Kraken audit complete, (some) areas for growth revealed

When Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke held his end-of-season press conference in April, he raised eyebrows by indicating that the organization would bring in a third party to audit every facet of the team’s hockey operations procedures. It wasn’t intended to draw a ton of attention, but it ended up doing just that. While this type of review isn’t unusual in professional sports, it was (perhaps incorrectly) interpreted by some as a sign that sweeping changes were coming.

Now, the company selected to run the audit—the Sportsology Group, led by former Chelsea Football Club executive Mike Forde—has completed the first phase of its process after spending roughly 80 hours with team leadership and interviewing staff across 14 departments.

“We didn’t want an echo chamber,” Leiweke said in an interview with Kraken Hockey Network’s Ian Furness. “We directed [Sportsology] to turn every stone to ask the hard questions.”

The audit was designed to give the organization a clear, unbiased assessment of what it has done well in its first five years and where it can improve. While some fans may have expected immediate restructuring or a dramatic overhaul, that was never the intent.

At the same time, the Kraken are being careful about how much they reveal. Understandably, they don’t want to tip their hand to other teams around the NHL, but they also recognize the importance of transparency with a fanbase that has grown restless over the lack of on-ice success.

To that end, Leiweke sat down with Furness to share a high-level overview of the findings and also sent a letter to season ticket members on Tuesday.

“We brought in the Sportsology Group, an independent consulting firm that advises professional sports organizations around the world, and asked them to bring fresh eyes to our hockey operations,” Leiweke said in the letter. “They confirmed our strengths and identified areas where we can improve and evolve, including building brain trust, capabilities, and alignment across talent evaluation and player development.”

New hires reflect findings

One thing we have not heard is that jobs are being cut as a result of this process. Sportsology did not come in and recommend sweeping personnel changes. Instead, they identified opportunities where the Kraken could beef up their staffing, including improvements on how the Kraken develop their players.

There are already strong foundations in place. The Coachella Valley Firebirds provide an excellent environment for prospects, and several young players have worked their way into full-time NHL roles. But the question remains: are those players reaching their full potential?

It’s something we’ve wondered about as well. While players like Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and Berkly Catton project as capable top-six contributors (Beniers already is that), none has clearly emerged on a trajectory toward stardom. And beyond that group, there are others who have flirted with NHL roles but haven’t taken the next step. Is there a way to accelerate that process?

Seattle is attempting to address that question through recent hires. Assistant coach Pascal Vincent arrives after two seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Laval Rocket, where he was AHL coach of the year in 2024-25, bringing a strong development background. Meanwhile, former Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz returns to the organization in a player development role.

The goal, as Leiweke put it, is not just to be good in this area—but to be the best.

More cohesion needed in hockey ops

Details are limited when it comes to how the front office operates, but one clear takeaway from the audit was the need for greater cohesion across hockey operations.

Exactly what that looks like is still intentionally murky, but it aligns with Leiweke’s mention of improving “capabilities and alignment across talent evaluation.” In simpler terms, it’s about ensuring that all departments—scouting, analytics, management, etc.—are working together as efficiently and effectively as possible.

A move that reflects this is the hiring of former Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin as an assistant GM. Allvin brings extensive NHL experience, including a Pacific Division title in 2023-24 and three Stanley Cups in varying roles from his time in Pittsburgh. He’s not being brought in to run the show, but rather to add another experienced voice and help strengthen the overall decision-making process.

Plenty of questions remain

If you were hoping for a detailed, step-by-step roadmap to contention, you won’t find that here. But to their credit, the Kraken followed through on their promise to take a hard look at themselves and identify areas for improvement. That, in itself, carries value.

And while Seattle has already made some notable moves this offseason—re-signing Bobby McMann and acquiring Mackie Samoskevich—there’s still a long way to go to reach the “prolific” offseason Leiweke also promised. Perhaps this audit is just the beginning of what’s to come.

The Kraken will continue to work with Sportsology moving forward, as they continue to implement the suggested changes.