Seattle Kraken makes long awaited announcement, appointing Dave Hakstol as first head coach in team history.

With the NHL expansion draft just 27 days away, Seattle Kraken unveiled a major piece to the Kraken puzzle.

Dave Hakstol, who was recently behind the bench as Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach, will take the reins as the first head coach in team history for the Seattle Kraken.

“It is an honor to be the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken,” Hakstol said in a statement today leading up to the press conference. “I am looking forward to being a part of the group that builds a team that plays with pride, passion and selflessness for the city of Seattle.”

His first order of business – preparing for the Expansion Draft on July 21. With no rest in between, the full NHL Draft takes place on July 23-24.

That will give Hakstol and team several months to pull the remaining pieces together before the Kraken hits the ice at Climate Pledge Arena in the fall.

At 52, Hakstol has plenty of experience on, and off the ice. In addition to a two-year stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hakstol was head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, leading the team to the playoffs in two of his three full seasons.

On the ice, Hakstol was the team captain for the University of North Dakota where he laced up as a defenseman. He also played parts of five seasons in the International Hockey League with Indianapolis and Minnesota.

With the recent news that Lumen Field will be welcoming a stadium full of Seahawk fans when their season kicks off, there’s little doubt that Hakstol will hear the full roar of Kraken fans at Climate Pledge Arena when the first puck drops later this fall.