The 3 biggest needs for the Seattle Kraken to address in the Draft and Free Agency
These are the three biggest needs for the Seattle Kraken to address in the Draft and Free Agency.
We’re right in the middle of what is rapidly proving to be a chaotic offseason in the National Hockey League, and a lot of that is down to the Seattle Kraken as they prepare for their inaugural season in 2021-22.
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After constructing their roster at the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft on Wednesday, there is still plenty of work to be done by Kraken General Manager Ron Francis and the rest of his front office, and a lot of that groundwork will be done over the coming days.
It starts with the First Round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft where Seattle holds the No. 2 overall pick, and they also have six other picks through Rounds 2-7 which means that they can really start to build their farm system.
Then, once the Draft is in the books, the Kraken will look to weaponize their treasure chest of cap space in Free Agency and they could look to make a splash with a big addition, or spend their money wisely on a number of different needs.
With all that in consideration, it is going to be a huge few days for Seattle and we’ve taken a closer look at the three biggest needs they will need to address…
The 3 big needs the Seattle Kraken will need to address in the Draft & Free Agency
3. Skill
The Seattle Kraken acquired a lot of grit and toughness at the 2021 Expansion Draft, selecting a lot of players that will ensure this team is incredibly hard to play against on a night-to-night basis.
From amassing a number of human wrecking balls on the backend to picking checking forwards who will be able to shut down opponents’ top lines, the Kraken have a roster that will play a hard-nosed brand of hockey in all three zones.
However, you need speed and skill in order to succeed in the National Hockey League and outside a handful of players, including top-six forward Jordan Eberle, the Kraken are lacking in the skill department in particular.
The good news is that they hold the No. 2 overall pick in the Draft – more on that later – and have just under $30 million in cap space, so they should be able to acquire or add a few difference makers that can ensure this lineup has balance come Opening Night.