2021 NHL expansion draft

On December 4, 2017, the Seattle City Council voted 7–1 to approve a memorandum of understanding between the city of Seattle and the Los Angeles-based Oak View Group, co-founded by Tim Leiweke, for renovations of KeyArena.{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=2017-12-04 |title=KeyArena MOU approved by Seattle City Council; will NHL announcement soon follow? |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/keyarena-mou-approved-by-seattle-city-council-will-nhl-announcement-soon-follow/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-01 |newspaper=The Seattle Times}} Renovations for the arena began in 2018 and were completed in 2021.{{cite news |last=Daniels |first=Chris |date=2017-12-04 |title=KeyArena renovation wins approval from Seattle City Council |url=http://www.king5.com/news/local/arena/keyarena-renovation-wins-approval-from-seattle-city-council/496819961 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205023734/http://www.king5.com/news/local/arena/keyarena-renovation-wins-approval-from-seattle-city-council/496819961 |archive-date=2017-12-05 |access-date=2024-09-01 |work=KING-TV |publisher=}} The original roof remains in place, as it is considered a local historical landmark.{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=2017-08-02 |title=KeyArena and iconic sloped roof get historical landmark status |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/keyarena-and-iconic-sloped-roof-get-historical-landmark-status/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-01 |newspaper=The Seattle Times}} Three days later, the NHL Board of Governors agreed to consider an expansion application from Seattle, with an expansion fee set at US$650 million.{{cite news |date=2017-12-07 |title=Bettman says NHL will consider Seattle expansion bid |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2017/12/07/bettman-says-nhl-will-consider-seattle-expansion-bid/108414480/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |newspaper=USA Today |agency=}}

File:Key-Arena-Bill-Signing-16_(29977230607).jpg celebrating the city's expansion team in September 2018]]

On February 13, 2018, the Oak View Group filed an application with the NHL for an expansion team and paid a $10 million application fee.{{cite news |date=2018-02-13 |title=Seattle applies for NHL expansion team |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-applies-for-nhl-expansion-team/c-295930852 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League}}{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=2018-02-13 |title=Seattle group files application for NHL expansion team to play at KeyArena |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/seattle-group-files-application-for-nhl-expansion-team-to-play-at-keyarena/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-01 |newspaper=The Seattle Times}} At the time, the earliest a Seattle NHL team could have begun playing was the 2020–21 season pending the completion of arena renovations. On October 2, another step towards an expansion team was taken when the NHL Executive Committee unanimously agreed to recommend the expansion bid to a vote of the Board of Governors in December.{{cite news |last=Kimelman |first=Adam |date=2018-10-02 |title=Seattle expansion bid recommended for NHL Board of Governors vote |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-expansion-bid-nhl-board-of-governors-vote-recommended/c-300572368 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League}} On December 4, the NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve the addition of Seattle's expansion team into the league.{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Dan |date=2018-12-04 |title=Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-nhl-expansion-approved-to-be-32nd-team-play-in-2021-22-302581450 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}

File:Ron_Francis.jpg

On July 18, 2019, the organization hired Ron Francis to serve as their general manager to initiate operations for the team.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-18 |title=NHL Seattle Announce Ron Francis as General Manager |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/nhl-seattle-announce-ron-francis-as-general-manager-308289622 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Patrick |date=2019-07-18 |title=NHL Seattle names Ron Francis as first general manager of hockey franchise |url=http://komonews.com/sports/sports-content/nhl-seattle-names-ron-francis-as-first-general-manager-of-hockey-franchise |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=KOMO}} As general manager, Francis oversees all of the club's hockey operations, including facets like player personnel, coaching staff, scouting, and minor league operations. Francis later stated that three things he wanted to prioritize in the Kraken's roster were speed, character, and competitiveness.{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Luke |date=2019-11-19 |title=7 interesting things from Ron Francis about the Seattle NHL team |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/7-interesting-things-ron-francis-seattle-nhl-team/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Sportsnet |language=en}}

In July 2020, the franchise announced their team name—the Seattle Kraken—as well as their team colors, branding, and home jersey.{{cite news |last=Booth |first=Tim |date=2020-07-23 |title=Release the Kraken: Seattle unveils name for NHL franchise |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nhl/release-the-kraken-seattle-unveils-name-for-nhl-franchise/2020/07/23/d505aeb8-ccff-11ea-99b0-8426e26d203b_story.html |access-date=2024-09-01 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en |agency=}}

File:Calgary_Wranglers_vs._Coachella_Valley_Firebirds_-_October_29,_2022_-_henman_(52484670931)_(cropped).jpg

On April 30, 2021, the franchise paid the final installment of the US$650 million expansion fee, officially making the Seattle Kraken the 32nd team of the NHL.{{cite news |date=2021-04-30 |title=Seattle Kraken officially become NHL's 32nd team after final expansion payment |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/seattle-kraken-officially-become-nhls-32nd-team-final-expansion-payment/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |work=Sportsnet |publisher=}} On May 12, the Kraken signed their first player—Luke Henman—to a three-year, entry-level contract.{{cite web |last=Condor |first=Bob |date=2021-05-12 |title=He Shoots, He Scores, He Joins the Kraken |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/kraken-agree-to-terms-with-luke-henman/c-324622296 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League}} In June, the Kraken named Dave Hakstol as their inaugural head coach. "Dave possesses great experience, a strong work ethic, a solid technical understanding of the game, and the remarkable ability to communicate clearly and effectively. I look forward to working with Dave as we strive to build a team our fans will be proud of," Ron Francis stated about Hakstol.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-24 |title=Seattle Kraken Name Dave Hakstol Head Coach |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/seattle-kraken-name-dave-hakstol-head-coach-325457810 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}

Seattle followed the same rules for the draft as the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL expansion draft,{{cite web |date=2020-07-23 |title=Seattle 2021 NHL Expansion Draft rules same as Golden Knights followed |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-kraken-2021-nhl-expansion-draft-rules-same-as-vegas-golden-knights-followed/c-302586918 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League}} with the provision that Vegas was exempt from losing a player in exchange for forgoing a share of the Kraken's expansion fee.{{cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Emily |last2=Wyshynski |first2=Greg |date=2021-07-14 |title=How the NHL expansion draft will work for the Seattle Kraken: Schedule, format, rules, players available |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31811624/how-nhl-expansion-draft-work-seattle-kraken-schedule-format-rules-players-available |access-date=2021-07-18 |website=ESPN}} The 30 other teams submitted their lists of protected players on July 18. Teams could protect eight skaters and a goaltender, or seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goaltender; and they had to expose at least two forwards and one defenseman who were under contract for the 2021–22 season and played in at least 27 games in the 2020–21 season, or more than 54 games in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons combined. Teams also had to expose a goaltender under contract for the 2021–22 season or who would be a restricted free agent (with a qualifying offer received) in 2021. Teams were required to protect any contracted players with no-move clauses (NMCs) with one of the team's slots for protected players, unless:

1. The contract expired on July 28, 2021, in which case the NMC was considered void for the draft.
2. The player with an NMC continuing past July 28, 2021, was deemed to have a career-threatening injury and is thus declared exempt from selection and use of a protection slot.
3. The player with an NMC waived his no-movement clause for the expansion draft.

Any player picked in the expansion draft could not have his contract bought out until after the completion of the 2021–22 season.

At least twenty of the thirty players selected by Seattle had to be under contract for the 2021–22 season, and the team was required to select a minimum of fourteen forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. Furthermore, the 2021–22 salaries of the thirty players selected (as measured in terms of what is counted against the salary cap, had to add up to between 60% and 100% of the 2020–21 salary cap (i.e., the full nominal cap, not the prorated cap for the shortened 56-game season that was played). Seattle was granted a 48-hour window prior to the draft to sign any unprotected pending free agent (restricted or unrestricted, one per team). Teams that lost a player to Seattle during the signing window did not have a player selected from its roster during this draft as the signed player counted as Seattle's selection.

On July 18, the protected player list, a list of players who the Kraken were not allowed to select during the draft, was released.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-18 |title=NHL announces protected list for 2021 NHL Expansion Draft |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-announces-protected-list-for-2021-nhl-seattle-expansion-draft-325681840 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}

Italics indicate player was protected for contractual reasons.

{{multiple image

| width = 120

| footer = Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, and Chris Driedger reportedly signed contracts with the Kraken before they were selected by the team during the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

| image1 = Adam Larsson closeup 2023.png

| alt1 = Hockey player in a blue Seattle Kraken hockey jersey.

| caption1 = Adam Larsson

| image2 = Oleksiak 425 02-2.jpg

| alt2 = Hockey player skating in a blue Seattle Kraken practice jersey.

| caption2 = Jamie Oleksiak

| image3 = Chris Driedger closeup.png

| alt3 = Man in a blue Seattle Kraken shirt and cap holding a trophy.

| caption3 = Chris Driedger

}}

On July 19, a three-day period where the Seattle Kraken could talk to unrestricted free agents (UFAs) begun.{{Cite web |last=Wyshynski |first=Greg |date=2021-07-21 |title=Kraken focus on blue line, sign Larsson, Oleksiak |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31856025/sources-seattle-kraken-sign-goalie-chris-driedger-d-man-adam-larsson |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=ESPN |language=en}} On the morning of the draft day, July 21, the Kraken signed defensemen Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak and goaltender Chris Driedger to a four-year $16 million deal, a five-year $23 million contract, and a three-year $10.5 million deal, respectively.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-21 |title=Kraken reportedly acquire Larsson, Driedger ahead of Wednesday expansion draft |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/kraken-acquire-larsson-driedger-to-kickoff-expansion-draft-1.6110897 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=CBC News}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-24 |title=Kraken Sign Trio to Multi-year Deals |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/kraken-sign-trio-to-multi-year-deals-325798872 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}} Larsson, Oleksiak, and Driedger would count as the pick from their respective teams (Edmonton, Dallas, and Florida, respectively).{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Dan |date=2021-07-22 |title=NHL Expansion Draft selection tracker for Kraken |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2021-expansion-draft-picks-analysis-coverage-325718388 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}

Perhaps most notably, Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin was left exposed and was a pending free agent at the time of the draft. However, as Ovechkin and the Capitals had expected to reach a new contract, the Kraken made no attempt to sign him, and also didn't select him in the draft as he was left unprotected by default.[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jul/18/alex-ovechkin-left-capitals-protected-list-upcomin/#:~:text=The%20NHL%20expansion%20draft%20begins,24%20goals%20in%2045%20games. Alex Ovechkin left off Capitals protected list in upcoming expansion draft] Washington Times (07/18/2028) Six days after the draft, Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension with the Capitals.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/alex-ovechkin-signs-5-year-deal-with-washington/c-325824224|title=Ovechkin signs five-year, $47.5 million contract with the Capitals|publisher=NHL.com|accessdate=27 July 2021|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727172532/https://www.nhl.com/news/alex-ovechkin-signs-5-year-deal-with-washington/c-325824224|url-status=live}} This marked the second straight expansion draft that a star player in their prime was left exposed, as the Capitals archrival Pittsburgh Penguins had left Marc-André Fleury exposed for the Golden Knights, though unlike the Capitals the Penguins had made a pre-draft deal with the Golden Knights to select Fleury in the draft.{{cite tweet|user=penguins|author=Pittsburgh Penguins|number=877712131763851266|date=June 22, 2017|title=The Golden Knights also get a 2nd round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft from the Penguins.|access-date=June 22, 2017}}

The Kraken's draft selections are listed below:{{Cite web |date=2021-07-22 |title=Kraken hold NHL Expansion Draft in Seattle |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-kraken-build-roster-in-expansion-draft-325718236 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}

Key: Left wing = LW, Center = C, Right wing = RW, Defenseman = D, Goaltender = G

File:Daccord_closeup.jpg

File:Jordan_Eberle_with_the_Seattle_Kraken_(1).jpg

File:Mark_Giordano.JPG

On July 22, the Kraken made their first trade in team history, giving expansion draft pick Tyler Pitlick to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL entry draft.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-22 |title=Pitlick traded to Flames by Kraken, was selected in NHL Expansion Draft |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/tyler-pitlick-traded-to-calgary-by-seattle-325738722 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-22 |title=Kraken make first trade, send Pitlick to Flames |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31863458/seattle-kraken-make-first-trade-send-tyler-pitlick-calgary-flames |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=ESPN |language=en}} Five days later, the Kraken traded draft pick Kurtis MacDermid to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL entry draft.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-27 |title=MacDermid traded to Avalanche by Kraken |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/kraken-trade-kurtis-macdermid-to-avalanche-325826776 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}} On July 28, the first day of free agency, the Kraken traded draft pick Vitek Vanecek to the team he was selected from, the Washington Capitals, in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Condor |first=Bob |date=2021-07-28 |title=Opening Day, NHL Free Agency |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/2021-nhl-free-agency-tracker-325835390 |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=National Hockey League |language=en}} That same day, draft pick Gavin Bayreuther re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets.{{cite web |date=2021-07-28 |title=Columbus Blue Jackets sign Gavin Bayreuther to two-year contract |url=https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/columbus-blue-jackets-sign-gavin-bayreuther-to-two-year-contract/c-325843992 |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=National Hockey League}} On September 5, draft pick John Quenneville signed as a free agent with ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League{{cite web |url=https://www.zsclions.ch/news/detail/zsc-lions-verpflichten-john-quenneville/ |title=ZSC Lions Verpflichten John Quenneville |publisher=ZSC Lions |date=September 5, 2021 |access-date=October 31, 2021 |archive-date=October 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031194307/https://www.zsclions.ch/news/detail/zsc-lions-verpflichten-john-quenneville/ |url-status=dead }}

All other expansion draft players would feature for the Kraken at least once during their inaugural season.{{Cite web |title=Seattle Kraken 2021–22 roster and scoring statistics |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0089812022.html |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=HockeyDB}}

Several Seattle sportspeople and celebrities made appearances to announce the draft picks, including Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton of the Seattle SuperSonics, as well as former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens; Marshawn Lynch and Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks; Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm via video conference as she was in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics; Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners; Brad Evans and Jordan Morris of the Seattle Sounders FC; Kraken scout Cammi Granato, and Seattle based rapper Macklemore. Western Washington Female Hockey members, Anchorage Hockey Association members, Kraken season-ticket holders, and construction workers from Climate Pledge Arena were also featured during the event. Kraken co-owner Jerry Bruckheimer and general manager Ron Francis also participated.{{Cite web |last=O'Leary |first=Dan |date=2021-07-22 |title=Seattle-area sports stars, celebrities help Kraken with Expansion Draft |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-sports-stars-help-kraken-with-expansion-draft/c-325727888 |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=National Hockey League}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-19 |title=Celebrities lined up to aid Seattle Kraken's expansion draft |url=https://sportsnaut.com/celebrities-lined-up-to-aid-seattle-krakens-expansion-draft/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Sportsnaut}}{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=2021-07-19 |title=Sue Bird, Marshawn Lynch, Gary Payton among Seattle celebrities to appear at NHL expansion draft |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/kraken/geoff-baker-story-on-seattle-celebs-who-will-be-guests-at-the-krakens-expansion-draft/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=The Seattle Times}}

• 2020–21 NHL transactions
• 2021–22 NHL transactions
• 2021 NHL entry draft
• 2021–22 Seattle Kraken season

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Seattle Kraken}}

{{NHL drafts}}

{{2021–22 NHL season by team}}

Category:NHL expansion drafts

NHL Expansion Draft

NHL Expansion Draft

Category:Ice hockey in Seattle

NHL Expansion Draft

Category:Seattle Kraken

Expansion Draft