With just days before training camp opens, it has been, for lack of a better way of putting it, a relatively quiet and uneventful offseason. The Kraken came off the high that was last season, with Francis retooling the team to great success. There were rumors aplenty, and fans were quick to suggest possible trades using draft picks and a few of the ample supply of prospects that Francis has built up in the first two years of existence. None of that came to happen. Which leads to the simple question, what’s the plan exactly?
Firstly, it should come as no surprise that there were no real major moves. One needs to start with the fact that Francis stated in the expansion draft he took players for certain roles. Add in signings, and prospects, and roster takes shape pretty easily. Take a look at the Kraken’s makeup at the moment.
12 Expansion Drafted Players
8 Signed Players
1 Drafted Player
1 Waiver Claimed Player
2 Traded For Players
It is clear Francis is building the team slowly, methodically, and is showing patience. Granted this is not a bad thing, especially for the early years of an expansion team, but for fans? Sure it is pretty dry and boring. Maybe he might start wheeling and dealing though? Don’t count on it.
Of the 23 players on the roster 14 have some form of NTC or NMC.
SO where does that leave the Kraken, and what is Francis’ plan, per se?
Slow turnover and growth from within.
We see the Kraken with Geekie, Donato, and mostly the bottom end players of the roster leaving. Incoming are some depth additions, with likely camp battles for Kartye, Lind, and a few others. Wright, who’s exception was granted to go to the AHL if he doesn’t make the team, and there is Evans and Olafsson on the back end who may be longshots, but the door isn’t closed on them by locked up players either. Another strong year by Evans could see him replace Schultz after his last year. Wright, Kartye, Sale, and others will start to push to take over for Wennberg, Eberle, Tanev over the next year or two. Even in net Dreidger only has this season, while Daccord has two.
Francis has positioned the team to build from within, use their swelled prospect pool and slowly phase out the older players as they come off contract. It isn’t flashy, it certainly won’t make any big headlines, but that is the plan. One that aims for sustainability in winning and balances out the roster costs as well for the long term. In the coming years, it’s a safe bet the Kraken roster will be sporting more of the names of Wright, Sale, Winterton, Melanson, Kartye, Firkus, Evans, Olafsson, while the original Kraken are worked out of the lineup by father time.
The only question left is how Francis might augment the team via the very occasional trade, or more likely, a few offseason signings.
Seattle Kraken Training Camp, which is sponsored by Starbucks, is set to run from September 21 - October 9. Below is the schedule for it. Kraken Rookie Camp will be the 18th-19th. As expected exhibition games will be featuring Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Date
Day
Doors Open
On-Ice Session
Theme
Notes (times in PDT)
Sept. 18
Monday
TBA (Morning)
Rookie Camp
Sept. 19
Tuesday
TBA (Morning)
Rookie Camp
Sept. 20
Wednesday
TBA (Morning)
Player Day Off
Sept. 21
Thursday
TBA (Morning)
Practice/Scrimmage
Training Camp Kickoff
Sept. 22
Friday
TBA (Morning)
Practice/Scrimmage
Forwards Day
Sept. 23
Saturday
Player Day Off
Sept. 24
Sunday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
Military Recognition Day
Sept. 25
Monday
TBA (Morning)
Morning Skate
Kraken @ Flames | 6pm
Flames @ Kraken | 7pm
Sept. 26
Tuesday
Player Day Off
Sept. 27
Wednesday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
Defensemen Day
Sept. 28
Thursday
TBA (Morning)
Morning Skate
Canucks @ Kraken | 7pm
Radio | 950 KJR
Sept. 29
Friday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
National Coffee Day
Sept. 30
Saturday
TBA (Morning)
Player Day Off
Hispanic Heritage @ KCI
Oct. 1
Sunday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
Kids Day
Oct. 2
Monday
TBA (Morning)
Morning Skate
Oliers @ Kraken | 7pm
Radio | 950 KJR
Oct. 3
Tuesday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
Goalies Day
Oct. 4
Wednesday
TBA (Morning)
Morning Skate
Kraken @ Canucks | 7pm
Radio | 950 KJR
Oct. 5
Thursday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
Oct. 6
Friday
Morning Skate in EDM
Kraken @ Oilers | 6pm
Radio | 950 KJR
Oct. 7
Saturday
Private Event
Oct. 8
Sunday
Player Day Off
Oct. 9
Monday
TBA (Morning)
Practice
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