The Seattle Kraken are ready for a fresh start after a disappointing NHL season. The team has made major changes to its leadership in hopes of building a playoff-worthy future. This week, the Kraken promoted Jason Botterill to General Manager (GM), moved Ron Francis to President of Hockey Operations, and let go of head coach Dan Bylsma.
Seattle finished with one of the NHL’s worst records this season—35 wins, 41 losses, and 6 overtime losses. That landed them 7th in the Pacific Division, far from the playoff spot they had hoped for. For a young franchise that dreams of becoming a regular playoff contender like the Vegas Golden Knights, this wasn’t good enough.
Ron Francis Moves Up, Jason Botterill Steps In
With Ron Francis stepping into a higher role similar to those held by Brendan Shanahan in Toronto or Joe Sakic in Colorado, the responsibility to build the team now falls on Botterill. As the new GM, Botterill is under pressure to quickly improve the team’s results and bring in top talent.
Botterill previously served as GM of the Buffalo Sabres from 2017 to 2020. His time in Buffalo had both good and bad moments. He made some strong draft picks, including Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens, and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. However, Buffalo still struggled in the standings and never reached the playoffs under his watch.
Draft Success Will Be Key
Seattle owns a top-10 pick in the upcoming NHL draft. While that player may not join the main roster right away, the hope is that they become a key part of the Kraken’s future. Botterill’s job is to build a strong pipeline of young talent and get more out of recent picks like Matty Beniers and Shane Wright.
The goal is to draft smart, develop players well, and make the team stronger in the long term.
Big Decisions Ahead: Goalie Contract, Free Agents, New Coach
One major decision Botterill will likely make is to buy out veteran goalie Philipp Grubauer’s contract. Grubauer had one of the worst seasons of his career, with a 3.49 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage. Buying him out would free up millions in salary cap space, which the team can use to sign better players.
Seattle already has over $21 million in cap space. If they buy out Grubauer, that could rise to over $25 million—enough to be aggressive in the free-agent market.
On top of that, Botterill must hire a new coach and sign contracts for several key players, including restricted free agents Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye, and Ryker Evans.
What Kraken Fans Are Hoping For
Seattle fans were excited when the team first joined the NHL and made the playoffs quickly. But after a step backward this year, they’re hungry for a return to winning. Botterill knows this is a big opportunity. Kraken ownership trusts him to learn from past mistakes and lead the team toward consistent success.
Now it’s time to see if Botterill can deliver and help Seattle become a team that fights for the Stanley Cup year after year.
