Bobservations: 'We're Going to Get This Right'

When Kraken scouts and hockey operations executives evaluate players, they are looking for players who are high-level skaters equipped to handle the warp speed of today's game. Another must: Find players with a high hockey IQ, equating to the intelligence and instinct to know where to be on the ice, making nanosecond decisions to move the puck toward a scoring chance or keep the puck out of their own net.
There's one more essential ingredient for how Kraken GM Ron Francis intends to build the NHL's 32nd franchise into a winner. Character. Easy to say the word and, much harder, way harder, to forecast the level of character in a 17-year-old amateur or an unrestricted free agent who possesses a scoring touch all Seattle fans covet right about now.

Francis joined the Kraken in July of 2019. Here's what he said that summer day he was hired:
"Character is important. You need character players to get you through the tough times. It is certainly easy to exhibit character when things are going well. We do our homework on how someone reacts to adversity."
Francis didn't mention character Tuesday when meeting with local media for nearly a half hour after practice. He didn't have to. He exuded the stand-up character he has brought to NHL rinks since he debuted in the league at 18.
The Seattle GM - who, no small side note, is the foundational architect and builder of a Carolina Hurricanes franchise that currently leads the Eastern Conference in standings points (second overall in the NHL) - faced the reality of a 16-34-5 record in his opening remarks.
"It's obvious the way the season has gone we're not going to make the playoffs," said Francis when asked about his philosophy for the NHL trade deadline three weeks away. "At this point you look at your team. There are pieces [players] you want to keep, believe are core pieces.
"If teams are calling on other pieces, you have to have those discussions. You see what the offers are. If there's a move that makes sense, you go ahead and do that."
One of the most likely moves is trading 38-year-old captain Mark Giordano, whose own character is similarly off the charts. Francis and Giordano have talked about the possibility, which would afford Giordano another run at winning his first Stanley Cup this spring and Francis with what is presumed to be the GM's asking price, an early-round draft pick.
Other players will be moved for draft choices or young prospects or both. The idea is to gather assets that can turn into future players for the Kraken and/or be used to sweeten an offseason trade for NHL players.
The names you will hear the most are forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Marcus Johansson, but there will be other Kraken players discussed with the other 31 teams-maybe even a surprise or two-that will keep Francis and assistant GMs Ricky Olczyk and Jason Botterill on their cell phones for long hours, days and nights right through to March 21.
The Kraken brain trust has identified a core of players they want to keep as building blocks for next season's team. But Francis didn't rule out any possibilities as March arrives.
"You have to be open for anybody [to be traded with the right offer]," said Francis. "You identify who you want to be part of your team. It is going to take a significant piece to change that direction. But if [Wayne] Gretzky gets traded, anybody can get traded."

Francis acknowledged while Jarnkrok (a hot scorer lately) or Johansson (a dependable two-way forward who is valuable on the power play) might be moved at the trade deadline, they are both on expiring contracts that leave open the possibility they could choose to rejoin the Kraken next fall.
"Some of it depends on what teams call and ask for," said Francis. "You can always trade guys and see what happens over summer. Those two guys have played for us every night and we appreciate it."
The trade deadline is the starting point to better results, to be followed by younger American Hockey League callups getting more playing time as trades deplete the usual lineup. Forward Kole Lind is likely to skate on the fourth line Wednesday night when Nashville visits. Fellow AHL Charlotte teammates Alexander True and Cale Fleury are expected back to help determine who can be part of the 2022-23 active roster.
Forward Matty Beniers, top prospect from the 2021 draft, impressed Francis during Team USA's games at the Beijing Olympics. Beniers is starring for a loaded University of Michigan team that has 13 NHL draft picks (seven first-rounders) and hopes to win a national championship.
Whether it's late March after regionals or early April if Michigan advances to the Final Four, Beniers and his agent are expected to ask for a contract that would begin in April, effectively "burning" the first year of his entry-level contract but playing in only 10 to 15 Kraken games. During a call with national media Tuesday, Beniers expressed his focus in on winning a national championship but that, yes, he does feel prepared to compete at the NHL level.
From there, the NHL Draft in which Seattle anticipates a high pick and opening of free agency in July, will be pivotal storylines to constructing next year's roster. Anyone who doubts Francis is not up to the task, is both overlooking his front-office history and not understanding how teams are built on a longer term than 50-some games played during the inaugural season.
Beniers is a top-two pick. It's highly probable the Kraken will be picking top-five or top-six July 7. For context, Francis pointed out 14 of the 16 NHL teams that made the conference finals over the last four postseasons have featured at least two top-10 first-round draft picks. He added Tampa Bay "had six and won back-to-back [Stanley] Cups."
This summer is where the future and present will meet in roster-building.
"We are very focused on what we are doing to add the right pieces," said Francis, who next reviewed the Kraken have lost 12 one-goal games and eight more that were one-goal losses turned into two-goal deficits due to empty-net scores.
"So, we're close, right?" said Francis. "By adding the right pieces, whether up front or on the back end, we turn one-goal losses into one-goal wins and we get better next year. We want to continue to get better every year for our fans."
When he accepted the job, Francis said he and fellow GMs joked that it would be best to be the second general manager for Seattle rather than the first, mostly because of the Vegas success in its opening season.
"We appreciate the fans, the ones who come to the rink very supportive in tough times," said Francis. "The guys appreciate it.
"We're going to get this right and move forward. It's going to be a fun journey when we get there to say, hey, 'I was there when this happened and now look where we are now.' That's our goal to improve and get better every day."