Kraken fire coach Dan Bylsma and reassign GM Ron Francis, reports say

For the second consecutive year, as the Stanley Cup playoffs surge on, the Kraken reportedly are looking for a coach. They also will have a new general manager, according to another report.

After just one year in charge, the Kraken fired coach Dan Bylsma on Monday, according to a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The Kraken also are “preparing to elevate [assistant general manager] Jason Botterill to the GM position, while Ron Francis moves to an upper management position,” according to a report by NHL Network’s E.J. Hradek.

Assistant coach Jessica Campbell, who last year became the NHL’s first on-ice female coach, is being retained, according to Canadian broadcaster/podcaster John Shannon.

Bylsma coached the Kraken’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, to back-to-back Calder Cup finals appearances before he was promoted. He replaced Dave Hakstol, a coach of the year finalist the prior season in Seattle.

The Kraken (35-41-6) finished below where they did Hakstol’s final year. In Bylsma’s aggressive system, they scored more goals, but also allowed more — an average of 3.20 per game, ninth-most in the NHL.

This story will be updated.

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