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Geoff Baker

Geoff Baker: Kraken GM Ron Francis now must finish repair job that began with trades

Kraken Ron Francis Jeremy Lauzon Mason Appleton NHL Colin Blackwell Mark Giordano Yanni Gourde ARIZ Glendale

GLENDALE, Ariz. — It was just Friday that defenseman Jeremy Lauzon was trotted out solo for the Kraken's first public autograph-signing session.

A line of fans at the Kraken Community Iceplex eagerly engaged in this rare connection with a player, which COVID-19 pandemic protocols had prevented. Alas, barely 48 hours after the event, Lauzon was an ex-Kraken player, traded to the Nashville Predators for a second-round draft pick.

Lauzon's here-today, gone-tomorrow vanishing act was just the latest instance of poor timing to befall an expansion team that has struggled with first impressions. It also shows how fanning on an initial shot at on-ice respectability can have greater implications for an expansion team than a typical middling franchise in an established market.

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