Jump to content

Ice hockey in Seattle

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by White 720 (talk | contribs) at 18:26, 30 October 2022 (Corrects league). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Ice hockey in Seattle includes professional teams as early as 1915, including the Seattle Metropolitans, the first United States-based team to win the Stanley Cup. Presently the city has a National Hockey League franchise, the Seattle Kraken, who began play in the 2021–22 season.

Historical teams

The Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup.

Professional ice hockey in Seattle dates back to the formation of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA)'s Seattle Metropolitans in 1915. The 1917 Metropolitans were the first United States-based team to win the Stanley Cup, but folded in 1924. The Seattle Totems played in the minor Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1944 until the WHL's dissolution in 1975.

On October 26, 2021, the Seattle Kraken raised a banner commemorating the Metropolitans' 1917 title to the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena before the Kraken played against the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens had not played a game in Seattle since the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals, which were not completed due to the Spanish flu pandemic.[1]

Failed attempts to acquire an NHL team

On June 12, 1974, the NHL announced new expansion teams in Denver and Seattle that would start play in the 1976–77 season. Vince Abbey led the Seattle group.[2] The Seattle team, which according to season ticket promotions would have kept the WHL name of Totems, never played a game. The NHL rescinded the expansion offer later in 1974 after Abbey missed deadlines to pay a deposit and a franchise fee.[3] Abbey and Eldred Barnes filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NHL, seeking $30 million in damages. In December 1983, a judge dismissed the suit while the trial was in progress and ordered the plaintiffs to pay the Vancouver Canucks US$600,000 in damages on a counterclaim.[4]

In June 1975, Abbey tried to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins with the intention to move the team to Seattle when they were sold in a bankruptcy auction for US$4.4 million.[5]

Another local group attempted to bring an NHL expansion team to Seattle in 1990, but the deal failed due to the financial terms that the NHL demanded. Then-Seattle SuperSonics owner Barry Ackerley committed to submitting an expansion application to the NHL by a September 15, 1990, deadline as part of a proposed new arena deal, provided that a group could be found willing to meet the NHL's asking price of $50 million.[citation needed] His son Bill, president of the Ackerley Group, worked with Bill Lear of the First National Bank of Chicago, in order to find an ownership group for the prospective franchise. The only group to step forward was led by Microsoft executive Chris Larson and former Seattle Totems player and coach Bill MacFarland. Ackerley and the Larson–MacFarland group met multiple times, but the Larson–MacFarland group determined that the expansion franchise was worth $15 million less than what the NHL was asking for.[citation needed]

Ackerley rescinded Seattle's bid without Larson's or MacFarland's knowledge.[3] Larson and MacFarland told the Seattle media that the Ackerley Group cost Seattle a chance at an NHL team. Ackerley responded that Seattle lost its chance because Larson and MacFarland were unwilling to accept the NHL's expansion terms.[6][7] Among the unfavorable terms were very high season ticket requirements; a 20-year arena lease with a "substantial" share of arena revenues from concessions, parking, and ad signage; priority status for postseason arena dates; and a secured US$5 million line of credit in case the league had to take over ownership of the team.[8] The NHL, unable to come to an agreement with any owners in Seattle, instead sold two new franchises to groups in Ottawa and Tampa Bay.[9]

KeyArena post-1995 hockey configuration

Later talks about a NHL team for Seattle were derailed due to renovations to KeyArena. Prior to renovations in 1994 and 1995, the arena had an ice hockey configuration that had been used by the WHL Totems. After the renovations, which optimized the arena for the Seattle SuperSonics, the arena's scoreboard and seats were not positioned well for hockey games.[10] This was a major factor in the major junior Seattle Thunderbirds leaving for the ShoWare Center in Kent in 2009. In 2012, League deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated that KeyArena would be "a difficult arena for hockey" due to the large number of obstructed-view seats.[11] All NHL exhibition games held in Seattle after the renovation were instead hosted at the Tacoma Dome 30 miles south of Seattle.[12]

Expansion and relocation proposals often came with a new arena proposal, especially after the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. Several investors considered Seattle as a locale for expansion or relocation on condition that a suitable arena could be built. In 2011, Don Levin, owner of the Chicago Wolves, had expressed interest in building a new arena in nearby Bellevue that could host an NHL team.[13] On February 16, 2012, a plan was announced to build a new arena in Seattle's SoDo district, just south of Safeco Field. An investment group led by hedge fund manager Chris Hansen proposed the arena, seeking to host a returned SuperSonics franchise and possibly an NHL team as well.

When Greg Jamison was unable to meet a deadline to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes on January 31, 2013, speculation began that the team would be relocated to Seattle.[14] On June 16, 2013, it was confirmed that the Phoenix Coyotes would be moving to Seattle if an arena deal between the team and the City of Glendale was not reached. Ray Bartozek and Anthony Lanza intended to purchase the franchise for US$220 million and would have begun operations in Seattle for the following season.[15] The relocation plan ended after July 3, 2013, when the Glendale City Council voted 4–3 to keep the Phoenix Coyotes in Glendale.[16]

A 2013 study by Nate Silver concluded that Seattle had the largest number of avid ice hockey fans of any U.S. media market that did not have an NHL team.[17]

Successful expansion

Main article: Seattle Kraken
Seattle's initial wordmark used prior to the name and logo unveiling
Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan and other municipal government officials speak on December 7, 2017, after the NHL's board of governors agreed to consider an expansion application from Seattle
Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan celebrating the city's expansion team in September 2018

On December 4, 2017, the Seattle City Council voted 7–1 to approve a memorandum of understanding between the city of Seattle and the Los Angeles-based Oak View Group, co-founded by Tim Leiweke,[18] for renovations of KeyArena. Renovations for the arena began in 2018 and were completed in 2020.[19] The arena was renamed Climate Pledge Arena after a new naming rights deal was signed with Amazon.com. The original roof remains in place, as it is considered a landmark.[20] The rest of the building saw a complete renovation with land being dug down and out.[21] While the renovations were intended for acquiring an NHL franchise, acquiring a new SuperSonics basketball team was also within the design of the approval. On December 7, the NHL's board of governors agreed to consider an expansion application from Seattle, with an expansion fee set at US$650 million.[22] The Seattle ownership group was represented by David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer, who conducted a preliminary season ticket drive to gauge interest in Seattle.[23]

On February 13, 2018, the Oak View Group filed an application with the NHL for an expansion team and paid a US$10 million application fee.[24][25] At the time, the earliest a Seattle NHL expansion team could have begun playing was the 2020–21 season pending the completion of arena renovations.[24]

On March 1, 2018, a ticket drive began to gauge interests in season ticket deposits. Oak View reported that their initial goal of 10,000 deposits was surpassed in 12 minutes,[26] and that they received 25,000 deposits in 75 minutes.[27] On April 11, 2018, Tod Leiweke was named CEO of Seattle's NHL expansion team.[28] On June 18, 2018, Dave Tippett was named as a senior advisor.[29] Another step towards an expansion team was taken on October 2, 2018, when the NHL Executive Committee unanimously agreed to recommend the expansion bid to a vote of the Board of Governors in December.[30][31]

The NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve Seattle's expansion team on December 4, 2018. Seattle will begin play in the 2021–22 season as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference; therefore the Arizona Coyotes will shift from the Pacific Division to the Central Division to balance out the four divisions at eight teams each. In May 2019, the team launched an interactive "fan portal" where fans could propose a name and uniform colors for the team, answer poll questions, get information about ticket pricing and seating, and view a timeline of past and future key events involving the club.[32]

On July 23, 2020, the franchise announced their team name, the Seattle Kraken, as well as their team colors, branding, and home jersey.[33] The event was held under the banner of "Release the Kraken", a phrase popularized by the 1981 film Clash of the Titans and the 2010 remake.[34] "Kraken" was a name that was already popular with fans prior to its official adoption. The franchise's promotional materials state that it 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.[35][36]

On April 30, 2021, the franchise paid the final installment of the $650 million expansion fee, officially making the Seattle Kraken the 32nd team of the NHL.[37]

An expansion draft for the Kraken was held on July 21, 2021, in a similar manner to a previous expansion draft held in 2017 for the Vegas Golden Knights, who were exempt from it.[38][39][40]

Junior hockey

In the Puget Sound region, two teams participate in the Canadian major junior leagues: the Seattle Thunderbirds, based 20 miles (32 km) south of Seattle in Kent, and Everett Silvertips, 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle in Everett. Both play in the Western Hockey League.

The Seattle Jr. Totems compete in the United States Premier Hockey League and play their home games at Olympic View Arena in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, 13 miles (21 km) north of Seattle.

References

  1. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (October 26, 2021). "Kraken raise Stanley Cup banner for Metropolitans at Climate Pledge Arena". NHL.com. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Keese, Parton (June 13, 1974). "N.H.L. Gives Franchises To Denver, Seattle for '76". The New York Times. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Cabotaje, Angela (September 30, 2021). "When Was the Last Time Seattle Had a Hockey Team?". Seattle Met. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  4. ^ "An anti-trust suit brought against the National Hockey League..." UPI. December 20, 1983. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  5. ^ "Seattle group bids today for Penguins". The Seattle Times. June 30, 1975. p. F1.
  6. ^ Obermeyer, Jeff (Mar–Apr 2006). "Seattle and the NHL: So Close Yet So Far Away". SeattleHockey.net. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  7. ^ Eskenazi, David; Rudman, Steve (July 9, 2013). "Wayback Machine: Seattle's Long Wait For NHL". Sportspress NW. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  8. ^ Rudman, Steve (July 11, 2015). "Seattle and the NHL – Land Mines on Horizon". Sportspress NW. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  9. ^ Stein, Gil (1997). Power Plays: An Inside Look at the Big Business of the National Hockey League. Birch Lane Press. pp. 80–81. ISBN 1-55972-422-6.
  10. ^ Andriesen, David (January 31, 2007). "Will the puck stop here?". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  11. ^ Daniels, Chris (May 24, 2011). "Group interested in luring NHL to Seattle". KING-TV. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; May 28, 2011 suggested (help)
  12. ^ "Canucks 4, Sharks 1". Associated Press. September 19, 1996. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  13. ^ Daniels, Chris (July 5, 2011). "Chicago businessman speaks on Bellevue and NHL". KING-TV. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  14. ^ Eaton, Nick (January 31, 2013). "NHL's Phoenix Coyotes could be back on the table for Seattle". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  15. ^ Leahy, Sean (June 16, 2013). "Phoenix Coyotes moving to Seattle? Roenick reportedly part of Plan B for NHL". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  16. ^ Wyshynski, Greg (July 3, 2013). "Phoenix Coyotes avoid relocation, stay in Glendale as city council passes arena lease". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  17. ^ Silver, Nate (May 31, 2013). "Why Can't Canada Win The Stanley Cup?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  18. ^ Baker, Geoff (December 4, 2017). "KeyArena MOU approved by Seattle City Council; will NHL announcement soon follow?". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  19. ^ Daniels, Chris (December 4, 2017). "KeyArena renovation wins approval from Seattle City Council". KING-TV. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  20. ^ Baker, Geoff (August 2, 2017). "KeyArena and iconic sloped roof get historical landmark status". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  21. ^ "Seattle hockey – Arena Renderings". Neutral Zone Seattle. December 11, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  22. ^ "Bettman says NHL will consider Seattle expansion bid". USA Today. Associated Press. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  23. ^ Rosen, Dan (December 7, 2017). "Seattle can begin NHL expansion process". NHL.com. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Seattle applies for NHL expansion team". NHL.com. February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  25. ^ Baker, Geoff (February 13, 2018). "Seattle group files application for NHL expansion team to play at KeyArena". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  26. ^ "Seattle 'shell-shocked' at ticket drive response". NHL.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  27. ^ Baker, Geoff (March 1, 2018). "Seattle surpasses 25,000 NHL season ticket commitments in just over an hour, OVG says". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  28. ^ Baker, Geoff (April 11, 2018). "Tod Leiweke named CEO of Seattle's expected NHL team". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  29. ^ "Group trying to bring NHL franchise to Seattle hires former Coyotes coach Dave Tippett". The Seattle Times. June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  30. ^ Kimelman, Adam (October 2, 2018). "Seattle expansion bid recommended for NHL Board of Governors vote". NHL.com. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  31. ^ Baker, Geoff (October 2, 2018). "NHL executive committee unanimously recommends forwarding Seattle expansion bid to December vote". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  32. ^ Baker, Geoff (May 9, 2019). "Web portal launched by Seattle's NHL team lets fans weigh in on name, uniform colors and even their goal celebration sounds". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  33. ^ Booth, Tim (July 23, 2020). "Release the Kraken: Seattle unveils name for NHL franchise". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  34. ^ Li, David K. (July 23, 2020). "Release the Kraken! Seattle's new hockey team will have a catchy, mythic name". NBC News. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  35. ^ "Seattle Kraken". SeattleKrakenHockey.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P. July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  36. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (July 23, 2020). "Seattle Kraken reveal nickname for NHL expansion team". NHL.com. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  37. ^ "Seattle Kraken officially become NHL's 32nd team after final expansion payment". Sportsnet. April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  38. ^ Rosen, Dan (December 4, 2018). "Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors". NHL.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  39. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (December 4, 2018). "Seattle expansion frequently asked questions". NHL.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  40. ^ Stolzenberg, Holger (December 20, 2020). "Seattle Kraken expansion draft set for July 21". MSN. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ice_hockey_in_Seattle&oldid=1119099492"