Seattle Kraken Join NHL, Expansion Draft Set for July 21 – NBC Chicago

Seattle Kraken joins the NHL, the expansion draft scheduled for July 21 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Let go of the octopus! The Seattle Kraken have officially become an NHL franchise. According to an NHL press release on Friday, the Kraken will begin operations in the 2021-22 season and become the 32nd team in the league.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman excites many ice hockey fans that the city of Seattle has finally acquired a pro hockey franchise. “I am delighted to officially welcome the Seattle Kraken as our 32nd member club to the NHL on behalf of the Board of Governors,” wrote Bettman. “Congratulations to David Bonderman, the Bonderman family, their partners, the entire Seattle Kraken organization, the city of Seattle and all of the Kraken fans as the club continues its exciting journey towards Puck Drop in October.”

Now the process of the Kraken assembling their actual team becomes priority # 1. On July 21, the NHL expansion draft will select a player for the Kraken from every other franchise in the league except the Vegas Golden Knights (the 2017 started operations). Fourteen forwards, nine defenders and three goalkeepers make up the line-up. The other 30 teams that are vulnerable in design, however, have options to protect the players: they can protect either seven forwards, three defenders and one goalkeeper, or eight skaters (any combination of strikers and defenders) and one goalkeeper.

A division shakeup will also take place with the first Kraken season. The Arizona Coyotes will move to the Central Division, with the Kraken taking their place in the Pacific Division. Keeping the nautical theme of other Seattle clubs (Seahawks, Mariners, etc), the Seattle Kraken will be an exciting new team to keep an eye on the West.