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Formation of the Seattle Team
The NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve Seattle’s expansion team on December 4, 2018. Seattle will begin to play in the 2021 – 2022 seasons as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference; therefore the Arizona Coyotes will shift from the Pacific Division to the Central Division to balance out the four divisions at eight teams each. An expansion draft will be held in a similar manner to a previous expansion draft held in 2017 for the Vegas Golden Knights, who will be exempt from it. In May 2019, the team launched an interactive “fan portal” where fans can weigh in on the team name and uniform colors, answer poll questions, get information about ticket pricing and seating, and view a timeline of past and future key events involving the club and a section that spotlights some of the season-ticket depositors.
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Release the Kraken
On July 23, 2020, the franchise officially announced their team name, the Seattle Kraken, as well as their team colors, branding, and home jersey. The event was held under the banner of “Release the Kraken”, a phrase popularized by the 1981 film Clash of the Titans and the 2010 remake.
In December 2018, the NHL approved a proposal by Seattle Hockey Partners to grant an expansion franchise to the city of Seattle. In July 2020, the Kraken’s name and branding were revealed. It will be the first professional hockey team to play in Seattle since the Seattle Totems of the Western Hockey League played their last game in 1975, and the first Seattle hockey team to compete for the Stanley Cup since the Seattle Metropolitans folded in 1924.
Established
2021
City
Seattle
League History
2021 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
2021 – Present / Seattle Kraken
Nickname
Kraken – “Kraken” was a name that was already popular with fans prior to its official adoption. The franchise’s promotional materials state that it was adopted to honor the maritime culture of Seattle, as well as in reference to the Giant Pacific octopus, the largest species of octopus in the world, which can be found in the waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Championship
Stanley Cup 0
Arena
2021 – Present / Climate Pledge Arena
Owner
2021 – Present / David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tod Leiweke
Retired Number
99 Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history
