On Wednesday, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis refuted reports from Emily Kaplan that important names on the Kraken roster told management they wouldn’t want to keep playing for the team if head coach Dave Hakstol returned. Contrary to these reports, the Kraken organization denies the existence of such conversations and expressed their disappointment in the false rumors.
Francis, along with key players on the Kraken roster, vehemently denied the alleged conversations ever taking place.
The Seattle Times published a piece quoting Francis, Jordan Eberle, and Jared McCann, all of whom debunked the reports. The organization clarified that player feedback was not the reason for Hakstol’s termination, as no player had expressed dissatisfaction with the coach.
Forwards Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann also refuted the reports, expressing their disappointment at the false claims.
Kraken Says the Exit Meetings Aren’t About Coaches and Their Jobs
Francis clarified that the purpose of exit meetings is not to discuss coaches’ jobs, and players were not presenting ultimatums regarding coaching decisions. He emphasized that player feedback was not a factor in Hakstol’s termination.
“Zero players issued any ultimatums of any kind regarding the coach — that I can assure you. That’s not what those meetings are really about.”
Hakstol was one of many coaches fired this season, with the Kraken’s underperformance attributed to various factors beyond just coaching.
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