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.
Can an NHL franchise named after a Disney movie pose as a rival for the Seattle Kraken? Yes, the Anaheim Ducks were originally tied to the movie, but they dropped the ‘Mighty,’ won a Stanley Cup, and in October will become a Pacific Division rival of the Seattle Kraken.
How big of a rival can they become?
As we discussed when we got to know the Sharks last week, the heat index of a rivalry usually rises after an intense playoff series, but the Ducks and Kraken will get to know each other well playing in the same division.
While there has been some Seattle-Los Angeles heat in sports before, Anaheim has not been much of a thought to Seattle other than a spring break vacation locale for families with kids. The Ducks have some youth in their system and will be up-and-comers in the Pacific sooner rather than later.
That alone will be annoying, which could a rivalry make.
Let’s get to know the Anaheim Ducks
Established: 1993
Nickname history: Original team name was The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, based on the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks. The team’s original owners were the Walt Disney Company, who were also the producers of the film. In 2006, and with new ownership, the nickname was shortened to ‘Ducks.’
First season in NHL: 1993-1994 (33-46-5 record)
AHL affiliate: San Diego Gulls
ECHL affiliate: Tulsa Oilers
Stanley Cup Final appearances: 2003 (Lost to New Jersey Devils 4 games to 3), 2007 (Beat the Ottawa Senators 4 games to 1)
Presidents’ Trophies: none
Division titles: Six
All-time leading scorer: Teemu Selanne (988 points)
Hockey is made for rivalries. Nothing gets the blood boiling of players or fans more than a hated team skating into the arena. The Seattle Kraken don’t have any true rivals, yet. There is the close proximity to the Vancouver Canucks that opens up the possibility for a heated divisional opponent there, but the teams will have to play the games before we truly know if there’s bad blood.
Rivals are born in the playoffs as a hotly contested series breeds dislike.
When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the league, it was assumed there would be a natural rivalry with Los Angeles, or even Arizona. But after three years of playoff matchups, disdain quickly brewed for the San Jose Sharks, and boy do those teams hate each other now.
While it’s fun to poke Vancouver leading up to October, what about the rest of the Pacific Division? Which one of those teams will clash with the Kraken? What do we really know about these teams?
We are going to take a look at the Pacific Division team by team and get to know their history, their vibe, and where they’ve been to better get to know the Seattle Kraken rivals. First up, the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks have the potential to form a healthy, and tasty, rivalry with the Kraken. Seattle is no stranger to Bay Area hatred, just ask the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. You also have the Seattle Mariners and, well, nobody hates the Mariners so that’s not a good comparison.
Here is a first look at the San Jose Sharks, a potential Seattle Kraken rival
Established: 1991
Nickname history: A fan vote originally suggested the name ‘Blades’ but ownership preferred the runner up ‘Sharks’
Logo tidbit: The triangle on the Sharks logo is said to represent the ‘Red Triangle,’ an area in the Pacific Ocean known for its large shark population.
First season: 1991-1992 finished with a 17-58-5 record
AHL affiliation: San Jose Barracuda
ECHL affiliation: None
2020-2021 record: 21-28-7
Stanley Cup Final appearances: One, 2016, lost to Pittsburgh Penguins
Presidents’ Trophy: One (2008-2009)
Division titles: 6
All time leading scorer: Patrick Marleau – 1,102 points
The Central Division has been my favorite to watch this season.
We have everyone’s favorite band of jerks (Carolina Hurricanes) on the verge of breaking through as legitimate Stanley Cup Champion contenders.
We have the established juggernaut (Tampa Bay Lightning) that has a potential trump card up its sleeve in Nikita Kucherov, who is expected to return for Game 1 after a core muscle injury.
We have the upstart surprise team (Florida Panthers) that could potentially play spoiler to the two aforementioned squads.
We also have the Nashville Predators.
Here’s how the two matchups stack up and some players to watch for.
No. 1 Carolina (36-12-8) vs. No. 4 Nashville (31-23-2)
Jokes aside about Nashville, the Predators quickly pivoted after a horrendous start to the season and outlasted the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoff runner-up Dallas Stars for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division.
The Predators are 20-7-1 since an 11-16-1 start to the season, which prompted many to wonder if Nashville would execute a fire sale at the deadline. A big reason for that is young Finnish goalie Juuse Saros, who is rocking a .939 save percentage since March.
Unfortunately for Nashville, Carolina is equipped with all the makings of a buzzsaw.
The ‘Canes are third in the NHL in Corsi for and first in xG. Carolina’s top line of Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Teuvo Teravainen has been highly effective when all three are healthy and are humming at full strength — the trio boasts a 59 percent expected goals rate on 5-on-5 when together, according to Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic.
Oh yeah, and buckle up for Dougie Hamilton versus Roman Josi. That will be a fun matchup of star defensemen.
No. 2 Florida (37-14-5) vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay (36-17-3)
This is, without a doubt, my most anticipated first-round matchup of the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers are high-octane and tough to play against due to their high possession style and four really solid lines. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov are superstars up front, MacKenzie Weegar has developed into a bonafide top-pair blue liner, and goaltender Chris Driedger has been a feel-good story in net.
But, how many games will Driedger get to the start? Sergei Bobrovsky hasn’t been as good as the 26-year-old netminder — Bobrovsky’s .906 save percentage is underwhelming compared to Driedger’s .927 clip this season, but it’s presumed he will have the net to begin the series out of deference to his experience (and his rather inflated contract).
How long a leash Bobrovsky has for the Lightning series will be something to monitor, especially if he stinks in Game 1. Additionally, will Florida head coach Joel Quenneville have the stones to start promising rookie Spencer Knight if both aren’t up to the task? The former Boston College goaltender has been solid in limited action this season.
The Panthers are 5-2-1 against the Lightning this season, including two convincing wins in which Florida outscored Tampa 9-1 in the final two games of the season.
But Tampa’s regular season has been hard to gauge, as Kucherov and Steven Stamkos have both returned to practice and should be ready to go for Game 1, adding even more firepower to a potent lineup (and power play). It’s unclear how much either will be able to contribute after their long absences.
Additionally, with hockey’s best goaltender in Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa will be hard to topple, but Florida has enough firepower to make this interesting.
Giddy up.
Seattle Kraken Watch List
*Player key (Position, Stats — GP-G-A-P for skaters, GP, GAA, SV% for goalies)
Carolina
Brady Skjei (D, 52-3-7-10)
A popular choice to be taken by Seattle, especially with Hadyn Fluery sent to Anaheim, the 27-year-old blue liner is worth keeping a keen eye on.
Jake Bean (D, 42-1-11-12)
With Dougie Hamilton set for unrestricted free agency, there’s a very good chance Bean, 22, is protected. But just in case, keep an eye out on the former Tri-City American anyway.
Geekie, another former Tri-City Americans star, might not draw into many games early on, but the young forward is of great interest to Seattle.
Alex Nedeljkovic (G, 23, 1.90, .932)
In the case Nedeljkovic isn’t protected by Carolina (if he’s lights out in the playoffs, it’s unlikely), keep tabs on the young netminder from Parma, Ohio.
Petr Mrazek (G, 12. 2.06, .923)
It’s unclear how much Mrazek will play, but the pending unrestricted free agent should be monitored closely by Kraken fans.
Tampa Bay
Yanni Gourde (F, 56-17-19-36)
The productive 29-year-old forward is certainly worth keeping an eye on, despite the lengthy contract that nets him just over $5.1 million average annual value (AAV) through 2024-25.
Mathieu Joseph (F, 56-12-7-19)
Joseph is Seattle’s likely choice if they want a young forward from Tampa, even though the 24-year-old will likely be a bit player for this Lightning team in the playoffs.
Alex Killorn (F, 56-15-18-33)
The veteran forward still has some gas left in the tank at just 31 years old and is a key member of Tampa’s lineup.
Ondrej Palat (F, 55-15-31-46)
We’ll see if Palat returns to a line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, an effective trio during the Lightning’s 2020 Stanley Cup run, since Kucherov is back. Nonetheless, the 30-year-old winger would be a plug-and-play pick for the Kraken.
Ryan McDonagh (D, 50-4-8-12)
The plug-and-play pick from Tampa on defense. McDonagh’s $6.75 million AAV contract through 2025-26 is a potential holdup, considering there is a glut of attractive choices from Tampa.
Tyler Johnson (F, 55-8-14-22)
Johnson, a Spokane, Washington native, might be the pick via side deal, as the Lightning have been trying to shed Johnson and his lofty $5 million AAV contract through 2023-24 since the end of last season.
Cal Foote (D, 35-1-2-3)
It’s unclear if Foote, the eldest son of former NHLer Adam Foote, will be protected or not, but in case he’s not, the 22-year-old worth keep tabs on.
Florida
Radko Gudas (D, 54-2-9-11)
The former Everett Silvertip, nicknamed “The Butcher,” brings a physical element to Florida’s blue line, and could be the pick is Seattle is seeking that type of player.
Alexander Wennberg (F, 56-17-12-29)
Wennberg, an unrestricted free agent, has been a key cog in Florida this season as a two-way center and is worth monitoring.
Frank Vatrano (F, 56-18-8-26)
Vatrano is still in his prime, has been productive this season, and perhaps most importantly, is on a team-friendly contract.
Markus Nutivaara (D, 30-0-10-10)
The big, Finnish stay-at-home defenseman is still relatively young at 26. Expect him to play a third-pairing role for the Panthers against Tampa Bay.
Sam Bennett (F, 10-6-9-15)
Bennett was a trendy choice to be taken out of Calgary, and very well could be the choice in Florida, especially with how he’s played recently — the 24-year-old posted nine points in the final five games of the regular season.
Chris Driedger (G, 23, 2.07, .927)
Last but not least on Florida is the Panthers’ surprise goaltender. Driedger, a pending unrestricted free agent, might be behind Bobrovsky on the depth chart to begin the series, but there’s a good chance he plays plenty against Tampa.
Nashville
Matt Duchene (F, 34-6-7-13)
Duchene has been disappointing this season, but he’s a big name that could be available as a pending unrestricted free agent.
Ryan Johansen (F, 48-7-15-22)
Similarly to Duchene, Johansen is a veteran center that’s available via unrestricted free agency, if the Kraken decide to pursue that route.
Colton Sissons (F, 54-8-7-15)
The 27-year-old forward has been marginally productive this season, but he’s been a 30-point player in the past.
Rocco Grimaldi (40-10-3-13)
A small winger at 5-foot-6 that’s been a steady bottom-six contributor for Nashville this year.
Yakov Trenin (F, 45-5-6-11)
The young Russian forward isn’t playing a big role for Nashville, but he’s a good one to watch.
The Sound Of Hockey Podcast welcomes another AWESOME guest this week in Robert Kron, the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Seattle Kraken. As a long-time veteran of the NHL, Kron has a very interesting story from his playing career, and his post-playing career has been equally fascinating. Hear all about it plus some insider information about his approach to scouting in this fantastic interview.
Also on this week’s episode, the guys discuss this week’s Kraken news, last week’s NY Ranger circus, Torts’ dismissal from Columbus, and Jack Eichel’s frustrations in Buffalo.
Bits this week include Sound Of Hockey’s Three Stars.
Segments include Goalie Gear Corner, Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week. Oh, and the guys also work in a Let’s Get Quizzical with Robert Kron.
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.
