Intro:
The Seattle Kraken, the 32nd team of the National Hockey League (NHL), had their debut season in the 2021-2022 hockey season after the longest gap in Seattle hockey for almost a century following the loss of the Seattle Metropolitans in 1924. While the team’s inaugural season performed below expectations, coming in last in the league, the team had the 14th-highest attendance rate. Many Seattleites say the team and the new Climate Pledge Arena are giving new life to the city.

Kraken Lore:
Though only a second-year team, there was a lot of time and effort put into all factors of the team’s branding and identity. From their uniforms to their goal animations, the Kraken take their identity.

Kraken Branding:
There was a lot of historical thought put into the team’s Kraken logo. The fearsome beast was chosen as a nod to the maritime history of Seattle, giving the city a “hockey club as untamed as the sea herself.” Additionally, the giant pacific octopus, which is the largest octopus on earth, lurks in the water around the city of Seattle.

Logo Anatomy:

Uniforms:
The team jersey is also incredibly detailed and thought out. The front features the classic Kraken S logo and the player’s name and number. The whole jersey is covered in the team’s colors with the execution of the very purposeful colored banding on the sleeve which is to pay homage to the shipyards. The Livery Stripe represents a banded coat of arms showing “where sky and mountain meet against the dark seas and the unknown threat that lurks just beneath the surface,” as stated on the Kraken website.

Home Arena:
Climate Pledge Stadium was masterfully marketed and designed to give an incredible experience for home game Kraken fans. Designed with a steep bowl, it makes even the highest seats feel on top of the ice and close to the action. On top of all of this are the game presentation, ranging from the live organ, customized goal animation, a tentacle that grabs the loser logo during a win, and my personal favorite, the “ocean fog” tunnel the team exits at the beginning of each period. All these elements come together to transform the fan spirit into enacting the legend of the Kraken.

Sustainability:
Not only was the design of the team’s gear and arena carefully put together, but the franchise takes sustainability very seriously. Addressing the plastic waste problem, all Kraken jerseys are made of recycled materials to help end virgin plastic production. This sustainability extends to the recently completed Climate Pledge Arena, the home arena of the Seattle Kraken. The goal of the stadium is to “create the first International Living Future Institute certified zero carbon arena in the world.” They are currently accomplishing this by using 100% renewable energy throughout the area of the arena and consuming no fossil fuels on-site. The arena also uses rainwater to fill 15,000-gallon cisterns recycling the water to resurface the ice, with 12,500 on-site trees including a living wall for the arena, and a goal to be 100% single-use plastic free by 2024 (a first for the NHL). This is to name just a few of the environmental changes in the arena.

Season Two Summary:
Now onto actual gameplay, the 2022-2023 season is still ongoing so there are no definite results but there is a significant improvement since their first season.

Current Roster:

As of January 17, 2023, the Kraken stand at 2nd in the Pacific Division and 10th in the league overall (out of 32 teams in total). Currently having scored 56 points, one point behind the New York Rangers, their point percentage is at .636 with a goal differential of +18. They’ve won 26 games, lost 14, and lost 4 in overtime.

Get ready to
“RELEASE THE KRAKEN”