Coaching Changes Echo Across the League
When the Seattle Kraken announced the departure of longtime coach Dan Bylsma, the ripple reached beyond the locker room. Bob Woods, who had just celebrated his 1,000th NHL game as an assistant, seized the moment to pivot to a new front office role with the Hartford Wolfpack. His move underscores a broader reshuffling of talent that has seen the Kraken’s coaching staff disperse to a variety of programs across North America.
Woods’ trajectory is not an isolated story. Prior to his Seattle stint, he honed defensive schemes with the Washington Capitals, the Anaheim Ducks, the Buffalo Sabres and the Minnesota Wild, building a reputation for tightening blue‑line play. The transition to Hartford offers him a fresh canvas to apply that experience, while still keeping him within the Kraken’s extended family of alumni.
Goalie Development Takes a Midwestern Turn
In the world of goaltending, Steve Briere is charting a similar path of evolution. After years of shaping the crease for the Kraken, Briere has accepted a director of goaltending development position with the Wisconsin Badgers. The appointment reflects a continued commitment to nurturing net‑minders, and it places Briere at the helm of a program that has produced several NHL prospects in recent years.
The shift in personnel is mirrored by a migration of players and support staff across the league. Former Kraken forwards and defensemen have found new homes in Washington, Anaheim, Buffalo and Minnesota, illustrating how the expansion franchise’s early roster is now being dissected and redistributed. The 2021‑22 season also presented the team with a persistent shortage of a top‑line center and a scoring drought that kept the coaching staff under constant scrutiny.
From Beat Reporting to National Storytelling
Behind the scenes, the Kraken’s beat coverage has also moved on. Marisa Ingemi, a multi‑award‑winning reporter who spent years chronicling the team’s rise, now writes for the San Jose Mercury‑News. Her transition preserves a line of expert analysis that still reaches hockey fans across the continent, even as her former employer, the Seattle Times, grapples with the aftermath of a 2022 dismissal that left several staff positions vacant.