The NHL’s newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, was announced in 2019. Since then, it’s been a long, winding road to the draft, filled with speculation and genuine, budding excitement from new and old hockey fans alike. With the stress of COVID-19, an abbreviated season and mostly fan-less games, the excitement of Seattle’s roster was something for fans to look forward to.
As the expansion draft drew closer, fans reflected on the past season and weighed point percentages, playoff performances and cap space, anticipating first the protected lists, and then, the revealing of the drafted players themselves. The draft was set to be one of the most exhilarating events of the year, but a barrage of leaked draft picks left fans with little to look forward to on the eve of July 21.