Brandon Tanev, Seattle Kraken (photo by Jonathan West).
The Seattle Kraken announced the 30 players they selected in the expansion draft , and it was anticlimactic to say the least. Some of the draftees are solid players, others are far from it. Apparently, there were no side deals cut when it came to choosing players from a particular team. That’s not good because, honestly, some of the selections were horrible.
I’ll go team by team to analyze where GM Ron Francis got it right and where he didn’t. Whether good or bad, I’ll explain why. We have the picks broken into four categories, hits, bigger hits, misses, and meh.
Before taking one side or another on most of these picks, let’s start with the “meh” picks. Generally, I found these to be okay players but also redundant. Also, there were some cases where Francis might have done a little better with another player.
Tyler Pitlick, LW – Meh
Tyler Pitlick’s time with the Seattle Kraken was extremely brief. Thursday, he was traded to Calgary for a 2022 fourth-round pick. So we won’t know if this was a hit or miss for some time.
Kurtis MacDermid, D – Meh/hit
Apparently, Francis likes big defensemen. Kurtis MacDermid is 6-5, 233-pounds. He’s no stranger to trading blows, either. MacDermid can drop the gloves and go punch-for-punch with anyone in the league.
I can see why MacDermid was drafted, and I’m okay with it. But I liked Blake Lizotte and Carl Grundstrom, and Kale Clague better.
Nathan Bastian, RW – Meh
Nathan Bastian is what he is, a big (6-4, 207-pounds) fourth line wing. Given enough ice time, the Kitchener, the Ontario native might score 25 points on a season. He’ll give 100% on the ice every night.
Alexander True, C – Meh
An undrafted free agent, Alexander True, played in 19 NHL games over the last two seasons for San Jose. This is his chance to prove himself. True sees the ice well, which leads to opportunities for his teammates.
The Kraken had to take at least one former Seattle Thunderbirds alumni in the expansion draft. He was on the T-Birds 2016–17 that competed for the Memorial Cup. Size matters to Ron Francis, True is another 6-5 giant.
These are the serviceable players/picks a team should expect to get in an expansion draft. In baseball terms, the singles and walks.
Haydn Fleury, D – Hit.
So far, Haydn Fleury hasn’t lived up to his pre-Entry Draft hype. That’s okay; the 25-year-old seems like he turned a corner on his career and is on the upswing. Due to his lack of offensive ability, he probably won’t be a top pair guy but should carve out a nice niche on the second.
Mark Giordano, D – Hit
I’ll admit I didn’t like this pick at first. But taking Mark Giordano started to grow on me. At 37-years-old he still has game and good trade value. Like Pitlick, Giordano wasn’t long for the organization. He and Colin Blackwell are headed to the New York Rangers for center Ryan Strome and other considerations. That’s a good trade.
Joonas Donskoi, RW – Hit
At this point, Joonas Donskoi will be on Seattle’s first line. That might not be his best fit, but he’s what they have. Given the right opportunity and regular power-play minutes, Donskoi could score 50 points in a season.
Dennis Cholowski, D – Hit.
Dennis Cholowski certainly has the offensive skills to succeed in the NHL. He skates very well, handles the puck, and is a scoring threat from the back. Unfortunately, he’s a defensive liability. It will be up to head coach Dave Hakstol to use Cholowski wisely and not expose him on the back end. This is a hit because there really wasn’t much else to take from Detroit.
Calle Jarnkrok, LW – Hit.
Francis didn’t want to bring on any big-money contracts, so no Matt Duchene or Ryan Johansen. What they got in Calle Jarnkrok was a steady middle-six wing. It’s a good safe pick. He’s good for 15–18 goals per season, and 35 is points. Over the past four seasons, Jarncrok is +50.
Jordan Eberle, RW – Hit.
I’ve always liked Jordan Eberle and found him to be an effective second line wing. His career with the Islanders hasn’t been as prolific as it was in Edmonton but several of his recent seasons were under Barry Trotz on Long Island. Like Donskoi, he’ll play on the top line, but it’s not his best fit.
Colin Blackwell, C – Hit.
If the trade rumors are true, Colin Blackwell should be dealt in a few days. If not, he’s a high-energy player who provides bottom-six scoring. When given an opportunity to play a regular shift by NYR last year, Blackwell responded with 22 points in 47 games.
Yanni Gourde, C – Hit.
What’s not to like about Yanni Gourde? He’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion, strong in both ends, and adds scoring. I look forward to him anchoring the second line after he recovers from recent shoulder surgery. Gourde should be back between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Jarred McCann, LW – Hit
Jarred McCann is the type of two-way player coaches love. He can chip in on offense without forsaking his defensive responsibilities. So far in his career, McCann hasn’t been tasked with a scoring role. That likely changes next season because the Seattle Kraken have very few point producers on the roster.
Ron Francis got some high-quality pickups. The players here will be major contributors dor the Seattle Kraken.
Jeremy Lauzon, D – Hit.
This was a nice pickup. Jeremy Lauzon plays a physical game and makes life tough for opposing forwards. He’s defensively responsible and has some offensive upside. Lauzon played 41 games for Boston last year and was often on the first pair. Despite missing a month with a hand injury, he finished with 98 hits, 53 blocks, 8 points, and most importantly, was +8.
Jamie Oleksiak, D – Hit.
He was of several free-agent signings Seattle made before the draft. A big tough defender, Jamie Oleksiak is 6-7, 255 pounds. He might not score many points, but his main job is to stop others from scoring, which he does very well. I wonder if Francis could have signed Oleksiak after the draft and flipped Ben Bishop to a team in need of goaltending like Edmonton.
Chris Driedger, G – Hit.
If Francis wasn’t going after a big name like Bishop, Price, or Holtby, Chris Driedger was a good choice. He’s been rock solid the past two seasons, posting a combined .929 save percentage for Florida. The Kraken signed their number one goalie to a reasonable three-year, $10.5M contract. This is a win.
Adam Larsson, D – Big Hit.
Originally, I wanted Francis to sign Tyson Barrie away from the Oilers. A big reason was that I didn’t think Adam Larsson would take almost the same money he turned down from Edmonton to sign with the Seattle Kraken.
Larsson is a solid defenseman. His game has improved substantially since he broke in with New Jersey in 2011 as the fourth overall draft pick. A solid player in his own end, Larsson will help stabilize the Kraken’s young puck movers.
Brandon Tanev, RW – Hit.
Throw out the creepy headshot; every team needs a hard-working, leave it all on the ice forward like Brandon Tanev. He hits everything in sight. Over the last three seasons, Tanev recorded 661 hits in 180 games. Those with seats near the ice will quickly get used to the sound of him crunching opponents into the boards.
Vince Dunn, D – HIT.
A fantastic pick. Vince Dunn is just now scratching the surface of his offensive potential. He’s not the biggest guy out there at 6-0, 205-pounds, but he can move the puck. Look for Dunn to quarterback the power-play unit. It’s not unreasonable for him to get 40 points, plus per season, if he has some decent talent around him.
Kole Lind, LW – HIT.
Of all the prospects the Seattle Kraken drafted, Kole Lind is among the top two or three. It was a mild surprise that Vancouver didn’t find a way to protect him. Injuries slowed him last season, but he scored 44 points in 61 AHL games the year before. Lind seems poised for a breakout in 2021-22. He projects as a top-six wing who can set up scoring chances for his linemates.
Vitek Vanecek, G – BIG HIT.
There are very few goalie prospects who are better than Vitek Vanecek. Unfortunately for him, Washington teammate Ilya Samsonov was one of them leaving Vanecek as a backup. When Samsonov was injured, the Czech netminder stepped in a performed well.
Mason Appleton, RW/C – HIT
Mason Appleton is an opportunity waiting to happen. In Winnipeg, he was buried behind Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, and Andrew Copp. A fast skater and adept passer, Appleton makes good decisions on the ice. He and Lind are future top-six wings, and sooner rather than later. This pick was among Seattle’s best.
William Borgen, D – Huge miss, best choice Cody Eakin.
This is the first of the What the Heck (WTH) was Francis thinking picks. Other than being a hard worker, there is no much to like about Will Borgen. He’s played a combined 14 NHL games. It will be a huge surprise if he reaches 60.
Cody Eakin was the obvious pick here. He’s solid in the faceoff circle and is a solid third line player. Playing on a reasonable and expiring contract, Eaken is worth at least a mid-round draft pick if Francis didn’t want to keep him.
Morgan Geekie, C – Miss, Jake Gardiner, or Jake Bean was the right call.
Does Morgan Geekie have some upside? Sure. Is he close to a top-six talent? No.
Boy did Francis cut his former team a huge break. Geekie is another third line guy for now. His ceiling projects to a middle-six player who could provide some secondary scoring.
Jake Bean is a decent defense prospect who can handle the puck. He has speed and likes to join the rush. Jake Gardner could have gotten at least a second-round pick in a trade or a prospect with scoring potential. At the trade deadline, probably more.
John Quenneville, center – Miss, should have taken almost anyone else available.
In baseball, they call guys like John Quenneville Four-A players. He’s good enough to be a minor league call-up when someone on the main roster gets hurt. He’s the second WTH pick.
Collin Delia or Malcolm Subban would have made for a nice third goalie. Adam Gaudette or Vinnie Hinostroza could have added a little punch to the offense.
Gavin Bayreuther, defenseman – HUGE MISS, Kevin Stenlund was the guy.
Maybe the biggest WTH pick of all. When I saw this pick, I did my best John McEnroe screaming, “you can’t be serious?” He wasn’t even the third-best defenseman Columbus exposed. A wasted pick.
Many people thought Max Domi should have been the choice. But he’s overpaid for his level of production and can be a free agent at the end of the year. Defenseman Dean Kukan could have worked as a defenseman to flip due to his relatively low salary. I liked right wing Kevin Stenlund; he’s young, physical, and seems to be coming into his own as a power forward. Stenlund can get pick up tough points from the “dirty areas.”
Carson Soucy, D – Mega missed opportunity, Kaapo Khakonen will be a solid NHL goalie.
Yet another super-sized defenseman, Carson Soucy, is 6-5. He’s also a bottom pair guy. This seems to be a trend. It’s hard to Soucy him playing 15 minutes per night if he can even make the team.
The right play here was Kaapo Khakonen. He’s one of the better prospects in hockey. Francis should have drafted and flipped him to a team that needed a backup with starting potential. Either that or let him fight it out for a roster spot.
Cale Fleury, D – Miss, Brett Kulak was a stronger choice.
No, Seattle shouldn’t have drafted Carey Price and his $10.5M AAV for the next five seasons. But they sure as all get out should have done much better than Cale Fleury. For his part, Fleury may be the sleeper every team drams about. If so, now is the time to wake up. He’s got some offensive skills but hasn’t shown much of them in three years as a pro.
Phillip Daneult would have been a nice free agent signing, but his asking price was likely too high. Brett Kulak, a career +6 player and with on a reasonable, expiring contract ($1.85M), was easily traded for a draft pick. Then again, he’s as good as anyone else drafted to play on Seattle’s bottom pair. If not him, goalie Charlie Lindgren is a good prospect.
Joey Daccord, G, – Miss, there were several better goalie prospects in this draft.
Since a decent college career at Arizona State, Joey Daccord hasn’t been very impressive. He was the third goalie in Ottawa, and he’ll be the third goalie in Seattle. In NHL games, he was 1 win with a 3.50 GAA and .894 Save Percentage.
I could list half a dozen better goalie prospects than Daccord. Defenseman Josh Brown was a better choice. Then Francis could draft goalie Charlie Lindgren from Cale Fleury from Montreal.
Carsen Twarynski, LW – MISS, Who the blue heck is Carsen Twarynski?
If Gayreuther didn’t top our WTH meter, then Carsen Twyrnski certainly does. Twyrnski is yet another potential bottom-six forward who might make an NHL team. Unbelievable.
Almost any other player available from Philadelphia was a better choice. Seattle didn’t have to draft the big-ticket players Jakub Voracek and James van Riemsdyk. Although either would be the first line player, this team lacks.
Why not take 6-6 banger, Samuel Morin? He’d fit in well with how the Seattle Kraken drafted and plays a solid defensive game. Felix Sandstrom and Alex Lyon are both in the second-to-third goalie range. If Francis wanted a forward, German Rubtsov is a potential Selke winner and excellent on the penalty kill.
The two keywords of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft were size and grit. They added players with considerable size such as Oleksiak, True, McDermid, and Soucy. There should also be no problems with putting hits on opponents. There are a bunch of players who can get after it on the forecheck. Unfortunately, physicality only gets a team so far. This isn’t the 1970s when Philadelphia imposed their will and beat the crap out of other teams. The game has shifted toward speed and skill.
Sure the Kraken have plenty of bottom-six forwards, but there are way too many holes. The first being scoring. Francis drafted zero offensive threats that opponents need to worry about. For those thinking Yanni Gourde is that guy, keep in mind that over the last two seasons, he averaged 0.52 points per game. When he recovers, Gourde joins Eberle and Donskoi on the first line. On almost every team in the league, this trio would be second liners at best.
The next biggest issue is no center depth. Is there any center on this roster who can be counted on to play anything other than a grinder role? Also, none of them have the necessary faceoff skills to win key draws at crucial points of a game.
As the roster currently stands, too many players will be asked to fill roles they haven’t succeeded at before. On the bright side, there are some good prospects like Lind and Appleton who can grow into top line players. We also don’t know about trades and free agency. Francis could go on a spending spree and opening night, Gabriel Landeskog, Jack Eichel, and Vladimir Tarasenko. It’s unlikely, but there is more than enough cap space available to make it happen.
Who were your hits and misses of the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.