The Seattle Kraken's inaugural season in 2021-22 was a fever dream that no one saw coming. A brand-new franchise, with no established stars and a hastily assembled roster, captured the hearts of an entire city and made a shocking run that legitimized professional hockey in the Pacific Northwest. In just over three years of existence, the Kraken have already created moments that will be etched into franchise lore forever—clutch goals, stunning upsets, breakout performances, and the kind of emotional roller coasters that define what it means to be a sports fan. These are the ten greatest moments in Seattle Kraken history so far, a celebration of a franchise that arrived with a thunderous roar and has refused to be forgotten.
10. Jaden Schwartz's Series-Clinching Goal vs. Colorado (2024 Playoffs)
When the Kraken faced off against the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 playoffs, few gave them much chance. Yet there was Jaden Schwartz, the gritty veteran acquired to shore up the lineup, sending the Seattle crowd into absolute pandemonium with a decisive playoff goal that pushed the Kraken closer to advancing. That moment represented more than just a goal—it was validation that Seattle's investment in championship-caliber talent was paying dividends. Schwartz's physical presence and playoff experience had been exactly what the doctor ordered, and his big goal was proof positive. The roar from Climate Pledge Arena that night could be heard blocks away, a reminder that hockey had truly arrived in the Emerald City.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Career Playoff Goals (2024) | 5 |
| Seasons with Kraken | 2 |
| Career NHL Teams | 5 |
9. Yanni Gourde's Game-Winning Goal in Inaugural Season (October 2021)
In only the Kraken's fourth game as a franchise, veteran center Yanni Gourde delivered a moment that showed Seattle fans they had a fighter on their hands. With the weight of a brand-new city's expectations on their shoulders, the Kraken needed someone to step up—and Gourde, a crafty veteran with playoff experience, answered the call with a clutch winner. His hockey intelligence and willingness to play in all situations became a hallmark of those early Kraken teams, and this goal was his calling card. Gourde's presence in that inaugural locker room cannot be overstated; he set the tone for professionalism and grit that would define the franchise's identity. That early victory proved to everyone watching that this team could compete, even with a hodgepodge roster assembled in an expansion draft.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2021-22 Season) | 30 |
| Assists (2021-22 Season) | 23 |
| Games Played (2021-22) | 82 |
8. Philipp Grubauer's 40-Save Shutout Performance (November 2021)
There are nights when a goaltender puts an entire team on his back and carries them to victory through sheer will and brilliance, and Philipp Grubauer's 40-save shutout in the Kraken's inaugural season was exactly that kind of performance. Facing relentless assault from a better-positioned opponent, Grubauer stood tall in the crease, making save after impossible save, keeping his team alive when the game could have spiraled out of control. It was a masterclass in goaltending poise, a reminder that championship-level play can win games even when the rest of the roster is still finding its way. Grubauer's ability to steal games early in franchise history bought time for the roster construction to improve. That shutout became symbolic of what the Kraken believed they could be—a team that would compete through tenacious defense and goaltending brilliance.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Shutouts (2021-22 Season) | 3 |
| Games Started (2021-22) | 50 |
| Save Percentage (2021-22) | .914 |
7. The Historic Inaugural Game vs. Vancouver (October 2021)
On October 23, 2021, the Seattle Kraken played their first-ever game in franchise history against the Vancouver Canucks, and the entire city held its breath. Climate Pledge Arena was packed to the rafters with a sea of deep blue and black, a visual that proved hockey had found its home in the Pacific Northwest. Though the Kraken fell short in that opening contest, losing 4-3 to Vancouver, the moment itself transcended the final score—this was about a community finally getting its team back after 41 years. The electricity in that arena, the pre-game pageantry, the national broadcast coverage, all of it validated what Seattle had been waiting for. That first game wasn't just a hockey game; it was a coronation, a formal introduction of a franchise that had arrived with immediate credibility and a fanbase hungry for every second of ice time.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Franchise's First Game Score | Loss 4-3 |
| Inaugural Season Record | 27-49-6 |
| Year Franchise Joined NHL | 2021 |
6. Matty Beniers' First NHL Goal (October 2022)
When Matty Beniers—the Kraken's first-ever first-round pick and a homegrown talent from the University of Michigan—scored his first NHL goal, Seattle fans erupted with a passion that can only be described as pure love for their franchise. This wasn't just any goal; this was a moment that symbolized the future, a reminder that the Kraken weren't just a temporary expansion team, but a real franchise with real draft capital and real prospects. Beniers represents everything the Kraken organization has built toward—a young, skilled, intelligent player who plays with the kind of high-end hockey IQ that separates stars from solid players. For Seattle fans who had endured the loss of the SuperSonics and desperately wanted to believe in their hockey team, seeing Beniers score that first goal was like watching the future unfold right before their eyes. His goal was more than a stat line; it was a promise that better days were coming.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2023-24 Season) | 17 |
| Assists (2023-24 Season) | 15 |
| Games Played Through 2024 | 150+ |
5. Matty Beniers' Breakout 2023-24 Season Performance
As Matty Beniers entered his second full season with the Kraken, he transformed from promising prospect into legitimate NHL contributor, a leap that vindicated everything the franchise had believed about their first lottery pick. Playing with increasing confidence and ice time, Beniers demonstrated the skating ability, hockey sense, and competitive drive that scouts had raved about in pre-draft evaluations. His development trajectory has been exactly what the Kraken organization hoped for—steady improvement, better decision-making, and the kind of clutch play that separates good players from great ones. More importantly, for a fanbase that desperately wants to believe in homegrown talent and organizational vision, Beniers represents the blueprint for future success. He's become a symbol of hope in Seattle—a young star developing into his prime years while wearing the Kraken crest, the kind of narrative that builds dynasties and keeps fans coming back year after year.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Draft Position (2021) | 2nd Overall |
| College | University of Michigan |
| Career Games Played | 150+ |
| Seasons with Kraken | 3 |
4. The Incredible Inaugural Playoff Run (2022)
Against all odds, against every reasonable projection and Vegas prediction, the Seattle Kraken made the playoffs in their inaugural season—a feat so improbable that it still feels like a fever dream. With a roster of castoffs and unproven commodities, the franchise somehow cobbled together 109 points and earned a playoff berth in the toughest conference in the league. That run proved that hockey in Seattle wasn't a flash in the pan; it was real, it mattered, and the entire city was willing to believe in something extraordinary. Seeing Climate Pledge Arena erupt during playoff games, watching the entire community rally around the team, understanding that Seattle had reclaimed its place among NHL cities—that was the moment franchise credibility was earned. Though they fell to Colorado in the first round, that playoff appearance was the greatest organizational achievement possible for a brand-new franchise.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Inaugural Season Points | 109 |
| Games Played (2021-22) | 82 |
| Playoff Seeding | Western Conference |
3. Joonas Donskoi's Playoff Goals vs. Colorado (2024)
If there's a player who has embodied the Kraken spirit and the team's evolution from expansion curiosity to legitimate competitor, it's been Joonas Donskoi, the Finnish winger who has provided consistent depth scoring and relentless work ethic. During the 2024 playoffs against Colorado, Donskoi delivered multiple crucial goals that kept the Kraken's playoff hopes alive, showcasing the kind of tournament performance that defines playoff legacies. His ability to play in all situations—penalty kill, power play, defensive assignments—has made him indispensable to the Kraken's identity as a physical, defensively responsible team. More than just a scorer, Donskoi represents the kind of complementary player that championship teams are built around, the guy who shows up in the playoffs and makes the plays that matter. His performance against the Avalanche proved that the Kraken weren't one-dimensional, that they had depth players capable of stepping up when the stakes were highest.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2023-24) | 16 |
| Assists (2023-24) | 14 |
| Seasons with Kraken | 3 |
2. Adam Larsson's Game-Winning Playoff Goal (2024 Postseason)
When a defenseman scores a crucial playoff goal, it's special—it means your entire team is executing on both ends of the ice, it means the defensive structure is sound enough to create offensive opportunities from the blue line. Adam Larsson, the Kraken's captain and emotional leader, delivered exactly that kind of moment, a clutch playoff goal that exemplified his two-way dominance and competitive fire. As the franchise captain, Larsson's ability to perform when the lights brighten the most has been invaluable to the team's credibility as a genuine playoff competitor. His leadership in the locker room, his penalty-killing prowess, his intelligent defensive positioning—all of it culminated in this moment of pure playoff glory. That goal represented the Kraken's transformation from expansion novelty into a team capable of making playoff runs and beating established rivals on the sport's biggest stage.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played (2023-24) | 70+ |
| Plus-Minus (2023-24) | +12 |
| Captain Since | 2021 |
1. The 2024 Playoff Victory Over Colorado - Historic Franchise Win
In what might be the single greatest moment in Seattle Kraken franchise history, the team defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 playoffs—a statement victory that announced the Kraken as legitimate contenders in the NHL landscape. This wasn't just a playoff win; this was validation of every decision the front office made, every young player developed, every veteran acquired to push the team forward. The entire arena seemed to vibrate with energy, a community that had finally gotten their team and was watching it achieve something that seemed impossible just months earlier. Beating Colorado, one of the league's elite franchises, proved that the Kraken weren't pretenders, that they could compete with and defeat anyone on any given night. This victory transcended hockey—it was about Seattle reclaiming its identity as a championship sports city, about three years of growth and investment and belief finally crystallizing into a moment of pure triumph.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Playoff Series Result | Victory vs. Colorado |
| Year | 2024 |
| Franchise Age at Moment | 3 Years |
| Opponent Record | Defending Stanley Cup Champion |
The Seattle Kraken's first three years have been nothing short of extraordinary—a franchise that arrived with no history, no expectations, and somehow exceeded every reasonable projection about what an expansion team could accomplish. From Matty Beniers' development into a cornerstone player to unexpected playoff runs against elite competition, the Kraken have given Seattle fans memories that will last a lifetime. This organization has proven that with smart management, competitive depth, and unwavering fan support, a new franchise can immediately claim its place in the NHL hierarchy. As the Kraken continue to build toward genuine contention, these early moments will serve as the foundation story—the scrappy underdogs who showed up and refused to be ignored, who proved that Seattle deserved professional hockey and would support it with unmatched passion and pride.