Seattle just made the NHL's most underrated hire and it hits a nerve in Vancouver and Pittsburgh

That is not wrong. But it misses the more important reason why this works.

The Seattle Kraken officially announced Allvin as vice president and assistant general manager Thursday, with Jason Botterill confirming he will focus specifically on pro scouting.

Pascal Vincent was named assistant coach on the same day, replacing Jessica Campbell on Lane Lambert's bench staff after Campbell departed in April.

Botterill was direct about Allvin's role - pro scouting, not executive strategy. That is the distinction that changes the story.

The Vancouver Canucks fired Allvin in April after three playoff misses in four seasons. His struggles there came from roster construction and deadline management, not the kind of player evaluation Botterill is asking him to handle in Seattle.

In Pittsburgh, Allvin spent a decade as a scout and assistant before stepping up to a GM title elsewhere.

Botterill knows exactly where his strengths are.

Lane Lambert called Pascal Vincent his "favorite right from the beginning," per the official Kraken announcement on NHL.com.

Vincent just guided the Laval Rocket to 101 points last season, earning AHL Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career.

He also brings seven seasons of NHL assistant coaching experience, including five years with the Winnipeg Jets.

Seattle finished 34-37-11 last season, and adding someone with Vincent's background in offensive development is a meaningful upgrade.

Botterill has spent his first months as Seattle's top executive deliberately building a staff around trust and defined roles.

Allvin provides the pro evaluation infrastructure, and Vincent gives Lambert an offensive voice the Kraken coaching staff was clearly missing.

Neither hire will generate many headlines outside of hockey circles. Both are exactly what a 79-point team needs to start building something real.