Man, even when we think we know something before the team has explicitly stated it, they still find a way to throw a curveball, proving once again that the Kraken are quite good at keeping secrets.
Here’s what we know about new Kraken assistant coaches Jay Leach and Paul McFarland.
Jay Leach
Leach, a 41-year-old native of Syracuse, NY, joins the Kraken after four seasons at the helm of the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate for Boston. Leach was successful in Providence, posting a 136-77-16 record and leading the P-Bruins to first-place finishes in the Atlantic Division in each of the last two seasons. They lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and no playoffs were held in 2019-20 or 2020-21 due to the pandemic.
Boston had reportedly considered bringing Leach up to the big squad for next season to replace recently departed Jay Pandolfo as an assistant on Bruce Cassidy’s staff, but Divver states that the opportunity with Seattle was just too good for Leach to pass up.
Journeyman player
You have to love Leach’s journey to the NHL, both as a player and as a coach. After four years at Providence College, where he was the captain of the Friars in 2000-01, Leach had to grind in every sense of the word to reach the pinnacle.
BOSTON, MA – JULY 08: Bruins coach Jay Leach during Bruins Development Camp on July 8, 2017 at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)
He played in the ECHL for the Mississippi Sea Wolves, Augusta Lynx, Long Beach Ice Dogs, and Trenton Titans. In the AHL, he had stints with the Springfield Falcons, P-Bruins, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Norfolk Admirals, Portland Pirates, Lowell Devils, Worcester Sharks, and Albany Devils.
Leach got a two-game cup of coffee in the NHL in 2005-06 with Boston, two more games in 2007-08 in Tampa Bay, and later had more robust stretches with New Jersey, Montreal, and San Jose.
In all, Leach played 180 career ECHL games, 499 AHL games, and 70 NHL games during his 11-year pro career.
Journeyman coach
Leach began his coaching career in 2014-15 with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany, where he served as an assistant under Geoff Ward. He then joined Mike Sullivan’s staff in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the following season, and when Sullivan was promoted to Pittsburgh, Leach assumed the head coaching role with the AHL club on an interim basis. During Leach’s one year with the WSB Penguins, current Seattle Kraken assistant general manager Jason Botterill was running the AHL team as the AGM for Pittsburgh.
The next stop for Leach was back in Providence where he played college hockey and several seasons of his pro career. He joined the P-Bruins as an assistant to Kevin Dean in 2016-17, but after that one year and a dramatic run to the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals, Dean was promoted to become an assistant with the NHL Bruins. Leach was tabbed as Dean’s replacement as full-time head coach to start the 2017-18 season, where he has remained until now.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am for the opportunity to join the Kraken,” said Leach. “From the ownership group to Ron Francis to Dave Hakstol, it is truly an incredible opportunity to work with them. I’m looking forward to the Expansion Draft, free agency, and training camp as we start to see the team come to fruition.”
This will be Leach’s first time coaching at the NHL level. He will be responsible for overseeing Seattle’s defense.
Paul McFarland
You don’t have to look too far to find the connection between McFarland and the Kraken, as he served alongside Hakstol as an assistant in Toronto in 2019-20. At just 35 years old, he has quickly risen through the coaching ranks and proven himself every step of the way.
The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native was most recently serving as general manager and head coach of the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. Ironically, he did not coach a game on this stint, as the team’s season was canceled due to the pandemic, but he did coach a full season for Kingston in 2016-17 when the Frontenacs went 33-26-9.
McFarland spent two seasons running an outstanding power play for the Florida Panthers before joining the Maple Leafs. He was also an assistant with the Oshawa Generals from 2012 through 2014 and was head coach of Team Canada at the U-18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2017.
It is expected that McFarland will run the Kraken’s forwards and power play.
Playing career
What makes it even more impressive that McFarland has already reached this level of coaching is that he did not really come close to the NHL as a player, a credit to his abilities behind the bench.
After four seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires, McFarland went on to play four seasons of U Sports hockey for Acadia University, where he was the captain of the team from his sophomore season onward.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the Seattle Kraken organization,” said McFarland. “It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I look forward to working with Dave again, the rest of our staff, and our players.”
Assistant coaches are more good finds for the Kraken
The Kraken continue to uncover diamonds in the rough with every hire they make. Leach and McFarland have great track records as both assistant and head coaches, and they are both regarded as having bright futures at the NHL level.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
SEATTLE – JT Brown officially announced his retirement from professional hockey Monday morning, but it didn’t take long for him to be back in the NHL. Along with Brown’s retirement, the Seattle Kraken announced that they had hired Brown to take part in their television broadcast crew as an analyst, joining play-by-play voice John Forslund.
Kraken games will be telecast on ROOT sports, and Brown brings to the booth vast hockey experience and knowledge after playing 11 seasons of both collegiate and NHL hockey.
“It was a big decision to hang up my skates, but one that was made easier by the opportunity to work alongside John Forslund for the Seattle Kraken,” Brown said via a press release. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue my career within the hockey world and to join an organization that is dedicated to making forward progress within the sport, and I look forward to the ability to make a lasting impact on the game I’ve loved for over 25 years.”
Brown, 30, is originally from Burnsville, MN, and played NCAA hockey at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). He played in 81 games for UMD, scoring 40 goals and 84 points along the way. In 2011 he led the Bulldogs to an NCAA National Championship where he was named the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
Undrafted, Brown would sign a pro contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and after a season and a half in the AHL became an NHL regular with the Lightning in 2013. He would go on to play 365 NHL games with Tampa Bay, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Minnesota Wild. All told he scored 23 goals, 49 assists, and 72 points over his NHL career which included playing for the Stanley Cup during Tampa Bay’s run in 2015.
“We are excited to welcome JT Brown to the Seattle Kraken,” said Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Seattle Kraken via release. “His experience as a player winning a National Championship with the University of Minnesota Duluth and playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the Tampa Bay Lightning gives him unique insight into what it takes to compete night in and night out at the highest levels of hockey. Off the ice, JT’s values and dedication to the community reflect our own and we know he will be a great addition.”
Active in the community, Brown is a long-time advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He was named to the NHL’s Fan Inclusion Committee in 2020 to help develop action-oriented solutions that positively impact the access, opportunity, and experiences that underrepresented groups have in the game and in the business of hockey.
He has championed ‘Black Girl Hockey Club,’ a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for Black women and girls and has used his platform as a player and Twitch streamer to raise funds for the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone campaign.
The Kraken continue to prepare for the NHL Expansion Draft on July 21st and the Entry Draft on July 23rd and 24th.
Last summer, Matt Beniers was preparing to play hockey for his freshman NCAA season with Harvard University. It was his first year of NHL Draft eligibility and one loaded with high expectations for the center. Then Covid-19 became an issue as hockey leagues around the world were making the tough call not to play. That included the Ivy League which meant no season for Harvard and left Beniers scrambling. Beniers would land on his feet to turn in a spectacular season and is poised to be selected at the top of July’s NHL Draft, perhaps even going second overall to the Seattle Kraken.
When the Ivy League announced it was not going to play, Beniers was able to transfer to the University of Michigan. He had been playing in nearby Plymouth, MI for the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) and was familiar with the coaching staff.
That made the decision easier.
“I just kind of had to make a hockey decision and make a decision for myself,” Beniers said during Michigan’s media day in the fall. “It just kind of fit all the things that I wanted in a school, obviously, great academics and a great program. A lot of guys I already knew were going there.”
Once he made the decision to become a Wolverine, the excitement grew.
Michigan already had two impressive incoming freshmen in defenseman Owen Power and forward Kent Johnson. All three players were projected by NHL’s Central scouting as potential first-round picks in the NHL Draft heading into the season.
“I didn’t really know how great it would be until I got here,” Beniers added. “Every day we’re pushing each other. And those two, like, they obviously also love hockey, and it’s what they want to do with the rest of their life. So, it’s kind of cool being around guys that just love the game and want to get better every day. It pushes me, I push them and so I think it will be a lot of benefit from playing together.”
Playing mostly against older college players, Beniers had a strong season, but Michigan’s run for a National Championship was cut down. Again, Covid-19 was the culprit as the Wolverines had to withdraw from the NCAA tournament due to a number of positive tests.
That disappointment hasn’t soured Beniers’ NHL Draft expectations which will come to a head on July 23 and just may land him in Seattle with the Kraken.
Matt Beniers by the numbers
Beniers, 18, started drawing attention after a strong 2019-2020 season with the USNTDP, splitting time between the U18 and USHL squads. In total, he appeared in 60 games and scored 25 goals to go with 32 assists for a total of 57 points.
He was also a key part of Team USA’s gold medal winning club at the World Junior Championship in January. Beniers was one of the youngest players on the team, a tournament dominated by 19-year-old NHL-drafted players, but by tournament’s end was one of the Americans’ top forwards.
Over the past couple of weeks, he won a bronze medal playing for Team USA at the IIHF World Championship. Playing against older professionals, he recorded a pair of points in six games but drew rave reviews.
He has the size, listed at 6-foot-1 and 174 pounds, and as a ‘late birthday’ he will turn 19 just after the start of the upcoming NHL season.
What do the scouts say about Beniers?
Beniers is consistently ranked high among scouting services. NHL Central Scouting ranked him as the sixth-best North American skater while other services either had him ranked first or second overall.
Chris Peters from Hockey Sense compares him to Chicago Blackhawks star Jonathan Toews in terms of a guy who didn’t pile up numbers in college but who displayed the necessary skill to be an elite two-way center and a guy that will make those around him better.
“I view a guy like Matty Beniers as a franchise building block,” Peters told the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. “I was talking to a scout and he called Matty Beniers a May-June player, meaning this is a guy that’s going to win the Stanley Cup, this is a guy that’s going to be there in the playoffs…He’s such an impact player, he impacts the game in all zones, and then he does have the skill to finish.”
Scouting reports on Beniers all hail him as the quintessential 200-foot center. He hounds pucks in the defensive zone but can quickly transition into offense and lead a rush the other way. His vision is superb, and teammates have to be ready for his pass.
It’s also how he would scout himself when asked what makes him a quality player.
“I would say either my hockey IQ or my ability to play in all situations,” Beniers said about himself. “Just my ability to play defense, produce offensively, but also and play penalty kill, power play, kind of whatever they need, I can fill that role or whatever role they want me to fill.”
Beniers’ skill on display
After winning the second overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery on June 2, Seattle general manager Ron Francis was asked if there was a player who would be able to step directly into the NHL. Most players need a year or two of further development after being drafted with maybe three or four playing the same year they are selected.
“You wait to get them into training camp and see how they play and how they perform and make sure that they’re ready,” Francis said. “Not only from a hockey game standpoint, but also physically and mentally. It’s not an easy league, and less and less players are stepping out of the draft and stepping into the NHL.”
Could Beniers be such a player?
With his late birthday, he’ll be nearly a year older than most of the players drafted which will certainly help. But his skills will perhaps be the biggest factor.
“He has the physical package, he’s strong, he’s competitive, and I’ve never seen him intimidated in any game.” Peters said. “He has the speed and the quickness; his brain operates at the level that you need at the NHL level. I do think Beniers has the most likely game to translate because the other thing that he can do is you don’t need to put them on your top two lines, you can put them on your third line and he’s still gonna find a way to make an impact.”
Watching Beniers, those skills become evident quickly.
In the clip below from the World Juniors you see the definition of a 200-foot player. Beniers retrieves a loose puck in his own end and quickly turns up ice the other way. He hits the neutral zone with speed and has his head up to spot an open winger at the blue line. Beniers connects a perfect pass for a shot on goal.
Beniers can play in all situations, especially on the penalty kill. In this clip he makes an absurd play on the kill while also showing off how strong he is on the puck. Good luck getting it from him.
Matt Beniers rags the puck for nearly 20 seconds while killing a penalty.
During the World Junior Championship gold medal game against Canada, he showed off his whole tool kit on one shift. Here he handles the puck through traffic in the neutral zone and finds an open shooter for a high-danger scoring opportunity. After the shot is stopped, Beniers hustles down the rebound to set up another teammate.
While he has all the skills and speed to be a two-way center, Beniers can finish. It’s an aspect of his game that can get overlooked. Here we see him put himself in a position to receive a pass for a scoring chance, one that he buries.
#NTDP Alumni Update. Some more fine work from the Wolverines on the 2nd goal of the game for Matt Beniers.
A nice keep in from Cam York ignites the play and such a good play from Kent Johnson as he finds Beniers in tight for the tap in. #GoBluepic.twitter.com/qkUmB4kZSk
Will the Seattle Kraken draft Matt Beniers second overall?
Seattle may not have a say, as the Buffalo Sabres may want to snatch Beniers first overall. This is a draft year where there are no sure things at the top of the list. Rather, there are five or six guys who all have the ability to turn into impact players.
Beniers is certainly in that group and if Buffalo goes in another direction with the first pick, it will be hard to imagine Francis passing up a chance to add a player like Beniers.
When the NHL puts the Pacific Division back in place for the 2021-2022 season, the Seattle Kraken will see a lot of the once mighty Los Angeles Kings. It seems like just yesterday they won two Stanley Cups in three years – the last win was 2014 – but since then the Kings have missed the playoffs in five of seven seasons.
Their two playoff appearances – in 2016 and 2018 – both ended in first-round knockouts.
The key players, like Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick, from those Cup teams are still on the roster. So, what gives? Why are they bad? Time has played a role as those players are not as effective as they once were, but also, the supporting cast is gone, replaced by younger players.
Seattle should beware, however, because the Kings have cap space and some promising young prospects on the rise. Could an improving Kings team turn a division rivalry into a full-on hate fest? It’s easy not to like Doughty so the chance is definitely there for Seattle to lean into some Kings abhorrence.
Let’s get to know the Kraken division rival Los Angeles Kings
Established: 1967
Nickname history: The name ‘Kings’ came from a fan contest and was liked by original owner Jack Kent Cooke. The team’s original colors were ‘Forum Blue’ and yellow. The colors were changed to black, silver, and white for the 1997 season.
First season in NHL: 1967-1968 (31-33-10 record)
AHL affiliate: Ontario Reign
ECHL affiliate: None
Stanley Cup Final appearances: 1993 (lost to Montreal), 2012 (beat New Jersey), and 2014 (beat New York Rangers)
Presidents’ Trophies: none
Division titles: One (1990-1991)
All-time leading scorer: Marcel Dionne (1,307)
All-time leading goals: Luc Robitaille (557)
All-time leader in assists: Marcel Dionne (757)
2020-2021 record: 21-28-7 (sixth in West Division)
2020-2021 leading scorer: Anze Kopitar (13 goals, 37 assists, 50 points in 56 games)
Are you starting an NHL franchise from scratch? If so, one of the top priorities you’ll need is a defenseman who can move the puck, man the power play, and create offense. The 2021 NHL Draft is littered with such defensemen which is good for the Seattle Kraken, who it turns out are starting an NHL team from scratch. Hailing from Sweden, Simon Edvinsson is such a defenseman who just may be on the Kraken radar during July’s draft.
Seattle will know exactly where it will be selecting in the draft after the lottery on June 2. No matter where their lotto balls fall, they do know that they’ll land somewhere between picks one and five.
There is no consensus top pick in this draft class, nor is there agreement on who the top five picks are going to be. The Kraken have some offensive options to choose from along with a strong class of defensemen.
Edvinsson may be the top blueliner available and is a player to watch.
Simon Edvinsson by the numbers
Edvinsson, 18, is listed at six-foot-five inches tall and 207 pounds which means he’s already NHL sized.
Last season he played for a number of teams, including a 10-game stint with Frolunda in the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. He also was the top defenseman for Sweden at the U18 World Championships in Texas where Sweden won a bronze medal. In seven games there, he scored a goal while adding four assists.
As is most of this draft class, Edvinsson is all over the map as far as where he’s ranked. Among the various online draft-heads, he shows up as low as ninth and as high as second in the various lists. That puts him in the crosshairs for the Kraken to select Edvinsson.
The pros at NHL Central Scouting have Edvinsson ranked as the second-best international player in their final rankings.
Simon Edvinsson the player
When you look at Edvinsson’s traditional numbers, they don’t jump off the page at you. At no point in any of the leagues he competed in was he a big scorer.
So, why is he considered a top-of-the-draft prospect and a guy who can fill that need for an offensive defenseman?
“The thing about Edvinsson is that whoever is drafting him is drafting the potential,” prospect guru Chris Peters says on his Hockey Sense site. “He’s still pretty raw, hasn’t really figured out how to use his size yet and certainly hasn’t learned how to take charge. I think he’s going to get there with time and development.”
Scouts love his size and the way he skates.
Watching his tape, the potential is there and like a lot of draft-eligible players, the development is still to come.
Simon Edvinsson, #3, LHD playing for Frölunda. 17 year old, a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/HxVnb1659z
He has good vision and ability to set up his teammates. The clip below is at even strength, but watching it you get a sense of what he would look like manning the power play for the Kraken.
While he shows the ability to work the point on the power play, Edvinsson is an excellent skater, especially for a guy his size. He has speed and can be dangerous on the rush, as seen in this clip where he moves the puck from deep in his own end all the way to the attacking zone where he finds an open teammate.
Simon Edvinsson (2021) played his first Allsvenskan game yesterday and picked up this beautiful assist after carrying the puck all the way up the ice #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/lDW6Tx2b8D
Finally, in this clip, he gets the puck, gets his head up, and makes a smart and accurate lob pass that sets up a dangerous scoring chance for a teammate.
#Allsvenskan: Pretty good start to Simon Edvinsson's (#9 Black) game today as Vasteras takes on Karlskoga. This is a gutsy lob but he times it perfectly. Wasn't used on either special teams and sat for a long stretch but he's been physical; passes have been crisp and on the tape pic.twitter.com/DKtxXiDwCY
— The Draft Analyst (@TheDraftAnalyst) March 5, 2021
Will the Kraken take Simon Edvinsson at the NHL Draft?
It’s impossible to say where Edvinsson sits on the Kraken internal draft board. They won’t be leaking that information, but it’s safe to say he’s on the radar for an early selection.
He is a player who will need more development, so don’t expect him to be a player that moves straight to the NHL in year one. More likely he’ll play back in Sweden this upcoming season to further work on his consistency and explosiveness.
There are other impressive defensive prospects in this draft, including Michigan’s Owen Power and Brandt Clarke from the OHL’s Barrie Colts. Edvinsson is in that grouping and it may come down to how Kraken head scout Robert Kron and general manager Ron Francis rate the potential to come.
The San Diego Gulls were eliminated by the Bakersfield Condors Monday night in the AHL’s Pacific Division playoffs thanks to a 2-1 overtime decision. Head coach Kevin Dineen’s club had a strong year, finishing first within the division in points but officially in third place due to points-earned percentage – a sign of this strange Covid hockey season. With Dineen’s season over, could he be a stealth candidate to become the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken?
Seattle general manager Ron Francis has remained tight-lipped on who he is considering, only to offer that the Kraken are in no hurry and would likely not hire anyone until they have a better understanding of how the field looks.
Most of the contenders being speculated about would have to get fired, or were just fired, or ‘agreed to part ways’ – which is the nice way of being fired. So, why not go with someone who is coming off successful seasons, like Dineen?
Francis has said over and over that he prefers a coach who has prior NHL experience to join the Kraken in year one. Dineen checks that box and many others, and he could end up in the mix to be the first head coach for the Kraken.
Kevin Dineen’s coaching path
Dineen, 57, is most known for his time as an NHL player, appearing in 1,188 games between the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, and Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored 355 goals over his career before retiring in 2003.
It didn’t take him long to get back into hockey, as he was hired as the head coach of the AHL’s Portland Pirates in 2005. Portland was the affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks and Dineen would spend six successful seasons guiding the future Ducks.
During his tenure, he never suffered a losing season and won 45-plus games in four of his six seasons. That got the NHL’s attention, and in 2011 the Florida Panthers brought him in as head coach. His first NHL season was a good one as the Panthers won 38 games and won a division title for the first time in a decade.
They lost in the first round, however, and would struggle the following season. Dineen would be let go 16 games into his third season, ending his NHL stint with a 53-62-28 record. After Florida, Dineen took a job leading Canada’s women’s national team and would lead them to a gold medal during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Kevin Dineen has been the head coach of the San Diego Gulls since 2019. Photo credit: San Diego Gulls
Later that season he found himself back behind an NHL bench, as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks. He would spend the next five seasons with the Blackhawks, picking up a Stanley Cup ring in 2015.
The Ducks would bring Dineen back in 2019 to head up their new AHL franchise in San Diego. With the Gulls the past two seasons, he’s done well with two winning campaigns and a 56-36-1-8 record.
Having local ties isn’t the top credential to becoming the first Kraken coach, but it doesn’t hurt. Dineen is very connected, not only to Ron Francis – the two played together in Hartford and Carolina – but to the city as well.
Dineen’s father, Bill Dineen, played for the Seattle Totems from 1964-1969 and Kevin spent his early years living in Queen Anne. Bill would later coach Kevin with the Flyers, but before that he was an amateur scout with the Hartford Whalers.
Francis has shown no hesitation in bringing in people he knows to the Kraken organization. He had worked previously with assistant general manager Ricky Olzyk and head of scouting Robert Kron. He played with Dineen and there is a familiarity with the family.
Could that be a deciding factor when considering coaches?
Dineen also had his games called by Kraken television play-by-play broadcaster John Forslund.
Why would Dineen make a good coach for the Kraken?
Dineen checks off a lot of the boxes that Francis and the Kraken are going to be looking for in a head coach.
First off, he has NHL experience. His two years in Florida were a mixed bag with his second season not as fruitful as the first. That second season the Panthers suffered a number of injuries and were not able to overcome that adversity in a season shortened by labor issues. After those lessons, he continued to learn on the bench in Chicago under Quenneville, one of the best coaches in the league.
Every other year he’s been a head coach was a success with zero losing records. Dineen has been able to coach competitive teams at every level.
His AHL record is impressive. And that bodes well for the coach of an expansion team that will rely on young players and a roaster pulled together in the mash-up that the Expansion Draft will produce. Dineen is known for his deft work with young players to help them develop into NHLers.
In the AHL, rosters are constantly revolving and despite that turnover, Dineen’s clubs win hockey games, which is the bottom line. This past season’s Gulls roster had 21 players who were new to San Diego and the Ducks franchise. That sounds a lot like how an expansion team will look.
Will Kevin Dineen be the guy the Kraken turn to? We will have to wait and see, but he has the credentials and track record that make him a true contender. He may not be the big name in the room right now but might end up being the best name and ultimately, the first head coach of the Kraken.
