The Seattle Kraken hired two experienced executives to work under general manager Ron Francis in the hockey operations department Tuesday.
The team announced that former Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill has been hired as assistant general manager while long-time Chicago Blackhawks executive Norm Maciver has been named director of player personnel.
Botterill was fired by the Sabres last spring after three seasons as GM. Before that, he worked for 10 years in the Pittsburgh Penguins front office and helped the club win three Stanley Cups.
“Jason brings a great deal of experience and has worked with some of the best in the business,” Francis said in a release. “I previously worked with him at Hockey Canada during the 2019 World Championships, and he is an excellent addition to our team.”
Maciver joins the Kraken after 14 years with the Blackhawks. While in Chicago, he filled a number of roles including director of player development, director of player personnel, vice president of player personnel and assistant general manager. Maciver played over 500 games in the NHL and was teammates with Francis in Hartford and Pittsburgh.
“Norm was involved in Chicago’s recent cup winning teams and brings a lot of experience and knowledge,” Francis said in a statement. “I know him from our playing days and am pleased to reunite with him. He will do a fantastic job as we build out our team.”
The two new hires will work alongside Ricky Olczyk, who was named assistant GM in September of 2019.
The Kraken will get a chance to build their roster in the expansion draft on July 21 and the team will join the NHL next season.
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