The Atlanta Thrashers have been sold to a group of Canadian businessmen, who will move the team to a new, yet to be publicly announced city in the coming months. The final name of the team is still pending approval. The move has been a long time coming, with the Thrashers struggling to find a new owner after the team’s previous owner, the NHL, chose to move the team to Winnipeg at the end of this season. The new owners will look to upgrade the team’s facilities and help it compete in a better division.
The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the most successful NHL franchises of the last few years, winning a Stanley Cup and losing a Stanley Cup in the process. But now, more than a week after the NHL awarded the club a new franchise, they’re down to just one team… and it doesn’t look like things are going to get any easier for them.
With the NHL expansion into Las Vegas, the league will have a second team in the southwest, which will be based in Arizona. The Arizona Coyotes are currently the only NHL team located in the state, but a new team is coming. The Arizona High Court has given the NHL the green light to move the franchise, and an ownership group has been assembled to take the team to the desert. The new franchise is expected to be called the Arizona Coyotes, and the team is expected to begin play in the 2017-2018 season.. Read more about seattle kraken jersey and let us know what you think.
On Wednesday night, the Seattle Kraken picked their first set of players in the expansion draft. Some fans showed up in person to be the first to don the new NHL uniforms. Some had their names proclaimed by flying fish and an octopus at the local aquarium, while others had Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp of the Seattle SuperSonics announce their names.
The Kraken chose one player from each of the 30 NHL clubs, with the Vegas Golden Knights being excluded. The consequence was a team that was youthful and comfortably under the salary cap, as well as a draft strategy that was diametrically opposed to Vegas’ approach in 2017.
The following are ten things to remember from the Kraken expansion draft:
The template was established by Vegas… nearly.
For their respective expansion drafts, the Golden Knights and Kraken used the identical rules. NHL teams could either protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie, as the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs did this time, or they could protect eight skaters and one goalie, as the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs did this time.
The same guidelines had comparable outcomes, at least in terms of the positions they drafted. In the 2017 expansion draft, the Golden Knights chose 14 forwards, 13 defensemen, and three goaltenders. In their expansion draft, the Kraken chose 15 forwards, 12 defenders, and three goaltenders.
Both clubs chose 20 players that were under contract for the next season, which was the NHL’s minimum requirement — but the Kraken chose three players who they had signed themselves in Adam Larsson, Chris Driedger, and Jamie Oleksiak. Six restricted free agents were chosen by the Golden Knights, while seven were chosen by the Kraken.
The space beneath the payroll cap is where the two clubs differ. According to SinBin.net, the Golden Knights’ overall cap hit from the 20 players they chose was $68.3 million. The Kraken had a cap hit of approximately $54 million with its 20 players under contract.
What happened to the trades?
The trade embargo will be lifted at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday. According to GM Ron Francis, the Kraken will reveal a handful of them at that time, but “probably a lot less than you guys believe there may be.”
When the Vegas Golden Knights had their expansion draft in 2017, they famously squeezed teams around the league by using the expansion draft rules, forcing them to ante up assets so that the Knights wouldn’t select certain players exposed in the draft. The result was a massive bounty: Among the acquisitions for the Knights with that leverage were defenseman Shea Theodore, forwards Alex Tuch, Reilly Smith and Nikita Gusev, and several draft picks that included two first-rounders.
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So, where did the Kraken’s reward go?
“We spoke about it before we started. This was going to be nothing like what Vegas had gone through. It had been 17 years since there had been an expansion draft. Vegas did a fantastic job of exploiting the regulations and everyone’s lack of expertise in that kind of situation. They knew we were coming in the second that one was over. It was intended to be three years, but it ended up being four. As a result, they had much more time to prepare for us “Francis said.
Another issue that Vegas didn’t have to deal with, according to the Kraken GM, was a club “sitting on the outside that might influence the other teams’ protection lists.” For Seattle, that club was the Golden Knights, who made a deal with the Nashville Predators last weekend that affected the Predators’ and Philadelphia Flyers’ protection lists, as well as a trade for forward Brett Howden with the New York Rangers.
Meanwhile, the expansion draft was waived for Vegas.
Seattle’s chances of leveraging agreements were harmed mostly by a shift in general manager conduct throughout the league.
“General managers were more ready to overpay last time to safeguard certain assets. They had learnt from their errors the last time and were not willing to repeat them this time “Francis said.
The cost was too high.
The decision to waive his no-movement clause was made by Carey Price. Due to injuries, he wasn’t sure whether he’d be ready to start next season, and he didn’t want the Canadiens to lose Jake Allen while he was out. Price, 33, also assumed that his deal would be too much for the Kraken to bear.
He was absolutely correct.
Francis was tight-lipped about what went on behind the scenes. “I believe you have to consider a name like Carey Price whenever you see it available,” Francis remarked on the selection broadcast. “That, without a doubt, we accomplished. We had a lot of debates. At the end of the day, we made the choice we did and chose a different path.”
Price is set to visit a doctor in New York on Thursday to evaluate his knee and hip ailments and decide if he need surgery, according to sources. That uncertainty, along with the fact that Price has five years left on his deal, seemed to be as much of a barrier as his $10.5 million yearly cap charge or the $11 million bonus the goalie is due in September.
Taking a chance on Driedger
Chris Driedger has been named the Kraken’s No. 1A goalie for the next season. Last week, Seattle notified Driedger of their intentions, and the two parties reached an agreement on a three-year, $10.5 million deal. Then there was a surprise: the price became accessible.
“In that scenario, I’m sort of just counting on myself,” Driedger remarked on Wednesday.
After all, the Kraken remained faithful to Driedger as their top man, thus the bet paid off. Vitek Vanecek (previously of the Washington Capitals) and Joey Daccord, both 24 years old, will be Driedger’s backups (of the Ottawa Senators). Driedger was one of the major success stories in the year 2021. Before last season, the 27-year-old had only made 11 NHL starts in his career before breaking out with the Florida Panthers. Driedger was sixth among qualified goaltenders with a.927 save percentage in 23 starts.
Driedger stated, “I had no clue who my goaltender partner would be.” “Wherever you go in the NHL, there will be competition. I try not to think about it too much since I’m secure in my abilities.”
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Chris Driedger, a former Panthers goalie, reacts to the Seattle Kraken’s selection in the NHL expansion draft.
The goal was to use as much space as possible.
Price ($10.5 million AAV), James van Riemsdyk ($7 million), P.K. Subban ($9 million), and Vladimir Tarasenko ($7.5 million) were among the numerous great players available in the expansion draft, many of whom came with hefty financial hits.
Only four players on the Seattle roster have a cap hit of more than $4.5 million: Mark Giordano ($6.75 million), Jordan Eberle ($5.5 million), Yanni Gourde ($5,166,666), and Jamie Oleksiak ($4.6 million), who recently signed a new contract with the Kraken. The Kraken had $28,951,667 in free space under the $81.5 million salary cap limit, according to Cap Friendly.
“We believe it is an important asset to have at this time, particularly given the COVID environment and the flat cap. We considered our options. There are some excellent players out there for whom the cap hit on some of them was too much for us “Francis said. “We attempted to put together the greatest squad we could while still leaving our cap space open. As a result, as we progress, we will be able to accomplish certain things.”
When the free agency market begins on July 28, Francis indicated the Kraken want to participate. “There are certain men who have been shielded who may be accessible. Hopefully, we’ll be able to persuade a few more men to join us “Francis said.
Is that Giordano?
The Kraken snatched up a slew of well-paid veterans. They didn’t shy away from Mark Giordano, who has a cap charge of $6.75 million for the rest of the season.
The Flames revealed their captain, who is 37 years old. “It was a price we couldn’t pay,” Flames GM Brad Treliving said when asked what it would take to not choose Giordano.
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As a result, the Flames will be without their captain, whom Treliving referred to as the team’s “moral compass.”
Giordano traveled to Seattle for the expansion draft and acknowledged that the experience was strange. The undrafted defender spent his whole 15-year career with the Calgary Flames.
Giordano told the audience, “I’m not going to lie, it feels a little different today.” “It’s been a whirlwind of a day or so. This is the first time I’ve ever been selected in my career, so thank you, Kraken. I’m delighted to be here.”
On Day 1, both in the locker room and on the blue line, Giordano should be the team’s leader. He has only been out of the Norris Trophy for two years. “His reputation speaks for itself,” said Jamie Oleksiak, a new colleague. “He exudes a great deal of refinement. He’ll be someone around whom we’ll want to unite.”
If the Kraken choose a captain in the first year, Francis believes Giordano will be a strong contender.
Everyone in the league, though, is wondering how long Giordano will remain a Kraken. A lot of teams are interested in acquiring Giordano, particularly if the Kraken are prepared to keep his money. One of the clubs that is allegedly interested is the New York Rangers. Giordano may be traded before the trade deadline if the Kraken aren’t in playoff contention by February.
Emphasis on physique and personality
Jamie Oleksiak, who signed a five-year contract with the Kraken, is the player who has been with the team the longest. One of the first things Francis said about Oleksiak was that he is 6-foot-7 and is “one of the game’s biggest players.”
Physicality was a common thread throughout several of the Kraken’s picks. Brandon Tanev was praised on the radio for his ability to block shots. Adam Larsson, who signed a four-year deal, is renowned for his toughness.
The Kraken needed players who were ready to buy in to be a part of something bigger than themselves, thus locker room culture was just as essential.
On the broadcast, coach Dave Hakstol stated, “The message is this: Let’s come together, let’s play hard for one another, and let’s play hard for the city of Seattle.” “We want a bunch of players that understand what it takes to be a great teammate, a competitive teammate, and who push each other to be the best they can be. We want a locker room full of unselfish players who know how to go out and play hard together and win together.”
Yanni Gourde has a solid 200-foot game and is expected to return to the ice as the Kraken’s No. 1 center after he recovers from shoulder surgery. Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
But not yet, Yanni.
We all know the Lightning were above the salary cap (legally!) when they won the Stanley Cup for the second time last month. When the season resumes in October, it won’t fly, and GM Julien BriseBois will have to make difficult financial choices.
When you combine the Lightning’s salary limit constraints with the fact that they have one of the deepest rosters in the league, you have a lot of good alternatives for the Kraken to choose from. Veteran forwards Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn, as well as young potential defender Cal Foote, might have been chosen by Seattle.
Yanni Gourde was chosen by Seattle, which should come as no surprise. Gourde, 29, has already established himself as one of the league’s most underappreciated two-way centers. He plays a tough style of hockey that the Kraken obviously want, and he should be able to step in as the team’s No. 1 center straight immediately.
Gourde, on the other hand, will not be on the roster for the first game. The current Stanley Cup champion had shoulder surgery this week and expects to return to the ice in November provided everything goes well.
Mr. Eberle’s exhilarating journey
Jordan Eberle was one of the most well-known athletes chosen by the Kraken on Wednesday. He has 241 goals and 301 assists in 779 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders.
He said that he didn’t know much about Seattle “apart from obviously watching the Seahawks on TV and knowing their love for that club.” “But being here today and seeing the crowds and boats behind us, as well as how enthusiastic everyone is, I think it’s really amazing. I’m honored to be a part of it “he said
Eberle had an interesting journey to Seattle, where he was chosen from the Islanders. He just had ten hours to get there in time for the live reveal.
“So I found out yesterday afternoon,” he said, “and the major hurry to come here was simply to get a COVID test so I could get on a plane and be here in Seattle.” “I arrived this morning, spent a couple of hours at the hotel, and then proceeded to this location. It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least. But the response we’ve received from the fans and the general public has been fantastic.”
According to local media, Eberle booked into his hotel under a false identity so that no one would know he was in Seattle.
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Marshawn Lynch, a former Seattle Seahawks player, announces the Kraken’s selection of Calle Jarnkrok.
We’re not suggesting that Seattle Seahawks legend Marshawn Lynch should host the NHL entry draft’s first round this weekend, given his incredible trifecta of surprise over Calle Jarnkrok’s name, assuming it was the first overall pick, and then renaming the former Nashville Predators forward “The Boy Boy Calle Tho.”
Every draft, we believe, should be hosted by Beastmode.
After seven years of playing in the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers are finally moving to the Eastern Conference. The Oilers will join the Arizona Coyotes in the Pacific Division, and they’ll play in their new home, Rogers Place, in downtown Edmonton. Rogers Place will also host the National Hockey League’s top level, the World Hockey Championship, and the Edmonton Oilers are also set to host the Heritage Classic, an outdoor pro hockey game between the Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks, in November.. Read more about seattle kraken schedule and let us know what you think.
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