Last week we played a game of “Would you rather?,” where we hid team and player names of a few squads participating in the NHL Expansion Draft and then asked the readers to submit their preferred selections based on the information provided. We had an overwhelming response to the post, so we figured we should do it again this week.
For those that missed last week, the game is simple. I am going to lay out three teams and a few of the players that are expected to be exposed in the NHL Expansion Draft from those teams. You will then select the players in a short survey at the bottom of the post. There is no right or wrong answer here; it is just a way to get your preference without the bias of seeing the player names.
Team D
Player 1
Position: Right Wing
Age on 10-1-2021: 29.8 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2M through the 2022-23 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Had six goals and 13 assists over 46 games during the 2020-21 season. Solid two-way winger with very good hockey sense. Will never put up big offensive numbers but is reliable defensively.
Player 2
Position: Forward
Age on 10-1-2021: 23.2 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $763K/year in 2020-21
High-Level Scouting Report: Has played in just 38 NHL games; 36 came in 2020-21 season. Only had nine points in those 36 games this season. Had 22 goals and 20 assists in 55 games in the AHL during the 2019-20 season. Offensive-minded player that is likely a second-line forward in the NHL.
Player 3
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 27.5 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $5.3M through the 2023-24 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Fantastic skater. Can play the role of a shutdown defenseman that can log a ton of minutes. Has some offensive capabilities as well. Had 10 points over 52 games in the 2020-21 season.
Team E
Player 1
Position: Forward
Age on 10-1-2021: 29.3 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $1.7M through the 2021-22 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Heavy-hitting forward that can kill penalties. Not a lot of scoring touch and is likely a career bottom-six forward. Had four goals and seven assists in 41 games over the 2020-21 season.
Player 2
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 27.3 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2.7M through the 2021-22 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Puck moving defenseman with some offensive upside. Had 10 assists in 30 games played this season in the NHL.
Player 3
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 24.2 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $793K/year in 2020-21
High-Level Scouting Report: Smart two-way player that is not afraid to jump into the play to join the rush. Spent this last season split between the NHL and AHL and has only 18 NHL games over the last two seasons. Long-term potential is a little bit unknown due to the small sample size of NHL games.
Team F
Player 1
Position: Wing
Age on 10-1-2021: 29.3 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $1.5M through the 2022-23 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Undersized depth scoring forward on a cheap contract over the next two seasons. Scored 14 goals in 53 games during the 2020-21 season. Reliable in defensive situations.
Player 2
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 30.9 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $3.9M through the 2023-24 season
High-Level Scouting Report: Big, physical defenseman without a lot of scoring upside. Slots in well on the second defense pairing. Had two goals and 17 assists over 56 games during the 2020-21 season.
Player 3
Position: Goalie
Age on 10-1-2021: 25.7 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becoming RFA after receiving $717K/year in 2020-21
High-Level Scouting Report: Great quickness and lateral movement. At 6-foot-2 he is a little small for the position but has shown promise to be a regular goalie in the NHL. During 2020-21 season, he played 37 games with a save percentage of .908 and a goals-against-average of 2.69.
Submit your NHL Expansion Draft selections
If you want to play GM, fill out the questions below and we will share the results in the Weekly One-Timers at the end of the week.
If you were responsible for the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft selections, what would your strategy be for selecting the team? Would you draft young to build for the future or grab a bunch of veterans to compete in year one? Would you draft lower-paid players to use your cap space as a weapon or players on higher salaries to put the best team on the ice? Would you be able to do it all without a preexistent bias you have for some players?
To help answer those questions I thought we would play a simple game of “would you rather?”
The game is simple. I am going to lay out three teams and a few of the players that are expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft. You will select the players in a short survey at the bottom of the post. The catch here is that the teams and player names are hidden to erase any bias you might have of certain individuals.
Team A
Player 1
Position: Right Wing/Center (can play either)
Age on 10-1-2021: 27.8 years old
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $2.8M through the 2025-26 season.
High-Level Scouting Report: Solid two-way center that is projected as a third-liner. Can put the puck in the net but does not score often. He had eight goals and eight assists over 54 games this year. Averages ~.3 points per game over the last three seasons.
Player 2
Position: Center
Age on 10-1-2021: 30.6
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $8M/year through the 2025-26 season.
High-Level Scouting Report: Big playmaking center that averages 12 to 15 goals a season. He is a first-line center but lacks consistency on a night in, night out basis. Productivity has declined over the last few seasons and still has five years remaining on his contract.
Player 3
Position: Wing
Age on 10-1-2021: 24.3
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after this season with a qualifying offer ~$700k.
High-Level Scouting Report: Physical forward with some goal scoring capabilities. Started this season in the AHL where he had 21 points with 10 goals and three assists in 13 games. Made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season when he played 15 games and had five goals and two assists. NHL potential is still unknown but has shown promise in development.
Team B
Player 1
Position: Wing
Age on 10-1-2021: 26.2
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $2.8M/year on previous contract.
High-Level Scouting Report: Good skater with good hands. Had seven goals and seven assists over 43 games during the 2020-21 season. Lack of scoring could be misleading since he played on one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL. Could be a 20+ goal scorer if given the opportunity.
Player 2
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 23.4
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $745K/year. Qualifying offer will be under $1M.
High-Level Scouting Report: Offensive-minded defenseman that is not afraid to jump up in the play. Has played fewer than 20 games in the NHL in each of the last three seasons. Only played 13 games in 2020-21 and only had four points. He put up 20 points in the AHL over 28 games. Still young, turned 23 in May.
Player 3
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 32.7
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $3.9M through the 2022-23 season.
High-Level Scouting Report: Excellent offensive capabilities with great transitional speed and patience with the puck. Had 15 points over 55 games on a low scoring team during the 2020-21 season. Had 34 points over 70 games during the 2019-20 season. Can be a significant power play contributor as well.
Team C
Player 1
Position: Defense
Age on 10-1-2021: 28.5
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $4.5M/year through 2022-23 season.
High-Level Scouting Report: Excellent skating abilities with a strong offensive game. Can quarterback the power play and scores some clutch goals. Had nine goals and 11 assists in 41 games during the 2020-21 season. Lacks some consistency and can have defense lapses that costs the team some goals.
Player 2
Position: Forward
Age on 10-1-2021: 23.0
Annual Salary Cap Hit: Becomes RFA after receiving $874K/year. Qualifying offer will be ~$1M but he might require close to $2M.
High-Level Scouting Report: Projected as an excellent two-way center that has progressed slower than expected. Injuries have been a significant contributor to this player’s development and missed the entire 2019-20 season. Had nine points in 52 games in 2020-21. In his second year of pro hockey, he had 13 goals and 18 assists over 72 games during the 2018-19 NHL season.
Player 3
Position: Wing
Age on 10-1-2021: 32.41
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $7M through the 2022-23 season.
High-Level Scouting Report: Big forward that is not afraid to drive the net. Excellent goal scoring capabilities with great hockey sense. Had 17 goals and 26 assists in 56 games. Has been a goal scorer his entire career and at 32-years-old, does not appear to be slowing down.
Submit your Expansion Draft selections
If you want to play GM, fill out the questions below and we will share the results in the Weekly One-Timers at the end of the week.
Earlier this week I did a deep dive on the Expansion Draft protections for four of the remaining eight teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Today, I am going to look at how the other four teams might approach the NHL Expansion Draft next month. If you did not read the previous post, I recommend you look back and check out the projection framework.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal does not provide the Kraken with many options at the forward position. The three forwards available to the Seattle Kraken are all pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Joel Armia or Phillip Danault would be a great middle-six forward for the Kraken if they can draft and sign either to a contract extension, but the ‘draft and sign’ scenario will be rare in the Expansion Draft.
Shea Weber is still playing quality hockey at 35 and has at least a year or two more in the tank. With $8 million annual salary cap hit and five years left on his contract, I doubt the Kraken would consider selecting Weber in the Expansion Draft. On the other side of the age spectrum is Cale Fleury who will only be 22 when the Kraken take the ice in the fall. He had limited action and production this year, so it is hard to get a read on his long-term potential. At that salary and that age, there is little risk in selecting him.
Most people have been penciling in Jake Allen as the pick from Montreal, but goalie selections are a little more nuanced and require looking at the entire goalie landscape across the league and Expansion Draft. If the Kraken can ‘sign and draft’ the likes of a Linus Ullmark (BUF) or Chris Driedger (FLA), Allen would be unnecessary. I feel the Kraken will look elsewhere for their starting goalie.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg does not have a lot of household names available, but they provide some quality options at every position.
Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins are younger forwards with upside. Appleton has looked very good on the third line during the playoffs and could probably shine a bit brighter if given the opportunity to move up the lineup as his career evolves.
On defense, Logan Stanley is turning into a solid NHL player before our eyes. He just turned 23 and could be a stable second-pairing defenseman for the Kraken. Seattle could also select Sami Niku in the hopes that he finally develops into the puck-moving defenseman that the Jets have been anticipating for a while. With other options on the Jets roster for the Kraken, selecting Niku would be a risky proposition.
There is also pending UFA goalie, Laurent Brossoit, who has lived in the shadow of Connor Hellebuyck for the last three years. It is debatable if Brossoit can be a regular everyday starter, but if the Kraken are looking at a possible platooning goalie, Brossoit might be a good candidate. The 23-year-old Mikhail Berdin could possibly be selected and targeted as the Kraken’s minor league goalie for a year or two as he continues to develop.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado is another interesting team with some business to settle before we will have a confident read on who they will protect and expose in the Expansion Draft. For starters, Gabriel Landeskog and Philipp Grubauer are pending unrestricted free agents. Hard to think the current captain of the Colorado Avalanche will play somewhere else next year, which makes me feel that Landeskog will stay with Colorado who will sign him after the Expansion Draft. Colorado has the cap space and there seems to be a desire on both sides to work out a deal.
Grubauer is a bit of a wild card. Right now, he’s having the best season of his career. He turns 30 next season and his next contract is probably his last opportunity to really cash in. Colorado has the cap space, but I do not think they will pay what Grubauer can get on the free-agent market. Therefore, I expect him to be exposed in the Expansion Draft and feel there is an outside shot of Seattle making a run at him if Devon Toews is unavailable.
The last item of open business is what the Avs have planned for Erik Johnson. Johnson has a no-move clause (NMC) that requires the Avalanche to protect him unless he waives his NMC for the Expansion Draft. Johnson waiving his NMC for the Expansion Draft would be huge for the Avalanche. If Johnson does not waive, this opens the door for Toews to be exposed, and he would be a fairly obvious choice for the Kraken.
If Toews is not available in the Expansion Draft, Seattle will probably lean toward selecting Grubauer, Ryan Graves on defense or J.T. Compher at forward.
Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft impact
The Vegas Golden Knights are exempt from the NHL Expansion Draft, but they could still play a role in how it all shakes out. Vegas was up against the Salary Cap all season which led to some interesting roster maneuvers to be cap compliant.
Vegas has about $7 million in cap space rolling off their payroll at the end of the year due to expiring contracts. They will look to use this cap space during free agency, but they might want a little more flexibility and trade some players before the Expansion Draft to create even more cap space. Trading 36-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury and his $7 million salary cap hit before the Expansion Draft to a team that needs to get out of exposing and losing a quality player to Seattle is possible. An example would be the Golden Knights trading Fleury to Colorado for Toews. Colorado would have lost Toews anyway and now they have a goalie for next year. Vegas creates cap space and more importantly, Devon Toews replaces Alec Martinez who hits free agency.
There is also a scenario where Vegas identifies a player exposed in the Expansion Draft and negotiates a preemptive trade with the Kraken. An example would be where Vegas wants Allen and his ~$3 million cap hit as its back-up goalie. Vegas could then negotiate with Seattle to select and trade Allen to Vegas for Fleury and perhaps a second-round draft pick. Vegas would have created $4 million in cap space in that transaction.
So, there are a lot of different scenarios that could play out involving the Golden Knights, even though they aren’t involved in the Expansion Draft.
Expansion Draft Projections wrap-up
As close as we are to the Expansion Draft, there are a lot of open items that can still play out before July 17 when the 30 participating teams are required to submit their picks to the NHL. Buckle up.
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs field narrows down to eight, I thought it would be a good time to check in on our Seattle Expansion Draft projections for the teams that are still alive. Projecting who will be exposed and taken in the July draft can be a fool’s errand at times, but this should give Kraken fans another element of enjoyment for these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Expansion Draft projection framework
To help manage expectations and add context to the projections, I put together a framework to help guide the conversation.
Projection category:
Protected: Players being projected as being protected by their current team.
Watchlist: Players that are shortlisted for the Seattle Kraken, should they be made available.
Unprotected: Players that are eligible for the Expansion Draft but are unlikely to be protected or picked by Seattle. I have filtered these players out of any projection tables.
Projection Confidence Level:
The Projection Confidence Level is subjective and is an illustration of how confident I am in the Projection Category. For example, Matt Barzal is a lock to be protected and has a projection category of “Protected” and a Projection Confidence Level of 100%. For another example, I am confident that Morgan Geekie will be high on the Seattle Kraken’s watchlist so I gave him a 75% confidence level as a “watchlist” player.
There is also a scenario where some very good players are pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA). The Kraken have an exclusive 48-hour window where they can negotiate with these pending UFAs to agree to terms on a possible contract extension. If they can agree to a deal, the Kraken will draft these players off their respective teams. This will be extremely rare in the Expansion Draft, and as such, I am only giving a 10% confidence level for any pending UFAs of note.
All year long it seemed as if Ron Francis and crew would have the pick of two former Tri-City Americans with Jake Bean and Morgan Geekie as likely exposure candidates. It recently became clear, though, that Dougie Hamilton is unlikely to sign an extension with the Hurricanes before the Expansion Draft. This will open a protection spot for Jake Bean. Geekie should still be exposed and looks like the target here.
There is also a chance the Kraken want a bit more experience with their roster and target Brady Skjei on defense or Jesper Fast as a wing. Geekie has yet to play in a playoff game this season but is a likely candidate to step in if there are any injuries to the forwards.
Tampa Bay Lightning Expansion Draft Projections
One way or another, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have plenty of options for the Kraken to choose from. The Lightning are also one of the more complex teams to project for the Expansion Draft. On Saturday, I was forecasting they would want to protect former first-round draft pick, Cal Foote, and go with the 4-4-1 format vs the 7-3-1 format. On Monday, I changed my mind and now feel they will put a higher value on Ondrej Palat, thus forcing them back to the 7-3-1 format. The final two forward slots are interchangeable with most of the forwards on the watchlist. Even Ross Colton seems to be having a breakout year and could end up protected.
To add to the complexity of predicting the Lightning’s approach to the Expansion Draft, Tampa needs to move money off its roster to be salary cap compliant for next season and is primed for a side deal. When the Expansion Draft is complete, I expect Seattle to grab at least three assets from Tampa. I predict at least one of Killorn, Gourde, or Palat to be part of the Expansion Draft. Additionally, the Bolts will want to move Tyler Johnson’s salary and what better place than Seattle to make that happen? They will need to move a prospect or some future draft picks for the Seattle Kraken to consider taking on Johnson’s $5 million salary.
Boston Bruins Expansion Draft Projections
The Bruins are another complex team to evaluate for the Expansion Draft. Of the forwards, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson has been playing in Sweden all season, and Ondrej Kase was forecasted as protected at the beginning of the season but has not played since January due to injury. Meanwhile, Trent Frederic and Zach Senyshyn are just breaking into the NHL which makes their evaluation challenging. On defense, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon do not have the offensive upside of a Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, but they could be stable defenders in the NHL for many years. These are good options from Boston, but they all have some level of risk.
It is worth calling out that Taylor Hall is a pending UFA and most people predict him to re-sign with the Bruins. If this happens, it will more than likely occur after the Expansion Draft and will not be a contributing factor in Boston’s protection list.
New York Islanders Expansion Draft Projections
The New York Islanders will probably approach the Expansion Draft as an opportunity to shed some salary by exposing and then encouraging Seattle to select a high salary player. On the surface, it looks like the last forward protected spot will come down to Kieffer Bellows or Josh Bailey. But would anyone be surprised if general manager Lou Lamoriello exposes Jordan Eberle or Brock Nelson to bait Seattle into taking one of those players and their cap hit? I do not expect it, but I also know that Lamoriello can be unpredictable.
Perhaps more likely, Lamoriello could expose Semyon Varlamov to move his $5 million cap hit since it appears that Ilya Sorokin is the goalie of the future for the Islanders. Sorokin is exempt from the Expansion Draft and does not require protection.
Tomorrow I will cover the other three teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that are participating in the Expansion Draft next month (remember, Vegas is exempt). I hope this gives you another reason to enjoy these games as we get closer and closer to the Expansion Draft.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are back, and the MassMutual East Division opens this weekend with a couple of enticing matchups as the Boston Bruins face the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Islanders.
It starts Saturday with a fun matchup between two veteran teams with opposite strengths, and Sunday we get to see if the Penguins are truly back. This is just the beginning so prepare your couch for heavy use as we watch it all play out over the next month and a half.
Here’s a look at the first round matchups for the MassMutual East Division:
New York Islanders (4) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (1)
The Matchup – Two years ago these teams met in another first-round matchup that resulted in a sweep by the Islanders. The Penguins come into this series hot, winners of three in a row and eight of the past 10. It’s not the same for New York, which started the season strong but has trailed off down the stretch and limped into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh had a resurgent season of sorts and after two early postseason exits in a row will have some pressure to go further this time around. Offensively, Crosby has been what you’d expect him to be and will be the focus again. The Penguins overcame some injuries this season but got Malkin back in the fold near the end of the season and are firing on all cylinders while scoring the most goals in the division and second-most in the NHL.
New York held onto top spot in the division at one point, but it’s been a struggle for coach Barry Trotz and his troops. To try and add some offensive punch, the Islanders picked up Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri from New Jersey. The two longtime Devils have not provided said punch, however, and have combined for just three goals.
The Penguins have the league’s fourth-best power play, which sets up a strength-on-strength situation in this matchup as the Islanders are sixth on the kill. Conversely, the Islanders are near the bottom of the stack in power-play rankings while the Penguins have struggled to consistently kill off penalties.
Wild Cards
While the trade with the Devils didn’t pan out as the Islanders had hoped, they have been getting contributions from rookie Oliver Wahlstrom who potted 12 goals and 21 points in 44 games. He could end up being a factor providing some much-needed secondary scoring for the offensively challenged Islanders.
The Penguins added Jeff Carter at the deadline and the veteran has been hot, potting nine goals. He adds more options for the already stacked Penguins attack.
Both clubs have some options for the Seattle Kraken to track in preparation of July’s Expansion Draft. Pittsburgh will have choices to make between protecting quality depth forwards Teddy Blueger, Jared McCann, or Brandon Tanev. The Islanders have some cap issues that could expose guys like Leddy, Bailey, Michael Dal Colle, or potentially rookie Keiffer Bellows.
Who’s going to win this?
In one corner the Penguins have one of the top offensive attacks in the NHL, and they’ll be facing one of the stingiest teams in the Islanders. This will come down to who can impose their will more. Trotz will try to slow things down for the Islanders to hinder Crosby and company. In the end, the Penguins have too much firepower resulting in a Pittsburgh win in six games.
Washington ended the season tied with Pittsburgh but lost out on the division title because of a tiebreaker. Both are veteran-laden teams that still have pieces from their most recent Stanley Cup triumphs, so there won’t be an experience edge for anyone. Storylines abound in this series as Boston legend Zdeno Chara returns to face the Bruins as a Capital.
Boston’s top line of Pastrnak, Bergeron, and Marchand continue to be among the best in the league and the Capitals will need Chara and Brenden Dillon to stand tall on the back end. The Bruins rely on the big three for scoring – they scored 72 of Boston’s 168 goals this year – but that might not be enough. Players such as David Krejci and Craig Smith need to find a way to score. In goal, Rask is playing in what could be his last season in Boston and that will be motivation for one more kick at the can.
Washington has been consistent all season and appears to have overcome an injury scare to Ovechkin late in the season. The Russian star can still fire the puck, and while the Bruins have one of the best defenses in the NHL, nothing seems to stop Ovechkin. One of the top goal-scoring teams, the Capitals have depth scoring and outside of their top players, T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Tom Wilson can pick up the slack scoring wise.
Both teams are good on special teams, which should be a wash. But in any playoff matchup, discipline is key.
Wild Cards
Boston won the trade deadline’s biggest chip by landing Taylor Hall from Buffalo. Since joining the Bruins he’s been good with 14 points in 16 games. The Bruins struggled to score consistently prior to Hall arriving, and he could be the key to closing the gap with Washington. Vanecek has been a revelation for the Capitals this year, but he is unproven. The rookie has never played in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, and he’ll need to rise to the occasion to beat the Bruins in this matchup.
Kraken watch
Seattle could end up getting some key players at the Expansion Draft out of this playoff matchup. For Boston, they may end up exposing players such as Nick Ritchie up front or defenders Jeremy Lauzon or Connor Clifton. Washington is an interesting team to watch for the Kraken. Vanacek could be an option in goal but has played so well that Washington could end up protecting him and exposing Ilya Samsonov instead.
Who’s going to win this?
The Bruins are the defensively oriented team while the Capitals scored all the goals this season. It’s always a fun playoff matchup when strengths are at odds. Boston needs to find secondary scoring and could get it from Hall. Will he be enough to push the Bruins past the rookie Vanacek and into the second round? Yes, Boston in six.
While general manager Ron Francis tries hard to keep his coaching search under wraps, it’s very likely that his top choices to become the Seattle Kraken’s first head coach are still under contract somewhere else.
Back in November, Kraken ownership reportedly gave the front office permission to hire a coach whenever it felt ready. Last month Francis said he expects a decision by the end of the second quarter and is patiently waiting to see in “the next month or two” who will be available (coaches looking for work, on expiring contracts or “other situations that may be looking to make a change,” i.e., soon to be fired). Clearly, if Francis’ first choice had already been available, the Kraken would have hired him by now.
Another quality that’s not necessary, but will certainly help, is Francis’ close ties and familiarity with coaching candidates. After playing 23 seasons in the NHL and working another 13 years in NHL front offices, Francis has accumulated quite a lengthy list of connections.
Just look at some Kraken hockey operations personnel, for example. Assistant GM Ricky Olczyk and pro scout Mark Hunter worked for the Hurricanes when Francis held front office roles in Carolina. Assistant GM Jason Botterill worked alongside Francis on Hockey Canada’s management team for the 2019 World Ice Hockey Championship. Director of player personnel Robert Kron, director of amateur scouting Norm Maciver and pro scout Stu Barnes were NHL teammates with Francis. Pro scout Jon Goodwin was Francis’ junior hockey teammate on the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds.
It’s been said we’re all linked to everyone else by six degrees of separation. But if you want the plumb NHL job as the Seattle Kraken franchise’s first head coach, good luck if you’re more than one degree removed from Francis.
Unfortunately for the Kraken, these notable Francis connections won’t be available: Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville, Edmonton Oilers coach Dave Tippett, Washington Capitals coach Peter Laviolette, Philadelphia Flyers coach Alain Vigneault and Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason.
Inasmuch as it would be refreshing to hire a new face instead of the usual suspects who end up being recycled around the league, Seattle will need a seasoned coach who can command respect and get results from a veteran-laden lineup. Comments by Francis back this up, and it would take an incredible audition and interview for a coach without NHL head coaching experience to blow away the Kraken.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday, and it would be nice to get the new coach involved on player assessments well ahead of the July 21 Expansion Draft. So here’s a rundown of the Kraken’s coaching candidates, divided into three groups: Francis connections, backup plans and longshots. NHL head coaching records are in parentheses.
Friends of Francis
Rod Brind’Amour (120-66-20 in three seasons with Carolina)
Brind’Amour coached the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference finals in 2019, the conference semifinals in 2020 and first place in the Central Division this year. Carolina’s 80 points are tied with Vegas for most in the NHL through Tuesday night. He is the first Hurricanes coach to make three consecutive playoffs and is a front-runner for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year. Yet, Carolina has bewilderingly dragged out negotiations on a contract extension and might lose him after this season.
Recent reports have the two sides getting closer to an agreement, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has said Brind’Amour won’t re-sign unless his coaching and training staff also get new deals. But the longer these negotiations take, the chances increase for the Kraken to swoop in and land the best man for their job.
Brind’Amour was Francis’ teammate on the Hurricanes from 2000-01 to 2003-04 and succeeded Francis as Carolina’s captain. He was also an assistant coach for Carolina when Francis held various front office roles, including GM and director of hockey operations.
John Stevens (171-148-43 in seven seasons with Philadelphia and Los Angeles)
In his second season as head coach, Stevens took the Flyers to the 2008 Eastern Conference finals but hasn’t won a playoff round since.
As an assistant coach in L.A., Stevens helped the Kings win two Cups and became a highly sought-after head coaching candidate. After the Kings fired him from his head coaching duties early in the 2018-19 season, Stevens has been an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars for the past two seasons.
Stevens helped the Stars reach the Cup Finals last season, but they missed the playoffs this year. He’s been in charge of the forwards and the team’s 5-on-5 offense, which ranks 21st in the NHL with 101 goals.
Stevens was a member of the 1990-91 Hartford Whalers along with Francis.
Todd Nelson (17-25-9 in one season with Edmonton)
Nelson played only three NHL games, but one of them was alongside Francis on the 1991-92 Penguins.
After playing many years in the minor leagues, Nelson paid his dues coaching in the American Hockey League and United Hockey League. Nelson served as a head coach for eight seasons in the AHL, winning the Calder Cup championship in 2017 with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
His only NHL head coaching job was on an interim basis for the Oilers after Dallas Eakins was fired 31 games into the 2014-15 season.
Nelson just completed his third season as an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars where he works on the power play with fellow assistant Derek Laxdal. The Stars’ power play ranks fifth in the NHL (23.6 percent) this season.
Rick Tocchet (178-200-60 in six seasons with Tampa Bay and Arizona)
Tocchet was a formidable power forward in his playing days but hasn’t had close to the same success behind the bench. His only playoff appearance came during last year’s pandemic bubble where the Coyotes lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round (though they beat the Nashville Predators in the play-in round).
Arizona dumped Tocchet on Sunday after four seasons. His reputation for what Friedman describes as “one of the best around at handling players that are not easy to reach” could get the attention of his former teammate on the 1992 Stanley Cup champions. Francis and Tocchet played together on the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1991-92 to 1993-94 and in juniors with The Soo.
Paul Maurice (761-670-125 – and 99 ties – in 23 seasons with Hartford/Carolina, Toronto and Winnipeg)
Winnipeg was cruising nicely through most of this season, but a recent slump that had the Jets losing nine out of their past 11 games raises questions about Maurice’s job security. A quick playoff exit against the potent Edmonton Oilers just might bring an end to Maurice’s eight-season run in Winnipeg.
Among active NHL coaches, only Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper has been in his current job longer than Maurice. Fair or not, the shelf life of hockey coaches doesn’t last very long.
Maurice is well-respected around the league, has his players’ backs, and won’t have to wait long for a new job if he hits the market. He coached Carolina when Francis returned to play for the Hurricanes/Whalers organization from 1998-99 to 2003-04.
Francis and Vellucci were teammates on Hartford in 1987-88, and Vellucci served as assistant GM and director of player development in Francis’ front office with the Hurricanes from 2014 to 2017.
Plan B coaching options
Gerard Gallant (270-216-51 – and four ties – in nine seasons with Columbus, Florida and Vegas)
Gallant is high atop most everyone’s Kraken coaching list after he took the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season.
Knowing how to squeeze the most out of a first-year expansion team is invaluable. But he’s been unemployed for a little more than a year. If the Kraken really valued and wanted Gallant, they could have landed him by now. Being perceived by some as unwelcoming toward analytics doesn’t help his case with the progressive-minded Kraken either.
Mike Babcock (700-418-164 – and 19 ties – in 17 seasons with Anaheim, Detroit and Toronto)
Winning a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings and two Olympic gold medals with Canada speak for themselves. But Babcock’s history of mind games and questionable treatment of some players can’t be brushed aside. That and the $5.875 million per year he’s being paid to not coach the Maple Leafs through 2022-23 will likely be tough obstacles to overcome.
Travis Green (123-130-31 in four seasons with Vancouver)
Green’s Canucks improved every season until a sudden regression had them miss the playoffs this year. Vancouver’s surprising run to the 2020 Western Conference semifinals was probably more indicative of Green’s abilities than this year’s COVID-19 train wreck. Green’s contract ends after this season, and the Canucks’ baffling indecisiveness in re-signing him could end up sending a rising coaching star to Seattle.
Bruce Boudreau (567-302-115 in 14 seasons with Washington, Anaheim and Minnesota)
In his favor, the longtime coach has never had a losing season in the NHL and worked with Kraken director of hockey strategy and research Alex Mandrycky in Minnesota. Boudreau hasn’t won a playoff round since 2015, however.
We’ll have to see if the Kraken want Boudreau.
Claude Julien (667-445-152 – and 10 ties – in 19 seasons with Montreal, New Jersey and Boston)
Julien won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011 and took them to the Cup Final again in 2013. But he hasn’t won a playoff round since 2014 and an emergency heart procedure caused Julien, 61, to miss part of the Canadiens’ 2020 postseason. Montreal fired him 18 games into this season after he couldn’t pull the team out of an early slump.
Rikard Gronborg
If the Kraken really like to do things differently, then hiring Gronborg would fit that model perfectly. The former national team coach for Sweden just completed his two-year deal with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League and reportedly has designs on landing an NHL job. New Jersey pursued him last year before hiring Lindy Ruff, and we can expect Gronborg’s name to be linked to more NHL coaching rumors.
Gronborg, who was an assistant coach for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs in 2004-05, has won two World Championships and 16 medals for Sweden. It’s only a matter of time before he becomes the third European to coach in the NHL.
David Quinn (96-87-25 in three seasons with the New York Rangers)
Fresh off being fired Wednesday by the Rangers, Quinn should land a second chance somewhere after MSG chairman James Dolan got impatient with the team’s rebuild. Quinn’s background in college hockey (Boston University) sets him up better to work with younger players.
Longshots to be Kraken coach
John Tortorella (673-541-132 – and 37 ties – in 20 seasons with Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, Vancouver and Columbus)
Tortorella won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning and has had impressive results nearly everywhere he’s coached. But his old-school style and abrasiveness wouldn’t be a good fit in a new market. The Kraken coach needs to be on board for selling hockey to new fans, and Torts’ frequent condescending or curt responses to questions from the media won’t help.
Kirk Muller (80-80-27 in three seasons with Carolina)
In one of his first moves as Hurricanes GM in 2014, Francis fired Muller after he missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season. Have assistant and associate coaching gigs with St. Louis and Montreal since then made Muller better suited to lead an NHL team?
Dave Hakstol (134-101-42 in four seasons with Philadelphia)
Since he was fired by the Flyers, Hakstol has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with Toronto. He oversees penalty killing, which ranks 26th (79.9 percent) in the NHL. He never got out of the first round in two playoff appearances with the Flyers, but the former University of North Dakota coach could get another shot at a head coaching job in the NHL.
Hakstol and Francis worked together on Team Canada when Hakstol was an assistant for Alain Vigneault’s coaching staff at the 2019 World Championships.
Samuelsson first left the Kraken to become head coach of Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League in 2019-20. He previously coached MODO in Sweden for two seasons and was 39-29-8 as head coach of the Charlotte Checkers, Carolina’s AHL farm team, in 2016-17 when Francis was Hurricanes GM.
Francis has obviously aided Samuelsson’s coaching aspirations, but can the Kraken GM objectively determine if Samuelsson is ready to be an NHL head coach?
Jim Wilkie is a longtime Northwest journalist, former NHL editor and NHL Insider writer for ESPN.com, onetime GSHL All-Star, and SJHA hockey dad. Follow him on Twitter @jimwilkie.
