Kraken Are NHL’s most Random Team…& I LOVE IT!

The Seattle Kraken’s roller-coaster season continues as they somehow still feel within reach of both the playoffs and the number one pick. The truest form of duality lives on in Climate Pledge Arena tonight.

As we welcome in the Washington Capitals & Alexander Ovechkin, I can’t help but reminisce a bit on how I became a Krakhead. Growing up in AZ, hockey just wasn’t my number one, two, three, or even seventh choice. It wasn’t until the 2014 Olympics TJ Oshie game that my interest truly piqued and I jumped onto the hockey bandwagon.

Soon, I began to tune in during the playoffs, still searching for a team with Arizona's circling uncertainty yearly. It wasn’t until Oshie joined the Caps, my older cousin’s hometown team (who himself played college hockey), that I finally proclaimed myself a fan of a team. Not even three seasons later, the franchise that had never won a Stanley Cup, long known for playoff heartbreak, broke through with one of the most memorable championship runs ever.

Now yes, I was as excited to follow that run, but I felt I cheated fandom. As a fan, it didn’t feel like my championship. I was the definition of a bandwagon fan, to a tee. I was more of an Oshie fan than anything, and my search for my own team had to continue. Even though getting to meet TJ was dope, after my wife won a meet & greet contest. Which was also awesome, getting to give that moment to my cousin, a lifelong fan of the squad, and bringing him along… I still needed a team the way he had the Caps.

Then came beautiful NHL expansion: the Seattle Kraken. A new team with no history, no fans, nothing. A clean slate. I was in from the ground floor, watching every pick in the expansion draft as they threw fish in Pike Place Market.

From day one, I’ve been Kraken all the way. Still, as I head to the arena tonight, I can’t help but tip my Cap to the Caps…yes, I did that deal with it. There would be no Kraken and no true hockey fandom for me without them. Yes, it isn’t always easy being a fan, but at least I know my allegiance cannot be questioned. Trust me when I say the Kraken’s time is coming sooner than the league thinks, too.

That’s Kraken hockey, baby!