The Seattle Kraken are shaking things up after a botched season. The team will be moving on from President of Hockey Operations (POHO) Ron Francis, who will be stepping down. The news on Wednesday was surprising as there hadn’t been much indication that such a move could be forthcoming.
The Kraken had gotten off to a solid start this year. The strong start fueled optimism in Seattle, as the possibility of the Kraken returning to the playoffs seemed likely.
The club went all-in at the trade deadline, but failed to land any big-name pieces. The one trade that does look like a home run was the acquisition of forward Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That aside, the rather quiet trade deadline and the failed Artemi Panarin pursuit put the Kraken in a tight spot. But what likely precipitated the move was the 1-7-2 stretch the Kraken have put up in their last 10.
After the Kraken were battling for the final postseason berth in the Western Conference, the team ended up fading. It’s worth noting that the Kraken are still mathematically alive in the postseason race. But the reality is that the team has little to no hope of earning a playoff spot.
That said, the finger-pointing in the offseason will lead to questions about the team’s construction. In the meantime, it seems that Francis fell on his sword. It remains unclear whether GM Jason Botterill will remain in his role. For the time being, the club announced that Botterill would lead the hockey operations side.
It’s unclear if Botterill could earn a promotion at this time.
Kraken in Competition for POHO Role
The Kraken’s situation is not unique in the NHL at the moment. The New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs are two other organizations searching to fill their POHO roles.
In the Maple Leafs’ case, the team moved on from Brendan Shanahan at the end of last season. This year, Toronto did not have an official POHO. The position remained vacant, though it was evident that the organization needed someone in that job.
As for the Devils, the organization fired its POHO and GM, Tom Fitzgerald earlier this week. Like the Kraken, the Devils will be looking to fill the void left behind by a longtime executive. The three clubs will have an interesting offseason, as they look to find a direction that could lead to a return to the postseason in 2026-27.
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Candidates Should Emerge in Coming Weeks
The big question in Seattle will be who could succeed Francis. At the moment of this writing, no names have emerged as potential candidates for the Kraken’s POHO role. It will be interesting to see which names pop up in the coming days.
Potentially, candidates who have emerged in rumors surrounding the Leafs and Devils may get some attention in Seattle. For instance, Shanahan has been a name linked to the Devils. Similarly, the Kraken might circle back to execs like Shanahan or even Fitzgerald. Seattle will likely want to bring in someone with experience, while also ensuring a clear roadmap for the path ahead.
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