by Avry Jones
On January 24, 2024, I visited Seattle, Washington, to see the Kraken play on their home
ice. The Seattle Kraken fans have been noted as passionate, engaged, and proud of their team,
creating a vibrant and spirited community around the franchise. The Kraken fans are known as
“the Deep,” and the motto for every home game is “Protect the Deep,” which is very fitting for a
team from the Pacific Northwest.
As a native Floridian, the weather was the main thing I needed to worry about. Even in
Florida, January is cool with limited rainfall. However, in Washington, especially in the Seattle
area, there is a lot of rainfall and wind coming from Puget Sound. However, when visiting
Seattle for three days (January 23-25), the sun peaked at certain times to remind me how
beautiful the Pacific Northwest is.
They were scheduled to play against the Chicago Blackhawks when visiting the Kraken
at Climate Pledge Arena. On that night, the Kraken was having Philipp Grubauer Stein giveaway
night. I did not get one because I needed more room in my bag while traveling to Las Vegas the
next day. The staff was friendly when I entered the arena and helped direct me to my section. Of
the few arenas I have visited, sometimes finding your section can be difficult, but I always look
to the arena’s staff to help me as I do not want to be in any unauthorized areas. Like all hockey
arenas, the temperature was frigid but comforting, being from Florida, where the temperature in January can still get into the high 70s Fahrenheit.
Picture 1: At the Space Needle, with Climate Pledge Arena in the background.
Once in my seat, I was greeted by three fans, who welcomed me like an old friend to
watch their beloved Seattle Kraken. A hockey game seat is the best, especially when watching a
great team play. When the warm-ups started, the fans were just as enthusiastic as when the game
started. One thing I have loved about going to hockey games in the past two years has been the
visual presentation of each hockey team. The Seattle Kraken’s opening presentation highlighted
their Pacific Northwest location and the ” Kraken ” visual representation. The lights and sound of
Climate Pledge Arena excited me to see not just a hockey game but a hockey game in Seattle.
Picture 2: Introduction of The Kraken
Moreover, the Kraken paid homage to their Seattle music roots with bands like
Soundgarden and Nirvana and their rock roots by playing AC/DC, Metallica, and Jimi Hendrix.
When the puck dropped, “the Deep” had 17,151 hockey fans cheering on their team; some
Chicago Blackhawk fans were in attendance, with Joey Daccord in goal being a stonewall for
Seattle with Grubauer out, and Matty Beniers, Yanni Gourde, and Brandon Tanev on absolute
fire for the Kraken. The Kraken won the game 6-2, which snapped a four-game losing streak,
and the time excited the fans immensely.
Moreover, the Kraken’s goal-scoring song is Lithium by Nirvana, which fits the area.
Joey Daccord had 34 saves that night, which earned him the first star of the night, along with
Picture 3: Starting Lineup Introduction
Tomas Tatar (second star) and Jordan Eberle (third star). Seeing the Kraken in Seattle was my
fourth hockey game; however, it was the first in which the home team won.
Overall, hockey is a fantastic sport, but it is exciting to watch it live, especially with
passionate fans like the Maple Leafs, the Panthers, the Lightning, and, of course, the Kraken. Of
my four hockey games, the Kraken fans are a great group to be around in terms of passion for the
hockey team, and they welcome you with open arms as a fellow hockey fan. Additionally, if you
can, make a trip to see a hockey team in person. Hockey fans are some of the most passionate
sports fans to be around, and I am so grateful that I could experience it.
