The Kraken haven’t yet decided whether to bring head coach Dave Hakstol back next season, GM Ron Francis said Monday (via Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times). Seattle signed Hakstol to a two-year extension prior to the season, ensuring he’ll be paid by the club through 2025-26.
In 246 games for the Kraken over the franchise’s first three seasons, Hakstol has a 107-112-27 record and a .490 points percentage. Most viewed the Kraken as underachievers in year one, doomed by a nearly unplayable season from goalie Philipp Grubauer, and overachievers in year two, when they were among the best finishers in the league and took the Stars to Game 7 of the second round.
They were somewhere in the middle this season, finishing two games below the .500 mark and seeing their offense come crashing back down to Earth. Goaltending and team defense were a strength – Grubauer, while still below average, wasn’t awful by any means in a 1B role as Joey Daccord took over the Seattle crease. The pair saved 13.6 goals above average this season, and the Kraken were a good possession team at 5-on-5, controlling 51.8% of shot attempts and 51.2% of scoring chances. After shooting 11.6% as a team last season, though, they shot 9.1% this season, more a reflection on luck than coaching style.
Francis said the Seattle front office is evaluating the entire coaching staff, which includes assistants Jay Leach, Dave Lowry, Paul MacFarland and goaltending coach Steve Briere.
Other updates from Francis’ end-of-season availability today:
- Seattle would prefer to have Jared McCann slot in on the wing long-term, Francis said (via ROOT Sports Northwest’s Alison Lukan). The 27-year-old has flipped between center and wing throughout his tenure with the Kraken, but has struggled in the dot with a 45.3 FOW%. He took less than 100 draws in 2022-23 but took over 300 this season, slotting in more frequently after the club traded away Alexander Wennberg. It should be a feasible accomplishment next season with Matthew Beniers, Yanni Gourde, and now Shane Wright looking to center down their top three lines after the latter had a strong end to the season.
- The injury star defenseman Vince Dunn sustained late in the season after a hit from Flames winger Martin Pospisil was to his neck, Francis confirmed (via The Seattle Times’ Kate Shefte). He sustained the injury in early March and returned for two games in early April to try and play through it, but decided he wasn’t truly healthy enough to return to game action down the stretch. In the first season of a four-year, $29.4MM extension, his season ended with 46 points and a +8 rating in 59 games while averaging over 23 minutes per game for the second straight season.
Ron Francis is a terrible GM, He should be evaluated, Didn’t address the blueline last summer, Didn’t address the goaltending during the season, Let Sprong and Geekie go, Signed Bellemare and Yamamoto.
I’m hesitant to say so, but I agree he hasn’t filled me with confidence. If he lets Hakstol go, I’ll be okay riding it out a bit longer. Definitely did not like the off-season last year. The kraken iced a crap team far too often this season but I wanna believe that was Hak moreso than Francis. I want to. Eager to see what happens this summer. I think Eddie Olczyk would be great or Leach, even Lowry. Eddie O #1 choice though, for a year on a have-a-look. Gimme some passion there. That team is needs someone some expectations to get em working. I think they can easily rise to the (t)ask.
I think the Kraken should hire WilfPaiement as GM and coach. Let’s see if he has anything other than criticism to provide, i’ve seen none so far.
We’ll see if they can afford WILF’s services. There are rumors of a bidding war. All 32 teams could benefit from his knowledge and expertise.
Not only Sprong and Geekie, but also Donato – the entire 4th line that had provided so much scoring. The 4th line this year did nothing.
The first, second, and third lines did nothing as well.
I can’t coach, I’ll take a shot at GM.
Wilfpaiement – (wilf-‘pā-ment) noun
1 a couch-bound hockey fan who knows something about everything
2 a simpleton who is only the smartest person in the room when they are alone