highlights for the Kraken during the regular season and into the first round of the playoffs. Tanev was a big part of that depth and provided a consistent and positive presence in the team’s final six.
He returned to the lineup after A.J season-ending injury, after playing just 30 games in the team’s inaugural season. In those 30 games, he scored nine goals and 15 points, averaging 0.5 points per game. He showed he had the ability to raise his tally despite playing a role that doesn’t usually put up big numbers. Later, he did just that this season.
The Kraken has (probably) been playing golf since they were eliminated from the first Stanley Cup playoffs, which means the school is out. Let’s take out the red pen and start assessing Tanev’s performance during the 2022-23 season.
Tanev went into “Turbo Mode”, hitting regular season highs
Those who follow my coverage of Kraken know how much I appreciate Tanev and what he means to this team. The Kraken were 10-19-4 when they fell to a season-ending injury in their inaugural year, and with 82 games under their belt this season, they made the playoffs. coincidence? I’ll leave that up to you to decide. Prior to this season, I set my expectations for offensive production to be at least 15 goals and 30 points, and exceed those two numbers. It was likely a major factor in his nomination Bill Masterton Cup.
Related: Kraken receives an emotional boost with Tanev’s return
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Offensively, his 16 goals, 19 assists, and 35 points were all career highs, as was his +21 rating. In addition, 12 of his 19 assists were essential. It was the first time he had scored more than 15 goals and more than 30 points. He wasn’t really used on the power play, only played 6:21 and didn’t score a point, but he did see great use on penalties. He spent more time on penalties last season than any other time in his career, going 210:07 on penalties and having one shorthanded goal on seven shots, According to the natural hat trick.
He was third on the team in strikeouts and, unsurprisingly, also led tackles with 190. His closest hitter was Yanni Gord who had 118 total strikeouts. Here’s another stat I love: He led the Kraken ahead with 68 blocked shots , just five blocks over the 63 played by second-place finisher Alex Weinberg. Overall, his 68 blocks ranks him seventh on the team, behind the entire team’s defensemen. Speaking of defense, he’s picked up 33 takeaways and 24 gifts over the course of the year, giving him a plus-9 margin.
All of these numbers go towards highlighting that Tanev had the kind of specific season you want to see from him. He was able to move up and down the lineup and perform consistently. He averaged a solid 14:13 on the night, and his 1,166 minutes was the high of his career. He only played under 10 minutes once, seeing 9:47 on December 13 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tanev played well in the playoffs, helping to improve the penalty kick
When it comes to the postseason, Tanev’s offensive numbers have taken some hits. However, his goal and four points in 14 games were the most he had scored in the playoffs since his debut during the 2017-18 season, as he scored four goals and six points in 17 games for the Winnipeg Jets. He blocked 17 shots and put up 51 hits in those 14 games for the Kraken over two innings, and even tied for five penalties.
He averaged 13:24 minutes a night in the playoffs, never dropped below 10 in a game, played over 38 penalty minutes, scored a goal and an assist. The Kraken’s penalty kills struggled mightily during the regular season, and they finished 21st in the NHL with a 76.7 penalty kill percentage (PK%). They turned it around during the postseason, and Taneyev had a strong hand in it. They had an 82.9 PK% in the playoffs, which currently ranks fourth in the playoffs, the best percentage of any team that plays in the Stanley Cup Final.
Brandon Tanev’s very early predictions for the 2023-24 season
As I mentioned earlier, Tanev’s contract looks like a steal for the next two years, especially if he can maintain this level of scoring and defensive play. The 31-year-old will make $3.5 million over the next two seasons with a no-trade clause modified for both, courtesy of former Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Jim Rutherford ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Related: 2022-23 Seattle Kraken Highlights: Fan Edition
With the hunt for the Lord Stanley Cup not yet complete, it’s too early to really dive into Tanev’s predictions ahead of next season. My initial thoughts are that I want to see him match his level of production this season. I mentioned this in connection with Jared McCann and Vince Dunn – consistency is key. Despite hitting career highs, he’s still relatively in the range of offensive productivity in his previous high-scoring seasons, which I think is a sign of consistency. It wasn’t a massive breakout season, but rather signs of steady improvement in the range of what to expect to pay off. For a player in sixth place, that’s a really good sign. my first very Early expectations will be for him to help implement postseason penalty success in the 2023-24 season.
Brandon Tanev Season 2022-23 Division: A
Tanev is a leader on this team, whether he wears a letter or not, and was a major factor in Team Kraken’s lowest six. Looking at what he came back from, how he performs, his use and what he brings to the chemistry of this team, his performance is grade A for the 2022-23 season.
Be sure to check out the THW Draft Guide for everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft