Kraken 2025-26 Offseason (different but the same??)

[Fuhrious]

Ancient history perhaps, but it’s hard for me to NOT factor in that Dunn acted petulant when he was unhappy with his situation in STL to the point I think they were happy to be rid of him?

 

[majormajor]

Dunn has a lot of trade value so if there's any hint that he's unhappy with staying here, you have to start including him in trade concepts. We only have so much to work with to get high end players in trade. It sounds like Francis is very willing to move picks but a large majority of teams are trying to get better for next year and won't move top players for picks.

Really good combination of character and skill.

Montour's character is what sells him for me. A goal scoring D-man but also a great attitude. He plays a big uplifting role for our team, or at least will when we get out of our rebuild. Someone who can be light-hearted and fiercely competitive at the same time - that's a wonderful thing to have in the room.

I was lookin at our teams stats this weekend and did a double take when I saw that too. And the next closest teammate is at +6. Still good for 25 points this season as well.

Much better for sure.

I think Oleksiak has value simply because of his size and how other GM's view him. In my mind replace him and pair Montour with a more steady stay-at-home D-man who is mobile and can skate. Should make that pairing much more effective.

Regarding Dunn, I know he never seemed like a fast skater but he just seems slow this season. Not sure if its an injury, something mental or just lack of interest. Either way, the team depends a lot on him for our offense. The team's offensive production is noticeably worse without him on the roster. So like you said, hopefully Francis evaluates this carefully before throwing money at Dunn. When he is on, he does play like a #1D. Or close to it. But does he want to be here?

If you wanted to trade Oleksiak (and I think we should have wanted to) the best time is the deadline when teams pay up for size. In the summers I think his contract is zero or possibly a bit negative.

 

[kihei]

Ancient history perhaps, but it’s hard for me to NOT factor in that Dunn acted petulant when he was unhappy with his situation in STL to the point I think they were happy to be rid of him?

Addition by subtraction maybe. So often Dunn's play has seemed aimless and inattentive. He looks like he wants out of here some nights, and more and more I'm thinking we should accomodate him for the good of the team.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Addition by subtraction maybe. So often Dunn's play has seemed aimless and inattentive. He looks like he wants out of here some nights, and more and more I'm thinking we should accomodate him for the good of the team.

The bolded are the main reasons I am a little concerned about him. I know Francis has talked the big talk about playoffs and signed players like Montour and Stephenson last off-season to help but obviously it has been an unmitigated disaster.

If Dunn is done with the "growing pains" of an expansion franchise and only want to show up when things are going well, or when he wants to, it would be easier to move him and possibly even take a step back at the expense of getting a better fit. Someone who is a better skater, and more committed to playing D than cheating for offense.

Francis needs to talk to him to figure out if he has a future on this team. If not, move him and use the assets to potentially get a younger top-4 D man via trade. I expect Dunn's return on a trade will be good enough for us to do that.

 

[dylanmacarthur]

First we should fire Ron Francis.

Second, we should trade anybody over the age of 30.

Then we should tank (like we should have done years ago) and start a hard reset. This team is hot garbage with no hope of a Stanley cup winning core emerging from our current prospect pool.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Forget firing Francis, Bylsma is the problem. Coaching decisions like riding Daccord like a horse and not playing our kids at end of season are the problem. The roster is what it is, we didn't get lucky, it's fine. Francis has still made some smart moves.

 

[Fuhrious]

First we should fire Ron Francis.

Second, we should trade anybody over the age of 30.

Then we should tank (like we should have done years ago) and start a hard reset. This team is hot garbage with no hope of a Stanley cup winning core emerging from our current prospect pool.

Lmao Blackhawks been “tanking” for 5 years now, longer than the Kraken franchise has even existed. How’s that working out for them?

 

[Dead Coyote]

Lmao Blackhawks been “tanking” for 5 years now, longer than the Kraken franchise has even existed. How’s that working out for them?

Probably better than the Kraken considering I'd take Bedard/Carlsson/Fantilli over anything the Kraken have.

At least we might get McKenna which the Hawks are unlikely to do.

I get what you're saying though. When Armstrong came in he quoted the rebuild period as taking 7-14 years before it's done.

 

[Fuhrious]

No clue why you mention Carlsson or Fantilli. Did Anaheim or CBJ ever straight up TANK like Chicago has been doing for 5 seasons? Nope. Absolute gong show of a franchise, but sure let’s follow their lead.

 

[kihei]

I think tanking is like underarm serving in tennis. Yes, it is a strategy but it only works about 5% of the time. So its allure, if that is what one could call it, is outweighed by its ineffectiveness.

 

[Dead Coyote]

No clue why you mention Carlsson or Fantilli. Did Anaheim or CBJ ever straight up TANK like Chicago has been doing for 5 seasons? Nope. Absolute gong show of a franchise, but sure let’s follow their lead.

I don't think Chicago should even have a team, lmao. They should have been moved to Houston or Utah instead of Arizona. I mentioned Carlsson and Fantilli because Chicago (or any other team that finished last) was guaranteed one of those 3 players (or Michkov) and because it should be one of the best drafts in history...the kind of draft everyone tanks for.

I wasn't even advocating for tanking but it's a real and objective fact that the players at the top end of the draft are better than the rest and that 1st overall will generally be the best pick in the draft.

2026 is another draft coming up that looks similar, but even better than 2023.

My philosophy has ALWAYS been that you want veteran leadership and a good culture on your team, and that teams shouldn't sell off all of their vets. That is however a very far cry from potentially moving out McCann, Dunn, Montour, etc and potentially dropping a few more spots in the standings. Ideally we would be able to sell off everyone, finish 1-3 for a few years, and THEN get veteran leadership but that's not really how it works and not something we can do.

Regardless I'm still an advocate as well that Francis doesn't need to make any major changes. I would prefer that he did, but regardless of where we finish this team isn't a single McKenna away from winning. It would help a f*** ton, but there are other paths to winning as well.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Regardless I'm still an advocate as well that Francis doesn't need to make any major changes. I would prefer that he did, but regardless of where we finish this team isn't a single McKenna away from winning. It would help a f*** ton, but there are other paths to winning as well.

Pick a direction. That's all I care about. Either commit to continue drafting and load up on prospects till some of them click. i.e 2-3 years more to see how Catton, Rehkopf, Sale, Firkus, whoever we get this season, etc. click at the NHL level.

If you don't want to wait and win today, then make some moves that actually make that possible. No half-assed effort like adding a Stephenson, Burakovsky, etc. level of talent. Actually go for players who are game changers even if it costs picks/prospects. You don't have to sacrifice the future completely, but some risks need to be taken if you choose to go this route.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Pick a direction. That's all I care about. Either commit to continue drafting and load up on prospects till some of them click. i.e 2-3 years more to see how Catton, Rehkopf, Sale, Firkus, whoever we get this season, etc. click at the NHL level.

If you don't want to wait and win today, then make some moves that actually make that possible. No half-assed effort like adding a Stephenson, Burakovsky, etc. level of talent. Actually go for players who are game changers even if it costs picks/prospects. You don't have to sacrifice the future completely, but some risks need to be taken if you choose to go this route.

Building via FA definitely isn't possible and if we do want to make the playoffs and win then I agree that we need to make trades to get there.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Pick a direction. That's all I care about. Either commit to continue drafting and load up on prospects till some of them click. i.e 2-3 years more to see how Catton, Rehkopf, Sale, Firkus, whoever we get this season, etc. click at the NHL level.

If you don't want to wait and win today, then make some moves that actually make that possible. No half-assed effort like adding a Stephenson, Burakovsky, etc. level of talent. Actually go for players who are game changers even if it costs picks/prospects. You don't have to sacrifice the future completely, but some risks need to be taken if you choose to go this route.

Well, we've been talking about that for quite some time.

I expect another offseason like last season with B-Level free agents and a trade for a good(but not great) player.

And then we're "competitive" again...

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Well, we've been talking about that for quite some time.

I expect another offseason like last season with B-Level free agents and a trade for a good(but not great) player.

And then we're "competitive" again...

Could be. But if that is the way Francis chooses to go again, then it really reflects on his issues as a GM. Does he really think that doing the same thing again will have different results? And that management or the fans actually think signing another B-grade player will make an impact on our team performance?

I certainly don't know what Francis is thinking but it is his job on the line here. It is a situation of his own making but his future will be tied to what happens next season UNLESS he goes the route of stacking more high picks via off-season trades. If he is stacking picks, I would guess he has more leeway from management and that management does not necessarily want to win now, but just be better. We can do that without adding to the roster and maybe just improving the coaching without really moving any futures.

The next few months will be very telling.

That being said, my gut tells me that Francis is not going to be quiet this off-season. He is certainly going to try and improve the team and like you, my gut tells me it may just end up being a B-grade player I am hoping that I am wrong.

 

[kihei]

Could be. But if that is the way Francis chooses to go again, then it really reflects on his issues as a GM. Does he really think that doing the same thing again will have different results? And that management or the fans actually think signing another B-grade player will make an impact on our team performance?

I certainly don't know what Francis is thinking but it is his job on the line here. It is a situation of his own making but his future will be tied to what happens next season UNLESS he goes the route of stacking more high picks via off-season trades. If he is stacking picks, I would guess he has more leeway from management and that management does not necessarily want to win now, but just be better. We can do that without adding to the roster and maybe just improving the coaching without really moving any futures.

The next few months will be very telling.

That being said, my gut tells me that Francis is not going to be quiet this off-season. He is certainly going to try and improve the team and like you, my gut tells me it may just end up being a B-grade player I am hoping that I am wrong.

I've always preferred the building through the draft option, but I'm getting ever closer to the just-pick-a-direction point of view. What I don't want is another off-season like the last one which led not to a team capable of competing to squeak into the Playoffs but to the dullest, least engaging, continuously frustrating hockey in Kraken history. We seemed to have an identity in the first two years of a scrappy, fast-skating team that every night gave better teams fits through hard-work and persistence. This year's team was a far cry from that. Francis needs to show more creativity this off-season than he may possess.

 

[Kevinsane]

I've always preferred the building through the draft option, but I'm getting ever closer to the just-pick-a-direction point of view. What I don't want is another off-season like the last one which led not to a team capable of competing to squeak into the Playoffs but to the dullest, least engaging, continuously frustrating hockey in Kraken history. We seemed to have an identity in the first two years of a scrappy, fast-skating team that every night gave better teams fits through hard-work and persistence. This year's team was a far cry from that. Francis needs to show more creativity this off-season than he may possess.

Amen. I don’t really care so much about wins and losses per se as I do about competitiveness. There have been wholly uncompetitive losses this year, but also wins where the Kraken simply played less awful than the other team. People watch and buy tickets to be entertained. Play a bunch of hardworking kids that never quit, or sign veterans that don’t blow two goal leads every frickin’ home game. Whatever. But pick one and make the Kraken a fun team to watch.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Amen. I don’t really care so much about wins and losses per se as I do about competitiveness. There have been wholly uncompetitive losses this year, but also wins where the Kraken simply played less awful than the other team. People watch and buy tickets to be entertained. Play a bunch of hardworking kids that never quit, or sign veterans that don’t blow two goal leads every frickin’ home game. Whatever. But pick one and make the Kraken a fun team to watch.

A few others and I mentioned this already but can't be both bad and boring. This season offered very little entertainment unless you enjoy inflicting pain on yourself.

 

[Kevinsane]

A few others and I mentioned this already but can't be both bad and boring. This season offered very little entertainment unless you enjoy inflicting pain on yourself.

“You can’t be both bad and boring.” That’s a tremendous assessment.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Could be. But if that is the way Francis chooses to go again, then it really reflects on his issues as a GM. Does he really think that doing the same thing again will have different results? And that management or the fans actually think signing another B-grade player will make an impact on our team performance?

I certainly don't know what Francis is thinking but it is his job on the line here. It is a situation of his own making but his future will be tied to what happens next season UNLESS he goes the route of stacking more high picks via off-season trades. If he is stacking picks, I would guess he has more leeway from management and that management does not necessarily want to win now, but just be better. We can do that without adding to the roster and maybe just improving the coaching without really moving any futures.

The next few months will be very telling.

That being said, my gut tells me that Francis is not going to be quiet this off-season. He is certainly going to try and improve the team and like you, my gut tells me it may just end up being a B-grade player I am hoping that I am wrong.

Well, what the hell was he thinking last offseason?

He went big with a free agent class that no one thought was good and(with one game to go) build a bottom five team that, because of financial reasons, couldn't even field a full roster at the start of the season.

To be honest, I'm not sure how he's still the GM of the Kraken at this point.

Though, given that he's still around I hope he tries to bring in talent by trade and not in free agency.
Unless Marner, for whatever reason besides and insane amount of money, chooses Seattle in free agency(if he ver makes it there) there's no reason to try and go for the rest of the free agent class and do the usual overpayment for an older guy.

So hopefully Francis uses his assets to bring in guys via trade, sign- and trade or offer sheets.

If not, Chandler "Cups" Stephensson 2.0 will be the result in this years offseason.

A few others and I mentioned this already but can't be both bad and boring. This season offered very little entertainment unless you enjoy inflicting pain on yourself.

Well, the Kraken have been trying very hard to make that happen.

I really loathed following a team that was out of the playoff race by around mid December and started winning some games after the TDL when there was no more pressure etc.

BTW: I'm also really unimpressed by Bylsma. I don't think he's anything special coaching wise unless he has prime Crosby and Malkin on his roster.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Though, given that he's still around I hope he tries to bring in talent by trade and not in free agency.
Unless Marner, for whatever reason besides and insane amount of money, chooses Seattle in free agency(if he ver makes it there) there's no reason to try and go for the rest of the free agent class and do the usual overpayment for an older guy.

So hopefully Francis uses his assets to bring in guys via trade, sign- and trade or offer sheets.

I know I am in the minority on our boards but I think Marner could be a great piece for us to have. But I see a very little chance that he leaves Toronto. And if he does, I am pretty sure he will have better destinations that ours UNLESS he decides he wants to be the guy on a team, in which case, he will easily be that guy.

I definitely see Francis targeting trades. I am not sure if he goes making offersheets unless its like a last ditch effort because while it could piss off other GM's, he may not even be around to deal with them.

BTW: I'm also really unimpressed by Bylsma. I don't think he's anything special coaching wise unless he has prime Crosby and Malkin on his roster.

It is hard to be impressed by a coach who ended up winning fewer games and with fewer points that his predecessor did.

 

[kihei]

It is hard to be impressed by a coach who ended up winning fewer games and with fewer points that his predecessor did.

Excellent point.

 

[Fuhrious]

I know I am in the minority on our boards but I think Marner could be a great piece for us to have. But I see a very little chance that he leaves Toronto. And if he does, I am pretty sure he will have better destinations that ours UNLESS he decides he wants to be the guy on a team, in which case, he will easily be that guy.

I definitely see Francis targeting trades. I am not sure if he goes making offersheets unless its like a last ditch effort because while it could piss off other GM's, he may not even be around to deal with them.

It is hard to be impressed by a coach who ended up winning fewer games and with fewer points that his predecessor did.

Re: Marner, one thing I learned from the Trade subforum recently is that every single team anticipates having a boatload of open cap space this off-season. In a “free spending” competitive climate like that, I think there is a zero % chance Marner goes to a team like Seattle.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Re: Marner, one thing I learned from the Trade subforum recently is that every single team anticipates having a boatload of open cap space this off-season. In a “free spending” competitive climate like that, I think there is a zero % chance Marner goes to a team like Seattle.

Yeah. I have been following the general spaces and a lot of teams have a lot of cap space available for next season.

 

[The Marquis]

Excellent point.

Actually, the 24-25 Kraken won more games than the 23-24 Kraken. They have 35 this year as opposed to 34 last year. The difference in points lies with the loser point.

That said, I don't think the Kraken were a better team this year, BUT... I do think it is interesting how much better they played after the TDL. They were a pretty damn good team once they off-loaded a few players.

9-7-2 since the trade deadline. Last year they were an abysmal 6-13-2. They could have made the playoffs last year with a decent post deadline showing, but shat the bed.