Inaugural 2021-22 Season
The Seattle Kraken's inaugural season: a historic start in the NHL.
The 2021–22 Seattle Kraken season was the inaugural season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise. They played their home games at Climate Pledge Arena. The Kraken played their first regular season game on October 12, 2021, against the Vegas Golden Knights, a 4–3 loss. In their second game just two days later, the Kraken earned their first win in franchise history, defeating the Nashville Predators 4–3. The Kraken played their first home game on October 23, against the Vancouver Canucks, a 4–2 loss. The franchise recorded its first ever shutout on February 2, 2022, with Philipp Grubauer making 19 saves against the New York Islanders 3–0 at home. On March 30, the Kraken were eliminated from playoff contention after a 3–0 loss to the Golden Knights. The Kraken finished last in the Pacific Division with 60 points, the second-worst in the Western Conference ahead of the Arizona Coyotes.
Quick Facts
- Franchise number in nhl
- 32nd
- First game played
- October 13, 2021 vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- First head coach
- Dave Hakstol
- First captain
- Mattias Ekholm
- First general manager
- Ron Francis
- Home arena
- Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
- Playoff result
- Missed playoffs (finished 11th in Western Conference)
Lore & Background
The Seattle Kraken were established after the Seattle City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with Oak View Group on December 4, 2017, for renovations of KeyArena. The NHL Board of Governors approved the expansion application on December 4, 2018, with an expansion fee of US$650 million. The team name—Seattle Kraken—was announced in July 2020, honoring the maritime culture of Seattle. Ron Francis was hired as general manager in July 2019. The Kraken's first player signed was Luke Henman on May 12, 2021. The 2021 NHL expansion draft was held on July 21, 2021, at Gas Works Park. The Kraken selected Matty Beniers with the second overall pick in the 2021 NHL entry draft.
Reader's Guide
The Kraken's inaugural season began with a 4–3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on October 12, 2021. Their first win came on October 14, 2021, against the Nashville Predators. The first home game was a 4–2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on October 23, 2021. The first shutout was on February 2, 2022, a 3–0 win over the New York Islanders. The Kraken were eliminated from playoff contention on March 30, 2022, after a 3–0 loss to the Golden Knights. They finished last in the Pacific Division with 60 points.
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