Wagner Removes the Interim Tag From Dwan McMillan and It's Official

It's done. The Seattle Kraken have made it official: Dwan McMillan is the head coach going forward, no more interim label. Ron Wagner pulled the trigger and locked in McMillan as the permanent leader of this team.

From Interim to the Real Deal

McMillan had been running the squad in an interim capacity, but that's in the rearview now. Wagner made the call to remove that tag and commit to McMillan as the full-time head coach. This is the kind of stability a young roster needs, especially one with talent like Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle, Jared McCann, and the rest of the core pieces that could be special if everything clicks.

What This Means for the Kraken

Having your head coach situation settled this early in the offseason gives the organization clarity heading into the next stretch. McMillan now has the full backing of management and can build a real vision for where this team is going. The locker room gets continuity. The coaching staff knows the job is secure. That matters when you're trying to develop young talent and build a winning culture at Climate Pledge Arena.

The Kraken have pieces to work with: a goalie in Joey Daccord who can steal games, a defensive core with Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn providing stability, and forwards who can score. With McMillan now locked in as the permanent voice, this team can start thinking bigger than just making moves and more about executing a plan.

Next Steps

Now the focus shifts to what McMillan does with the roster in the coming weeks. How does he want to build this team? What changes are coming? With the interim tag off, he's got the full authority and the full responsibility. The Kraken fanbase gets their answer: this is the guy moving forward.

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