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Kraken’s perfect move in 2025 NHL offseason

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Christopher Hennessy | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 3:01 PM ET

The Seattle Kraken have missed the playoffs in three of their four seasons in the NHL. They have not built around a true superstar, have dealt with subpar goaltending, and are overpaying for a lot of their players. Even though they made additions on the ice like Ryan Lindgren, their best additions of the offseason won’t lace up the skates. The Kraken were wise to bring in a new coach, Lane Lambert, and a new general manager, Jason Botterill.

Ron Francis had been the Kraken’s GM since their inaugural season, coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes. He managed them through an expansion draft and their first four seasons with limited success. While he is still in the organization as the President of Hockey Operations, a new voice at the helm is vital.

Botterill was the assistant GM of the Kraken from January of 2021 until this past spring. He was promoted to general manager for the second time in his career, following a run with the Buffalo Sabres. While they did not make the playoffs in his three seasons at the helm in Western New York, that can’t all be blamed on him. Kraken fans hope that with different ownership and a different market, he will have success.

While Francis is still around, Botterill should put his own stamp on the organization. The veterans’ vision did not pan out, which included paying a lot of middle-six players on long-term deals. The real test for Botterill will come at the trade deadline, where he will likely be tasked with untangling this messy roster.

The Kraken also let go of head coach Dan Bylsma after just one season at the helm. Their replacement may not have inspired a ton of confidence, but they needed a change.

Fresh faces and voices could change the Kraken

New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert coaches against during the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena. © Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Lane Lambert had a disastrous run as the New York Islanders’ head coach. After a long stint as Barry Trotz’s lead assistant, he took over for the 2022-23 season. He was given an older team and expected to bring them to the playoffs, and did in his one full season. But a disastrous start to the 2023-24 season after an embarrassing loss to the Carolina Hurricanes cost him his job.

Lambert became a head coaching candidate after a season as a Toronto Maple Leafs assistant. Now, Lambert lands with the Kraken, looking to bring them back to the playoffs. Bylsma has won a Stanley Cup in his past, but did not have the success he was hoping for in Seattle. With the season going so poorly, they moved on quickly to get a new voice in the room.

The Kraken could not keep on their same path and expect things to magically get better. While they have had solid attendance numbers, rumors of a Seattle NBA team are heating up. That would crush their fan base and make it a very competitive market. They need to bring in a die-hard fan base through winning before the Sonics return, just like the Golden Knights did before the Raiders landed in Vegas.

The Kraken were wise to change things up and try to forge a new path. With all of the discussion about no-tax states in regards to the Panthers and Lightning, no one seems to mention that there is no state tax in Washington. Players will not just go to keep a few bucks away from Uncle Sam; they have to build a competitive team.

The Kraken have a new path forward and a new defenseman in Ryan Lindgren. Can Matty Beniers make the leap into stardom and push Seattle back into the postseason?

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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