Seattle Kraken.
On July 21st, 2021, about 4,000 people gathered as the Seattle Kraken hosted the expansion draft during a beautiful summer day at Gasworks Park, overlooking Lake Union. People across the state were glued to their phones, TVs, and radio broadcasts as they eagerly awaited the announcement of which players Seattle would select from the 30 other NHL teams (Vegas was exempt, of course).
After the ceremony was completed, many fans were left disappointed, as Seattle opted to select a roster that featured many young up-and-coming players and a strong defensive roster. Thus opting out of selecting some perennial high-scoring forwards and displaying a roster that some might say resembled the scoring quality of the Las Vegas Expansion Draft from 2017.
Six months later, Seattle finds themselves ranked 30th in the overall NHL standings with 34 points in 47 games (.364 winning percentage) and tied for 28th in goal differential (-41). Needless to say, this is not what many fans expected from this team. Today is the day that we get to look back and say, “What if?” Let’s pretend we can rewind the clock to six months ago and do over the Expansion Draft, knowing what we know now.
How different would the roster look? I analyzed the list of players who were left exposed at the expansion draft and made my own selections based on the current point production of this season while also taking into consideration salary, position, and advanced stats. Needless to say, the team would look much different than the one that opened the season on October 12th, 2021.
Current Pick: Morgan Geekie, C – 23-years-old. 40 GP, 3 G, 8 A, 11 pts. $750K – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Jake Bean, D – 23-years-old. 41 GP, 4 G, 11 A, 15 pts. $2.33M, expiring in 2024. Traded from Carolina to Columbus two days after the expansion draft.
Reasoning: Jake Bean plays top-4 defensive minutes and is a strong skater who can move the puck and transition plays quickly. He is a former first round draft pick who is still very young and has a high ceiling of potential. He would essentially replace Giordano’s minutes at a much more affordable figure.
Current Pick: Gavin Bayreuther, D – 27-years-old. 23 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 pts. $750K expiring in 2023. Signed with Columbus as a UFA signed days after the Kraken selected him in the expansion draft.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Max Domi, C – 26-years-old, 34 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 pts. $5.3M – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Reasoning: Domi has grit and speed in his game which makes him desirable by many. He’s had up and down seasons in his career and has not found his game in Columbus after being traded by Montreal. A change in scenery could be good for him. With Max Domi comes a supportive father that many hockey fans grew up loving in the ’90s and 2000s – Tie Domi.
Current Pick: Nathan Bastian, RW – 24-years-old. 40 GP, 9 G, 2 A, 11 pts. $825K, expiring in 2023. Claimed off waivers by New Jersey in November.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Nathan Bastian, RW.
Reasoning: There wasn’t much available from New Jersey. All other options were too expensive for their lack of production (P.K. Subban, Andreas Johnsson, etc.). Bastian shows youth and depth. Ideally, the Kraken would have assigned him to the AHL before the start of the regular season or used him as a depth forward. Unfortunately, NJD claimed Bastien off of waivers when the Kraken tried to send him down.
Current Pick: Jordan Eberle, RW – 31 yrs old. 44 GP, 12 G, 14 A, 26 pts. $5.5M, expires 2024.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Jordan Eberle, RW.
Reasoning: Eberle was present during the original expansion draft, scored the first-ever Kraken hat trick, was the first All-Star selection in franchise history, and has embraced the Pacific Northwest. Don’t let the fact that he doesn’t like the rain deter you from his proven production. Seattle’s top-line right wing played with the likes of Connor McDavid when in Edmonton and Mathew Barzal in New York. This guy is the real deal.
Current Pick: Colin Blackwell, C – 28-years-old. 23 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 pts. $725K – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Tony DeAngelo, D – 26-years-old. 37 GP, 8 G, 28 A, 36 pts. $4.8M, expiring 2023 (bought out by NYR, signed for $1M with Carolina)
Reasoning: This is a controversial pick. Everyone thinks that DeAngelo is a cancer in the locker room because of his mishap in New York last February, where he punched teammate Alexandar Georgiev. New York put him on waivers shortly after and bought him out at the end of the season. This summer, Carolina took a low-risk-high-reward gamble by signing him to a one-year contract to prove himself.
The result? DeAngelo sports the best stats of his career. His teammates enjoy having him around as he has embraced the change of scenery. Seattle could have had this had the offensive defensemen they longed for had they taken this gamble.
Current Pick: Carsen Twarynski, LW – 24-years-old. (AHL) 41 GP, 3 G, 11 A, 14 pts. $750k – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Derrick Pouliot, D – 28-years-old. (AHL) 28 GP, 0 G, 8 A, 8 pts. AHL Contract with Las Vegas.
Reasoning: Pouliot is a former first round draft pick who is very familiar with the PNW, having played his junior hockey for the Portland Winterhawks. He has played professional hockey for eight years, bouncing between the NHL and AHL. His defensive experience would prove to be beneficial for the development of prospects while also providing the Kraken with depth on defense in the event of injuries.
Current Pick: Brandon Tanev, LW – 30-years-old.. 30 GP, 9 G, 6 A, 15 pts. $3.5 million, expiring 2025.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Brandon Tanev, LW.
Reasoning: Turbo has been a fan favorite since Day 1 of the expansion draft. He was one of the six players present for the expansion draft and is well known for his ghostly headshots. He went undrafted, grinding his way through the BCHL, NCAA, AHL, and up to the NHL. While Tanev is not known as a perennial goal scorer, he put career-high numbers before going down with a season-ending ACL injury. At an affordable $3.5 million for four more years, no better selection is available.
Current Pick: Vitek Vanecek, G – 26-years-old. 24 GP, 10 W, 6 L, 5 OTL, 2.39 GAA, .915 SV%, 2 SO. $716K – UFA at the end of the 2022 season. Traded back to Washington for a 2023 second round pick seven days after the expansion draft.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Zach Fucale, G – 26-years-old. (AHL) 15 GP, 7 W, 4 L, 6 OTL, 2.68 GAA, .890 SV%, 0 SO. $750K, expiring in 2023.
Reasoning: After leading the Halifax Mooseheads to the 2013 Memorial Cup Championship and setting franchise and QMJHL single-season records, Fucale represented Canada in the World Junior Championship and Spengler Cup. He was buried in the Montreal Canadiens organization due to their depth at goaltender. Montreal gave up on Fucale, and Washington signed him as a free agent, where he has thrived.
In 2020, he and Pheonix Copley combined to win the Aldege Bastien Memorial Award, awarded to the AHL goaltending duo that allows the fewest goals against in a season. Earning a callup to the Capitals this year, he set the NHL record for longest shutout streak to begin an NHL career. Fucale held opponents scoreless until 138:07 into his career! By drafting him, the Kraken create a goaltending duo in the AHL that would compete for playing time and provide a healthy depth that many teams desire.
Current Pick: Jeremy Lauzon, D – 24-years-old. 37 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 pts. $850K – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Sean Kuraly, C – 29-years-old. 44 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 pts. $2.5M expiring 2025. Signed with Columbus as a UFA.
Reasoning: Sean Kuraly is a hard-hitting depth forward who has playoff experience. He’s been with Boston since the B’s 2019 run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. His leadership experience would also be a plus, having been captain of his college team at Miami University. Every now and then, Kuraly jumps in with the offense when he is not throwing his body around.
Current Pick: Will Borgen, D – 25-years-old. 15 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 pts. $900K expiring in 2023.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Will Borgen, D.
Reasoning: In my opinion, the Kraken got this one right. There weren’t many solid options coming out of Buffalo, and grabbing Borgen at less than $1M allows for depth on defense. He’s a solid seventh defenseman who is still growing into his own. With Seattle, Borgen averages 14:30 minutes,1 block, and 2 hits per game. Last month he had his first NHL goal.
Current Pick: Dennis Cholowski, D – 23 yrs old. 7 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 pt. $900K – RFA at the end of the 2022 season. Claimed off waivers by Washington in October. ***The Kraken claimed him off waivers from Washington earlier this week.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Evgeny Svechnikov, LW – 25-years-old. 35 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 pts. $750K – RFA at the end of the 2022 season. Signed with Winnipeg as a UFA.
Reasoning: Svechnikov was a first round draft pick in 2015 and has proven to be a reliable scoring forward in the AHL, but never truly got a chance to grow in the Detroit organization. He helped the Grand Rapids Griffins win the Calder Cup in 2017. Detroit opted not to tender him a qualifying offer, allowing him to pursue free agency. As a result, he is now playing in his first full NHL season in Winnipeg and is displaying solid 3rd/4th line numbers. At 25, he still has room to grow.
Current Pick: Chris Driedger, G – 27-years-old. 12 GP, 3 W, 7 L, 3.18 GAA, .895 SV%. $3.5M, expiring in 2024.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Chris Driedger, G.
Reasoning: While Driedger is having a down season, it is important to look at the big picture – in 50 career starts, he has a 2.33 GAA and .921 SV%. These are solid numbers for a backup or fringe starter. He is currently adjusting to a new city, a new team, and new coaches. Give him time – he’ll come around. Driedger was easily the best option to come out of Florida.
Current Pick: Cale Fleury, D – 23-years-old. (AHL) 38 GP, 5 G, 15 A, 20 pts. $750K – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Corey Perry, RW – 36-years-old. 46 GP, 12 G, 11 A, 23 pts. $1M, expiring in 2023.
Reasoning: Perry provides proven scoring depth, being able to log offensive minutes on any line. He has scored 12 goals for the Tampa Bay Lightning, playing predominantly on the third line. While he is a far cry from producing the same numbers as his Hart trophy campaign in 2010 (50 goals, 48 assists, along with 104 penalty minutes), he is producing his best stats in the past 5 years.
His 167 playoff games, along with three trips to the Stanley Cup Final (winning the cup in 2006 with Anaheim), provide a vital intangible, experience to a young locker room. CP10 is the type of player that everyone loves to play with and hates to play against.
Current Pick: Joey Daccord, G – 25 yrs old. (AHL) 16 GP, 8 W, 7 L, 1 OTL, 2.41 GAA, .917 SV%, 0 SO. $750K, expiring in 2023.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Vitaly Abramov, LW – 23 yrs old (currently playing in the KHL).
Reasoning: Abramov didn’t enjoy his time in Ottawa, which hindered his production and development. At AHL Belleville, he was a point per game player for two years. That came after Abramov absolutely destroyed the QMJHL the prior three seasons (98, 104, and 104 points).
He dressed in only four games for the Ottawa Senators over three years, scoring just one goal, and is now playing in the KHL. This season Abramov has 17 points and was just traded to CSKA Moscow. Joining a team like Seattle could provide him some motivation to progress further into a deep scoring threat.
Current Pick: Yanni Gourde, C – 30-years-old. 38 GP, 10 G, 13 A, 23 pts. $5.16M, expires in 2025.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Alex Killorn, LW – 32-years-old. 46 GP, 15 G, 26 A, 41 pts. $4.45M, expires in 2023.
Reasoning: Killorn has a slightly lower cap hit while also being able to play up and down the lineup when needed. His point production has improved throughout his career, and he is on pace to break his single-season career highs. Killorn played a crucial role in Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, while Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov were both injured.
Current Pick: Jared McCann, LW – 25-years-old. 41 GP, 19 G, 11 A, 30 pts. $2.94M – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Frederik Andersen, G – 32-years-old. 31 GP, 24 W, 6 L, 1 OTL, 2.08 GAA, .927 SV%, 1 SO. Signed with Carolina for two years, $4..5M through 2023.
Reasoning: Andersen is a proven number one goalie. He played well and was Toronto’s starting goalie until the emergence of Jack Campbell and proved to be too expensive to be a backup goalie. Carolina signed him to a reasonable two-year contract, and it has paid off royally. Andersen is in the top 10 in every major goalie statistic this season. He would provide the Kraken with a short-term bonified #1 goalie until Ingram or Driedger is ready to take over.
Current Pick: Tyler Pitlick, C – 30-years-old. 25 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 pts. $1.75 million – UFA at the end of the 2022 season. Traded to Calgary for a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Michael Bunting, LW – 26-years-old. 43 GP, 13 G, 16 A, 29 pts. $900K+. Signed with Toronto as a UFA – under contract until 2023.
Reasoning: Bunting never had a true opportunity to excel in Arizona. When his entry-level contract expired, Arizona opted to not tender him a qualifying offer, making him a free agent. He is now thriving in Toronto, playing top-line minutes next to superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, logging powerplay minutes and averaging 16-17 minutes/game.
Bunting is also tied with Connor McDavid for drawing the most penalties in the NHL this season – pretty good company, I’d say! His skills in the corners and agility allow him to draw penalties more often than others, providing the top powerplay in the NHL more ice time (scoring on 30.3 percent of their powerplay attempts currently).
Current Pick: John Quenneville, C – 25-years-old. 41 GP, 18 G, 13 A, 31 pts (currently, a UFA playing for Zurich of the NL).
Kraken Draft 2.0: Nikita Zadorov, D – 26-years-old. 35 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 pts. $3.75M – UFA at the end of the 2022 season. Traded to Calgary from Chicago seven days after the expansion draft.
Reasoning: Zadorov is a big body at 6’6″, 235lb. He is a hard-hitting defenseman who is still relatively young. He has averaged 1 block and 3 hits per game this season – and every season of his 9 years of professional hockey. Talk about consistency!
Current Pick: Joonas Donskoi, RW – 29 yrs old. 45 GP, 1 G, 14 A, 15 pts. $3.9 million, expiring in 2023.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Gabriel Landeskog, LW – 29 yrs old. 26 GP, 19 G, 26 A, 45 pts. $7 million, expiring in 2029.
Reasoning: Landeskog is a proven leader, having been the captain of the Avalanche since 2012. He is a proven goal scorer, having scored more than 20 goals in 8 of his first 10 seasons, and is on pace to break career highs. Landeskog boasts plenty of international hockey experience, playing against the top talent in the World Juniors, World Cup, and Olympics. He would instantly slot in as the Kraken’s captain.
Current Pick: Jamie Oleksiak, D – 29-years-old. 37 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 pts. $4.6 million expiring 2026.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Jamie Oleksiak, D.
Reasoning: How often can you get a 6’7″, 256lb wrecking ball on your team without having to give up assets? Oleksiak was one of the six Kraken players on hand on expansion draft day, and he has become a fan favorite with the nickname “Big Rig.” Oleksiak has already had 105 hits on the season and is on pace to break 200 hits for the first time in his career. He is also on pace to match his career-high in shots blocked – 88.
Current Pick: Carson Soucy, D – 27-years-old. 33 GP, 6 G, 7 A, 13 pts. $2.75M, expiring in 2023.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Carson Soucy, D.
Reasoning: At $2.75M, Soucy is able to play top-4 defensive minutes while throwing his body around and providing an offensive upside. He is trending toward career-highs in goals, assists, hits, and blocked shots. While he is not the fastest player, he makes up for that with his personality and willingness to stick up for teammates.
Current Pick: Calle Jarnkrok, C – 30-years-old. 34 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 pts. $2M – UFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Connor Ingram, G – 24-years-old. (AHL) 32 GP, 18 W, 11 L, 4 OTL, 2.53 GAA, .922 SV%, 5 SO. $733K, expiring in 2023.
Reasoning: Ingram is a proven future #1 goalie in the NHL. Although he is only 24, Ingram has already represented Team Canada in the World Juniors (silver medal in 2017) and is playing in his fifth professional season. His 5 shutouts this season rank 1st, as do his games played. While Jarnkrok has been a great forward for the Kraken, having a young stud goalie is something many teams wish they could have.
Current Pick: Vince Dunn, D – 25 yrs old. 41 GP, 5 G, 13 A, 18 pts. $4M, expires in 2023.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Vince Dunn, D.
Reasoning: Dunn has been consistent for the Kraken this year, playing big minutes, playing the body, blocking shots, and scoring goals. While some people wished the Kraken selected Vladimir Tarasenko, I opted not to take his giant cap hit and continue to build the defense. Dunn is young and still has room to grow. He will be a quarterback for defense for years to come.
Current Pick: Mason Appleton, C – 26-years-old. 32 GP, 5 G, 7 A, 12 pts. $900k – RFA at the end of the 2022 season.
Kraken Draft 2.0: Mason Appleton, C.
Reasoning: There were not many options from the Winnipeg Jets organization that were very appealing. Appleton provides a young player who has room to grow at an affordable rate. He also provides depth at C, which many teams strive for. He will not make the highlight reel too often, but he will provide depth at scoring and can play up and down the lineup when called upon – an asset perfect for an expansion draft team.
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?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Average Age: 26.9-years-old.
Total Cap Hit After Draft: $72.096M.
Total Cap Space Available: $10.404M.
In these lineups, I assumed the Kraken still signed Alexander Wennberg, Jaden Schwartz, and Ryan Donato during free agency after not being selected during the expansion draft. In addition, some players were assigned to the AHL based on their production and the logical development track.
LW Gabriel Landeskog – $7.0M, C Max Domi – $5.3M, RW: Jordan Eberle – $5.5M
LW: Sonny Milano – $1.7M, C: Alex Wennberg – $4.5M, RW: Sean Kuraly – $2.5M
LW: Michael Bunting – $925K, C: Jaden Schwartz – $5.5M, RW: Brandon Tanev – $3M
LW: Alex Killorn – $4.5M, C: Ryan Donato – $750K, RW: Corey Perry – $1M
LD: Vince Dunn – $4M, RD: Tony DeAngelo – $4.8M
LD: Jamie Oleksiak – $4.6M, RD: Carson Soucy – $2.75M
LD: Jake Bean – $2.33M, RD: Nikita Zadorov – $3.75M
G1: Frederik Andersen – $4.5M
G2: Chris Driedger – $3.5M
RW: Martin Frk – $750K.
C: Mason Appleton – $900K.
D: Will Borgen – $900K.
$75M
$7.5M
LW: Evgeny Svechnikov – $750K
LD: Derrick Pouliot – $700K
C: Alexander True – $750k
RD: Madison Bowey – $725K
RW: Nathan Bastian – $825K
LW: Vitaly Abramov – $730K
C: Seth Griffith – $725K
C: Matthew Phillips -$750K
G: Connor Ingram – $733K
G: Zach Fucale – $750K
Needless to say, this expansion draft team would look A LOT different given the selections above, and chances are, there would be a difference in the standings. The current Kraken are coming off their first-ever shutout win and are starting to play as a more cohesive unit. It’s likely they are a different team in the second half. I hope I’m right! If not, the Kraken should start saving their money and invest in a time machine to have a do-over.
Who’s on your re-drafted Seattle Kraken team? Let us know in the comments section below.