Seattle Kraken

Meet the Kraken

Alika Jenner/Getty Images

In the summer of 2020, the Seattle Kraken released a promotional video featuring gray-scale roiling seas, mountain peaks, and the city skyline, with its eponymous mascot—a tentacled sea monster—an unseen, looming presence.

The Kraken’s maritime origin story is inspired by the very real Giant Pacific octopus found in Puget Sound—local legend has it that a 600-pound creature lurks amid the ruins of the collapsed Tacoma Narrows bridge. Seattle’s first major-league hockey team since 1975 had a devoted fan base long before its official launch. The franchise broke records in 2018 for deposits on season tickets made in a single day, and two years later, with 215,000 votes, the Kraken officially became a team name born of the fans. The signature ice-blue “S” (a nod to the Seattle Metropolitans, the city’s original professional hockey team) began to crop up across the city and beyond—this past summer, the team’s flag flew atop both Mount Rainier and Mount Everest.

Led by head coach Dave Hakstol, the Seattle Kraken took the ice for the first time this fall, playing in the Pacific Division of the NHL Western Conference along with Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose, Vancouver, and Las Vegas. The team plays at Climate Pledge Arena (334 First Ave N), which is the first net-zero carbon-certified arena in the world, complete with electric Zambonis and a “rain to rink” system to help conserve water. The arena will also host concerts and events in the off-season, and its dining options rise far above typical sports fare, with sustainable selections from some of Seattle’s most popular restaurants.

Can’t get a ticket? Grab a pint and a seat at one of Seattle’s hockey-centric bars like The Angry Beaver (8412 Greenwood Ave N) and LTD Bar & Grill (309 N 36th St)—or visit the Kraken Community Iceplex (10601 Fifth Ave NE) to watch the team practice, attend a game watch party, or grab a bite at the 32 Bar & Grill overlooking the practice rink.

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