The Seattle Kraken, the city’s newest professional sports team, has had a rocky start since their inception. Despite the excitement and anticipation surrounding the team’s arrival, the Kraken have yet to make a significant impact on the Seattle sports scene.
The Kraken were founded in 2018, and were set to join the NHL in 2021. However, the team has faced numerous delays and struggles since then. The most notable of these was the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the NHL to delay the start of the season until January 2021. This delay caused the Kraken to miss out on a full season of play, making it difficult for them to gain traction in the city.
In addition to the pandemic, the Kraken have had difficulty securing a home arena. The team was originally slated to play at Seattle Center Arena, but that plan fell through due to disagreements between the team and the arena’s owners. As a result, the Kraken have been forced to play their home games at Climate Pledge Arena, a smaller venue located in Seattle’s SoDo district.
The Kraken have also had difficulty signing players due to salary cap restrictions. The team was unable to sign any marquee free agents during their first offseason, making it difficult for them to compete with other teams in the league.
Despite these struggles, the Kraken have managed to stay afloat and remain competitive. They currently sit in fourth place in the Pacific Division, and have won several games against some of the league’s top teams.
Despite these successes, the Kraken have yet to make a significant impact on Seattle’s sports scene. The team has not been able to generate much excitement or enthusiasm among local fans, and many people are still unaware of their existence.
The Kraken’s early struggles have kept them off Seattle’s sports radar for now, but they still have plenty of time to make an impact. With a full season of play ahead of them, the Kraken have a chance to prove themselves and become a major part of Seattle’s sports landscape.