The Seattle Kraken selected center Alexander True, a former Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds player, in the NHL expansion draft.
The Kraken picked True, 24, of Denmark, on July 21 from the San Jose Sharks, where he was a restricted free agent. True played from 2014-2017 with the T-Birds and was a member of the 2016-2017 Western Hockey League championship team.
True, who is 6 feet 5 inches, has been in the San Jose organization for four years. He played just seven games with the Sharks in 2021 as he spent most of the season with the San Jose Barracuda, an American Hockey League (AHL) team affiliated with the Sharks. He played 12 games for the Sharks in 2019-2020.
“It’s mixed feelings,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said of losing True, according to the San Jose Mercury News. “A big body, we think he’s just coming into his own. We knew we would lose somebody. I think Seattle did their homework, and they got a good player.”
True has represented Denmark in five world championship tournaments.
“At worst, the Seattle Kraken have selected their AHL top-line center, which is not exactly a high-upside selection, but a needed spot to fill,” according to thehockeywriters.com.
True is expected to compete for a depth forward role, if he makes the Kraken.
The Kraken open the regular season Oct. 12 at the Vegas Golden Knights. Their home opener is Oct. 23 against the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena. They play a preseason game Oct. 2 against the Calgary Flames at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent.
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Alexander True. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse/Thunderbirds
