The Seattle Kraken's inaugural season in 2021-22 was supposed to be a feel-good story of expansion hockey finding its footing in the Pacific Northwest. What nobody expected was how quickly this franchise would create legitimate moments worth remembering—highlight-reel plays, clutch victories, and performances that made even the most cynical hockey fans lean forward in their seats. From their shocking early success to emerging young stars proving they belong in the NHL, the Kraken have already gifted their passionate fanbase plenty of reasons to believe in what's being built at Climate Pledge Arena. These ten moments represent the very best of what the franchise has accomplished in its brief existence, moments that will be replayed and reminisced about for years to come.
10. Jaden Schwartz's Game-Winner Against Vancouver (October 2021)
The Kraken's very first victory as a franchise came against their Pacific Division rivals, the Vancouver Canucks, and it was Jaden Schwartz who delivered the dagger with an overtime winner in the team's inaugural home game. There's something almost poetic about the fact that one of the Kraken's early heroes was a veteran presence like Schwartz, a player who understood the weight of the moment and delivered when it mattered most. The roar from the crowd at Climate Pledge Arena was deafening—a fanbase that had waited so long finally had something to celebrate on home ice. Schwartz would go on to be a steadying force for the expansion squad throughout that first season, and this goal will forever be part of Kraken lore as the moment everything clicked into place.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Career Goals (Seattle) | 15 |
| Games Played (2021-22) | 82 |
| Plus/Minus (2021-22) | -8 |
9. Philipp Grubauer's 39-Save Shutout vs. Edmonton (December 2021)
When the Kraken signed Philipp Grubauer to be their franchise goaltender, they were betting on his ability to steal games on nights when the team's offense sputtered—and few performances exemplified that responsibility better than his dominant shutout against the high-powered Edmonton Oilers. Grubauer was simply unbeatable, turning away 39 shots in a performance that reminded everyone why general manager Ron Francis believed in him enough to make him the centerpiece of the goaltending tandem. The Edmonton Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, came into Climate Pledge Arena expecting to dominate a young expansion team, but instead they left frustrated and shut out. It was a statement game that showed the Kraken could compete with anyone on any given night, and Grubauer's poise in the crease was the foundation of that victory.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Saves (vs Edmonton) | 39 |
| Goals Against Average (2021-22) | 2.92 |
| Save Percentage (2021-22) | .913 |
8. Yanni Gourde's Leadership as Captain (2021-Present)
The decision to name Yanni Gourde as the Seattle Kraken's inaugural captain was one of the shrewdest moves Ron Francis made, and it's been vindicated time and again by the lightning-quick forward's tireless work ethic and competitive fire. Gourde isn't the most naturally talented player on the roster, but he plays the game with an edge and a hunger that became infectious within the locker room, setting the tone for how the Kraken would carry themselves as an expansion franchise. Whether it was his relentless forecheck, his willingness to drop the gloves, or his postgame demeanor, Gourde embodied the scrappy, never-give-up mentality that Ron Francis was trying to instill. His captaincy represents something bigger than stats—it represents the identity of a franchise that decided to build through character first, talent second.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played (2021-22) | 82 |
| Goals (2021-22) | 9 |
| Assists (2021-22) | 13 |
7. Jordan Eberle's 30-Goal Season (2022-23)
In the Kraken's second season, Jordan Eberle emerged as an unlikely offensive engine, demonstrating that there was real scoring potential lurking within the roster that everyone had initially underestimated. Eberle, the veteran winger acquired in the expansion draft, suddenly found himself in a perfect situation—given increased ice time and playing alongside developing talent—and he made the most of the opportunity by reaching the 30-goal plateau for the first time in five years. It was a redemptive season for a player many thought was past his prime, and it gave the Kraken a legitimate scoring threat that opponents had to game-plan around. His performance helped validate the front office's belief that this roster had more upside than anyone realized coming into Year Two.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2022-23) | 30 |
| Games Played (2022-23) | 82 |
| Plus/Minus (2022-23) | +5 |
6. Vince Dunn's Clutch Performances in Tight Games
Vince Dunn was acquired from the St. Louis Blues to be a secondary scorer and depth piece, but he's consistently delivered in moments when the Kraken needed a goal most—his hockey IQ and finishing ability have made him invaluable in the franchise's short history. Whether it's a power-play marker or a gritty even-strength goal in a one-goal game, Dunn has shown up when it mattered, and his linemates have consistently praised his unselfishness and commitment to winning hockey. The left-winger's blend of skill and determination embodies the kind of complementary scoring depth that turns expansion teams into contenders, and his work ethic has been a model for younger players in the organization. Dunn may not put up gaudy statistics, but his impact on winning games is undeniable.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played (2021-22) | 80 |
| Goals (2021-22) | 15 |
| Assists (2021-22) | 14 |
5. Matty Beniers' Triumphant Return and Rising Star Status
When Matty Beniers finally made his long-awaited NHL debut for the Seattle Kraken, it felt like a homecoming for the entire franchise—the University of Michigan standout and top-10 draft pick from 2021 had been waiting in the wings while recovering from a serious knee injury, and his arrival was treated as a major moment in Kraken history. From the moment he stepped onto the ice at Climate Pledge Arena, Beniers displayed the poise, vision, and skating ability that made scouts rave about him coming out of college, immediately looking like a player who belonged among the NHL's elite young talents. What makes Beniers so special to Seattle isn't just his skill—it's the sense that he's the franchise's answer to the future, a homegrown star (metaphorically speaking) who represents the direction this organization is heading. The 21-year-old center has shown flashes of genuine brilliance, and Seattle fans have embraced him as a cornerstone player around whom they can build for the next decade-plus. His development will define the Kraken's trajectory, and every time he steps on the ice, you feel the weight of that responsibility—and his ability to handle it.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played (2022-23) | 54 |
| Goals (2022-23) | 10 |
| Assists (2022-23) | 16 |
| Draft Position | 2nd Overall (2021) |
4. Hakstol Takes Control and Stabilizes the Ship (2022-23)
After the Dave Hakstol era began in 2022, the Kraken found an identity they had been searching for—structured, disciplined, defensively sound hockey that prioritized competitiveness every single night. Hakstol, the veteran coach who had proven his worth in Philadelphia and Arizona, brought a no-nonsense approach to a team that needed direction and accountability, and the results were immediately visible in how the Kraken carried themselves. The second-year improvement under his watch suggested that Ron Francis' roster construction was sound, and all it needed was the right voice to bring it all together. Hakstol's impact goes beyond wins and losses—it's about establishing a winning culture where young players understand what it takes to compete at the highest level.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Wins (2022-23 Season) | 26 |
| Points (2022-23 Season) | 59 |
| Previous Team Tenure | 7 Seasons (Arizona) |
3. The Inaugural Season Upset Over Vegas (October 2021)
In a stunning display of moxie and determination, the Seattle Kraken—yes, literally in their first week of existence—managed to knock off the Vegas Golden Knights, a team that had just won a division title the season before. The victory wasn't just significant because it proved the Kraken could compete; it was significant because it showed the entire league that this expansion team wasn't going to be a pushover, that they had been assembled with intelligence and purpose by Ron Francis. That Vegas game became a reference point for the entire first season—proof that the Kraken belonged, that they could execute under pressure, and that their fans had reason to believe. The confidence boost that single victory provided rippled through the entire first season, giving players and fans alike a moment to point to whenever doubt crept in.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights Record (2020-21) | 1st in Pacific |
| Kraken Record (2021-22 vs Vegas) | 2-2-0 |
| Expansion Upset Factor | Historic |
2. The Climate Pledge Arena Opening Night (October 23, 2021)
The moment the Seattle Kraken took the ice at Climate Pledge Arena for their inaugural home game was electric in a way that only a city thirsting for professional hockey could produce—the energy from the crowd was palpable, the sense of history hanging over the building, the knowledge that something special was beginning right before their eyes. Seattle had waited so long for NHL hockey to return (the last pro team was the WCHL squad that departed in 1975), and when that puck dropped, it felt like decades of anticipation were finally being released into the atmosphere. The city of Seattle embraced the Kraken immediately, and the arena became a fortress—a place where opponents knew they would face a loud, passionate crowd determined to make their new team feel welcome. That opening night wasn't just about hockey; it was about a community reclaiming its place at the table of major sports cities, and the Kraken delivered by losing their first home game to the Vancouver Canucks 5-3, somehow making it feel like a victory anyway because of what it represented.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Arena Capacity | 17,151 |
| Years Since Last NHL Team | 46 |
| First Home Game Result | Loss to Vancouver |
1. The Expansion Draft and Ron Francis' Vision (2021)
The masterpiece that started everything was Ron Francis' brilliant execution of the 2021 expansion draft, where he managed to assemble a roster of legitimate NHL players while every other team in the league tried to dump their salary cap problems on Seattle's shoulders. Francis and his scouts displayed remarkable foresight in selecting players like Yanni Gourde, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and others who would become the foundation of the franchise, rejecting the conventional wisdom that expansion teams had to tank their way to respectability. The vision was clear: build a competitive team immediately, establish a winning culture from day one, and make the Kraken a legitimate NHL franchise from the moment they took the ice. Every great franchise moment that's followed—every clutch goal, every impressive win, every breakthrough performance by a young star—has its roots in the patient intelligence of that expansion draft, where Ron Francis showed that you could build a winner through smart management rather than dumb luck.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Selections (Expansion Draft) | 30 |
| First Season Wins | 23 |
| Ron Francis' Previous Stanley Cups | 2 (as a player) |
The Seattle Kraken's first few seasons have been a masterclass in how to build an expansion franchise the right way—with intelligence, patience, and an unshakeable belief in the process. From Ron Francis' shrewd expansion draft to Dave Hakstol's stabilizing influence to the emergence of young stars like Matty Beniers, this organization has given Seattle fans reasons to believe that the dark ages of hockey in the Pacific Northwest are truly over. These ten moments represent not just highlights and achievements, but proof of concept that the Kraken are more than a one-season novelty—they're the foundation of something real, something lasting, something that could define the next generation of Seattle sports fandom. The best moments in Kraken history are still to come.