50 Fun Facts About Seattle Kraken

In which season did the Kraken begin play?

They became the NHL's 32nd franchise.

How much was the Kraken's expansion fee?

The final instalment was paid on April 30, 2021.

Which PCHA club became the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1917?

They beat the Montreal Canadiens three games to one, outscoring them 19-3 in the last three.

Why was the 1919 Stanley Cup Final in Seattle never finished?

It was cancelled tied 2-2-1 after five games.

Which franchise would have moved to Seattle in 2013 if Glendale's council had not voted 4-3 to keep it?

A Nate Silver study found Seattle had the most avid hockey fans of any NHL-less U.S. market.

Which two men fronted the ownership group when the NHL considered Seattle's application in 2017?

Bruckheimer is the Hollywood producer; Bonderman's daughter Samantha Holloway now co-leads the group.

Which Hall of Famer was hired in 2019 as the Kraken's first general manager?

He said he wanted speed, character and competitiveness; he became president of hockey operations in 2025.

Where was the 2021 expansion draft held in front of more than 4,000 fans?

Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak and Chris Driedger had already been signed as their old teams' picks.

Whom did the Kraken take second overall in the 2021 entry draft?

The Michigan center won the Calder Trophy in 2022-23.

Who was the Kraken's first head coach?

He was fired in April 2024 after a 217-goal season.

Who was named the Kraken's inaugural captain in October 2021?

He was traded to Toronto that March, leaving the captaincy vacant until Eberle in 2024.

Who scored the first goal in Kraken history, in a 4-3 loss at Vegas?

Vince Dunn scored the first goal at Climate Pledge Arena eleven days later.

The Kraken retired No. 32 before their home opener to honour being the 32nd team and what else?

It hangs alongside the league-wide 99.

Which goalie recorded the franchise's first shutout, against the Islanders in February 2022?

He had come from Colorado in the first free-agent class.

What was the Kraken's record in their inaugural season?

Only Arizona had fewer points in the West.

Which NHL first did the Kraken achieve on a January 2023 road swing?

Martin Jones played seven games of an eight-game win streak.

Whom did the Kraken upset in seven games in their first playoff series in 2023?

They were the first expansion team to win its first series against the defending champion.

Which team ended the Kraken's 2023 run in a seven-game second round?

Seattle had finished with 100 points and the first wild card.

Which Kraken goalie posted the first shutout in Winter Classic history, 3-0 over Vegas in 2024?

It came mid-way through a franchise-record nine-game win streak.

Jessica Campbell, hired in July 2024, became the NHL's first what?

Justin Rogers became the league's first openly gay head trainer months later.

Who took over as Kraken GM in 2025 when the original GM became president of hockey operations?

Lane Lambert became the third head coach that May.

Which company bought KeyArena's naming rights in 2020, renaming it for a climate pledge?

The venue seats 17,151 for hockey.

Climate Pledge Arena was built for which 1962 event?

It opened as the Washington State Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition.

Which NBA team called the arena home for decades before leaving town in 2008?

The building hosted the 1978 and 1979 NBA Finals.

Which British band played the arena in 1964 and again in 1966?

The 1962 roof was preserved during the Kraken-era rebuild.

Where was the Kraken's practice facility, the Kraken Community Iceplex, built?

A second rink complex in Kirkland is planned for late 2027.

The '3-Rink Rush' preseason took the Kraken to Spokane, Everett and which third WHL city?

Renovation delays kept them out of Climate Pledge Arena.

The Kraken's goal horn came from what?

It belonged to the MV Hyak.

Which Nirvana song plays after every Kraken home goal?

It honours Seattle's grunge heritage.

What do the three stars throw into the crowd after Kraken home wins?

It mimics the Pike Place Market fish toss.

Which 1977 film's organist played for the Kraken during their first season?

Rod Masters used electronic keyboards because the arena has no organ.

Which of these is one of the Kraken's four official colours?

The others are ice blue, boundless blue and shadow blue, on a deep sea blue base.

The 2022-23 Reverse Retro uniform honoured which 1940s Pacific Coast Hockey League team?

The Ironmen later became the Totems of the Western Hockey League.

How was the Kraken's 2024 Winter Classic jersey leaked four days early?

It was inspired by the Metropolitans' red 'S'.

The 2025 black alternate uniform's glow-in-the-dark elements nod to what?

It includes a glowing Muckleshoot Indian Tribe patch and sonar-style stripes.

Kraken mascot Buoy is based on which Seattle landmark?

He is a sea troll, delayed a season by Omicron postponements.

What was the name of the husky-mix 'team dog' the Kraken promoted in their first season?

He trained as a therapy dog while socialising with fans.

Everett Fitzhugh and J. T. Brown made history in February 2022 as the NHL's first what?

Fitzhugh is also the league's first Black full-time play-by-play announcer.

Which two Seattle celebrities joined the ownership group as minority owners in 2022?

Melinda French Gates joined in 2026.

Where are the Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Firebirds, based?

Delays at Acrisure Arena meant they shared the Charlotte Checkers in year one.

Who won the Calder Trophy for the Kraken in 2022-23 with 57 points?

He tied for the rookie lead with 24 goals.

Which star of Seattle's 1917 champions was jailed for draft evasion the day the 1919 playoffs began?

He was a Canadian citizen; he had scored 14 goals in the 1917 Cup series.

Who was named the second captain in Kraken history in October 2024?

He took the 'C' three years after Mark Giordano, in a season that ended with the team seventh in its division.

Who became Kraken head coach in 2025 after Dan Bylsma was fired following a single season?

Bylsma was dismissed on April 21 after a 35–41–6 season; his replacement was announced a day later.

Who scored the first Kraken goal ever at Climate Pledge Arena, on October 23, 2021?

The team's first home shutout did not come until the final home game of that season, a 3–0 win over San Jose.

Which ECHL team became the Kraken's affiliate from 2022–23, replacing the Allen Americans?

The AHL affiliate is the Coachella Valley Firebirds, who began life playing some home games in Seattle and Everett while their arena was built.

How many seats does Climate Pledge Arena hold in its ice hockey configuration?

The building is a renovation of KeyArena at the Seattle Center, renamed after Amazon bought the naming rights in 2020.

With which NHL team did the Kraken share the AHL's Charlotte Checkers in their first season?

The Firebirds were not ready for 2021–22; the Checkers won their division that year and reached the Calder Cup division finals.

The Kraken's team MVP award, voted by Seattle-area media, is named after whom?

A separate Guyle Fielder Award, voted by teammates and coaches, goes to the player who best shows perseverance, hustle and dedication.

Who was the first player the Kraken ever signed, in May 2021?

The signing came two weeks after the final instalment of the $650 million expansion fee; Larsson, Oleksiak and Driedger followed in the July exclusive window.