Come to Seattle to play hockey. Come to Seattle to live on the water. Come to Seattle to get paid because Washington has no state income tax. And above all, come to Seattle so you can do all of those things while winning games.
Now sign your name on the dotted line.
It is more than likely Ron Francis’ sales pitch to free agents is probably going to be more nuanced than that. Those items, however, are expected to be at the forefront when it comes to how the Seattle Kraken are seeking to entice the players seeking a new NHL home and a potential payday into joining their club. Free agency commences Wednesday with the Kraken possessing $30.7 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly.
Francis and his front office staff have more than just a lot of money to spend. They also have the green light from ownership to spend that money to create the sort of circumstances that can both shape the Kraken’s roster while also having an advantage in the landscape. History shows Francis know how to manage money and will not spend cap space just because it is there. He is expected to take a judicious approach and spend where necessary.
An initial glance of the Kraken’s roster following the expansion draft suggests Francis will spend money bolstering his forward corps. The Kraken already have a surplus of defensemen and it is possible Francis could look to move a few of them for what will either be more cap space, future assets or a player who can help them in an area of need.
