In Ron we trust: Kraken ink general manager to three-year extension
By Charles Hamaker
Northgate, WA – A few weeks following the team's exit from their first ever trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Seattle Kraken have announced a contract extension for general manager Ron Francis. The NHL legend in his playing career and mastermind that helped to build the current Carolina Hurricanes team that impresses year in and year out will stay in Seattle through the 2026-27 season. While the Kraken as a team have only played two seasons, the turnaround from year one to two was monumental and the foundation that Francis and his staff have laid down should have Seattle winning for years to come. The move locks up a vital member of the front office that’s been instrumental in creating the successful Seattle organization that we’ve seen, and it’s no doubt that Francis will continue to help this franchise move forward with purpose and vision as they pursue a Stanley Cup Championship.
From left to right: Tod Leiweke, Ron Francis, and Samantha Holloway as the three announced Francis’ extension as the general manager of the Seattle Kraken (Photo by Charles Hamaker)
An obvious move
This extension for Francis was a no-brainer for a multitude of reasons, whether that be; the foundation that he’s put in place at the NHL level, the prospect pool he’s amassed in only two seasons, the success of this past year's team, to name a few. While there were numerous struggles that came in putting the first roster together due to COVID and how opposing teams viewed the expansion draft after Las Vegas, Francis and the front office stuck to the plan in place and it paid off this past season. With that aforementioned foundation being built, the stockpile of draft picks that came about at the 2021-22 trade deadline, additions this past offseason, it was hammered home how easy of a decision it was to extend Francis. While I’ve listed the NHL team's progression and success, Ron’s impact goes much further than that, per Samantha Holloway and Tod Leiweke.
“It’s been a fun journey getting to know Ron and meet him at first. Ron’s big deal, right? We’re lucky to have him here, you go into it knowing; ‘Wow, this guy was a Hall of Famer, he was a tremendous player and he’s kind of done it all.’ But, when you get to know him, he is just the kindest person. He’s a great father, a husband. You can see his family. He’s great with his colleagues. He’s just a stand-up guy, which is the perfect person to build this organization because he has tremendous integrity. He cares so much about those players, he cares so much about doing this the right way; not about a short-term fix, but about long term vision. He’s fun to be around. It’s been great getting to know Ron, especially over the last year.”
“I think there’s an obvious window, right. He was going into last year I and he wanted to stay, we wanted him to stay. It was the easiest discussion ever, it made sense for everyone, he’s not done here. And we’re thrilled he’s here, not done here.”
What Ron’s built so far
Obviously two years is a very tight window to try and build a championship winning roster, especially from the ground up in this team's case due to it being an expansion side, but Francis has already done a quality job. Others around the NHL criticize the Kraken’s “small” prospect pool, and while it’s obviously not as big as others due to how long the franchise existed, Seattle has had notable names from make noise. Whether that be Matty Beniers appearing to be the face of the future for Seattle, draft picks like Ty Nelson becoming pleasant “surprises,” or someone like Tye Kartye stepping up for the Kraken in the playoffs. The job that Francis and the front office have done is putting the pieces in place for this team to be successful for years to come into the future, not just currently. Plenty of Lithium and Come and get your love will be played, and it might just get drilled into your brain, with how much the Kraken should succeed going forward.
“I think the first year was really frustrating for me and for our players. We couldn’t get out in the community; we couldn’t make that contact with our fans. This year was totally different with COVID easing up, I know our guys just absolutely love the support they get from the fans. They’re loud in that building man. I’d always heard what Seattle fans could do before I got here, I mean, they’re always famous for the 12s right with the Seahawks... Been in this game a long time and Game six, our building in the playoffs was as good as I’ve heard in any game in the National Hockey League. Not surprised, the fans have been absolutely tremendous from day one for us. I can’t thank them enough for their support and their enthusiasm. Our guys enjoy playing in front of them. I think when other teams come to town, and they see that kind of support, they think that it might not be a bad place to play. It’s good for the organization overall.”
An interesting note in what Francis has built, both literally and figuratively, is what Tod Leiweke said during the press conference that announced Francis’ extension. Leiweke, Chief Executive Officer with the team, said that Francis himself had a hands-on approach when it came to how the facilities that the Kraken and their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, were constructed. That sort of approach and guidance from a true legend of the game can be huge, as the facilities that the Kraken and Firebirds use have surely had an impact on their performance. Not only that, but numerous players and coaches from around the NHL have noted their appreciation for Climate Pledge Arena, while the Kraken Community Iceplex has become a popular destination for fans and hockey players alike.
“Ron was fundamental in building our facilities, locker rooms, Coachella Valley. In fact, he got his family involved. I remember a long weekend where he got drawings back and they weren’t what he wanted. He canceled family plans and gathered around the living room table and rebuilt those.”
“The facilities make a huge difference. The players, when they walk in the first time, they see something that is committed to excellence, and that is an inspiration. Coachella Valley, the same thing. We treated that team as though it was a big-time, big-league team and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our facilities between our arena, this facility and Coachella Valley, it’s phenomenal. Coachella Valley, there’s not a better setup... I think about it more as the disadvantage you don’t want to have, because I think many teams have excellent facilities. And if you don’t, that shows up. So, for us, we want to make sure that there’s none better There are lots that are good, but there’s none better. It makes a big difference. It does make a big difference and all of that had to be premeditated before the team shows up, obviously. This place I always called it junior varsity compared to the arena, but it’s pretty good junior varsity. ”
Franchise moving forward
Continuing with the theme of Francis playing a part in the Kraken building their brand and who they are not only on the ice but off it, Ron’s been credited with helping to push the growth of hockey in the Pacific Northwest since the Seattle organization brought him in. While he isn’t the one selling tickets or designing merchandise, the culture that’s being built from the top down and the positive relationship between the front office and ownership helps to push the organization forward as one unit. There isn’t division, or butting heads. It looks and sounds as though the Kraken as a franchise are putting their best foot forward to succeed as champions (one day, hopefully soon) on the ice and off it. Francis isn’t the sole reason why that’s happening, but Holloway and Leiweke say that he plays a huge part in it.
“Everything has made sense, since the beginning. He’s had a plan; he has been following it. He’s been keeping us closely in the loop. We obviously had great success this year. A lot of people say, ‘Oh, last year (2021-22), we didn’t win as much.’ Of course, but we had a tremendous amount of success around the organization for what we’ve done for Seattle and for building a brand. I would challenge folks that say that the first year was less of a success than its part of building something new. You just don’t get there at first, usually.”
“There’s a lot wrapped up in there. But what I’m taking from it is, this is a really transparent organization. It’s been really easy from an ownership perspective. To get right in and understand what’s going on, what Ron is thinking about what, Tod and Victor are thinking about. It’s different for us, because we did start during COVID when hockey operations really couldn’t have too much access to the front office literally because of COVID. This year, it’s opened up, we’re learning how to interact with each other and you know, what’s helpful and what’s not helpful for everybody. It’s been a really healthy process and there’s ups and downs but great learnings. I think will set us up great for year three. It has been really helpful to have very supportive ownership. Our entire executive committee is very open and very, very involved, but no one’s micromanaging. They’re involved because they like it. And it’s fun, right? That gives Ron and Tod the leeway to run the business as they see fit.”
Ron Francis and the front office have some interesting times upcoming, as Vince Dunn, Will Borgen, Daniel Sprong, and Carson Soucy have contract decisions to be made (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Any other potential extensions on the way?
With the news about Francis getting his extension, many were curious about when we may see other similar moves for the coaching staff and obviously the players. While Francis didn’t drop any sort of bomb or clue about when we may see news on players like Vince Dunn, he made it known that the front office is getting to work in preparing to back up the brinks truck for who they deem worthy. With the success that the team had last season and in trying to keep the group together that’s helping this team win, it was also wondered if we may see extensions for others around the organization, including head coach Dave Hakstol. Leiweke wouldn’t comment on that, but it doesn’t sound like it’s something the team isn’t considering.
“Sometimes we go ahead and do that, sometimes we don’t. Had discussions with some of the agents and some of the guys, just decided probably better off just to let them play, focus on playing and we would cover that once the seasons passed. We’re rolling up our sleeves and getting into that now and we’ll have a much clearer picture by July 1st.”
“I think that everything that you see is what’s going on here. There’s not a lot of subplots, Ron’s a straightforward guy. I think Hak did a terrific, terrific job. His assistants did a terrific job. Ron’s got a great staff. The whole thing has just been fantastic. We get to catch your breath a little bit. This summer feels a little different than last summer, that’s for sure. Now, we get to we get to cheer for a team to win the Calder cup, and I’m super into it and I just think it’s one of the coolest things ever.”
Could we see an extension for Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol soon? (Photo by Liv Lyons)
The upcoming draft
A big part of Francis’ responsibilities as general manager is the NHL entry draft, which is how Seattle has begun to build their future, including Matty Beniers and Shane Wright amongst others. The Kraken will continue to build their prospect pool this summer when the entry draft rolls around, and they have some draft capital to play with, which could be used to draft more future players or traded to acquire veterans. Seattle did just that this past offseason, when they brought in Oliver Bjorkstrand from Columbus in a somewhat surprisingly deal while also adding more potentially impactful players of the future, including Shane Wright with the fourth overall selection. With the potential to add more to the current and future rosters, Francis is keeping his eyes open for potential opportunities to deal while also getting prepped to make selections this June.
“I think as a GM you’re constantly talking to teams, you understanding where they are with their picks, whether that pick is movable, whether you want to move up, whether you want to move back and discussion with your amateur guys. you know, Discussions with your pro guys, whether there’s a player that makes sense to move a pick for or move a player to get a pick. There are all kinds of discussions that always happen but those things are kind of fluid. We’ll see how they go as we get closer to the draft. ”
In the state of Washington and Pacific Northwest region, there’s plenty of talent across the ten WHL teams that play in the Evergreen state and British Columbia. That includes the Seattle Thunderbirds, who have ten NHL-drafted players on their roster, and several undrafted players that will get great looks in this year's upcoming draft. Francis was seen at the Showare Center during the WHL Championship series that saw the Thunderbirds defeat the Winnipeg Ice, no doubt doing his due-diligence ahead of this year's selections with ten picks. While the Kraken haven’t drafted a player from one of the Washington teams in the WHL just yet, it’s bound to happen eventually and there are plenty of choices that could be on Francis’ draft board. That may or may not include Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic, who attended the 2021 training camp for the Kraken as an invitee.
“You have coverage all over no matter where you’re at. For me personally, if I was living in Raleigh with the hurricanes, I had to fly to catch an amateur or junior game. Here I can drive to Kent, I can drive to Everett, I can be back by 10 o’clock at night and with my family. That’s an added bonus for me. Not like catching the local team, but catching certain teams that you want to see as certain players come in here that are up in the draft. It’s a benefit for sure.”
Could the Seattle Kraken draft Seattle Thunderbirds star goaltender Thomas Milic (Photos by Liz Wolter)