SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken signed basic supervisor Ron Francis to a three-year contract extension on Wednesday by way of the 2026-27 season after the franchise reached the second spherical of the NHL playoffs in its second yr of existence.
Employed to be the primary GM in franchise historical past, Francis navigated by way of a tough first season and helped land the items that turned Seattle right into a playoff workforce within the second yr with out mortgaging future alternatives or placing the Kraken into difficult wage cap conditions.
“Ron has finished outstanding work during the last 4 years and deserves this recognition,” Seattle co-owner Samantha Holloway mentioned. “He has constructed an amazing workforce, placing Seattle hockey on the map. He’s constructing for long-term success and is devoted to our metropolis, our followers and our neighborhood.”
Seattle is the second cease for Francis as an government after spending seven seasons within the entrance workplace of the Carolina Hurricanes. Francis began as director of hockey operations earlier than turning into the final supervisor in 2014. Francis was let go by the Hurricanes after the 2018 season.
Seattle jumped on the probability to carry the Corridor of Fame participant in to steer the entrance workplace. Seattle’s growth season was a significant underachievement with the Kraken going 27-49-6 and ending final within the Pacific Division with 60 factors. However Francis was in a position to transfer veteran gamers to stockpile draft picks and left sufficient wage cap room to make some key strikes coming into the second season.
Seattle signed free agent ahead Andre Burakovksy, traded for winger Oliver Bjorkstrand and inserted rookie Matty Beniers into the lineup on Seattle’s high line from the primary day of the season. The outcomes on the ice could not be argued. Seattle went 46-28-8 and reached 100 factors, knocked off defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado within the first spherical of the playoffs earlier than falling to Dallas in seven video games within the convention semifinals.
Francis additionally caught with coach Dave Hakstol after that tough first season. He will be the subsequent in line for a contract extension from the workforce after a season the place he was acknowledged as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for high coach within the league.