Seattle Kraken players speak after cleaning out lockers for end of season

After their elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Seattle Kraken returned home from Dallas to clean out their lockers - a heartbreaking moment for the players that signifies their season is over.

Players solemnly spoke to the media about what happened in Dallas and their expectations for next season.

“Just coming into this season, I had a much different perspective than I did last year,” defenseman Vince Dunn said. “The way we shaped our team this year was a lot different. We gave ourselves a really great chance to compete.”

“We took a really good step in the right direction,” Jaden Schwartz said. “But it wasn’t easy. It was hard.”

“Game 7 in Colorado was special,” Alex Wennberg said. “To have that opportunity to beat them and actually pull through and make that happen, it’s something else.”

“This is what we expected,” Morgan Geekie said. “If you look at it from last year it seems like this season was a success, but guys know we had a little more. And everyone’s upset we’re still not playing.”

“We set the foundation,” goalie Philipp Grubauer said. “We set the standards for the future and what’s going to happen here.”

“You start from scratch next year,” center Yannie Gourde said. “Everything is back at zero. You gotta fight your way to a playoff spot.”

“We all got a taste of the playoffs this year,” center Matty Beniers said. “We want to be right back where we were and try to keep going.”

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