Why Seattle Kraken built new young forward line with language in mind

Communication was key as three of the Seattle Kraken’s youngest players combined forces Saturday night in Edmonton.

Each member of the new forward line was under the age of 25. Matty Beniers is from Hingham, Mass., while Kaapo Kakko and Jani Nyman hail from Turku and Valkeakoski, Finland, respectively.

The youngest of the trio, 20-year-old Nyman, made the jump to North America late last season and is enjoying his first NHL recall. Expressing himself in English is understandably a work in progress. It’s not an issue, coach Dan Bylsma said, but he’s soft-spoken right now.

Still, Bylsma said the language barrier was one of the driving factors in putting Kakko and Nyman together.

“You’re filled with thoughts and words all the time when you’re out there on the ice,” the former NHL player said. “For Jani, at this particular time, those are Finnish thoughts, not English, and that can stop you from talking and stop you from communicating on the ice.

“It’s just a little bit of comfort, to be able to play with a guy who speaks your own language, and can help you out.”

Beniers said he hasn’t gleaned even a few words or phrases of Finnish yet.

“Kap’s our translator,” Beniers said. “I started saying something to Jani (on Saturday), and he was like, ‘I just told him.’”

Quickly after Kakko arrived in a December trade, he linked up with center Beniers and winger Jaden Schwartz. Those three have played together twice as much as any other Kraken line this season, more than 431 minutes according to MoneyPuck.

With 12 games remaining, and Nyman impressing after five NHL outings, the coaching staff tried something new against the Oilers. Nyman picked up his first NHL assists on Kakko’s pair of goals, which was nearly Kakko’s first career hat trick. He had a promising chance for a third strike late in the third period.

“Overall, I think, thought it was a solid first game in terms of chemistry,” Beniers said.

The Kraken rallied but fell, 5-4.

“I mean, I was happy we scored two goals (in the) last game,” Kakko said. “But I think we still can be better.”

Beniers (one assist) played for the U.S. National Team Development Program and arrived in Seattle after two seasons at Michigan. He called it “a new experience” to be the odd man out, linguistically, on his line. They’re figuring it out.

“When you’re talking about a play, or communicating about a thing, it’s easier for (Kakko and Nyman) to convey their thoughts,” Bylsma said. “Matty has to nod his head.”

Having Kakko translate is particularly helpful on the bench in between shifts, Bylsma and Beniers agreed. Breaking down what just happened aloud or with the help of an iPad is an invaluable thing for a newcomer, or anyone really.

“I might talk a little fast sometimes, so I guess maybe (try to) slow it down,” Beniers said. “But (Nyman) knows what he’s doing. He knows how to play hockey. He’s a great player. He gets to great spots. You don’t really have to tell much, just little things here and there.”

Bylsma said Kraken third-line winger Eeli Tolvanen, Kakko and Nyman are often together, comparing notes.

“Jani has done a great job of stepping in and being confident enough to play his game and show what he can do,” Bylsma said. “Kakko and Tolvi, they’re a source of information and a source of comfort for him.

“A younger guy stepping into the lineup — he’s stepping in to try to take other people’s jobs, and that’s not always a team thing. So to see Tolvi take him under his wing, to help him out, to talk to him, to try to make him feel comfortable, is a team thing, and it’s a character thing. It’s great to see.”

This isn’t the first time or even the second this season that Tolvanen has acted as outreach for his countrymen. He reconnected with Kakko, his former teammate in international play, when Kakko arrived in a December trade. Together they welcomed goaltending prospect Nikke Kokko when he was recalled in late February. They hosted a dinner for Kakko at Tolvanen’s home. Kokko appeared once in relief and was reassigned to Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on March 3.

AHL All-Star Nyman joined the big club on March 11. He’s scored two power-play goals for the Kraken and drawn praise for his poise and powerful shot, among other qualities.

In Nyman’s previous five games, someone had to sit out to make room for him, either John Hayden or Tye Kartye. No healthy scratch at forward was needed on Saturday night in Edmonton, as center Chandler Stephenson was out with an undisclosed injury.

Stephenson (upper body, day to day) skated away from the group in a red noncontact jersey Monday at Kraken Community Iceplex. In the likely event he can’t play Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, the lineup should look the same as it did Saturday. Nyman will appear in his seventh NHL game in Calgary, Bylsma confirmed.