The Seattle Kraken, fresh off an exciting playoff run in just their second season, have rewarded general manager Ron Francis with a contract extension. The deal will keep him locked up through 2026-27.
Kraken co-owner Samantha Holloway released a statement:
Ron has done remarkable work over the last four years and deserves this recognition. He has built a tremendous team, putting Seattle hockey on the map. He is building for long term success and is dedicated to our city, our fans, and our community.
Francis was brought on well before the Kraken hit the ice in 2021, and has helped shape the entire Kraken organization. His guidance led the expansion draft process, hired Dave Hakstol, and created the group that was a game away from the Western Conference Finals this year.
While there have been criticisms of how he went about certain aspects of expansion, the Kraken far exceeded many expectations, and Seattle already appears to be a critical market for the NHL.
Recent acquisitions of players like Oliver Bjorkstrand, Andre Burakovsky, and Eeli Tolvanen have taken the team’s offensive performance to a new level, and young players like Matty Beniers appear to be headed for long-term success.
It’s hard to argue with that progress, and obviously, the ownership group felt the same. Francis will be in place for several years, trying to take the Kraken even further.
Let’s go Kraken!
Yes!!!
Not that long ago there was a lot of Ron Francis hate on this site. I have not seen that in a while. I’m glad to see he’ll be sticking around.
Still one of the Francis haters. Grubauer is difficult to watch and, for a guy that hasn’t played 60 games ever (regular season & postseason combined + junior or professional) is making a lot of money. UFA to be Martin Jones isn’t much better to watch. I forget what Driedger looks like but not great since Daccord is getting the starts in Palm Springs. Seems like finding a capable keeper was his downfall in Carolina too (examples: “Clear the track, it’s” Eddy Lack & Scott Darling).
That being said I’d take what the Hurricanes have going now. A couple more years of him drafting a future Slavin, Pesce, Aho outside of the first and avoiding the Bean’s & Fleury’s inside the top 15.
It was always so odd to me to. People had their expectations way too high for their expansion draft after Vegas was gifted an instant contender. Nobody was going to get duped out of players like Theodore/Karlsson/Marchessault/Smith again in order to be able to protect Alex Petrovic.
Needed to add the Let’s Go Birds in a separate post apparently…
I said before but the expansion draft wasn’t my issue. My issue was the contracts/free agency that followed for Grubauer (previously mentioned 60 game issue + Colorado made him look GOOD), Driedger (Darling 2.0), Oleksiak (good d-man but getting paid a bit too much when he was a 4th-5th d-man before Seattle/expansion), Schwartz (health), and Wennberg (remember him in Columbus).
They obviously had the cap space but they could have used that space to “help” out other teams especially with the flat cap. Anyone (and there were several in the area) who thought they were going to be anywhere close to Vegas is, if I’m using the Jr C all-star phrase correctly, ‘must be new to hockey’
Yes time to admit many of us were wrong. He has done excellent job. We need to remember teams learned from Vegas . Don’t give real assets for fifth defensemen and third line forwards.
Still one of the Francis haters. Grubauer is difficult to watch and, for a guy that hasn’t played 60 games ever (regular season & postseason combined + junior or professional) is making a lot of money. UFA to be Martin Jones isn’t much better to watch. I forget what Driedger looks like but not great since Daccord is getting the starts in Palm Springs. Seems like finding a capable keeper was his downfall in Carolina too (examples: “Clear the track, it’s” Eddy Lack & Scott Darling).
That being said I’d take what the Hurricanes have going now. A couple more years of him drafting a future Slavin, Pesce, Aho outside of the first and avoiding the Bean’s & Fleury’s inside the top 15.
Let’s Go Birds.
Talk about a no brainer decision. The haters are incapable of seeing the great decisions Francis made with the expansion draft and trades. That’s why the Kraken are off to a very productive start to their existence.
Francis getting a 2nd round pick for Jeremy Lauzon and then plucking Tolvanen of of waivers makes me wish he were the Preds GM. :/
Give him time. He will never get you a goalie and he drafted Shane Wright.
And so? Sam Pollock was one of the great GMs of all time, and some of his top-ten first round picks included Cam Connor, Robin Sadler, Danny Geoffrion and Ray Martynuik. Wright had spent a lot of time as the consensus top pick, and it wasn’t idiocy to take him.
Francis has done well and several Canes fans always said his biggest failing was getting a goalie (not named Cam Ward).
It remains to be seen if Niklas Kokko or Ales Stezka are potential long term solutions or for the latter, a solid 1B.
But, Semyon Vyazovoy has a lot of upside and nobody seems to know about him except Francis and his scouts.
Link to Vyazovoys profile:
link to eliteprospects.com