2023-24 Third Season

Lore & Background

By the 2023–24 campaign, the Seattle Kraken had shed the uncertainty of expansion. The first two seasons had been about survival—earning a playoff berth, learning the league's rhythms, and building a fanbase from scratch in a city that had waited decades for professional hockey. The third season carried a different weight. The ownership group, led by David Bonderman, had signaled their intent to build a team that could compete for a Stanley Cup, not merely exist in it.

The roster reflected that ambition. Bo Horvat's arrival from Washington gave the Kraken a veteran center with a proven scoring touch and a physical edge, slotting perfectly alongside Matty Beniers and the existing depth. Mattias Ekholm continued to anchor the blue line with his two-way excellence, while John Hayden's leadership as captain gave the locker room a steady, experienced voice. The team's identity was unmistakable: high-tempo forechecking, structured defensive zone play, and a willingness to play through adversity in front of a crowd that treated every home game like a playoff game.

The Pacific Northwest rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks provided a natural narrative thread throughout the season. In a division where geographic proximity breeds intense competition, the Kraken and Canucks met repeatedly, each series and head-to-head matchup feeding into a broader story about which city would claim the region's hockey allegiance. For Seattle fans, the 2023–24 season was the year that question began to tilt decisively in their favor.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed before the puck even dropped. Three thousand voices—no, five thousand, the sound bouncing off the upper bowl and the glass—pressed against the ice like a wave held at the shoreline. Hayden skated to the faceoff circle, tapped his stick twice against the board, and looked up into the sea of teal and dark green. Across the ice, the opposing center crouched, breath fogging in the cold air. The referee dropped the puck. It skidded, wobbled, and was snatched up by a forward who never looked back, skating the length of the rink with the crowd's roar swelling behind him like a second engine. Somewhere in the stands, a kid in a too-big Kraken jersey was on his feet, screaming a name he'd learned that summer. The season was young, but the city had already decided: this was their team, and they were done waiting.

Reader's Guide

The Kraken's story begins with the NHL's 2021 expansion announcement, selecting Seattle as the 32nd franchise. The team took the ice for the 2021–22 season at Climate Pledge Arena, a state-of-the-art venue in the SoDo neighborhood that became an instant identity marker for the franchise.

The 2022–23 second season was one of consolidation: the team earned a playoff berth, established its Pacific Division footprint, and began developing young talent like Matty Beniers into NHL-caliber players.

The 2023 offseason set the stage for a step forward. The acquisition of Bo Horvat from Washington signaled that Seattle was no longer content to build slowly. The front office paired that move with targeted additions and a commitment to defensive structure, giving the team a more complete, two-way identity.

Throughout 2023–24, the Kraken's home-ice performances at Climate Pledge Arena became a defining feature. The crowd's energy, the team's willingness to play physical, high-pressing hockey, and the recurring battles with Vancouver all contributed to a season where the franchise's character was fully formed. By the time the regular season ended, the Kraken had earned a playoff spot and the respect of the Western Conference.

Did You Know?

• Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken's home since 2021, is one of the newest venues in the NHL and features a retractable roof and a design heavily inspired by the Pacific Northwest's natural landscape.
• The Kraken's rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks is a natural Pacific Northwest matchup, with both teams competing in the Pacific Division and sharing a fanbase region that had long been split between the two cities.
• John Hayden, the team's captain, brought a veteran, physical leadership style that contrasted with the franchise's young core, creating a balanced locker-room dynamic in the program's early years.
• The Kraken's team name and branding draw from the mythological sea creature, a deliberate nod to Seattle's coastal geography and maritime heritage.