Talk to coaches long enough and a theme keeps coming up: the best ones are always borrowing ideas from somebody else. That’s part of the thinking behind the NHL Coaches’ Association programming, which gives younger coaches a chance to spend time at NHL development camps.
It’s also why the Kraken are opening the door for the fourth straight summer to Seattle Torrent head coach Christine Bumstead and Jr. Kraken AAA 16U head coach and player development coach David Min.
“As coaches, we're always looking to grow and learn, too,” Kraken director of player development Cory Murphy said. “When you bring new voices in with that kind of experience in to add to the camp and provide their feedback and their voice, I think it makes us all better.”
For Bumstead, the invitation from Kraken assistant general manager Alex Mandrycky came in early June, not long after she was named head coach of the Torrent after serving as an assistant bench boss in the team’s inaugural season. She called the chance to join the development camp staff “cream of the crop.”
But her path to the camp didn’t start there. The Winnipeg, MB native had already crossed paths with several people in the Kraken orbit, including Stanley Cup winner Paul Maurice and Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach Brennan Sonne.
Sonne first got to know Bumstead when he was head coach of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. At the time, she was juggling two jobs - teaching and serving as an assistant coach at the University of Saskatchewan - but Sonne saw enough to make a call.
“I said, ‘We don't have room on the staff or budget, but if you want to volunteer whenever you get a chance, please do. We would love to have you,’” Sonne said.
“Watching her work ethic and the level of detail she still put into her coaching even though she was already working two jobs, I was blown away. I knew she was going to be a coach.”
They spent two seasons working together and have stayed in touch ever since. Their relationship kept rolling as their careers moved forward: Sonne was happy when Bumstead landed in the PWHL, and last season both were handling power-play duties for their teams, which made checking in a regular thing. Bumstead has even leaned on Firebirds clips when coaching her players.
Bumstead also found a familiar face in Kraken goaltending coach Colin Zulianello. The two coached Team Canada at the World Deaf Ice Hockey Championship, though not during the same stint in the program.
Still, they connected over how that experience sharpened their communication, forcing them to be bilingual and to communicate with clarity. Sonne said that same quality stands out in Bumstead’s coaching.
In Other News...
Ron Francis Just Reopened A Painful Kraken Debate
Ron Francis is back in Pittsburgh in a front-office role, and the move has naturally sent his thoughts drifting to the expansion project he left behind in Seattle. Hired June 19 as a senior advisor to Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, Francis has already been involved in draft decisions and development camp, while also reflecting on the years he spent helping build the Kraken from the ground up, from the arena and locker room to the practice facility and the Palm Springs minor-league rink.
For Seattle fans, the reunion carries an extra layer because Francis once tried to bring Dubas to the Kraken before Dubas eventually landed with the Penguins. Francis also revisited his path through Carolina before returning to Pittsburgh, a reminder that his NHL rsum stretches well beyond one franchise. The part that lingers, though, is what his return says about the unfinished feelings around Seattle, where early promise gave way to a rougher stretch and a front-office change that still invites debate. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Prospects Left Fans With One Big Stucky Cup Takeaway
The Fourth Annual Stucky Cup gave Kraken fans a final look at development camp with a fast, loose 4-on-4 scrimmage that had the prospects playing for keeps in an exhibition setting. Team Blue came away with the win behind goals from William Tomko, Will Reynolds, and Zeb Forsfjall, while Team White got on the board through Ola Palme in a game that was more about pace, skill and a chance to see who stood out than the final score.
Even without piling up points, several names helped make the afternoon feel meaningful for Seattles future. Hawke Huff, Clarke Caswell, Ollie Josephson, Nathan Villeneuve and defenseman Rylan Singh all drew notice for strong showings, and the lineup also offered a glimpse of the organizations draft pipeline with Jake OBrien and Chase Reid on opposite sides. For a camp-ending scrimmage, it was the kind of showcase that left plenty for the Kraken to sort through once the ice was cleared. [Read more 🡒]