Deal The Kraken? Francis Can’t Make Official Trades — Yet

The Seattle Kraken couldn't finalize any moves at the trade deadline because they're not the NHL's 32nd team until the final expansion payment is made. But that doesn't mean general manager Ron Francis couldn't make a handshake deal or two. And Francis was certainly monitoring as the 31 existing teams shuffled decks for one of the final times before the expansion draft in July. He said nothing that went on surprised Seattle's staff. Perhaps that's because his colleagues around the league were far more aware this time about the impending expansion than in 2017 when George McPhee and the Vegas Golden Knights came in.