Kraken fans have something more than a team name and logo to cheer for after the expansion squad Wednesday announced its very first player acquisition in junior league centerman Luke Henman.
The Nova Scotia native, 21, was drafted in the fourth round by the Carolina Hurricanes in June 2018, after Kraken general manager Ron Francis had already departed that organization two months prior. But a number of current Kraken employees, including amateur scouting director Robert Kron, scout Mike Dawson and advisor Tony MacDonald were with the Hurricanes at the time and felt Henman could be a good fit with the coming expansion club after Carolina failed to sign him.
“They felt he was a quality character individual that had good skill and hockey sense,” Francis said in an interview after announcing the three-year, entry-level deal.
Size has long been considered Henman’s biggest drawback. Though listed at 6 feet, he was only 143 pounds when drafted.
This past season, playing for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Henman got his weight up to 172 pounds, scoring 16 goals and adding 27 assists in 32 games of a COVID-19-shortened schedule. Through the first seven playoff games, the Armada’s team captain has an additional six goals and two assists as his team trails Victoriaville 2-1 in a best-of-seven quarterfinal series.
The Kraken officially inked Henman on Monday, but had him hold off telling anyone for 48 hours.
“It was super hard to keep it from my friends and my teammates,” Henman said in a media conference call on Wednesday. “I had trouble sleeping the last few nights, I was just so excited. This is a dream come true for me and I’m extremely honored.”
Henman said he “put my nose down and went to work” after Carolina failed to sign him, adding he knows getting “bigger and stronger” is critical to him making a pro-level jump. “I have a lot of belief in my game. I know that I can contribute at the next level and I’m just looking forward to getting to work and preparing for next season.”
Henman will attend the Kraken’s rookie camp this fall at the soon-to-open Northgate Mall training center and start his professional career in the minors.
“He’s going to need some time to get stronger,” Francis said. “But I have full confidence that he’ll be able to put in the work and get there.”
Francis is in the midst of finalizing an American Hockey League (AHL) player-sharing arrangement with another NHL club that should be announced shortly. The deal would allow the Kraken to place eight to 12 players on the farm club at any given time next season as the team awaits the fall 2022 launch of its AHL affiliate in the Palm Springs, California, area.
That limited AHL roster size for next season means the Kraken must be selective with any amateur free agents it signs. Francis said his team isn’t considering any further junior prospects beyond Henman, but is “kicking the tires” on some potential European players.
The Kraken will select 30 players — one from each team except Vegas — in the July 21 expansion draft, and only 23 can remain on the NHL roster at any point. Some players can be drafted and remain unsigned or get traded away, but the Kraken will also add players in the July 23-24 NHL entry draft as well that will also help stock some of its minor-league depth.
