Patrik Allvin and Jason Botterill Are Back Together, and the Kraken Are Ready for a Real Run

The Kraken just dropped some absolutely massive news that has me buzzing like Matty Beniers on a breakaway! Our front office is officially beefing up, big time. We're talking about bringing in two absolute sharp minds, and one of them is a familiar face to our very own GM, Jason Botterill. Get ready, Emerald City, because this team is making moves to get us to the top!

Our New Brain Trust Is Already Stacked

First up, the reunion we didn't know we needed: Patrik Allvin is joining the Kraken! This guy, a 2024 finalist for NHL GM of the Year as Vancouver's GM, is now an assistant in our front office. And here’s the kicker: Allvin and Botterill, our current GM and Executive VP of Hockey Operations, spent a decade together in Pittsburgh! They were there for a Stanley Cup in 2009 and then those back-to-back Cup wins in 2016 and 2017 when Botterill was assistant GM. You can't tell me that kind of shared history and winning pedigree isn't going to light a fire under our operation. These guys know how to build a champion! But wait, there's more! We also snagged Pascal Vincent for the bench. This dude just won his second AHL Coach of the Year award in 2025, coaching the Laval Rocket for the last two years. Vincent isn't new to the big leagues either. He served as an NHL assistant coach for seven seasons, five with the Winnipeg Jets and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets, even taking over as head coach for Columbus for a year. Talk about bringing in experienced leadership both behind the scenes and behind the bench. This is a power play for our future, plain and simple.

Is Alex Tuch the Forward We've Been Dreaming Of?

Now, let's talk about what these sharp new minds could be looking at. The buzz around the league has 30-year-old winger Alex Tuch possibly hitting the open market. This guy had a monster 2025-26 season, bagging 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games for Buffalo. He even tacked on seven points in 13 playoff games, wrapping up a seven-year, $33.25MM contract with an AAV of $4.75MM. While he said he wanted to return to Buffalo and their GM, Jarmo Kekäläinen, wanted him back, contract talks stalled, and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun isn't optimistic about a reunion. LeBrun even suggested Buffalo might not see him as a "double-digit valued player," comparing him to Nick Schmaltz's $8MM AAV or Adrian Kempe's $10.625MM AAV deals. If he truly hits the market, a proven scorer like Tuch, who can put up numbers and perform in the playoffs, has to be on our radar, right? Imagine him lighting up the scoreboard at Climate Pledge Arena!

The Risky Bet on the Blue Line: Rasmus Andersson

Another name floating out there is defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Shayna Goldman of The Athletic broke down his situation. He's a right-handed defenseman, which is a rare and valuable asset in the league. She noted that besides Darren Raddysh, Andersson is the only other "shiny option" among prime right-shot D-men. That said, his Stanley Cup Final performance was apparently "lackluster," which could make him a "risky bet" for teams looking to pay big. Evolving-Hockey pegs his market value anywhere from $6.8MM to $9.65MM annually. We always need strong D-men, and a right-shot guy in his prime is tempting. Is he worth the risk for our Kraken? Our new front office will have some big decisions to make. This is just the start, folks. With Allvin and Vincent on board, our Kraken are not messing around. We've got leaders who know how to win, strategists who understand the market, and a vision that's clearly focused on building a consistent contender. What does this mean for free agency and beyond? Everything! Keep your eyes peeled, Kraken fans, because the future in the Emerald City just got a whole lot brighter. Get ready to cheer even louder, because something special is brewing on the ice. Let's go, Kraken!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.