The still-unnamed Seattle franchise is still two years away from debuting in the NHL, but the league's 32nd team has its first GM. That's Ron Francis, the Hall of Fame player who spent four years as the Carolina Hurricanes GM, before being demoted then fired under new owner Tom Dundon in 2018.
Francis lands a coveted job in Seattle, and has about 27 months before the 2021-22 season opener. The biggest challenge for Francis and his new squad? Matching expectations that the Vegas Golden Knights set on (and off) the ice when they redefined success for an expansion franchise in 2017-18.