April 16, 2025 • 9 mins
Dan Bylsma, Head Coach of the Seattle Kraken, joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the season coming to an end yesterday, what happened to the team over the course of the year to miss the playoffs, improving on offense and fixing other issues.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's time for Sadi and Dick's weekly visit with Seattle
Creek and head coach Dan Bilsma, brought to you by
Dick's Drive In, serving great Biggers, fries and shakes to
hockey fans since nineteen fifty four. Stop into one of
the nine Dicks Drive Ins locations today now with our
head coach Dan Bilsma, Deer's Safdian Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're gonna wrap it up for the season
with Dan Bosma. I wonder if he's enjoyed coming on
with us as much as we've enjoyed having him on
every single Wednesday on the radio show.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Hope.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So, I mean, Dan, be honest with us, how painful
was this having to talk to us earlier?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Well, I'm gonna ask you guys a question if we
can keep it going over the summertime? Yeah? How are Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You want to talk some baseball talk, some recruiting, all
that college basketball whatever, get ready for the Husky football season.
Talk some hawks, We'll talk some. What do you got
planned for the offseason?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Trips?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Fishing, golf?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
What are you doing? Yes? And yes and yes not.
But I'm a I'm a baseball fan. I I watched
the Mariners from a distance. But I don't want to
dis point anybody, but I'm a Tigers fan through and
prove I was two years old. Yeah, so terrible Tigers.
(01:21):
A little bit more closely, well, yea earlier on in
the season when the Tigers came into town. I the
Mariners needed the last win, Okay, I just say they
needed to get that last win.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So this is this is this is smart of you
to keep talking about this because the more we talk
about baseball, the less we have to talk about the
hockey season that we just had. Right, And you're off
the hook and you can hang up the phone, So
you're a you're a veteran at this stuff. But let's
just just jump right in, Dan Bosman with us. So,
I mean, obviously disappointing year, right, I mean, nobody would
deny that this is not the year that you wanted
(01:54):
to have or thought you would have. How did you
get here? What what happened to Krack and hockey circa
twenty twenty four twenty five that led you guys to
miss the playoffs?
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Well it's a question we're all, you know, probably contemplating today,
especially being day after Game eighty two. But I think
one we've been contemplating, you know, the last little bit,
because I think, you know, we've talked over the last
couple of weeks, the guys the team wanted to find
(02:31):
some meaning in this in this season, and you know,
you're right, thirty five wins is not what we set
out to be as a group, and as a team,
they fell well short of that mark that we all
talked about. And I think some of the reasons why,
some of the answers that we're looking at now is
(02:52):
just the inconsistency in our team, how we play, inconsistency
of what the identity of our team we want to
be was not there at night in and night out,
and the results showed as a result of that. I
think the guys in the room, our words after the season,
(03:13):
you know, are talking a lot about how we played
in the last nineteen games, the deadline meeting, nineteen games
after the deadline, and how we played, how we competed
for each other, how we played for the team was
more more in line with how we want, how we
(03:34):
think we can can have success going forward. You know,
in evaluation of the whole year, you try to gain
some positives and hope for the future. I think Maggie
Verniers and his development as a player as a top
line centerment, especially with Coco cockle Is. At times we
(03:54):
saw them be a number one dominating line on the league.
And that's promise and hope. Shane Wright, you know, the
big year for Shane Wright in his development, the young
kid one years old. Just his growth in development over
the course of the year was a big success for
the group and a big success for the team, and
(04:16):
just promising for us going forward. And I think you
gotta be you know, how we played in the last
nineteen I think is really something that the team is
going to build on going forward going into next year.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
And you got some great production from some of those
young guys. We'll talk about those in a second. But
you know, every year, Dan, I take a look at
the NHL stats and I try to find, like, what's
the highest ranked goal scorer for the Kraken in terms
of the NHL. Where are they ranked, and how about
the highest points And every single year you have to
scroll way down to like sixty five or seventy, and
(04:55):
it's usually Jared mccannon. He's usually ranked like seventieth in
the NHL in points or assists. Do you have someone
that can crack the top fifty in those categories next
year or do you have to go outside the organization
to find one?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Great question. I think the success of our team and
success of the team two years ago and making to
the playoffs was really the team and scoring. The team scoring,
and that's up and down the lineup. I think if
you you know, in doing what you just did and
going down the list of the top scores, you know
(05:33):
we don't have that. We haven't had that in our
in our lineup. But after you get to the Jared
McCann point, we have you know, we probably have more
than most teams in the sixty to forty range, sixty
to fifty range. James Schwartz have really missed a bunch
(05:54):
of this year, but he would be in there, Chandler Stevenson.
That's really what needs to be the strength of our team. Yep,
it'd be great to grow one of those top scorers,
elite scorers and plan him on our team. I think
you hope, have hope for a guy like Matty Veniers
(06:17):
being able to grow into being a seventy seventy five
point guy. Shane wright you know, got to the established
himself a little bit in that regard. But he's a
twenty year old and twenty one year old, and I
think his best days are you know, you're going to
see his best seasons at twenty three and twenty four. Yep,
(06:39):
he's growing to get there. So I think that has
to happen for us to be a good, good team
and a scoring team. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well, Dan Bosma's with us, and Dan just a couple
of minutes left here before you go, and again, appreciate
you doing this. So you guys had twelve back to backs,
second legs of back to backs this year and you
lost them all. How do you fix that? Because if
you if you just split those, I mean, the end
of the year looks a little different, right if you're
kind of hanging in the playoff race till the end
(07:11):
of the season. How do you fix that for next year?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, six or more or splitting those would be still
not great, and that would be twelve more points, and yes,
there'd be a different discussion and more meaning to the
games at the end of the year and maybe even
a playoff ber if that was to be fixed. And
I think it's kind of an indication of the underlining
(07:38):
inconsistency of our team throughout the year is not winning
in back to back games. Those there are always considered
tougher situations. They're usually you know, travel is in there,
and it can be I hate the word excuse, so
(07:58):
it can be a deterrent to being at your best.
But I think that that sign of zero and twelve
games is a sign of our you know, inconsistency of
the group and incasisty as a team and our team play,
and that you know that is that's a huge evaluation
point for the group, the huge evaluation point for us
(08:21):
as coaches staff to improve on that, get better at that.
It's all that situation because that in and of itself
could be a difference maker for our team.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Dan Bilesma, Listen, we want to catch up a little
bit over the offseason. So wherever you go, just make
sure your cell phone has like that roaming thing that
you can buy. Okay, and we'll get together. But appreciate this.
Know the year did not go the way that you
wanted it to. Looking forward to bigger and better things
for you guys next year. And I can't tell you
how much we appreciate you being here every single week,
(08:51):
win or lose, man means a lot.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Thanks coach, I thank you guys. I think one of
the things that makes Yeah a great place to play
in fans to play for is how great the fans are.
And we, you know, said at the last couple of games,
our fans are the best, are the best in the world.
They're each and every night throughout supporting us to thickens
(09:13):
in and that's that's something awesome. And you guys are
part of that delivering that message to the group and
the fans. And so you will talk to me again.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Love it, beautiful, great stuff. We'll talk very soon.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Thanks coach, Thanks coach.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
All right, guys, all right.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Dan Bilsma with us cracking wrapping up the year with
all their exit interviews and one final interview with the
head coach, obviously disappointed in the way the year went,
but lots of draft capital, lots of movement possible. We're
gonna break Mike the course. You going to join next
on ninety three three kJ RFM.
It's time for Sadi and Dick's weekly visit with Seattle
Creek and head coach Dan Bilsma, brought to you by
Dick's Drive In, serving great Biggers, fries and shakes to
hockey fans since nineteen fifty four. Stop into one of
the nine Dicks Drive Ins locations today now with our
head coach Dan Bilsma, Deer's Safdian Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're gonna wrap it up for the season
with Dan Bosma. I wonder if he's enjoyed coming on
with us as much as we've enjoyed having him on
every single Wednesday on the radio show.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Hope.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So, I mean, Dan, be honest with us, how painful
was this having to talk to us earlier?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Well, I'm gonna ask you guys a question if we
can keep it going over the summertime? Yeah? How are Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You want to talk some baseball talk, some recruiting, all
that college basketball whatever, get ready for the Husky football season.
Talk some hawks, We'll talk some. What do you got
planned for the offseason?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Trips?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Fishing, golf?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
What are you doing? Yes? And yes and yes not.
But I'm a I'm a baseball fan. I I watched
the Mariners from a distance. But I don't want to
dis point anybody, but I'm a Tigers fan through and
prove I was two years old. Yeah, so terrible Tigers.
(01:21):
A little bit more closely, well, yea earlier on in
the season when the Tigers came into town. I the
Mariners needed the last win, Okay, I just say they
needed to get that last win.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So this is this is this is smart of you
to keep talking about this because the more we talk
about baseball, the less we have to talk about the
hockey season that we just had. Right, And you're off
the hook and you can hang up the phone, So
you're a you're a veteran at this stuff. But let's
just just jump right in, Dan Bosman with us. So,
I mean, obviously disappointing year, right, I mean, nobody would
deny that this is not the year that you wanted
(01:54):
to have or thought you would have. How did you
get here? What what happened to Krack and hockey circa
twenty twenty four twenty five that led you guys to
miss the playoffs?
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Well it's a question we're all, you know, probably contemplating today,
especially being day after Game eighty two. But I think
one we've been contemplating, you know, the last little bit,
because I think, you know, we've talked over the last
couple of weeks, the guys the team wanted to find
(02:31):
some meaning in this in this season, and you know,
you're right, thirty five wins is not what we set
out to be as a group, and as a team,
they fell well short of that mark that we all
talked about. And I think some of the reasons why,
some of the answers that we're looking at now is
(02:52):
just the inconsistency in our team, how we play, inconsistency
of what the identity of our team we want to
be was not there at night in and night out,
and the results showed as a result of that. I
think the guys in the room, our words after the season,
(03:13):
you know, are talking a lot about how we played
in the last nineteen games, the deadline meeting, nineteen games
after the deadline, and how we played, how we competed
for each other, how we played for the team was
more more in line with how we want, how we
(03:34):
think we can can have success going forward. You know,
in evaluation of the whole year, you try to gain
some positives and hope for the future. I think Maggie
Verniers and his development as a player as a top
line centerment, especially with Coco cockle Is. At times we
(03:54):
saw them be a number one dominating line on the league.
And that's promise and hope. Shane Wright, you know, the
big year for Shane Wright in his development, the young
kid one years old. Just his growth in development over
the course of the year was a big success for
the group and a big success for the team, and
(04:16):
just promising for us going forward. And I think you
gotta be you know, how we played in the last
nineteen I think is really something that the team is
going to build on going forward going into next year.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
And you got some great production from some of those
young guys. We'll talk about those in a second. But
you know, every year, Dan, I take a look at
the NHL stats and I try to find, like, what's
the highest ranked goal scorer for the Kraken in terms
of the NHL. Where are they ranked, and how about
the highest points And every single year you have to
scroll way down to like sixty five or seventy, and
(04:55):
it's usually Jared mccannon. He's usually ranked like seventieth in
the NHL in points or assists. Do you have someone
that can crack the top fifty in those categories next
year or do you have to go outside the organization
to find one?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Great question. I think the success of our team and
success of the team two years ago and making to
the playoffs was really the team and scoring. The team scoring,
and that's up and down the lineup. I think if
you you know, in doing what you just did and
going down the list of the top scores, you know
(05:33):
we don't have that. We haven't had that in our
in our lineup. But after you get to the Jared
McCann point, we have you know, we probably have more
than most teams in the sixty to forty range, sixty
to fifty range. James Schwartz have really missed a bunch
(05:54):
of this year, but he would be in there, Chandler Stevenson.
That's really what needs to be the strength of our team. Yep,
it'd be great to grow one of those top scorers,
elite scorers and plan him on our team. I think
you hope, have hope for a guy like Matty Veniers
(06:17):
being able to grow into being a seventy seventy five
point guy. Shane wright you know, got to the established
himself a little bit in that regard. But he's a
twenty year old and twenty one year old, and I
think his best days are you know, you're going to
see his best seasons at twenty three and twenty four. Yep,
(06:39):
he's growing to get there. So I think that has
to happen for us to be a good, good team
and a scoring team. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well, Dan Bosma's with us, and Dan just a couple
of minutes left here before you go, and again, appreciate
you doing this. So you guys had twelve back to backs,
second legs of back to backs this year and you
lost them all. How do you fix that? Because if
you if you just split those, I mean, the end
of the year looks a little different, right if you're
kind of hanging in the playoff race till the end
(07:11):
of the season. How do you fix that for next year?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, six or more or splitting those would be still
not great, and that would be twelve more points, and yes,
there'd be a different discussion and more meaning to the
games at the end of the year and maybe even
a playoff ber if that was to be fixed. And
I think it's kind of an indication of the underlining
(07:38):
inconsistency of our team throughout the year is not winning
in back to back games. Those there are always considered
tougher situations. They're usually you know, travel is in there,
and it can be I hate the word excuse, so
(07:58):
it can be a deterrent to being at your best.
But I think that that sign of zero and twelve
games is a sign of our you know, inconsistency of
the group and incasisty as a team and our team play,
and that you know that is that's a huge evaluation
point for the group, the huge evaluation point for us
(08:21):
as coaches staff to improve on that, get better at that.
It's all that situation because that in and of itself
could be a difference maker for our team.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Dan Bilesma, Listen, we want to catch up a little
bit over the offseason. So wherever you go, just make
sure your cell phone has like that roaming thing that
you can buy. Okay, and we'll get together. But appreciate this.
Know the year did not go the way that you
wanted it to. Looking forward to bigger and better things
for you guys next year. And I can't tell you
how much we appreciate you being here every single week,
(08:51):
win or lose, man means a lot.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Thanks coach, I thank you guys. I think one of
the things that makes Yeah a great place to play
in fans to play for is how great the fans are.
And we, you know, said at the last couple of games,
our fans are the best, are the best in the world.
They're each and every night throughout supporting us to thickens
(09:13):
in and that's that's something awesome. And you guys are
part of that delivering that message to the group and
the fans. And so you will talk to me again.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Love it, beautiful, great stuff. We'll talk very soon.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Thanks coach, Thanks coach.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
All right, guys, all right.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Dan Bilsma with us cracking wrapping up the year with
all their exit interviews and one final interview with the
head coach, obviously disappointed in the way the year went,
but lots of draft capital, lots of movement possible. We're
gonna break Mike the course. You going to join next
on ninety three three kJ RFM.
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