A few months back I took a trip out West with my girlfriend, brother, and father to see the Boston Bruins play the Seattle Kraken for the first time at Climate Pledge Arena. I had been to Seattle twice previously, once in 2018, prior to the start of renovations at what was at the time Key Arena, and a second in August 2019, when my girlfriend and I traveled to Portland, and drove up to Seattle to spend a day in the City. At that time, arena renovations were well underway.
Unique Hockey Traditions
I have always been extremely interested in the growth of hockey across the country and worldwide. The phrase “non-traditional hockey market” often comes with negative connotations, but to me, it brings excitement. I have always been fascinated with how different hockey markets celebrate the game, and what types of unique traditions different cities and fanbases have created around the sport.
In Nashville, it means smashing cars and other vehicles emblazoned with opponents’ logos during playoff time. In Raleigh, tailgates and storm surges are borrowed from football traditions that have been incorporated into hockey by a fanbase that is deeply passionate about both major North American sports.
The list goes on, but when I traveled to Seattle to watch an NHL game for the first time, I was intrigued to see how the city would embrace its fledgling NHL franchise. When I first came to Seattle in 2018, I went to a Thunderbirds game at the ShoWare Center in Kent, just south of the city. The passion for hockey at the time was palpable. The stands were littered with jerseys from across the NHL and various other hockey leagues. It was clear the enthusiasm for the sport was there, it just felt a little disjointed. If this crowd was showing up regularly for junior hockey games, I could only imagine what success an NHL franchise could have in the city.
Fast-forward to 2022, Climate Pledge Arena is complete and hockey is in the air in Seattle. We spent about five days in the city, doing the usual touristy things like visiting Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. My brother had never been to Seattle and there were still some sights I had yet to check off my list in the two previous times I had visited.
We made a point of including as many hockey-related things as we could into the trip (including the Bruins-Kraken game of course). We stopped by souvenir shops down by the waterfront and were pleasantly surprised by the amount of Kraken merchandise that was available for purchase. It was hard to go anywhere in the city and not see something related to the team.
Kraken Community Iceplex
We made a second, much-anticipated, stop at the Kraken Community Iceplex, where three brand new sheets of ice play host to Seattle Kraken practices, along with public skating, learn-to-skate programs, youth hockey games, and adult leagues.
We had planned to bring our own skates all the way from Rhode Island to use at the arena for public skating. Anyone who has done any significant amount of skating knows that rental skates just do not perform anywhere near the level of higher-end (yes much more expensive) model skates. Unfortunately, the only checked bag we brought to Seattle, containing our four pairs of skates and two Bruins jerseys, was stolen from baggage claim before we could get to it. That’s what happens when you let passengers with connecting flights disembark before you.
We were not going to let our tragic skate situation put a damper on our trip, and we enjoyed a public skating session at the Kraken Community Iceplex all the same. The ice was incredible, and the rental skates were definitely not the worst I’ve ever laced up. It was a beautifully sunny day, and the light was streaming in across the ice surface from massive windows overlooking the ice surface.
We then went upstairs for a stroll through the pro shop and a little lunch at the 32 Bar and Grill, where we happened to bump into the President and CEO of the Kraken, Tod Leiweke, who was just finishing up a lunch of his own as we wandered in. We spoke with him for a few moments – I think he approached our table after seeing our Bruins jerseys (the two that didn’t get stolen at SeaTac) and figured he would have a chat with a group of out-of-town fans. The meal was very good, and we had a view situated at windows overlooking the arena where the Kraken practice, though no one was using the ice during our meal.
Game Day – Climate Pledge Arena
The last stop on our trip was the game itself. We had spent time around the arena in the days previous, visiting the Space Needle and other tourist spots, but seeing the Seattle Center on game day was something else. There was a buzz in the air as fans bustled towards the many entrances to Climate Pledge Arena, virtual tickets in hand.
A nice feature of Climate Pledge Arena, for those who don’t already know, is that the ice surface itself is several feet underground. This means upon entering the arena fans with tickets in the lower bowl have a short walk down to their seats and those in the upper levels don’t have a far walk up either. This is a welcome change from the situation at TD Garden in Boston, where the “nosebleed” section really feels just like how it sounds.
The game was close, with the B’s eventually edging out a victory 3-2 in overtime off the stick of Jake DeBrusk. The fans were loud, yet respectful. This might be a strange thing to say, but I have seen how opposing fans can be treated in a place like Boston, and let’s just say I never felt like I was about to have a beer dumped on me while wearing black and gold in Climate Pledge Arena.
Return Trip Soon to Come
All in all, the trip was a massive success. Hockey is alive and well in Seattle, and despite the lackluster inaugural season the team had, finishing with just 27 wins in 82 games for last in the Pacific Division, it is clear that hockey is a hit in Seattle. Not a surprise I’m sure to those who live there.
The team is off to a much stronger start in the 2022-23 season. Sitting at second in the Pacific with an 8-4-2 record. Young stars like Matty Beniers (born in Hingham, Massachusetts) have given fans reason to be hopeful for continued on-ice success in years to come, and I know I can speak for myself and those who shared this adventure with me when I say we can’t wait for our next hockey trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Did I mention we vlogged our entire trip? You can check that video out below, there are time stamps in the description if you would like to jump around.
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