Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft 2.0 – If We Knew Then What We Know Now
Anaheim Ducks
Current Pick: Haydn Fleury, D – 25-yrs-old. 25 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 pts. $1.3 million – RFA at the end of 2022 season
Kraken Draft 2.0: Sonny Milano, LW – 25-years-old. 35 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 pts. $1.7 million – RFA at the end of 2022 season
Reasoning: Sonny Milano is a fast player who is currently being mentored by Ryan Getzlaf and is part of the Ducks. While he might not appear on the highlight reel as often as others (Zegras, anyone?), Milano has high-scoring potential and can easily log minutes on the top line (averaging 17 minutes/game) while also being able to play up and down the roster.
He is having a breakout year in his first full year as a Duck after being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020. Having led the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters) to a Calder Cup win in 2017, Milano is no stranger to winning – and don’t fans want an expansion draft team that wins?
Calgary Flames
Current Pick: Mark Giordano, D – 38-years-old. 40 GP, 4 G, 14 A, 18 pts. $6.75 million – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Matthew Phillips, C – 23-years-old. (AHL) 34 GP, 18 G, 19 A, 37 pts. $750k – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Reasoning: The Kraken lacks depth in the minors. Phillips currently leads the Stockton Heat in points, games played, and also leads forwards in TOI (time on ice). He is also no stranger to the West Coast, having played four years for the Victoria Royals of the WHL, where he was named captain in his final season prior to going pro. A return to the west coast could be just what the doctor ordered.
Edmonton Oilers
Current Pick: Adam Larsson, D – 29-years-old. 46 GP, 4 G, 11 A, 15 pts. $4 million, expiring in 2025.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Seth Griffith, C/RW – 29-years-old. (AHL) 30 GP, 15 G, 25 A, 40 pts. $725k – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Reasoning: Griffith would be a great pick to help develop the farm system while creating depth at the forward positions. He is averaging a point per game in the AHL and is currently an alternate captain for the Bakersfield Condors. Having played 80 career NHL games, he also provides the option to have depth forwards in the event of long-term injuries.
Los Angeles Kings:
Current Pick: Kurtis MacDermid, D – 27-years-old. 32 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 pts. $875k – UFA at the end of the 2022 season. Traded to Colorado for a 2023 fourth-round draft pick six days after the expansion draft.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Martin Frk, RW – 28-years-old. (AHL) 32 GP, 20 G, 20 A, 40 pts. $725k – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Reasoning: When drafted by Detroit in the second round of the 2013 entry draft, Frk was fresh off a Memorial Cup win as the captain of the Halifax Mooseheads. That team also featured Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. He didn’t receive a real opportunity to grow within the Detroit organization, and after sporting back-to-back 27 goal seasons for the Grand Rapids Griffins (where we won a Calder Cup in 2017 as a linemate of Svechnikov), Detroit opted to not tender a qualifying offer, resulting in Frk becoming a UFA.
Los Angeles took a low-risk-high-reward flyer on him, and it is paying off. Frk is the reigning champion of the slapshot challenge at the AHL All-Star game, where he set an AHL record of 109.2 MPH. His experience would provide depth at forward, scoring in the minors, and a booming slapshot at the point on the powerplay – his specialty!
San Jose Sharks:
Current Pick: Alexander True, C – 24-years-old. (AHL) 29 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 pts.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Alexander True, C
Reasoning: True is a local boy, having played his junior hockey with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He has produced almost a point per game in the Kraken’s AHL this year and has been called up to the team, on occasion, as part of Seattle’s taxi squad. Having young players is key for long-term development. Having players who are familiar to the city is helpful, too! Being on a league-minimum entry-level contract doesn’t hurt, either.
Vancouver Canucks:
Current Pick: Kole Lind, RW – 23-years-old. (AHL) 36 GP, 13 G, 12 A, 25 pts. $874k – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Madison Bowey, D – 26-years-old. (AHL) 28 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 pts. $725k – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Reasoning: While Lind has provided the Kraken some offensive depth in the AHL, Bowey would provide some defensive support in the event of injury. The Kraken currently lacks right-handed defensemen, which this would address. He’s played 158 career NHL games, and provides leadership experience, having served as team captain of the Kelowna Rockets from 2013-15. In 2015, he was a linemate of Leon Draisaitl and Josh Morrissey, where they represented the WHL in the Memorial Cup and lost in overtime in the championship game.