This is an accepted version of this page
120-763: The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle . The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The team was founded after the NHL approved a proposal by Seattle Hockey Partners to grant an expansion franchise to the city of Seattle, and the team began play during the league's 2021–22 season . They play their home games at Climate Pledge Arena . The Kraken qualified for
240-419: A centre and two wingers : a left wing and a right wing . Forwards often play together as units or lines , with the same three forwards always playing together. The defencemen usually stay together as a pair generally divided between left and right. Left and right side wingers or defencemen are generally positioned on the side on which they carry their stick. A substitution of an entire unit at once
360-564: A memorandum of understanding between the city of Seattle and the Oak View Group , a sports company co-founded by Tim Leiweke , for renovations of KeyArena . Three days later, the National Hockey League (NHL) Board of Governors agreed to consider an expansion application from Seattle , with an expansion fee set at US$ 650 million. The Seattle ownership group was represented by David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer . Exactly
480-401: A penalty shootout . If the score remains tied after an extra overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of three players from each team taking penalty shots. After these six total shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to sudden death . Regardless of the number of goals scored by either team during the shootout,
600-558: A 34–35–13 record, enough for sixth place in their division. On April 29, following the end of the season, head coach Dave Hakstol was fired, being replaced by Coachella Valley Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma on May 28. In July 2024, the team made history by hiring Jessica Campbell as the NHL's first female assistant coach. In October, the Kraken named Jordan Eberle the second captain in franchise history. The Kraken play their home games at Climate Pledge Arena . The arena, at Seattle Center ,
720-405: A chest protector, a goalie mask, and a large jersey. Goaltenders' equipment has continually become larger and larger, leading to fewer goals in each game and many official rule changes. Ice hockey skates are optimized for physical acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. This includes rapid starts, stops, turns, and changes in skating direction. In addition, they must be rigid and tough to protect
840-522: A concussion he suffered during the Blue Jackets' season opener against the New York Rangers . After returning, Wennberg was again injured in early November and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. The following season , Wennberg played in 80 regular season games and recorded career-highs in goals (13) and assists (46). On 1 September 2017, he signed a new six-year, $ 29.4 million contract with
960-537: A forward. The seventh defenceman may play as a substitute defenceman, spend the game on the bench, or if a team chooses to play four lines then this seventh defenceman may see ice-time on the fourth line as a forward. A professional ice hockey game consists of three periods of twenty minutes, the clock running only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends after each period of play, including overtime. Recreational leagues and children's leagues often play shorter games, generally with three shorter periods of play. If
1080-585: A franchise record nine-game win streak. In the midst of the streak, Daccord started in goal for the Kraken during the 2024 Winter Classic , where he achieved the first-ever shutout in Winter Classic history with a 3–0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The team was eliminated from playoff contention on April 3, following a 5–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings . The Kraken finished their season with
1200-536: A fresh start with the Panthers, in which the pandemic delayed and shortened the 2020–21 season , Wennberg responded with a career high 17 goals in 56 games, and added 12 assists while relied upon to provide responsible two-way play. As a free agent from the Panthers, Wennberg was targeted and signed to a three-year, $ 13.5 million contract with the expansion club, the Seattle Kraken , on 28 July 2021. On 6 March 2024,
1320-534: A game is tied after regulation, then a 20-minute period of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime will be added. If the game is still tied after the overtime, another period is added until a team scores, which wins the match. Since 2019, the IIHF World Championships and the gold medal game in the Olympics use the same format, but in a 3-on-3 format. In ice hockey, infractions of the rules lead to a play stoppage whereby
SECTION 10
#17328454662911440-412: A goal scored by the other team. Major penalties assessed for fighting are typically offsetting, meaning neither team is short-handed and the players exit the penalty box upon a stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties. The foul of boarding (defined as "check[ing] an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards") is penalized either by
1560-528: A larger blade and a wide, flat shaft. This stick is primarily intended to block shots, but the goaltender may use it to play the puck as well. Ice hockey is a full-contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and much of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. Skate blades, hockey sticks, shoulder contact, hip contact, and hockey pucks can all potentially cause injuries. Lace bite , an irritation felt on
1680-458: A minor or major penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the violent state of the hit. A minor or major penalty for boarding is often assessed when a player checks an opponent from behind and into the boards. Some varieties of penalty do not require the offending team to play a man short. Concurrent five-minute major penalties in the NHL usually result from fighting. In the case of two players being assessed five-minute fighting majors, both
1800-436: A neck protector. Goaltenders use different equipment. With hockey pucks approaching them at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) they must wear equipment with more protection. Goaltenders wear specialized goalie skates (these skates are built more for movement side to side rather than forwards and backwards), a jock or jill, large leg pads (there are size restrictions in certain leagues), blocking glove, catching glove,
1920-522: A new organized game with codified rules which today is ice hockey. While the general characteristics of the game remain constant, the exact rules depend on the particular code of play being used. The two most important codes are those of the IIHF and the NHL. Both of these codes, and others, originated from Canadian rules of ice hockey of the early 20th century. Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink . During normal play, there are six players on ice skates on
2040-488: A penalty, but was an infraction in the NHL before recent rules changes, is the two-line offside pass . Prior to the 2005–06 NHL season, play was stopped when a pass from inside a team's defending zone crossed the centre line, with a face-off held in the defending zone of the offending team. Now, the centre line is no longer used in the NHL to determine a two-line pass infraction, a change that the IIHF had adopted in 1998. Players are now able to pass to teammates who are more than
2160-409: A player may receive up to nineteen minutes in penalties for one string of plays. This could involve receiving a four-minute double-minor penalty, getting in a fight with an opposing player who retaliates, and then receiving a game misconduct after the fight. In this case, the player is ejected and two teammates must serve the double-minor and major penalties. A penalty shot is awarded to a player when
2280-556: A red "S" similar to the Metropolitans' crest, but shaped to the current "S" logo of the Kraken, with the team name written inside. Ice blue, vintage white and deep sea blue stripes were added to the body and sleeves. The uniform was officially unveiled on November 22, 2023, but was leaked four days earlier when players from the National Basketball Association 's Utah Jazz walked into their home arena wearing it. Buoy,
2400-654: A sea troll , is the Kraken's mascot. He is said to be a nephew of the Fremont Troll , a sculpture in Fremont . Buoy was introduced prior to a preseason home game against the Vancouver Canucks on October 1, 2022. The Kraken had intended to introduce Buoy around Christmas during the 2021–22 season, but due to game postponements related to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant , the team decided to wait until prior to
2520-415: A shot or pass play. Officials also stop play for puck movement violations, such as using one's hands to pass the puck in the offensive end, but no players are penalized for these offences. The sole exceptions are deliberately falling on or gathering the puck to the body, carrying the puck in the hand, and shooting the puck out of play in one's defensive zone (all penalized two minutes for delay of game). In
SECTION 20
#17328454662912640-492: A team losing a skater during regulation instead causes the other side to add a skater. Once the penalized team's penalty ends, the penalized skater exits the penalty box and the teams continue at 4-on-4 until the next stoppage of play, at which point the teams return to three skaters per side. International play and several North American professional leagues, including the NHL (in the regular season), now use an overtime period identical to that from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 followed by
2760-407: A three-day period began where the Kraken could talk to unrestricted free agents before any other team could. The Kraken used this period to sign Adam Larsson , Jamie Oleksiak , and Chris Driedger . An expansion draft was held three days later at Gas Works Park in front of more than 4,000 spectators and fans. The draft was held in a similar manner to a previous expansion draft held in 2017 for
2880-409: A tie occurs in tournament play, as well as in the NHL playoffs, North Americans favour sudden death overtime , in which the teams continue to play twenty-minute periods until a goal is scored. Up until the 1999–2000 season, regular-season NHL games were settled with a single five-minute sudden death period with five players (plus a goalie) per side, with both teams awarded one point in the standings in
3000-461: A year after the memorandum of understanding, the NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve a Seattle expansion team being added to the league. In mid-2019, the organization hired Ron Francis as their general manager to initiate operations for the team. Francis later stated that three things he wanted to prioritize in the Kraken's roster were speed, character, and competitiveness. In July 2020,
3120-406: Is a team sport played on ice skates , usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey . Two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a vulcanized rubber hockey puck into the other team's net. Each goal is worth one point. The team with the highest score after an hour of playing time
3240-489: Is a $ 930 million redevelopment of the former KeyArena. On June 25, 2020, Amazon bought the naming rights to KeyArena and chose to rename the venue due to their environmental goals. The venue has 17,151 seats in its ice hockey configuration. Vince Dunn scored the first Kraken goal in the arena's history on October 23, 2021. The Kraken's first shutout win at home was a 3–0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on April 29, 2022,
3360-462: Is a full-contact sport, body checks are allowed so injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations. This includes a helmet with either a visor or a full face mask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle, athletic cup (also known as a jock, for males; and jill, for females), shin pads, skates, and (optionally)
3480-410: Is also a penalty in certain leagues in order to reduce the chance of injury to players. Often the term checking is used to refer to body checking, with its true definition generally only propagated among fans of the game. One of the most important strategies for a team is their forecheck . Forechecking is the act of attacking the opposition in their defensive zone. Forechecking is an important part of
3600-459: Is called a line change . Teams typically employ alternate sets of forward lines and defensive pairings when short-handed or on a power play . The goaltender stands in a, usually blue, semi-circle called the crease in the defensive zone keeping pucks out of the goal. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the game, although during a stoppage of play the home team is permitted the final change. When players are substituted during play, it
3720-418: Is called changing on the fly . An NHL rule added in the 2005–06 season prevents a team from changing their line after they ice the puck. The boards surrounding the ice help keep the puck in play and they can also be used as tools to play the puck. Players are permitted to bodycheck opponents into the boards to stop progress. The referees, linesmen and the outsides of the goal are "in play" and do not stop
Seattle Kraken - Misplaced Pages Continue
3840-559: Is declared the winner; ties are broken in overtime or a shootout . In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, including a goaltender . It is a full contact game and one of the more physically demanding team sports. The modern sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal , where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as
3960-528: Is if a team opts to pull their goalie in exchange for an extra skater during overtime and is subsequently scored upon (an empty net goal), in which case the losing team receives no points for the overtime loss. Since the 2015–16 season, the single five-minute sudden-death overtime session involves three skaters on each side. Since three skaters must always be on the ice in an NHL game, the consequences of penalties are slightly different from those during regulation play; any penalty during overtime that would result in
4080-403: Is the left wing lock , which has two forwards pressure the puck and the left wing and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. Offensive tactics include improving a team's position on the ice by advancing the puck out of one's zone towards the opponent's zone, progressively by gaining lines, first your own blue line, then the red line and finally the opponent's blue line. NHL rules instated for
4200-675: Is the studio host for all radio broadcasts, serving pre-game, intermission, and post-game coverage. The Coachella Valley Firebirds , the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Kraken, are based in Thousand Palms, California . After the Kraken were approved into the NHL by the Board of Governors, the team's ownership group began making plans for acquiring a minor league affiliate in the AHL. By early 2019, they had narrowed it down to promoting
4320-457: The dump and chase strategy (i.e. shooting the puck into the offensive zone and then chasing after it). Each team uses their own unique system but the main ones are: 2–1–2 , 1–2–2, and 1–4. The 2–1–2 is the most basic forecheck system where two forwards go in deep and pressure the opposition's defencemen, the third forward stays high and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. The 1–2–2 is a bit more conservative system where one forward pressures
4440-474: The 2013 NHL Entry Draft . In May 2014, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets. Upon joining the Blue Jackets, Wennberg was given the jersey number 41 which he switched in his second season. Wennberg made his NHL debut on 9 October 2014, against the Buffalo Sabres , where he also recorded his first NHL point. He was reassigned to Columbus' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate,
4560-473: The 2022–23 season . This is a list of the seasons completed by the Kraken. Key: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against As of November 28, 2024. The Kraken are owned by Seattle Hockey Partners, an organization consisting of David Bonderman , Jerry Bruckheimer and Tod Leiweke . In 2022, former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch and rapper Macklemore joined
4680-606: The Columbus Blue Jackets , Florida Panthers , Seattle Kraken , and New York Rangers . He was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the first round, 14th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft . Before joining the NHL, Wennberg played professionally in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). For the 2010–11 season, Wennberg joined the Djurgårdens IF under-18 team, scoring 11 goals and 23 assists. The next year, he moved up to
4800-581: The Dallas Stars in seven games. On June 26, at the NHL Awards ceremony, Matty Beniers was named the winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy for being the NHL rookie of the year. The Kraken struggled offensively in their third season , ranking 29th in the league in goals, with only 217. In December and January, following an eight-game skid, goaltender Joey Daccord started in eight out of nine games of
4920-602: The ECHL 's Idaho Steelheads in Boise, Idaho , or a new expansion team in the area of Palm Springs, California . On June 26, 2019, it was reported the Seattle ownership group had chosen Palm Springs as the site for Seattle's AHL affiliate. The expansion franchise was approved by the AHL Board of Governors on September 30, 2019, with plans to begin play in the 2021–22 season . Delays associated with
Seattle Kraken - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-624: The New York Islanders . On March 20, the Kraken's captaincy became vacant after Giordano was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs . The team was eliminated from playoff contention on March 30 following a 3–0 loss to the Golden Knights. The Kraken finished their inaugural season in last place of the Pacific Division with a record of 27–49–6. The Kraken's second season was far superior to their first in terms of winning. On July 13, 2022,
5160-535: The Springfield Falcons , after playing in seven NHL games, as defenceman Ryan Murray was activated off injured reserve. However, he was recalled to Columbus the next day after the team placed Matt Calvert on injured reserve. Wennberg scored his first career NHL goal on 22 December in a 5–1 loss to the Nashville Predators . Wennberg missed the first five games of the 2015–16 season to recover from
5280-661: The Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 2023 , facing off against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. They upset the Avalanche in seven games, becoming the first team to win their inaugural playoff series against the defending Stanley Cup champion . However, they lost to the Dallas Stars in the second round, ending their sophomore season. On December 4, 2017, the Seattle City Council voted 7–1 in favor of
5400-698: The Vegas Golden Knights , who were themselves exempt from the 2021 expansion draft. Larsson, Oleksiak, and Driedger counted as the pick from their respective teams ( Edmonton , Dallas , and Florida , respectively). Two days later, the first round of the 2021 NHL entry draft took place. The Kraken used their second-overall pick to select Matty Beniers , a center from the University of Michigan . The previous season, Beniers had scored 24 points throughout 24 games, and his 10 goals ranked first among goals for first-time draft-eligible NCAA players. On July 28, 2021,
5520-563: The Winnipeg Jets had Everett Fitzhugh on play-by-play and Brown on color commentary, comprising the first all-Black broadcast booth in NHL history. Kraken games are broadcast on KJR-FM 93.3 and KJR 950 AM, the flagship stations of the Kraken Audio Network. During a schedule conflict, some games may be heard on 96.5 KJAQ . The Kraken Audio Network also includes several other stations outside Seattle. Everett Fitzhugh serves as
5640-659: The 1930s, hockey was an on-side game, meaning that only backward passes were allowed. Those rules emphasized individual stick-handling to drive the puck forward. With the arrival of offside rules, the forward pass transformed hockey into a true team sport, where individual performance diminished in importance relative to team play, which could now be coordinated over the entire surface of the ice as opposed to merely rearward players. The six players on each team are typically divided into three forwards, two defencemen, and one goaltender. The term skaters typically applies to all players except goaltenders. The forward positions consist of
5760-416: The 2006 season redefined the offside rule to make the two-line pass legal; a player may pass the puck from behind his own blue line, past both that blue line and the centre red line, to a player on the near side of the opponents' blue line. Offensive tactics are designed ultimately to score a goal by taking a shot. When a player purposely directs the puck towards the opponent's goal, he or she is said to "shoot"
5880-746: The 2021–22 season were held at Spokane Arena in Spokane , Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett , and the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent , arenas home to Western Hockey League (WHL) teams, in an event known as the 3-Rink Rush. Tickets for the games were sold by the host WHL teams. The Kraken use the horn from the MV Hyak ferry boat as their goal horn . The team plays the Nirvana song " Lithium " after every Kraken goal at home;
6000-872: The 2021–22 season, Seattle affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers , sharing the team with the Florida Panthers . After clinching their division, the Checkers advanced to the Division Finals of the 2022 Calder Cup playoffs , where they lost to the Springfield Thunderbirds . For their inaugural season, the Kraken's ECHL affiliate was the Texas-based Allen Americans . They were replaced by the Kansas City Mavericks in that capacity for
6120-449: The 2022–23 season instead. Reaction to Buoy's debut was polarized, with many observers expressing a strong like or dislike for the mascot. During the 2021–22 season, in the absence of an official mascot, the Kraken promoted a "team dog" named Davy Jones. The dog, a four-month-old husky mix rescue dog introduced on January 17, 2022, socialized with fans at home games as he trained to be a therapy dog . Kraken games are televised through
SECTION 50
#17328454662916240-535: The 2022–23 season, featuring an ice blue base with deep sea blue striping. The design was a callback to the Seattle Ironmen , a defunct Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) team that existed in the 1940s. For the 2024 Winter Classic , the Kraken wore a uniform inspired by the Seattle Metropolitans , a former Stanley Cup-competing team which won the championship in 1917 . The deep sea blue uniform features
6360-423: The Blue Jackets carrying an annual salary cap hit of $ 4.9 million. During the first game of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs , Wennberg was injured by a check from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and was removed from the game. Due to this, the Blue Jackets earned a power play which Columbus scored on to tie the game. The Blue Jackets went on to win the game in overtime. Wennberg played two more games in
6480-506: The Kraken Hockey Network (KHN), which includes over-the-air television stations in Seattle ( KING-TV and KONG ), Spokane ( KREM and KSKN ), and Yakima ( KAPP and KVEW), Washington ; Eugene ( KEVU and KLSR-TV ) and Portland ( KGW ), Oregon ; and Anchorage ( KAUU ) and Juneau (KYEX-LD), Alaska . Games can also be streamed locally on Amazon Prime Video . Games were televised regionally on Root Sports Northwest for
6600-399: The Kraken started their inaugural free agency strongly, signing forwards Alexander Wennberg and Jaden Schwartz , and goaltender Philipp Grubauer . On October 11, the Kraken named Mark Giordano as the team's inaugural captain. The team also named four alternate captains— Adam Larsson , Jordan Eberle , Yanni Gourde , and Jaden Schwartz . The Kraken played their first regular season game
6720-511: The Kraken traded Wennberg to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2024 second-round and a conditional 2025 fourth-round draft picks. In the 2024 offseason, Wennberg left the Rangers as a free agent and signed a two-year, $ 10 million contract with the San Jose Sharks . Wennberg and his partner, Felicia Weeren, became parents in September 2021 when she gave birth to their son, Rio, whose name
6840-410: The NHL, a unique penalty applies to the goalies. The goalies now are forbidden to play the puck in the "corners" of the rink near their own net. This will result in a two-minute penalty against the goalie's team. Only in the area in front of the goal line and immediately behind the net (marked by two red lines on either side of the net) can the goalie play the puck. An additional rule that has never been
6960-523: The National Hockey League, a number of leagues have implemented the "four-official system", where an additional referee is added to aid in the calling of penalties normally difficult to assess by one referee. The system is used in every NHL game since 2001, at IIHF World Championships , the Olympics and in many professional and high-level amateur leagues in North America and Europe. Officials are selected by
7080-459: The Nordic origin of the "Kraken" mythology. The colors chosen for the team's logo were ice blue, boundless blue, shadow blue and red alert. For the team's jerseys, deep sea blue served as the base color with the logo's colors as accent colors. The first time Kraken uniforms were seen on players was at the 2021 NHL expansion draft. On October 20, 2022, The Kraken unveiled their "Reverse Retro" uniform for
7200-415: The app determines that a particular impact has the potential to cause brain injury, it will alert the coach who can in turn seek medical attention for the individual. Defensive ice hockey tactics vary from more active to more conservative styles of play. One distinction is between man-to-man oriented defensive systems, and zonal oriented defensive systems, though a lot of teams use a combination between
7320-477: The blue and centre ice red line away. The NHL has taken steps to speed up the game of hockey and create a game of finesse, by reducing the number of illegal hits, fights, and "clutching and grabbing" that occurred in the past. Rules are now more strictly enforced, resulting in more penalties, which provides more protection to the players and facilitates more goals being scored. The governing body for United States' amateur hockey has implemented many new rules to reduce
SECTION 60
#17328454662917440-705: The championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace , in Paris , France, the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The sport was played for the first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Games —today it is a mainstay at the Winter Olympics . In 1994, ice hockey
7560-660: The construction of an arena in the Palm Springs area caused the team's debut to be pushed back to the 2022–23 season. On November 5, 2021, the new team revealed its name, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, as well as its logos and colors, at a ceremony held on the construction site of their new arena. The Firebirds have reached the Calder Cup Finals in each of their first two seasons. As the Firebirds were not ready for
7680-452: The event of a tie. With a goal, the winning team would be awarded two points and the losing team none (just as if they had lost in regulation). The total elapsed time from when the puck first drops, is about 2 hours and 20 minutes for a 60-minute game. From the 1999–2000 until the 2003–04 seasons, the National Hockey League decided ties by playing a single five-minute sudden-death overtime period with each team having four skaters per side (plus
7800-606: The final home game of their inaugural season. The team's primary practice facility, named the Kraken Community Iceplex, is located at Northgate Station (formerly Northgate Mall) and was opened in September 2021. The facility has three rinks and is open to the public. In 2024, a second community ice rink was proposed for a former park-and-ride lot in Kirkland on the Eastside . The Kraken's three home preseason games prior to
7920-411: The final score recorded will award the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time. In the NHL if a game is decided in overtime or by a shootout the winning team is awarded two points in the standings and the losing team is awarded one point. Ties no longer occur in the NHL. Overtime in the NHL playoffs differs from the regular season. In the playoffs there are no shootouts. If
8040-643: The franchise announced their team name—the Seattle Kraken—as well as their team colors, branding, and home jersey. Nine months later, on April 30, 2021, the franchise paid the final installment of the US$ 650 million expansion fee, officially making the Seattle Kraken the 32nd team of the NHL. The Kraken made their first player signing, Luke Henman , on May 12. More than a month later, the organization hired Dave Hakstol to be their inaugural head coach . On July 19,
8160-502: The front of the foot or ankle, is a common ice hockey injury. Compared to athletes who play other sports, ice hockey players are at higher risk of overuse injuries and injuries caused by early sports specialization by teenagers. According to the Hughston Health Alert, prior to the widespread use of helmets and face cages, "Lacerations to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent types of injury [in hockey]." One of
8280-427: The game , too many players on the ice , boarding , illegal equipment, charging (leaping into an opponent or body-checking him after taking more than two strides), holding, holding the stick (grabbing an opponent's stick), interference, hooking , slashing , kneeing, unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing a penalty call with referee, extremely vulgar or inappropriate verbal comments), "butt-ending" (striking an opponent with
8400-411: The game when the puck or players either bounce into or collide with them. Play can be stopped if the goal is knocked out of position. Play often proceeds for minutes without interruption. After a stoppage, play is restarted with a faceoff . Two players face each other and an official drops the puck to the ice, where the two players attempt to gain control of the puck. Markings (circles) on the ice indicate
8520-462: The game, the team retired jersey number 32, in recognition of the franchise being the 32nd to join the NHL and in honor of the 32,000 fans who placed deposits for tickets on the first possible day. The team picked up their first home win on October 26, against the Montreal Canadiens . On February 2, 2022, Grubauer recorded the franchise's first shutout , making 19 saves in a 3–0 victory against
8640-406: The game. There are typically two linesmen who are mainly responsible for calling "offside" and " icing " violations, breaking up fights, and conducting faceoffs, and one or two referees , who call goals and all other penalties. Linesmen can report to the referee(s) that a penalty should be assessed against an offending player in some situations. The restrictions on this practice vary depending on
8760-401: The goalie). In the event of a tie, each team would still receive one point in the standings but in the event of a victory the winning team would be awarded two points in the standings and the losing team one point. The idea was to discourage teams from playing for a tie, since previously some teams might have preferred a tie and 1 point to risking a loss and zero points. The exception to this rule
8880-402: The goaltender carries a stick consisting of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. The curve itself has a big impact on its performance. A deep curve allows for lifting the puck easier while a shallow curve allows for easier backhand shots. The flex of the stick also impacts the performance. Typically, a less flexible stick is meant for a stronger player since
9000-404: The governing rules. On-ice officials are assisted by off-ice officials who act as goal judges, time keepers, and official scorers. The most widespread system is the "three-man system", which uses one referee and two linesmen. A less commonly used system is the two referee and one linesman system. This system is close to the regular three-man system except for a few procedure changes. Beginning with
9120-465: The head and most types of forceful stick-on-body contact are illegal. A delayed penalty call occurs when an offence is committed by the team that does not have possession of the puck. In this circumstance the team with possession of the puck is allowed to complete the play; that is, play continues until a goal is scored, a player on the opposing team gains control of the puck, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty of their own. Because
9240-559: The heads, as well as checks to unsuspecting players. Studies show that ice hockey causes 44.3% of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries among Canadian children. Some teams in the Swiss National League are testing out systems that combine helmet-integrated sensors and analysis software to reveal a player's ongoing brain injury risk during a game. These sensors provide players and coaches with real-time data on head impact strength, frequency, and severity. Furthermore, if
9360-458: The ice per side, one of them being the goaltender. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck , into the opponent's goal net at the opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck. With certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass
9480-416: The ice. Loafing , also known as cherry-picking , is when a player, usually a forward, skates behind an attacking team, instead of playing defence, in an attempt to create an easy scoring chance. Alexander Wennberg Alexander Wennberg (born 22 September 1994) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for
9600-417: The illegal actions of another player stop a clear scoring opportunity, most commonly when the player is on a breakaway . A penalty shot allows the obstructed player to pick up the puck on the centre red-line and attempt to score on the goalie with no other players on the ice, to compensate for the earlier missed scoring opportunity. A penalty shot is also awarded for a defender other than the goaltender covering
9720-422: The knob of the stick), "spearing" (jabbing an opponent with the blade of the stick), or cross-checking . As of the 2005–2006 season, a minor penalty is also assessed for diving , where a player embellishes or simulates an offence. More egregious fouls may be penalized by a four-minute double-minor penalty, particularly those that injure the victimized player. These penalties end either when the time runs out or when
9840-561: The lead in goals among rookies, with 24. Calder Memorial Trophy Adam Larsson has the most games played out of any Kraken, with 245. Jared McCann leads the Kraken in both goals and points , with 96 and 182, respectively. Vince Dunn leads the Kraken in assists , with 113. * – current Kraken player Key: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America)
9960-482: The leading causes of head injury is body checking from behind. Due to the danger of delivering a check from behind, many leagues – including the NHL – have made this a major and game misconduct penalty. Another type of check that accounts for many of the player-to-player contact concussions is a check to the head resulting in a misconduct penalty (called "head contact"). In recent years, the NHL has implemented new rules which penalize and suspend players for illegal checks to
10080-492: The league they work for. Amateur hockey leagues use guidelines established by national organizing bodies as a basis for choosing their officiating staffs. In North America, the national organizing bodies Hockey Canada and USA Hockey approve officials according to their experience level as well as their ability to pass rules knowledge and skating ability tests. Hockey Canada has officiating levels I through VI. USA Hockey has officiating levels 1 through 4. Since men's ice hockey
10200-406: The length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup , emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was initially commissioned in 1892 as the "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" and was first awarded in 1893 to recognise the Canadian amateur champion and later became
10320-562: The locations for the faceoff and guide the positioning of players. Three major rules of play in ice hockey limit the movement of the puck: offside , icing , and the puck going out of play. Under IIHF rules, each team may carry a maximum of 20 players and two goaltenders on their roster. NHL rules restrict the total number of players per game to 18, plus two goaltenders. In the NHL, the players are usually divided into four lines of three forwards, and into three pairs of defencemen. On occasion, teams may elect to substitute an extra defenceman for
10440-435: The misconduct (a two-and-ten or five-and-ten ). In this case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes, at which point the ten-minute misconduct begins. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent (at
10560-414: The next day, a 4–3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, where Ryan Donato scored the team's first goal. The franchise's first win came in their next game two days later, when they defeated the Nashville Predators 4–3. The Kraken played their first home game at Climate Pledge Arena (formerly KeyArena) on October 23 in what would be a 4–2 loss to the fellow Pacific Northwest team Vancouver Canucks . Prior to
10680-417: The number of stick-on-body occurrences, as well as other detrimental and illegal facets of the game ("zero tolerance"). In men's hockey, but not in women's, a player may use his hip or shoulder to hit another player if the player has the puck or is the last to have touched it. This use of the hip and shoulder is called body checking . Not all physical contact is legal—in particular, hits from behind, hits to
10800-442: The officials' discretion), or for a major penalty for a stick infraction or repeated major penalties. The offending player is ejected from the game and must immediately leave the playing surface (he does not sit in the penalty box); meanwhile, if an additional minor or major penalty is assessed, a designated player must serve out of that segment of the penalty in the box (similar to the above-mentioned "two-and-ten"). In some rare cases,
10920-416: The organization's under-20 team and also represented Sweden at the 2011 U19 World Junior A Challenge and 2012 U18 World Junior Championship tournaments. He also spent time with Djurgårdens IF's Elitserien senior team but did not appear in any games. Wennberg was ranked fifth out of all 2013 NHL Entry Draft eligible European skaters and was ultimately selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets at
11040-540: The other team scores during the power play. In the case of a goal scored during the first two minutes of a double-minor, the penalty clock is set down to two minutes upon a score, effectively expiring the first minor penalty. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, or when a minor penalty results in visible injury (such as bleeding), as well as for fighting. Major penalties are always served in full; they do not terminate on
11160-413: The other, the opposing team gets a power play for the remainder of the time); this applies regardless of current pending penalties. In the NHL, a team always has at least three skaters on the ice. Thus, ten-minute misconduct penalties are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the ice unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with
11280-634: The partnership as minority owners. The Kraken have four player awards that are given after each season. The Kraken's most valuable player , as voted on by Seattle-area media, receives the Pete Muldoon Award. The player with the most mentions in the Three Stars of the Game ceremony of each Kraken home game, computed using a points system, wins the Three Stars of the Year Award. The Guyle Fielder Award goes to
11400-461: The penalty is still assessed to the offending player, but not served. In 2012, this rule was changed by the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college level hockey . In college games, the penalty is still enforced even if the team in possession scores. A typical game of hockey is governed by two to four officials on the ice, charged with enforcing the rules of
11520-499: The play is restarted at a faceoff. Some infractions result in a penalty on a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and their team must play with one less player on the ice for a designated time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by two minutes for causing visible injury to
11640-411: The player is looking for the right balanced flex that allows the stick to flex easily while still having a strong "whip-back" which sends the puck flying at high speeds. It is quite distinct from sticks in other sports games and most suited to hitting and controlling the flat puck. Its unique shape contributed to the early development of the game. The goaltender carries a stick of a different design, with
11760-461: The players serve five minutes without their team incurring a loss of player (both teams still have a full complement of players on the ice). This differs with two players from opposing sides getting minor penalties, at the same time or at any intersecting moment, resulting from more common infractions. In this case, both teams will have only four skating players (not counting the goaltender) until one or both penalties expire (if one penalty expires before
11880-439: The puck carrier and the other two forwards cover the oppositions' wingers, with the two defencemen staying at the blueline. The 1–4 is the most defensive forecheck system, referred to as the neutral zone trap, where one forward applies pressure to the puck carrier around the oppositions' blueline and the other four players stand basically in a line by their blueline in hopes the opposition will skate into one of them. Another strategy
12000-406: The puck carrier in the neutral zone preventing him from entering the offensive zone. Body checking is using one's shoulder or hip to strike an opponent who has the puck or who is the last to have touched it (the last person to have touched the puck is still legally "in possession" of it, although a penalty is generally called if he is checked more than two seconds after his last touch). Body checking
12120-405: The puck in the goal crease, a goaltender intentionally displacing his own goal posts during a breakaway to avoid a goal, a defender intentionally displacing his own goal posts when there is less than two minutes to play in regulation time or at any point during overtime, or a player or coach intentionally throwing a stick or other object at the puck or the puck carrier and the throwing action disrupts
12240-443: The puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. Players can knock a puck out of the air with their hands to themselves. Players are prohibited from kicking the puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands. Hockey is an off-side game, meaning that forward passes are allowed, unlike in rugby. Before
12360-409: The puck. A deflection is a shot that redirects a shot or a pass towards the goal from another player, by allowing the puck to strike the stick and carom towards the goal. A one-timer is a shot struck directly off a pass, without receiving the pass and shooting in two separate actions. Headmanning the puck , also known as breaking out , is the tactic of rapidly passing to the player farthest down
12480-418: The right side" (of the puck). Another popular concept in ice hockey defensive tactics is that of playing a 200-foot game . An important defensive tactic is checking—attempting to take the puck from an opponent or to remove the opponent from play. Stick checking , sweep checking , and poke checking are legal uses of the stick to obtain possession of the puck. The neutral zone trap is designed to isolate
12600-433: The series but the Blue Jackets failed to advance. On 8 October 2020, Wennberg was placed on waivers for the purpose of buying out the remaining three years on his contract. On the opening day of free agency, Wennberg was signed by the Florida Panthers to a one-year, $ 2.25 million contract on 9 October. He was signed by newly-installed general manager Bill Zito , who was formerly a part of the Blue Jackets organization. In
12720-527: The significance of wild-caught salmon to the state of Washington. Rod Masters, the organist from the 1977 film Slap Shot , became the organist for the Kraken starting with the team's January 1, 2022, home game against the New York Islanders. As Climate Pledge Arena does not have an organ, Masters played music using electronic keyboards. Masters retired after the 2021–22 season, and the Kraken hired 29-year-old Ben Wooley to replace him. On July 23, 2020,
12840-544: The skater's feet from contact with other skaters, sticks, pucks, the boards, and the ice itself. Rigidity also improves the overall manoeuvrability of the skate. Blade length, thickness (width), and curvature (rocker/radius) (front to back) and radius of hollow (across the blade width) are quite different from speed or figure skates. Hockey players usually adjust these parameters based on their skill level, position, and body type. The blade width of most skates are about 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Each player other than
12960-511: The song was chosen due to Nirvana's importance to Seattle popular culture. After their first win at home against the Montreal Canadiens on October 26, 2021, the Kraken featured a new postgame tradition during the " Three Stars of the Game " ceremony. Instead of the honored players tossing conventional souvenir pucks or sticks to the fans, they throw a plush toy salmon into the crowd to mimic Seattle's Pike Place Market fish toss and to honor
13080-575: The team held an event to reveal their team branding. The franchise's promotional materials state that the team's "Kraken" name was adopted to honor the maritime culture of Seattle, as well as in reference to the Giant Pacific octopus , the largest species of octopus in the world, which can be found in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest region also has a history of Scandinavian immigrants and ancestry, further connecting Seattle to
13200-407: The team on which the penalty was called cannot control the puck without stopping play, it is impossible for them to score a goal. In these cases, the team in possession of the puck can pull the goalie for an extra attacker without fear of being scored on. It is possible for the controlling team to mishandle the puck into their own net. If a delayed penalty is signalled and the team in possession scores,
13320-461: The team signed goaltender Martin Jones to a one-year contract. In January 2023, Jones backstopped the Kraken through seven games of an eight-game win streak. While doing, so the franchise became the first team to win all seven games of a seven-game road trip. On April 6, the Kraken clinched their first playoff berth, qualifying for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs . The team's record of 46–28–8 and 100 points
13440-404: The team's first three seasons. Former Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes broadcaster John Forslund serves as the team's television play-by-play announcer. J. T. Brown is the Kraken's primary television color analyst . In August 2022, the team hired Eddie Olczyk to be a television analyst alongside Forslund and Brown. The telecast for the Kraken's February 17, 2022, game against
13560-520: The team's primary radio play-by-play announcer. He is the first Black full-time play-by-play announcer in NHL history. Former NHL player and Vancouver Canucks broadcaster Dave Tomlinson served as Fitzhugh's color analyst for the Kraken's first two seasons, before resigning in August 2023 to take a new broadcasting job in Canada. The Kraken then hired former Seattle Thunderbirds forward and Everett Silvertips commentator Al Kinisky to replace him. Mike Benton
13680-599: The teammate who best exemplifies "perseverance, hustle, and dedication" as voted upon by their teammates and coaches. The Fan Favorite Award goes to a player who wins a fan vote. Pete Muldoon Award Three Stars of the Year Award Guyle Fielder Award Fan Favorite Award Matty Beniers won the Calder Memorial Trophy at the end of the Kraken's sophomore season after leading all rookies in points, with 57, and tying for
13800-399: The two. Defensive skills involve pass interception , shot blocking , and stick checking (in which an attempt to take away the puck or cut off the puck lane is initiated by the stick of the defensive player). Tactical points of emphasis in ice hockey defensive play are concepts like "managing gaps" (gap control), "boxing out"' (not letting the offensive team go on the inside), and "staying on
13920-498: The victimized player. This is usually when blood is drawn during high sticking. Players may be also assessed personal extended penalties or game expulsions for misconduct in addition to the penalty or penalties their team must serve. The team that has been given a penalty is said to be playing short-handed while the opposing team is on a power play . A two-minute minor penalty is often charged for lesser infractions such as tripping , elbowing , roughing , high-sticking , delay of
14040-476: Was good for fourth in the Pacific Division and the first wild card spot in the Western Conference . On April 30, the Kraken defeated the Colorado Avalanche in the opening best-of-seven playoff series, becoming the first expansion team in NHL history to win their first playoff series against the defending Stanley Cup champion. The team's playoff run came to an end after the second round where they lost to
14160-596: Was held in 1990, and women's play was introduced into the Olympics in 1998 . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy , hurling , and shinty . The North American sport of lacrosse , derived from tribal Native American games, was also influential. The former games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules developed, such as shinny and ice polo, but later were absorbed into
14280-703: Was inspired in large part by a character in the television series Money Heist . He and Felicia grew up near each other in Sweden but did not meet until after he reached the NHL and she had completed her studies in the United Kingdom. Together, they support causes for LGBTQIA+ youth. In July 2023, Wennberg became popular among TikTok 's BookTok subcommunity "for his chiseled Nordic good looks." The Kraken began producing and releasing their own TikTok videos which were marketed to BookTok users and intended to capitalize on his good looks. Wennberg's partner, Felicia, described
14400-404: Was officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport. While women also played during the game's early formative years, it was not until organizers began to officially remove body checking from female ice hockey beginning in the mid-1980s that it began to gain greater popularity, which by then had spread to Europe and a variety of other countries. The first IIHF Women's World Championship
#290709