He was the Seattle Kraken's first-ever GM from its inaugural season in 2021-22, and has served as President of Hockey Operations for the past year. Now, hockey legend Ron Francis is leaving his post with the Kraken at the end of the season.

The #SeaKraken announced today that Ron Francis will be stepping down from his role as President of Hockey Operations at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

We wish Ron & his family all the best → https://t.co/Qcoy4T49HX pic.twitter.com/rDZgBtIQby
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) April 8, 2026

The Kraken, in their statement, say that executive vice president and GM Jason Botterill will lead hockey operations. That would seem to indicate that, at this point, they have no intention of hiring a replacement for Francis in the POHO role.

“Ron and I agreed that this is the right moment to make a thoughtful transition for both Ron and the organization, and move in a new direction,” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said in a release.

“From a small office in Lower Queen Anne to the 32nd NHL franchise, Ron’s leadership and vision were instrumental in building this franchise from the ground up. Under his stewardship, we reached the playoffs in our second season, and he leaves behind a strong foundation of draft picks and promising prospects that will continue to shape the future of the team. We are grateful for his dedication and professionalism, and we wish Ron and his family the very best.”

Francis' highlight with the team came in their second season, when they unexpectedly made the playoffs, and advanced to the second round after defeating none other than the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche.

This season, Seattle went into the trade deadline with a chance to make a push to grab a Wild Card spot. They made an excellent trade to nab goal-scorer Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs. But despite that, they have dropped out of the playoff race, sitting at 32-34-11.