Seattle Kraken (coming 2021-2022)

[TracerBullet]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Figured I should just hop in and throw out some opinions and updates:

1. No on Raniers. Having two teams in the same state with the same name is dumb even if one is a minor league team. Same reason I wouldn't want them to be the T-Birds. Tacoma isn't changing the minor league team name and they shouldn't. Should have went with Pilots or Steelheads (which I personally love and it's our state fish) if they wanted an old baseball team name.

2. I have been on the Totems (old WHL team in Seattle) train for forever for the team name, though I like Sockeyes, Seals/Sea Lions and Evergreens decently enough. There's a weird amount of people that think the team name still needs to be something vicious for some reason. Meanwhile I think they'd probably make a dope Native American art logo for Sockeyes.

3. Big no on Renegades (just lame), Firebirds, Eagles (yawn), Cougars (already a major college team, would just be annoying), Whales (leave all whale references to that team up north and Hartford). Just kinda meh on Emeralds. It's fine, but not what I want.

4. Kraken one of the more popular team name choices up here and I despise it. All because people want to say "Release the Kraken!" which will get old...already.

5. They should never even consider the SuperSonics name. But they should adopt their colors instead of the other Seattle standard.

6. Seattle almost submitted a formal application for a team this past week, but are expected to this week.

7. I really hope the Silvertips and Thunderbirds survive an NHL team. Those games are fun and way more affordable to the point where I'll still likely go to more of their games, especially since we went with KeyArena over SODO.

8. Hockey and Basketball would do just fine up here at the same time. If the Mariners don't get their **** together anytime soon, they'd probably be hurting the most, even if they did remain the third most popular team in the region. Seriously, if the Mariners actually maintained any sustained form of success, they could fill that stadium pretty regularly. People are just tired of them being terrible every year.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Ownership group submits application and 10m downpayment.

Wonder if we get official announcement on a team this summer. Everyone knows its happening, so sooner it's announced, sooner they can work out draft details, especially after teams see how Vegas did. NHL would love repeat, but GMs probably don't.

And of course having all this settled before next cba starts being negotiated.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Nice for Vancouver to have a geographic rival.

I have no idea how the team will fare in the market. Seattle is pretty big these days and a good sports town it seems, and as others have brought up, I wonder what the NBA returning would do. I will say, I think it was crucial they're getting in there before the NBA returns.

Having lived in the PNW and in Portland specifically, hockey is pretty obscure—even despite the longtime WHL presence. I'd say its following is far behind soccer at this point. That said, I'm sure there are a ton of transplants in Seattle from traditional hockey markets, there's a lot of disposable income, and the people who aren't familiar with the new sports coming in (like soccer) seem pretty receptive to any sport that comes along.

I think it'll probably work out well.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

On HNIC, a name they threw out as a possible GM candidate for the Seattle team would be Ken Holland. Doesn't seem like any negotiations between him and the Wings in terms of staying past his contract that expires at end of this season. Don't know what he'd do for 18-19 season, but from 19-20 season is when Seattle would probably need a GM to start scouting and preparing for the draft and everything else.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

I'm sure there would be quite a long line of Red Wings fans volunteering to drive Ken Holland to the airport.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

March 1st is when the Seattle ticket drive begins.

A different process than Vegas as Vegas held their drive before expansion bids were being accepted(and NHL acted like this meant nothing).

Vegas had their drive in February 2015, reached goal by April, NHLs expansion bids began in June, and Vegas was approved a year later in June 2016.

If this follows similar timeline, then probably gets announced June 2019, though seeing how fast everything has been moving, you never know when this will be announced.

[rdnk]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

I'm sure there would be quite a long line of Red Wings fans volunteering to drive Ken Holland to the airport.

I have some friends in Seattle that'd be willing to put him up until he finds a residence.

[TracerBullet]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

In the first hour after the ticket drive started, there were already 25,000 deposits. 10,000 came in the first 12 minutes.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Good to see so many on board so quickly.

Bettman said the draft would be the same as the Vegas one. Nothing official, and I'm sure there might be some owners who have an issue with that, but we'll see how it ends up. Would still be good for teams to have all this announced by this summer so they have some time to prepare their rosters and get ready for the draft.

Given the whole NMC protection in the draft, we could possibly see some teams hesitant on handing those out, at least for next 2 years. Probably see more NTC that turn into NMC beginning in 2021.

[slickdtc]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

In the first hour after the ticket drive started, there were already 25,000 deposits. 10,000 came in the first 12 minutes.

Great to hear this is turning out to be as much of a slam dunk as we’ve all been SCREAMING it would be for years.

I hope Seattle sees the immediate success that LV is.

[Money99]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Very happy that Seattle is getting a team.
I think they'll be a fantastic hockey market.

Goes to show that the NHL didn't want Quebec as an expansion team all along.
Despite the flapping of their gums, they were definitely holding that #32 spot for Seattle.

Guess this means Nordiques fans will have to hope and pray that the Canes or Panthers get moved.
I guess they can also still hope for Arizona too. Detroit will probably get screwed and be told they're going back to the West, LOL.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

An interesting idea I heard someone mention on another site:

What if a team this season signs a guy to a 4-5 year deal, with intention of leaving him unprotected in the Seattle draft(maybe even pushing Seattle to take him if they don't want to)?

In this case, you'd get to sign a guy you want, maybe even at the cap hit you're happy with, but not the overall length of the contract. So in a way, you get out of the deal early. Though I'm sure agents are probably having this on their minds already too. NMC for 2020 will definitely be a hot topic in contract negotiations.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Bettman says no vote on expansion will come in the June BOG meeting, but fall or winter it could happen.


I think we all know it's happening, but I'm sure teams would've liked a 2 year notice on this to better prepare their rosters and sort out contracts.



Although there are a number of guys currently signed to deals that I wouldn't be surprised to see some of them left unprotected come 2020 draft, maybe even giving up picks for Seattle to take them. Backes in Boston, one of the big NMC guys waiving in Anaheim(Getzlaf,Perry,Kesler), Hornqvist in Pittsburgh, Zetterberg in Detroit. Guys who'll be in mid-late 30s by then and still a significant cap hit.

[DrJones]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

Although there are a number of guys currently signed to deals that I wouldn't be surprised to see some of them left unprotected come 2020 draft, maybe even giving up picks for Seattle to take them. Backes in Boston, one of the big NMC guys waiving in Anaheim(Getzlaf,Perry,Kesler), Hornqvist in Pittsburgh, Zetterberg in Detroit. Guys who'll be in mid-late 30s by then and still a significant cap hit.

I don't remember, did anyone other than Fleury agree to waive his NMC?

Bob Murray refused to even ask Bieksa to waive his NMC. Getzlaf and Perry are franchise icons, Kesler's a massive dick. Can't see any of them going anywhere.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL to Seattle?

The Seattle group brought in Dave Tippett as a Senior Adviser. I wonder if he'll actually be their teams coach. He had coached from 02-17 but didn't coach all of this past season. Taking 1 more season off(spending it as the Adviser) and then once Seattle officially gets awarded a team, I'm guessing they'd just announce him as the coach.