By Tim Booth

The NHL's newest team finally has its name: the Seattle Kraken.

The expansion franchise unveiled its nickname Thursday, ending 19 months of speculation about whether the team might lean traditional or go eccentric with the name for the league's 32nd team.

"The Kraken is a name born of the fans. It was suggested and championed by the fans," Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke said.

In opting for the sea creature of Scandinavian folklore, Seattle bypassed options like Sockeyes, Evergreens, or Metropolitans, the last of which would have been a nod to Seattle's hockey history. There was even a push from some fans for the team to try to acquire the Thunderbirds name from the local junior team.

But Kraken was a clear favorite among fans, who rallied around the name soon after the expansion franchise was awarded in December 2018. The enthusiasm has grown since the team built toward its debut for the 2021-22 season.

It's edgy and sounds menacing. And it gave the franchise a clear brand going forward.

"I think that we felt like this is so authentic and noble, and we hit all the main things that we really wanted that we feel really strongly that this is the right choice," Heidi Dettmer, Seattle's vice president of marketing, told The Associated Press. "I've totally fallen in love with this brand and I think our fans will."

Seattle also unveiled its primary colors, which will be a deep dark blue — almost black — and a lighter shade of blue as a complement.

Unlike with the last NHL expansion team in Las Vegas, there should be no trademark issues with Kraken. The Vegas Golden Knights ran into problems with the U.S. Army and it took several years for the trademark battle to be settled.

The unveiling of Seattle's name has been expected for months, only to have it run into delays. It was first thought to be targeted for late last year in the hope of products hitting the market prior to the holiday season.

Then the NHL All-Star break in January was thought to be a possibility. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, where the initial epicenter in the U.S. was the Seattle area.

Dettmer said the name itself was chosen right around the first of the year. The time since has been spent on finalizing the primary and secondary logos while working with the league's uniform provider, Adidas.

Nic Corbett, the director of NHL relations with Adidas, said the primary logo is a Kraken tentacle shaped into an 'S' and is a nod to the Seattle Metropolitans logo. The Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917.

"We needed a mark that was noble and (Seattle GM) Ron Francis was someone who kept hitting that home," Corbett told the AP. "It has to be noble, it has to be strong."

Share:
More In Sports
Peloton Stock Jumps After CEO John Foley Disputes Reports in Open Letter to Company Employees
Exercise equipment maker Peloton is attempting to run away from a recent bout of controversy. CEO John Foley published an open letter to employees on Thursday after reports that said Peloton was pausing production of its Bike and Tread products, delaying the opening of a new U.S. factory, and considering job cuts. In the letter, Foley wrote that the information in the reports was 'incomplete,' 'out of context,' and not reflective of Peloton's strategy. Peloton's stock responded on Friday, with shares bouncing back after falling nearly 24% in the regular session on Thursday. CFRA Research's Director of Research Ken Leon joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
NCAA Updates Policy For Transgender Student Athletes
The NCAA has updated its policy on transgender athletes, allowing each sport’s national governing body to make its own decisions for transgender participation. The new rule is in line with recent changes from the U.S. and International Olympic and Paralympic Committees. Joanna Hoffman, communications director of Athlete Ally, joined Cheddar News to discuss the potential impact of the new rule on the transgender community.
Sports Bettors Looking for Underdogs to Upset Favorites in NFL Playoffs
With New York recently announcing the legalization of sports betting, even a greater number of bettors are looking forward to the NFL's divisional round. Derek Carty, a fantasy sports and sports betting analyst, talked to Cheddar about betting strategies for the four upcoming playoff games. "I feel like the Chiefs are a little bit overrated by the markets, and so the Bills here really look good to me," Carty said for the Kansas City and Buffalo matchup. He also pointed to the Green Bay Packers to be the likeliest team to win the Super Bowl this year.
Finding Value on AFC Divisional Round Bets
Sean Green, co-founder of The Sports Gambling Podcast Network, joins Cheddar Bets to break down the best plays across the AFC Divisional Round matchups. Sponsored by BetMGM
NBA Mid-Season MVP Race
Frank Schwab, sports betting writer for Yahoo! Sports, joins Cheddar Bets to find the best value down the MVP contender list and make sense of how to bet the Nets at home and on the road. Sponsored by BetMGM
Behind Australian Judges Ruling for Allowing Novak Djokovic Deportation
The drama surrounding tennis star Novak Djokovic continues after he was deported from Australia over the weekend due to the nation's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Djokovic was forced to leave the country on the eve of what was to be his first match in defense of his Australian Open title after three judges ruled in favor of his removal and revealed their reasoning for doing so. Adding to his woes, a law recently passed in France is putting his chances of defending his French Open title in jeopardy. The director of Marist's Center for Sports Communication, Jane McManus, joined Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fallout.
Load More