Seattle GM Ron Francis Applauds First Season's Results, Too
Among his myriad duties, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis serves on the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee.
As such, he was among those who chose the HHOF Class of 2023.
Those deliberation are private, so we don't know who did or didn't champion various candidates. Francis is more than happy, though, to discuss his team's finalist for the Jack Adams award, Kraken coach Dave Hakstol.
The award for coach of the year, as voted on by league broadcasters, will be announced tonight at the NHL Awards in Nashville. The event will be broadcast in the U.S. by TNT (5-7 pm Pacific Time).
Dave Hakstol in one of his first appearances behind the bench for the Seattle Kraken, during an Oct. 1, 2021 preseason game against Edmonton.Hakstol Faced "Unfair Criticism"
GM Francis' praise of his coaching staff extends back to the very beginnings of the franchise.
"Dave and the staff did a great job. I thought it was probably some unfair criticism thrown their way in the first year. We wanted to get (a 4th) person on the staff to help Dave and the two assistants. We couldn't find the right mix, so there was a lot of extra work on the three of them.
"COVID issues banned all our team-building events to start the season. They're trying to implement the system that Dave wants to play. They're trying to scout other teams that we're playing against. They're trying to understand who our players are and get them all to come together in a real tough environment.
"And one thing that I was impressed with last year is our team never quit at the deadline. We moved six pieces out, but as a GM, you're worried at that point you're going to go 0-19. And I think we went like 10-9 or something like that. We probably could have been 14-5. So it was, to me, an indication that they had the locker room."
Coach Hakstol Led Sophomore Season Surge
Seattle Kraken celebrate a victory in St. Louis during 2022-23 season."The guys believed in what they were doing, and they competed hard this year. From day one, we had more ability to do things. We added another person to the staff, which helps with the workload.
"A lot of the guys talked about a team building event. We got to play golf and have dinner. We couldn't do that the year before. And that went a long way to our guys kind of getting to know each other, understand each other, and have some fun with each other.
"Ultimately, Dave's the one that's on a daily basis in the room steering that ship."
"Ultimately, Dave's the one that's on a daily basis in the room steering that ship. I get to sit up top and watch and we have conversations, but he has to go in there every day and work that room. And you saw it from our guys from start to finish.
"They were a gutsy group, a gritty group, and that's a reflection on him and how he prepares and wants his teams to play. So really excited, not only for the Jack Adams award nomination, but the fact that the team had the season they did, and recognition is well deserved."