Seattle Kraken Add Five More Scouts To Their Staff
Michelle Tully
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There is plenty of work for the Seattle Kraken to do between now and next year’s expansion draft. That’s why the team doubled it’s scouting staff last week.
Ron Francis has been the General Manager of the newly named Seattle Kraken for a year now. He hired five professional scouts back before the 2019–2020 season. This past Thursday, the team announced the hiring of an additional four scouts, including a Director of Pro Scouting,
Original Seattle Kraken scouts
Stu Barnes – played eleven seasons in the NHL on the Jets, Panthers, Penguins, Sabres, and Stars, putting up strong numbers. He has property in Washington and is part owner of the Tri-City Americans.
John Goodwin – played five seasons in the AHL and two in the IHL. Since then, he has been both the assistant and head coach in the OHL.
Cammi Granato – played for Providence college winning two league titles. Granato was Captain of the USA Olympic team for several years, leading the team to the Gold Medal in 1998, the first year of women’s hockey in the Olympics. She is the first female NHL pro scout.
Dave Hunter – is a three-time Stanley Cup champion from his time playing with the Oilers in the 1980s. Hunter served as assistant and head coach to a couple of teams before scouting for the Carolina Hurricanes since the 2011–12 season.
Ulf Samuelsson – has since left the Kraken to work as head coach of the Leksands IF in Europe.
New Seattle Kraken scouts
On July 30, 2020, Francis announced the following additions to the scouting staff.
Dave Baseggio – Director of Pro Scouting, played hockey for Yale University before beginning his eleven-year professional playing career, including the AHL, Europe, and IHL. He later became an assistant coach in the ECHL and head coach in the AHL before heading to the front office of the Anaheim Ducks as Director of Pro Scouting and Assistant General Manager.
Andrew Allen – Goalie Scout, played college hockey and professional hockey in several leagues before becoming a goaltending coach for leagues, including Japan’s men’s national ice hockey, the AHL, and finally the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
Lorne Henning – played center from 1972–81. After retiring as a player, he became assistant and head coach to several NHL teams, including the Islanders, North Stars, Blackhawks, and Ducks. From 2005–15, Henning worked as Director of Player Personnel and then Assistant General Manager with the Canucks.
William “Will” White – played junior and college hockey. The youngest member of the Kraken scouting team, White spent the 2018–19 season as a scout for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
The Seattle Kraken community welcomes the immense amount of talent in this scouting staff. Everyone is on the edge of their seats for the expansion draft next summer.