HIGHLIGHTS
- Ron Francis will step down as Seattle Kraken president of hockey operations at the end of the season after seven years with the franchise
- The Kraken are 32-34-11 and have lost 10 of their last 11 games in Francis’s final weeks on the job
- Read below for the full details on his tenure, the decision, and what comes next for Seattle
Ron Francis is done in Seattle.
The Kraken announced Wednesday that Francis will step down as president of hockey operations at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. The decision was described as mutually agreed upon between Francis and the organization.
“Ron and I agreed that this is the right moment to make a thoughtful transition for both Ron and the organization, and move in a new direction,” co-owner Tod Leiweke said in a statement.
Francis, 63, was the original GM when the Kraken entered the league in 2021. He was promoted to president of hockey operations last April after the organization fired coach Dan Bylsma and moved Jason Botterill into the GM role. The shift was framed as Francis taking a broader role, but the results on the ice didn’t change. Seattle is 32-34-11 this season and has lost 10 of their last 11, sitting tied for the fourth-fewest points in the league.
The $90 million committed to Chandler Stephenson and Nicolas Montour is a contract the next front office will have to navigate. The Shane Wright situation lingers too. The Kraken have a strong pipeline in Coachella Valley, but the farm system has not had much opportunity to push through to the NHL roster. Jason Botterill stays as GM.
Whoever comes in will inherit a team with real cap issues, a fanbase that has stuck around through two straight playoff misses, and players who clearly want to be in Seattle. The Kraken made history earlier this season with Jessica Campbell on the bench. The foundation Francis built isn’t nothing. But the results stopped matching the investment, and something had to give.
Francis is a Hockey Hall of Famer who spent parts of 23 seasons as one of the best two-way centers in the game, winning two Cups with Pittsburgh and retiring fifth on the all-time points list with 1,798. His legacy as a player is set in stone. His seven years in Seattle will be remembered more for the promise than the payoff.
“It has been an honor to help launch and lead the Seattle Kraken over the past seven years,” Francis said. “I am proud of the culture we built, the people we brought together, and the milestones we achieved, including our historic first playoff run.”
Seven years, one playoff appearance. The next person who walks through that door has a lot of work to do.
