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Zaitsev · 07-17-2020, 06:46 PM

After a great sophomore year, Kwame Dakari has sat down to answer some questions from the media. After been looked over by every team, a late round picked played a key role in a 4 Star Cup. Now that people actually want to hear from him, what do you wanna ask?

Let em fly

@slothfacekilla

How's the offseason treating you? Still celebrating?

Treating me well so far. With everyone going on in the world I'm chilling in Carolina still while the rest of my family is back home in Sweden. I'm used to being away however since I've been travelling around so much for my hockey career since young so it's just another couple months extra for me to not see them. Been able to connect plenty with all the technology out there at least.

As far as hockey related though, also going great. Been training hard. Going into year 3 with the Kraken and seeing how well I was able to contribute this past year it definitely makes me excited to see what type of leap I can make now. Looking at the difference from year 1 to year 2, maybe it's not as huge of a jump going into year 3 but I'm looking forward to being counted on out there rather than just contributing under the radar.

Definitely still celebrating a bit, hard to believe it happened honestly, it's one of those funny things you look forward to for so low but when it actually hits it almost doesn't feel real. Unreal group of guys here and obviously some of them are moving up to the SHL, the nature of Junior leagues obviously, but we're all looking forward to getting back out there and defending the title this coming season. Going back-to-back would just be that much sweeter.

If you could add one person to the shl, alive or dead, who would you choose?

This is an unbelievably tough question because not only did you say dead or alive, but you also said person, not even specifically a hockey player. Seeing as it's a professional hockey league however I think it may have to be a pro hockey player. Some of my favourite players growing up were Miroslav Satan, Maxim Afinogenov, Pavel Bure, I always really enjoyed watching just high skilled players who knew how to put the puck in the net. I guess to that point though, since I've really had the pleasure of really watching him play let's get Maurice Richard in the SHL, see how his skills translate to this century.

@Blastmeaway

Bruh, don't come at me with that type of stuff. I'm a bright eyed young man looking to become a professional athlete soon and take my life and those around me to new heights.

Hit me in the DMs tho...

@PremierBromanov

What was it like to bring home your first 4-star cup?

Dream come true really. I haven't had a ton of team success in my past, mostly just personal. It really came together quickly for us too, we were such a young team a season ago and to think we all grew together so fast and to win in my 2nd season. It really just feels amazing. I came in with a solid draft class and in my head I thought we'd be competing seriously come years 3 and 4 and here we are, defending champions going into year 3 so I just want to keep this going and win more.

Who do you think had the biggest surprise pick in the draft?

The one I'm most interested in, I don't know if it's surprising, but seeing Conner Hutton come to NOLA. That put a smile on my face. Seeing more familiar faces coming aboard to my SHL team is great to see. We saw Vincent Wolf get selected by NOLA as well, which again, great to see. I'm obviously still very much in the thick of my junior career but to know I will have familiar faces over in NOLA when I make the jump just creates that sense of comfortability and takes out a lot of other variables, allows me to really key in on hockey and my game.

One note I will say is seeing Axel Foley drop to 10 seemed silly to me, maybe biased as he's a team mate of mine but still, he's going to make the fans in Edmonton cheer.

Pineapple on pizza?

Maybe it's controversial but I'm going to say yes, in theory. I don't do it, but I don't think there's any one way to make a pizza. Margherita, delicious. Just cheese? Great. Pepperoni and Cheese, yes. BBQ Chicken, hell why not. If you can make it taste good, anything can work on a pizza. A pizza crust in my eyes is like an easel to an artist. You can paint a lot of beautiful different flavours on that puppy.

@overdoo

You were one of the big factors for the Kraken in the playoffs, did you ever think about that? How did it feel?

I didn't really sit back and think about it but it became pretty obvious that the key to our success was that our secondary scoring was really kicking it up a notch. After being suspended for the last chunk of the season, I didn't know what to expect, kind of a weird way to come back. To have gone through a ride like that and look back and see myself and Dwight Knight leading the way, scoring wise, it's incredible. Like I said earlier, I didn't necessarily think we'd be in this position as quickly as we've gotten here and it's awesome and I just want to keep it rolling into next season.

After seeing who was taken in the Expansion Draft, what do you think about the team for next season?

I mean seeing Zelma and Mortiz go in one fell swoop is kinda crappy. Those are teammates and people we just went through some special with. It is what it is, seeing the league expand is great in general, growing the game and the business into places where I think it'll thrive is really what it's kind of about. Putting the game in front of children to become lifetime fans. As far as the Kraken, I'm confident in what we'll have in an on-ice product next season and I expect we'll be at the top of the league again.

Who is your favourite defenseman on the team and why is it Conner Hutton?

Adam Friedland, next question. Wink

@Mazatt

After a rough season last year, how does it feel to come into your own and prove yourself as a top talent in the league after last year?

I wasn't super thrilled with my rookie season, I don't think it was horrible but definitely would've liked to have done more. This past season coming in I knew I'd have more of a chance and knew I had taken my game up another level. I think I certainly showed that in the regular season, I missed 9 games and was still a top goal scorer in the whole SMJHL. To keep that rolling and contribute the way I did in the playoffs and capping it with a 4 Star Cup, that's obviously exactly how you draw it up. Looking forward to doing the same thing this year, take it up another notch and really show the league who Kwame Dakari is.

How do you see the assistant captain roles shaking out with Keith Lee and Frans Eller leaving for greener pastures this season?

I don't think I really fit the role, I'm definitely more of a lead by example type of player. Wags is obviously an incredible captain. Names that jump up to me when I think about who could take over Assistant roles would guys like Dwight Knight, maybe Vitek Vitecek. Will be interesting to see where the letters fall though.

Why is Axel Foley the BEST defensemen on Carolina? Be careful with your answer.

Axel Foley is definitely the best defensemen on Carolina that was drafted 10th overall by the Edmonton Blizzard in the S55 SHL Entry Draft. No other defensemen that was drafted 10th overall by the Edmonton Blizzard even holds a candle to him

How does it feel to have more Kraken coming in to reinforce the ranks in New Orleans over the next few seasons?

Building a bit of a community of us Kraken to Specter graduates is awesome. I think this will help all of us in the long run, being familiar with each other just makes things fun and easier. If we can help each other make that next step to the SHL smoothly it'll aid all of our careers moving forward and also having that winning mentality like we do in Carolina now, it's great when you also consider that NOLA just won a Challenge Cup as well.

@Southie

Metallica Or Slayer?

Metallica, not even close. Hit me with some Seek and Destroy and I'll run through a wall. A little One to chill out more. Just talking about it has me excited.

Who is your favorite slasher movie villain?

You ever watch these movies? Black guy always goes first. I'm not tryna f**k with slasher movies.

slothfacekilla · 07-17-2020, 06:48 PM

How's the offseason treating you? Still celebrating?

If you could add one person to the shl, alive or dead, who would you choose?

***Blastmeaway*** · 07-17-2020, 06:49 PM

Shout out to ml002, schultzy, slashacm, tedward!
[Image: blastmeaway.gif]

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09-05-2018, 10:04 PMBeaver Wrote: Wow look what the PT affiliation has done to our pristine league.

12-19-2018, 12:31 AMBeaver Wrote: I personally blame the PT affiliation for handing out massive amounts of free TPE to all these players, inflating the TPE they're at when they get called up.

[Image: Capture21.PNG?width=400&height=90]

***PremierBromanov*** · 07-17-2020, 06:49 PM

What was it like to bring home your first 4-star cup?

Who do you think had the biggest surprise pick in the draft?

Pineapple on pizza?

overdoo · 07-17-2020, 06:57 PM

You were one of the big factors for the Kraken in the playoffs, did you ever think about that? How did it feel?

After seeing who was taken in the Expansion Draft, what do you think about the team for next season?

Who is your favourite defenseman on the team and why is it Conner Hutton?

***Mazatt*** · 07-18-2020, 03:09 AM

After a rough season last year, how does it feel to come into your own and prove yourself as a top talent in the league after last year?

How do you see the assistant captain roles shaking out with Keith Lee and Frans Eller leaving for greener pastures this season?

Why is Axel Foley the BEST defensemen on Carolina? Be careful with your answer.

How does it feel to have more Kraken coming in to reinforce the ranks in New Orleans over the next few seasons?

Southie · 07-18-2020, 07:14 AM

Metallica Or Slayer?

Who is your favorite slasher movie villain?

Zaitsev · 07-18-2020, 05:17 PM

Probably not getting anything else here, feel free to grade this.

overdoo · 07-18-2020, 06:07 PM

If you had to designate the role of "Locker Room Daddy" to anyone in the Carolina Kraken LR, who would it be?

@Zaitsev

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