Kraken, Panthers to share AHL's Charlotte Checkers next season

The expansion Seattle Kraken have to wait slightly longer than originally planned for their own American Hockey League team and instead will share one for next season. 

On Monday, Seattle announced that the Charlotte Checkers will serve as its AHL affiliate for 2021-22 along with the Florida Panthers. Seattle's Palm Springs AHL franchise won't begin play until the fall of 2022 due to arena construction delays. 

"The AHL plays such a key role in the development of NHL players," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said in the prepared statement. "This is a very important decision for the long-term success of our organization." 

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), it's expected the Kraken will send around eight to 12 players to the Checkers following the expansion draft in July. Some will likely come from the draft, while others will be free agents and players on two-way contracts. 

"This agreement helps ensure we can loan all of our prospects to one place rather than multiple locations," Francis added. "We would like to thank both Charlotte and the Florida Panthers for their cooperation to make this happen."