In just a few short days, the Seattle Kraken - the NHL’s newest expansion team - will build their roster through the expansion draft. The Kraken will select a player from 30 teams (the Vegas Golden Knights are exempt) and general manager Ron Francis & his colleagues will extrapolate from there ahead of the upcoming season.
There were a few surprises in players left unprotected by their respective teams, but for the most part, those available for the Kraken’s taking are who was expected. With that said, there are a handful of big-name players in the mix, but building a new team is a balancing act of signings, free agents, trades and of course — the salary cap.