FHN Today: Seattle Kraken gear up for tonight’s expansion draft

The Seattle Kraken had a large cache of big names to select in tonight’s expansion draft but according to numerous reports, the team is passing on a number of them.

Per reports circulating before tonight’s 8 p.m. (ESPN2) reveal, the Kraken will not select Montreal’s Carey Price, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog nor Vladimir Tarasenko from St. Louis.

Former Panthers center Jared McCann and Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano are headed to Seattle per TSN. 

We do know that Chris Driedger will be the Florida Panthers’ loss in this expansion draft although there continues to be speculation GM Bill Zito is working some other deals.

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The NHL roster freeze ends tomorrow and teams can resume signing their own players and making trades with teams other than the Kraken.

Tonight’s show should be a fun one as ESPN returns to the NHL and will do so in a new city.

Draft coverage will come from throughout Seattle and the team is bringing back a number of stars from other Seattle sports teams current and past including Sue Bird, Marshawn Lynch, Lenny Wilkens, Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Go Sonics!

FLORIDA PANTHERS LINKS

With the Kraken getting a bunch of its players tonight, we went back and looked at the reasoning behind Dale Tallon’s decision to give both Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. (FHN)

— Gus Forsling is ready to run things back with the Panthers after getting a three-year contract. (Panthers)

AROUND THE NHL

There are plenty of mock drafts out there, but here is the one from ESPN.

— If the Penguins trade Marcus Pettersson, they have a plan.  the Seattle Kraken or trade , they already have the perfect (PHN)

— Throw the Islanders into the mix as a team interested in Arizona RFA Conor Garland. (NYIHN)

— The Flyers are probably going to lose someone good to the Kraken. (PHN)

— The Red Wings are riding with Luke Glendening. (DHN)

— Looking at Colorado’s entry draft plan. (CHN)

LOCALS ONLY

The Milwaukee Bucks won their first title since 1971 on Tuesday. Where do the Dolphins rank on the current drought list? (Miami Herald)

— Manny Diaz says the Hurricanes have a chip on their shoulder. (MH)

— What Trevor Rodgers took away from his All-Star experience. (MH)