After losing important players in the offseason, the Carolina Kraken will be looking to rebound in Season 53. While they’ve made a couple of free agent signings lately, their key players to watch right now will be the ones who are moving into the limelight after the departures that the team recently faced.

First up is Velveteen Dream, who has recently moved into the #1 center spot on the lineup after Carolina lost its entire top 6. The Dream is a prospect in the New Orleans Specters system, having been the 28th overall pick in the Season 52 draft. He’ll be looking to make his mark in his first full season playing center.

Next is Frans Eller. Eller was a rookie last year, but is quickly moving from backup to starter after last year’s starter, Mike Hroch, moved up to the SHL to play for the New England Wolfpack. Now the 6’9” Dane will be looking to guide the Kraken forward between the pipes. Carolina will be looking to rest Eller from time to time to make sure he doesn’t fatigue too quickly over the course of the season, but make no mistake - Eller will be very important to the team’s success this season and in the foreseeable future.

Finally, another player to watch will be team captain Jimmy Wagner. While the defense, particularly S53 2nd overall pick Ambacas Cuddles, absolutely deserves a mention, the loss of the team’s top 6 means much of the Kraken’s forward corps will be key to whether or not they achieve success. Wagner has handled the pressure of playing on the first line and wearing the C well thus far, leading the team with 7 points in 7 games.