Immediate “dripping with experience” names off the bat that are available, or are on the cusp of being available, include John Tortorella, Gerard Gallant, Rick Tocchet (who could return to Vancouver but whose option wasn’t picked up by the Canucks), and Peter Laviolette.

Up and coming candidates reportedly include, but are not limited to, David Carle, Mitch Love, Ryan Mougenel, Marco Sturm, and even (remember him?) Jay Leach.

Greg Cronin (Anaheim) and Jay Woodcroft (Edmonton) are among the coaches looking for their next job after leaving their posts within the last year.

Who emerges from a widely cast net is a matter of time, but also potentially how their profile is compatible with the needs for an assertive and structure-oriented approach, while embracing the modern era of information.

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2.DOORS ARE OPENING FOR MORE YOUNG PLAYERS COMING UP.

Shane Wright cracked the lineup and nearly hit 20 goals in his first full NHL season. Jani Nyman cracked the lineup, scored in his debut, and hung six points in his first eight games. Jacob Melanson cracked the lineup and turned heads with his abrasive game, and 19-year-old Nathan Villeneuve, who said he idolizes the play of the Tkachuk brothers, challenged and took punches from enforcer Scott Sabourin in his AHL debut, 13 years his senior. Ville Ottavainen is pushing for a spot on the blueline as a 6-foot-4 behemoth, right shot defenseman who cracked the lineup in the season finale.

Francis last month said Berkly Catton will be with the big club to start next year. Catton is eight wins from a WHL championship in Spokane and turning their playoffs into his own personal barbeque with a ludicrous 28 points in 11 games. Based on his age, he can play nine games with the Kraken until they have to decide to keep him or send him back to the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs, before his three-year contract kicks in. It’s likely a matter of not if he’ll be in the NHL, but how long he’ll be in the NHL.

Botterill recognized a key component amongst the coaching roster, to prepare the youth coming out of the pipeline for NHL competition.

“We like what she’s done with our young players,” said Botterill, in response to retaining Campbell on the coaching staff.

“We think whatever coach we bring in here, from head coach standpoint, we'll have to work closely with our younger players. Ron and I will look close at different opportunities to bring in players, whether it's from a free agent standpoint or trade standpoint, but a big part of how we're going to move with this organization forward is our young players stepping in.”

3.BOTTERILL WILL TAKE THE WHEEL WITH PERSONNEL MATTERS.

The relationship between an NHL organization employing both a president of hockey operations and general manager can vary from team to team. In the Kraken case, Francis makes a move to an elevated executive role that relinquishes the “final say”, in his own words, to Botterill, and gives Francis the freedom to focus his efforts on day-to-day communication with ownership and executive staff, scouting, and a personal mentoring approach with younger Kraken players in the lineup, such as Beniers and Wright.

“I feel strongly that if we're asking Jason to step into the GM chair and manage all those responsibilities that he has to have final say in decisions,” said Francis. “We will have discussions.

“I will give him my opinion. I know it won't be 100% we're in agreement all the time, but we will have those discussions. But the end of the day, he will make the decision the final call in those regards.”

4.DON’T EXPECT A LOW-EVENT SUMMER.

Botterill repeatedly used the word, “aggressive” to describe the upcoming summer with roster modifications. The Kraken have been absent without a widely regarded “top line” star forward for their four seasons of existence. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, 33, is reportedly a projected buyout candidate.

Five mainstays on their roster – captain Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, Kaapo Kakko, and Jamie Oleksiak - will be entering contract years, or a year ahead of projected unrestricted free agency.

The Kraken could make a full-fledged shift to a younger roster and clear the deck of older veteran contracts (in some circles, called a “rebuild”). But they’ve repeatedly acknowledged about the necessity to win now, given the demanding attention within the Seattle professional sports landscape that repeatedly has been teased of a potential NBA return. The word “win,” in numerous forms, was used repeatedly by Kraken brass on Tuesday.

That will open the possibility, depending on how many contracts and much money is moved, to pursuing potential free agents such as Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser, Sam Bennett, or even an offer sheet for a reported candidate such as Toronto’s burly forward Matthew Knies, though word of an extension is becoming more of a reality. The offseason trade market is a realistic possibility, but an opaque picture of anyone available typically until NHL Draft week, or in a thunderstruck 11th hour moment.

Botterill – who cautiously acknowledged the Kraken aren’t one player acquisition away from winning a Stanley Cup – said speed remains the team brand, but the core value of strength will be the focus of upgrades.

“We have to find ways of doing a better job in front of our own net, and finding and doing a better job at getting to the opposition net,” said Botterill.

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