How The Seattle Kraken Did During The Expansion Draft

It is official – the Seattle Kraken have made their picks during the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. It wasn’t easy, but the Kraken picked the guys who are now part of the roster. So, now that the Kraken have locked in their decisions, it is time to do a brief recap on how the new team performed. This article will not cover all the players that the Kraken picked.

Outcome of the 2021 NHL Expansions Draft

Yanni Gourde is definitely the right pick for the Kraken, as he provides some of the best forechecking and is truly an ideal two-way center. He is just what the Kraken need to add depth to their roster.

Then there’s Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Lauzon, who is actually pretty solid as a defenseman. He has proved to kill off many penalties, which is important should the case arise during a game.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jared McCann is definitely a perfect addition to the Kraken squad. He is one of the Leafs’ top players, for one, and was able to record 32 points in 32 games. McCann’s performance during last season was impressive. Additionally, he both started and ended the season strong, so the Kraken has a good player on their team.

Cale Fleury of the Montreal Canadiens probably wasn’t the “best” pick, considered he has had health problems in the past. He hasn’t really had the most productive season overall, so it is kind of unlikely that fans will get to see him in much NHL action right away.

Now, Chris Driedger from the Florida Panthers was definitely a terrific pick for the Kraken. He’s young and can certainly bring productivity to the ice. He is a good-quality goaltender, making him kind of tough to play against during hockey matches.

Will Borgen of the Buffalo Sabres may not have produced many contributions last season, but the Kraken decided this young 24-year old has some potential. We don’t know a lot about him to determine if he’s the right pick, but we’ll see what this young man gets to do if he gets some ice time this coming season.

Ottawa Senators’ Joey Daccord is ideal. He’s not perfect, but he’s not bad, either. Daccord could be a backup goalie or even get moved to the AHL until the Kraken determine that he’s 100% ready for NHL-level hockey.

Jordan Eberle of the New York Islanders was definitely the right pick for the Kraken. He is very productive offensively and has shown to be quite talented on the ice, so it will be interesting to see what he can do for this expansion team in a few months.

Coming Up Next For The Kraken

Now that the Kraken team is almost complete, it’s just about time to focus on October. Of course, for the Kraken, this will be an interesting season and quite a busy one, for sure.

They kick off their season on Oct. 12 against the Vegas Golden Knights, the 2017 NHL Expansion team. That game will begin a five-game road trip for the Kraken. The team’s very first home game is Oct. 23 against the Vancouver Canucks.

Additionally, the Kraken will enjoy a four-game homestand. There will be plenty of opportunity for this new team to play in front of their new arena in front of their fans.

Finally, let’s fast forward on to April. The Kraken will conclude their inagural season at home against the San Jose Sharks.

The upcoming season looks to be exciting, and there’s certainly no doubt that the Kraken are pumped up to get this season started.

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