The Seattle Kraken's Winter Olympians had quite the journey, wrapping up their Olympic stint with some impressive performances. Despite facing a bit of controversy and a tough loss to Canada in the semi-finals, Kraken players Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko ended on a high note.
In the bronze medal game, Tolvanen showcased his playmaking skills with two assists, while Kakko found the back of the net, contributing to Finland's commanding 6-1 victory over Slovakia in Italy. Kakko was a standout throughout the tournament, playing in six games, netting three goals, and adding two assists, finishing with a plus-five rating. It's worth noting that some of these stats were boosted by an 11-0 rout against the host country.
Tolvanen, who missed the semi-final against Canada, played in five games, scoring a goal and providing two assists. Meanwhile, Denmark, with Kraken forward Oscar Moelgaard, who mostly plays in the minors, put up a spirited fight.
Moelgaard played in four games, notching an assist in a close 3-1 loss to Germany and another in a 6-3 defeat to the USA. Denmark narrowly missed the quarter-finals, falling 3-2 to the Czechs, finishing 9th out of 12 teams.
Moelgaard now returns to the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL.
Germany's squad featured the well-regarded Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer. "Grubi" was solid between the pipes, playing in four of Germany's five games, posting a .912 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average. Germany finished 6th overall after a 6-2 quarter-final loss to Slovakia.
With the Olympics behind them, Grubauer, Tolvanen, and Kakko are back in NHL action. The Kraken are set to face off against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night, followed by a game against the St.
Louis Blues on Thursday, before heading home to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. It's a packed schedule, but these players are ready to bring their Olympic experience back to the ice in Seattle.