Seattle — The NHL knew Seattle had the potential to become a hockey city. That’s why the league awarded the city an expansion franchise on December 4, 2018.
Now others know too.
The Seattle Kraken introduced Marquette on Monday at the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park. His third season, he put on a typical Seattle spectacle with a 3-0 victory over the Las Vegas Golden Knights, which drew a sold-out crowd of 47,313.
The place was filled with Kraken gear. Fans shouted “Joey!” They chanted “Let’s go Kraken!” as Joey Daccord made 35 saves for the first shutout in Winter Classic history. Nirvana’s “Lithium” blared from the speakers after the goals of Eeli Tolvanen, Will Bogen and Yanni Gould.
“You know this is a hockey town now,” said Gould, an early member of the Kraken. “Yeah, tonight was a great exposure to show the world what a hockey city Seattle is. They were loud. The atmosphere was electric. It was a lot of fun.”
fun. That’s the way it was supposed to be, from the team’s arrival at the stadium, to the entrance to the ice, to the entertainment, to the design of the field.
“Honestly, this is one of the greatest sporting events I’ve ever been a part of,” said Kraken coach Dave Hakstol.
It is a Winter Classic tradition for teams to dress up as they arrive at the stadium. The Kraken appeared to be stepping off a fishing boat, wearing rubber boots and orange overalls and clutching a fish and coffee. The Golden Knights looked like Elvis impersonators in wigs, glasses, and rhinestone suits. All the fans were upset.