SEATTLE — While the Seattle Kraken are again nearing mathematical elimination from the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, co-owner Tod Leiweke is confident the team can improve — and quickly.
“It’s not acceptable,” Leiweke said, “and we’re committed to fixing it.”
Entering Thursday’s game, Seattle is 32-34-11, has lost 10 of its last 11 games and is tied with the New York Rangers for the fourth-fewest points (75) of any team in the NHL. On Wednesday, the team announced that Ron Francis was out as president of hockey operations at the end of the season.
The Kraken said it was a mutual decision between the organization and Francis to part ways, and Leiweke added it would be a “fair assessment” to say the Hall of Famer was fatigued by his front office role.
Seattle is projected to have over $29 million in cap space this summer, per CapFriendly, and Leiweke would like general manager Jason Botterill to be at the helm of a “prolific” offseason when it comes to attracting free agents to the Pacific Northwest.
Since Seattle’s inception, the franchise has brought aboard proven commodities via free agency like forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour, each of whom are signed through the 2030-31 season. Otherwise, luring top talent to Seattle has proven a difficult endeavor, and the Kraken have relied on their prospects for reinforcements.
Seattle’s top minor league affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, have locked up a playoff spot in the American Hockey League and comprise one of the more heralded farm systems in the NHL.
From Leiweke’s perspective, the Kraken aren’t terribly far away from competing again for playoff spots. However, he would prefer for Seattle to be more than a fringe contender.
“What we want to build is not a team that just sneaks into the playoffs,” Leiweke said. “We think what we should be building here is a team that’s a perennial playoff team.”
The Kraken not only qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs in their second year of existence, the 2022-23 season, but they also advanced to the second round, in which they lost to the Dallas Stars in seven games.
“We saw the potential in year two,” Leiweke said. “It was incredible.”
If Seattle is to start competing in the Western Conference, more changes may be necessary for a team that is already on its third head coach in five seasons.
“Something is out of alignment here,” Leiweke said, “and we’re going to get it fixed.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
