Advertisement

NHL’s newest team has an interesting name: the Seattle Kraken

A flag with the logo of the Seattle Kraken flies atop the iconic Space Needle on July 23.
A flag with the logo of the Seattle Kraken flies atop the iconic Space Needle on July 23.
(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
Share

The NHL’s newest team went bold in choosing its name.

The Seattle Kraken, named for a mythical, tentacled sea monster that is said to have terrorized ships in Scandinavian waters, announced their name and colors Thursday with a clever video that pays tribute to the city’s maritime industry and hockey history. A montage of local scenes includes photos of the Seattle Metropolitans, who played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Assn. and in 1917 became the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup.

The team’s colors feature various shades of dark and light blue, and the logo features the letter “S” partly shaped by a tentacle and featuring a red eye.

Advertisement

“Our maritime city with a proud history of adventure is deserving of a hockey club as untamed as the sea itself,” the team said on its website. “The Kraken represents the fiercest beast in all the world. Too large and indomitable to be contained by man (or finned mammal). It instills one message in all opponents, whether in our waters, or theirs ... Abandon all hope.”

The announcement was made at the team’s arena, Climate Pledge Arena, though fans already informally have renamed it the Krak House.

The NHL reported that two players tested positive for COVID-19 during the first five days of training camp out of 2,618 tests administered to over 800 players.

July 20, 2020

The Kraken are scheduled to begin play in the 2021-22 season in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and will be the NHL’s 32nd team.

“Seattle’s a city with a deep maritime history,” general manager Ron Francis said. “I think the name embodies a connection with the sea and a curiosity of what lies beneath it. It’s a natural tie to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.”

Advertisement