Kraken hire Ryan Jankowski as assistant GM

The Seattle Kraken have announced that they have hired Ryan Jankowski as an assistant general manager.

Jankowski has likely been brought in to replace Jason Botterill’s previous role as an assistant general manager, as he has now been promoted to general manager.

‘We’re excited to bring someone of Ryan’s stature to our organization,” said Botterill in a statement about the hiring. “Ryan has a wealth of experience, both in the NHL and internationally. His expertise in player evaluation and player development will be a big plus for our group.”

What Jankowski’s specific role with the team will entail is unknown, but he will work alongside fellow assistant GMs Alexandra Mandrycky and Ricky Olczyk (who also serves as vice president), and under general manager Jason Botterill and president of hockey operations Ron Francis. Mandrycky currently oversees amateur scouting and research & development, while Olczyk currently oversees contract negotiations, managing the salary cap and the collective bargaining agreement.

“I’m thrilled about this opportunity to take a big step in my career and be a part of a great franchise pushing to the next level,” said Jankowski. “It’s a chance for me to grow and learn from Ron Francis, Jason Botterill, Alexandra Mandrycky and Ricky Olczyk, while I can also bring some of my strengths to the organization. That’s why it seems like it’s such a really good fit.”

This will be the second time in Jankowski’s career that he has held the role of assistant general manager, as he also held that role with the New York Islanders from 2005 to 2010. He also worked as a scout for the Islanders two seasons prior to that, was a scout for the Montreal Canadiens from 2010 to 2013, was the director of amateur scouting for the Buffalo Sabres from 2017 to 2020 and the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club from 2020 until this previous season.

Jankowski is also the son of Lou Jankowski, who played 127 NHL games across four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, and served as a scout for the St. Louis Blues, the Washington Capitals, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, and the New York Rangers from 1972 to 1993. Ryan is also the uncle of Carolina Hurricanes center Mark Jankowski.