The NHL unanimously approved the Seattle expansion franchise on December 4, 2018, officially making it the 32nd team in the league. ¹⁾

After months of speculation, the franchise officially revealed its name, logo, and colors to the public on July 23, 2020. ²⁾

The name “Kraken” refers to the legendary sea monster of Norse mythology, chosen to honor Seattle's deep maritime history and the formidable nature of the ocean. ³⁾

The team's unique official color palette consists of Deep Sea Blue, Ice Blue, Boundless Blue, Shadow Blue, and a bright accent of Red Alert. ⁴⁾

The primary “S” logo is a direct homage to the original Seattle Metropolitans hockey team, but it cleverly hides a twisting tentacle and a glaring red eye within its curves. ⁵⁾

The Kraken's secondary logo features a nautical anchor that is subtly shaped to form the iconic silhouette of the Seattle Space Needle. ⁶⁾

The franchise's primary ownership group is led by billionaire David Bonderman and highly successful Hollywood film producer Jerry Bruckheimer. ⁷⁾

Entering as the 32nd active franchise, the Kraken's arrival perfectly rounded out the NHL's organizational structure. ⁸⁾

Because of Seattle's entry into the league, the Arizona Coyotes were relocated to the Central Division, perfectly balancing the Western and Eastern Conferences at 16 teams each. ⁹⁾

Amazon purchased the naming rights to the team's arena but chose to name it “Climate Pledge Arena” rather than brand it with their corporate name, highlighting environmental sustainability. ¹⁰⁾

Climate Pledge Arena was designed and constructed to be the very first net-zero carbon certified professional sports arena in the entire world. ¹¹⁾

During the massive reconstruction of the arena, the historic 44-million-pound roof from the 1962 World's Fair was temporarily suspended in mid-air so a completely new bowl could be dug underneath it. ¹²⁾

Staying true to their strict environmental commitments, the team uses a fleet of 100% electric Zambonis to resurface the ice between periods. ¹³⁾

The Kraken utilize a specialized system that harvests rainwater from the arena's roof and converts it into the water used to create the NHL ice sheet. ¹⁴⁾

The arena is located underneath the historic Seattle Center, physically sitting on the exact same plot of land as the city's previous sports arenas dating back decades. ¹⁵⁾

The Kraken built their initial core roster during the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, held on July 21, 2021, selecting one unprotected player from 30 other NHL franchises. ¹⁶⁾

Just days after the expansion draft, the Kraken selected talented center Matty Beniers second overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, making him their first-ever amateur draft pick. ¹⁷⁾

Veteran defenseman Mark Giordano was officially named the first captain in the history of the Seattle Kraken franchise prior to their inaugural season. ¹⁸⁾

The Kraken played their very first regular-season NHL game on October 12, 2021, dropping a hard-fought 4-3 decision to the Vegas Golden Knights. ¹⁹⁾

Forward Ryan Donato etched his name into the franchise history books by scoring the first regular-season goal ever recorded by a Seattle Kraken player. ²⁰⁾

Seattle officially secured its first-ever franchise victory on October 14, 2021, holding on to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-3 on the road. ²¹⁾

The highly anticipated first regular-season home game at Climate Pledge Arena took place on October 23, 2021, against their geographic rivals, the Vancouver Canucks. ²²⁾

Defenseman Vince Dunn scored the first-ever Kraken goal on home ice during the final seconds of the first period of their inaugural home opener. ²³⁾

Dave Hakstol was hired as the inaugural head coach of the Seattle Kraken after previously serving as an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. ²⁴⁾

In just their second year of existence, the Kraken clinched their very first Stanley Cup Playoff berth in April 2023. ²⁵⁾

In a massive first-round upset, the Kraken eliminated the heavily favored, defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games. ²⁶⁾

Seattle secured their first-ever playoff series victory by stepping into a hostile environment in Denver and winning Game 7 of the 2023 first round. ²⁷⁾

Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand was the absolute hero of that decisive Game 7 against Colorado, scoring both of Seattle's goals in the 2-1 series-clinching victory. ²⁸⁾

The Kraken advanced to the second round in 2023 and pushed the heavily favored Dallas Stars to a full seven games before ultimately being eliminated. ²⁹⁾

Following an outstanding 2022-23 campaign, Matty Beniers became the first player in Kraken history to win a major NHL award by capturing the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year. ³⁰⁾

Head coach Dave Hakstol was officially named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award following the team's massive 40-point improvement in their second season. ³¹⁾

During the 2023 series against Colorado, Seattle became the first team in NHL history to have 13 different players score a goal within a single playoff series. ³²⁾

Forward Jared McCann quickly established himself as the team's premier offensive threat, holding the franchise record for the most all-time goals. ³³⁾

During the wildly successful 2022-23 season, Jared McCann became the first player in Kraken franchise history to score 40 goals in a single regular season. ³⁴⁾

Vince Dunn has operated as the power-play quarterback and currently holds the franchise record for the most all-time assists by a Kraken defenseman. ³⁵⁾

Before being selected by Seattle in the expansion draft, rugged two-way center Yanni Gourde won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. ³⁶⁾

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer recorded the very first postseason shutout in Kraken history during the 2023 playoffs, blanking his former team, the Colorado Avalanche. ³⁷⁾

Goaltender Joey Daccord recorded a spectacular 35-save shutout during the 2024 NHL Winter Classic, marking the first shutout in the history of the legendary outdoor event. ³⁸⁾

Following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, the Kraken fired Dave Hakstol and hired Stanley Cup-winning coach Dan Bylsma as the second head coach in team history. ³⁹⁾

Veteran forward Jordan Eberle was officially named the second captain in franchise history in September 2024, filling the vacancy left years prior by Mark Giordano's departure. ⁴⁰⁾

The team's official mascot is “Buoy,” a large, blue, sea-troll inspired directly by the famous Fremont Troll public sculpture located in the city of Seattle. ⁴¹⁾

Buoy is famously missing a front tooth, a deliberate design choice meant to pay humorous homage to the rugged, gap-toothed smiles common among professional hockey players. ⁴²⁾

The Kraken's primary American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, proved instantly successful, reaching the Calder Cup Finals in both of their first two seasons of existence. ⁴³⁾

On January 1, 2024, the Kraken hosted the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park, securing a memorable 3-0 victory in front of a sold-out baseball stadium. ⁴⁴⁾

Expanding their developmental pipeline, the Seattle Kraken maintain a direct affiliation with the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL. ⁴⁵⁾