The Seattle Kraken officially revealed their roster during the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
Wednesday night, General Manager Ron Francis, supported by a host of big names including Sue Bird, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Marshawn Lynch, announced the 30 players who had been removed from their favorite teams during a special on ESPN.
The picks leaked earlier in the day so the names weren’t a surprise, but the Kraken caught some big fish anyway: Mark Giordano, Adam Larsson, Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Tanev and Jordan Eberle. In addition to Oleksiak, Tanev, Eberle and goalkeeper Chris Driedger, Giordano, who will certainly take over the captaincy, was also present.
Following the Kraken’s pick and initial rumors, Sporting News officially announced the players who are now part of the 32nd NHL franchise.
SN’S MOCK EXPANSION DRAFT: Carey Price, Vladimir Tarasenko headlines
Seattle Kraken Squad
The Kraken had to pick at least 14 strikers, nine defenders and three goalkeepers. Twenty of the 30 players selected were required to have contracts for 2021-22 and all contracts had to meet the cap (the cap for 2021-22 is $ 81.5 million). Also, a quick reminder: The Golden Knights were exempt from losing a player.
| TEAM | PLAYER | POS | CAP-HIT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim ducks | Haydn Fleury | D. | $ 1.3 million |
| Arizona coyotes | Tyler Pitlick | RW | $ 1.75 million |
| Boston Bruins | Jeremy Lauzon | D. | $ 850K |
| Buffalo saber | Will borrow | D. | RFA |
| Calgary flames | Mark Giordano | D. | $ 6.75M |
| Carolina Hurricanes | Morgan Geekie | C / W | RFA |
| Chicago Blackhawks | John Quenneville | LW | $ 750K |
| Colorado avalanche | Joonas Donskoi | RW | $ 3.9 million |
| Columbus blue jackets | Gavin Bayreuther | D. | UFA |
| Dallas stars | Jamie Oleksiak | D. | UFA |
| Detroit Red Wings | Dennis Cholowski | D. | $ 894K |
| Edmonton Oilers | Adam Larsson | D. | UFA |
| Florida panther | Chris Dryger | G | UFA |
| Los Angeles Kings | Kurtis MacDermid | D. | $ 875K |
| Minnesota Wild | Carson Soucy | D. | $ 2.75 million |
| Montreal Canada | Cale Fleury | D. | RFA |
| Nashville Predators | Jarnkrok Street | C / W | $ 2 million |
| New Jersey Devils | Nathan Bastian | RW | $ 825K |
| Residents of New York | Jordan Eberle | RW | $ 5.5 million |
| New York Rangers | Colin Blackwell | C / W | $ 725K |
| Ottawa Senators | Joey okay | G | $ 750K |
| Philadelphia flyer | Carsen Twarynski | LW | RFA |
| Pittsburgh penguins | Brandon Tanev | LW | $ 3.5 million |
| San Jose sharks | Alexander True | C. | RFA |
| St. Louis Blues | Vince Dunn | D. | RFA |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Yanni Gourde | C. | $ 5.17 million |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Jared McCann | C / W | $ 2.94 million |
| Vancouver Canucks | Kole Lind | RW | RFA |
| Washington capitals | Vitek Vanecek | G | $ 717K |
| Winnipeg jets | Mason Appleton | RW | $ 900K |
DRAFT EXTENSION: Protected Lists | Players available
Rumors of NHL Expansion Draft
(All times are Easter)
9:39 pm – Side deals and trades weren’t announced, so it sounds like none were made.
9:32 pm – The final choice is the now ex-Canuck Kole Lind.
9:25 pm – Mark Giordano: “This is the first time in my career that I have ever been drafted.” In all likelihood he’s the first team captain.
9:02 pm – Big toothless grin from Jamie Oleksiak as Dominic Moore says he’s the toughest player in the entire NHL.
8:52 pm – Krakens home opener will take place on October 23 against the nearby Canucks.
8:47 pm – Brandon Tanev is the choice of the penguins and he’s in Seattle. They show his headshot from last year and he’s a good sport.
8:32 pm – Many thought it was Jake Bean, but it’s Morgan Geekie who has ties to the region (played for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans) as the Hurricanes pick.
8:23 pm – Chris Fowler takes a chance on the Leafs playoff drought. . . before announcing Jared McCann.
8:20 pm – Ron Francis says Price was discussed but the team “decided to go in a different direction.”
8:18 pm – Chris Dryedger is in Seattle wearing the new Kraken home shirt.
8:13 pm – Three picks (Lauzon, Borgen, Cholowski). Three defense attorneys. Combined 194 NHL games, with Chowloski playing the most, 104.
8:10 p.m. – The first man to leave is Jeremy Lauzon of the Bruins, someone who Krakens assistant coach Jay Leach of Providence (AHL) knows well.
8:02 pm – Here we go. Gary Bettman is being booed. Hockey lives in Seattle.
7:39 pm – This will count towards one of the 20 players required to be under contract for 2021-22.
Jamie Oleksiak & SEA is five years old, approximately $ 4.6 million
– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 21, 2021
5:45 pm – The last piece of the puzzle.
Dennis Cholowski.
This is the Seattle pick from Detroit.
Apparently the octopuses couldn’t reach him for most of the day.
– Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) July 21, 2021
3 pm – There is only one team left. Who was taken from the Red Wings? All signs point to Troy Stecher, but based on other tips, who knows?
12:31 pm – One of the biggest surprises with the expansion draft so far was Seattle not choosing Max Domi from the Blue Jackets and instead getting a 27-year-old defender who played nine NHL games in 2020/21.
The #CBJ did not make any side agreements with #SeaKraken regarding the selection of D. Gavin Bayreuther.
– Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) July 21, 2021
12:05 pm – Hurricanes defender Jake Bean was Carolina’s putative choice, but Seattle goes with Morgan Geekie instead.
Another interesting development: There were a lot of lines drawn between #Canes and #SeaKraken and who could Ron Francis choose from a team that knows their stuff so well.
Sounds like the pick would be Morgan Geekie, a player he picked in 2017. @DFOHockey
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
11:58 am – Seattle’s election from the Jets could suggest that Winnipeg has negotiated a side deal to prevent the Kraken from taking defense attorney Dylan DeMelo.
Winnipeg Jets loses Mason Appleton to the Kraken.
– Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 21, 2021
11:53 am – So far, Seattle’s GM Ron Francis has been careful to avoid bloated contracts.
Hearing the #SeaKraken saved more valuable canopy space by handing over to Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene in Nashville.
The belief is that they will choose Calle Järnkrok instead.
– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 21, 2021
11:45 am – Seattle may have found its first captain in 37-year-old Mark Giordano, plucked by Pacific Division’s new rival Flames.
BREAKING – I can confirm that the Seattle Kraken have selected Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano as their pick for the expansion draft that will be announced tonight.
– Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) July 21, 2021
11:37 am – Seattle reportedly sourced its goalkeepers from Florida, Washington, and Ottawa.
Sounds like the three goalkeepers chosen by #SeaKraken will be Chris Driedger (FLA), Vitek Vanecek (WSH) and Joey Daccord (OTT). @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
11:33 am – Kaapo Kahkonen has been widely speculated as one of Seattle’s goalie selections.
At the moment I have the impression that the Kraken did NOT take the #mnwild goalkeeper Kaapo Kahkonen.
We will see. If that’s true, that would leave Carson Soucy, Victor Rask, Nick Bjugstad, Brennan Menell, and Free Agents / Minor Leaguers
– Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 21, 2021
11:30 a.m. – The NHL Expansion Draft has been a buzzkill for anyone hoping for chaos. Gabriel Landeskog, an upcoming UFA, won’t be Seattle’s choice from Colorado.
I know that some fans are surprised … but to hear that SEA has not reached an agreement with Gabriel Landeskog.
– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 21, 2021
11:21 am – That means Alex Kerfoot will stay in Toronto.
His stay in Toronto was short-lived. The #SeaKraken will select Jared McCann from the # leaves.
The bottom line: Toronto traded potential Filip Hallander and a 7th round pick to Pittsburgh to essentially protect their squad from Seattle. @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
11:16 am – Another big name that won’t travel to Seattle.
Sources say #SeaKraken also passed on another high profile big money player: Vladimir Tarasenko.
Subject to change, but sounds like the #stlblues pick will be Vince Dunn. @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
11:10 am – It seems Carey Price was just talk for Seattle.
According to sources, the Kraken did NOT choose Carey Price in the draft extension. It remains the property of the Montreal Canadiens @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 2021
11:07 am – Could Vladimir Tarasenko be at the center of one of the greatest sideline businesses today?
If the Kraken takes Tarasenko off the blues (and I have no confirmation of that) that there are teams out there who have already told Seattle they would swap for him if the Kraken kept the salary … @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 2021
10:40 am – Brandon Tanev is the penguin type? Interesting.
Early news is that #SeaKraken has targeted Brandon Tanev from the #pens.
Kraken is already unfolding to be difficult to play. With Brandon in the Kraken episode, I’m looking forward to potential Tanev vs Tanev Brother matches in the Pacific. @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
10 am – The Kraken presented all of the deets to the NHL. Now we are waiting.
9:57 am – Another UFA pending, but time is running out when things have to be submitted to the NHL.
The Kraken had contract talks with the outstanding UFA Jaden Schwartz, but ended up not signing it while the window was just closed, a source confirms. So the Kraken’s choice will be a different blues player. You know? Tarasenko? @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 2021
MORE: Everything you need to know about extension design
9:05 am – A little shocking that Larsson doesn’t sign with the Oilers, who allegedly offered him similar money.
In addition to Frank’s coverage, Adam Larsson has a four-year deal with #SeaKraken – he hears it will be a $ 4 million AAV.
Seattle imprisoned him during his exclusive UFA / RFA interview period. https://t.co/7HAV5aVD3C
– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 21, 2021
9:42 a.m. – Any thought of the Kraken taking anyone but Gourde seems crushed.
Early news is that #SeaKraken focused on one player from #GoBolts: Yanni Gourde.
Not entirely clear how tonight is going to work. Teams wondering if he’s the only Tampa player going to Seattle? Could change. But it makes sense that Gourde will be an Kraken before the night is over. @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
8:58 am – The first news is coming. If it is indeed Larsson and Oleksiak, they will be the only players Seattle can pick from the Oilers and Stars respectively.
Early news is that #SeaKraken is signing deals with two UFA defenders: Adam Larsson (EDM) and Jamie Oleksiak (DAL).
Not completed. But aside from last minute changes, these players are expected to be the pick of #Oilers and #GoStars. @DFOHocky
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021
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