On Wednesday, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis dismissed reports from Emily Kaplan suggesting that key players on the team expressed unwillingness to continue playing if head coach Dave Hakstol remained. These reports speculated that Hakstol’s termination stemmed from player feedback during exit interviews. However, the organization refutes these claims, expressing disappointment in the inaccurate rumors.
Francis, along with several notable players from the Kraken roster, strongly denied the existence of such conversations. In a piece by The Seattle Times, Francis, Jordan Eberle, and Jared McCann all asserted that no players expressed dissatisfaction with Hakstol, and that his dismissal was unrelated to player feedback.
Both Eberle and McCann expressed disappointment and frustration with the false reports. Francis emphasized that exit meetings are not intended for discussing coaching matters, and players did not issue ultimatums regarding Hakstol’s position during these meetings.
He remarked:
“No players presented any ultimatums regarding the coach — I can guarantee that. Exit meetings typically focus on our directives for players in preparation for the upcoming season or evaluations of their performance during the current season. They are not forums for discussing opinions about the coach.”
Hakstol was among several coaches dismissed this season. While the Kraken’s performance fell short of expectations, attributing all blame to him would be unfair.