Seattle officials reportedly have conducted dozens of dry runs for the expansion draft that will stock franchise's depth chart for its initial season in the NHL.
Now that the protected and exposed lists of the 30 teams from which the Kraken will make its choices -- Vegas, which joined the league in 2017, will not be involved -- have been finalized and announced, GM Ron Francis and his staff finally will get to do it for real.
The challenge for Seattle's management team will not be simply to identify the most talented or accomplished player each club has made available, but to construct a competitive team while building organizational depth, including players who won't necessarily start the 2021-22 season on the NHL roster.
In some cases, that might mean passing on, say, a proven goal-scorer in order to add, oh, a right-handed defenseman who projects onto the third pairing.
It's also possible that Francis will claim some players with the idea of trading them for other assets, whether in the near future or at the trade deadline next season.
Seattle will pick one player from each of the 30 teams and must choose at least and select at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies.
No fewer than 20 of the players selected have to be under contract for the 2021-22 season, and their combined deals must be worth between 60 and 100 percent of the salary-cap ceiling of $81.5 million.
Taylor Haase and I each put together mock drafts, and hers can be found here. Here is my perspective on who the Kraken's selections might be, with a payroll coming in at $80.6 million:
FORWARDS
Nathan Bastian (New Jersey) -- He's big and versatile but, at 23, still developing most aspects of his game. If Seattle would prefer a more polished offensive player, Nicholas Merkley might be a better choice.
Michael Bunting (Arizona) -- The Coyotes aren't exactly awash in attractive candidates. Still, Bunting is just 25 and could be a good depth guy.
Paul Byron (Montreal) -- The Canadiens made some bigger names, like Carey Price, Shea Weber and Jonathan Drouin available, but Byron is a reliable two-way player who can be used on either wing.
Alex Chiasson (Edmonton) -- Big and physical, with enough skill to possibly contribute on a third line.
Evgeni Dadonov (Ottawa) -- He is coming off a 13-goal season and could step directly into a spot on one of Seattle's top two lines, although there's not much danger of him being the franchise's first Selke Trophy winner.
Michael Dal Colle (New York Islanders) -- While Seattle might be tempted to go with a proven veteran such as Josh Bailey, Dal Colle has the offensive potential and size (even if he doesn't always take full advantage of it) to become an impact player.
Max Domi (Columbus) -- Showed his offensive ability with a 72-point season for Montreal in 2018-19, but has yet to prove he can put up good numbers on a regular basis.
Dylan Gambrell (San Jose) -- A responsible two-way center who, at 24, has a career trajectory that's going in the right direction.
Julien Gauthier (New York Rangers) -- Excellent size and skating ability, but like many 23-year-old forwards, still has to upgrade his defensive work.
Yanni Gourde (Tampa Bay) -- Francis could put on a blindfold and throw a dart at a copy of the Lightning's exposed list, and he'll probably hit the name of a quality veteran forward. If it misses Gourde, it might just land on Ondrej Palat or Alex Killorn.
Ryan Johansen (Nashville) -- Although his stock has plunged since the Predators traded Seth Jones to Columbus for him, Johansen shouldn't be written off just yet and could reclaim his place among the league's better forwards.
Alex Kerfoot (Toronto) -- Smallish, but versatile, and with a good enough 200-foot game that he could project into a middle-six role. The fear of losing him apparently was a factor in Toronto's decision to acquire Jared McCann from the Penguins Saturday.
Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado) -- He's an unrestricted free agent, but Francis has a few days to gauge his interest in joining the Kraken. If he'd go, Landeskog would give the new franchise a huge infusion of talent and intangibles.
Kole Lind (Vancouver) -- An untested, let alone unproven, prospect at this level. He doesn't have a point in seven NHL games, but did put up some good ones in junior and the American Hockey League.
Adam Mascherin (Dallas) -- A bit of a reach since he hasn't skated a shift in the NHL, but Mascherino is just 23 and, like Lind, has shown an ability to score goals in junior and the AHL.
Brandon Tanev (Penguins) -- As is the case with many of the choices Seattle will make, the Penguins player chosen will be determined, at least in part, by others the Kraken adds. If Francis decides he needs a top-six winger, he could go with Jason Zucker. If he wants someone on left defense, Marcus Pettersson likely would be the guy.
James van Riemsdyk (Philadelphia) -- If he is chosen by Seattle, the Penguins might offer to pay for van Riemsdyk's cab to the airport, just to get him out of the Eastern time zone. He's still a terrific goal-scorer and particularly effective around the net.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Bean (Carolina) -- Smart and efficient with the puck, he still is a work-in-progress at 23.
Kale Clague (Los Angeles) -- The Kings are loaded with quality prospects, but few of them had to be exposed in this draft. Clague, though, might be ready to contend for steady work in the NHL after playing 18 games for Los Angeles last season.
Connor Clifton (Boston) -- He'll probably never be a difference-maker, but he can move the puck effectively.
Dylan DeMelo (Winnipeg) -- The Jets won't be thrilled about losing him, and he'll be a strong candidate to step into a regular spot on the Seattle defense.
Vince Dunn (St. Louis) -- It would have to be a special player to get the Kraken to pass on Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko, despite his recurring shoulder issues, but Dunn is that guy. Lots of offensive ability, although he's less effective in the defensive zone.
Haydn Fleury (Anaheim) -- A capable defensive defenseman who can fill a shutdown role and play big minutes. Also, Fleury was drafted by Francis when he was GM of the Hurricanes.
Mark Giordano (Calgary) -- If Seattle is trying to establish a good culture, Giordano is a natural fit. Being 37 means he likely wouldn't be a long-term presence on the Kraken's blue line, but he still is good at both ends and can be an excellent mentor and leader.
Colin Miller (Buffalo) -- Has a strong offensive game, although his work in his own end has been suspect at times.
Troy Stecher (Detroit) -- Like many on this particular list, he is good offensively, not as effective defensively.
Nikita Zadorov (Chicago) -- Is Francis a gambler? Picking Zadorov might prove that he is. Zadorov is big and strong defensively, but still rather unrefined with no guarantee he'll ever live up to what some regard as his considerable potential.
GOALIES
Chris Driedger (Florida) -- He''s an unrestricted free agent, but the Kraken reportedly is close to working out a contract with him.
Kaapo Kahkonen (Minnesota) -- Has good size and athleticism, and a ceiling that, at 24, he isn't likely to reach for at least a few more years.
VItek Vanecek (Washington) -- He is 25 and got valuable experience by playing in 37 of the Capitals' 56 games last season, but was exposed so Washington could protect Ilya Samsonov.