The Seattle Kraken burst into existence as an NHL franchise in 2021 with massive expectations, a historic expansion draft haul, and a fanbase hungry for playoff hockey. In just their first few seasons, this Pacific Northwest team has already delivered moments that will live forever in franchise lore—dramatic comebacks, breakout performances, and the kind of emotional roller coasters that define what it means to be a sports fan in Seattle. From electrifying playoff runs to individual performances that announced the arrival of generational talent, the Kraken have given their devoted supporters plenty to celebrate. Here are the ten greatest moments in Seattle Kraken history so far.
10. Jaden Schwartz's Inaugural Season ImpactJaden Schwartz arrived in Seattle as a veteran presence and immediately became a cornerstone of the Kraken's identity, bringing championship experience from his time in St. Louis and providing leadership both on and off the ice. His willingness to play a physical, two-way game set the tone for what head coach Dave Hakstall wanted from his roster, and he quickly endeared himself to Pacific Northwest fans with his work ethic and consistency. Schwartz notched crucial goals throughout the franchise's inaugural 2021-22 season, proving he wasn't just a complementary piece but a legitimate scoring threat who could deliver in tight moments. His presence helped legitimize the Kraken as more than an expansion novelty—this was a team with real players who understood what it took to compete at the highest level. Schwartz's leadership and production established him as one of the most important figures in franchise history.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2021-22) | 17 |
| Assists (2021-22) | 19 |
| Games Played (First Season) | 82 |
| Stanley Cup Wins | 1 |
General manager Ron Francis pulled off one of the most impressive expansion drafts in modern NHL history, assembling a roster that immediately made the Kraken competitive in ways nobody expected from a brand-new franchise. Francis's ability to wheel and deal, securing established stars like Mark Giordano, Joonas Donskoi, and Brandon Tanev while also acquiring promising young talent, showed the kind of strategic brilliance that separates great GMs from pretenders. The expansion draft wasn't just about acquiring warm bodies—it was about building a cohesive roster with depth, veteran leadership, and emerging talent that could grow together. Seattle fans marveled at how Francis managed to stock the team while respecting the salary cap and establishing a foundation for long-term success. His work before the team even played a game set the trajectory for everything that followed.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| First Expansion Draft Picks | 30 |
| Teams Raided | 30 |
| Years as GM (Through 2023) | 2+ |
| Stanley Cups Won (As Player) | 2 |
When Mark Giordano was named the Kraken's inaugural captain, it felt like a statement: Seattle wasn't just building a franchise, they were building it right, with a player of unquestioned character and competence leading the charge. Giordano, the 2019 Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP, brought swagger, stability, and an old-school Canadian hockey pedigree that legitimized the entire enterprise. His willingness to mentor younger players, stand up for teammates, and play heavy minutes on the blue line established the standard for what Kraken hockey would look like. The respect he commanded in the locker room and across the league elevated the franchise's credibility overnight—this wasn't an expansion team; it was a team with a legitimate captain who had been to war at the highest levels. Giordano's presence proved that ownership and management had made thoughtful, strategic decisions.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hart Trophy (2019) | Won |
| Games Played (Career) | 1000+ |
| Kraken Games Played | 100+ |
| Plus/Minus (2021-22) | +8 |
The Kraken's inaugural game on October 23, 2021, against the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena became an instant classic, a moment when an entire city held its breath as their brand-new NHL team took the ice for the first time. Seattle exploded to a 4-0 lead in what felt like a coronation rather than a debut, and while Vancouver mounted a furious comeback to make it 4-3, the Kraken held on for an absolutely stunning opening night victory. The roar from a packed Climate Pledge Arena—a building that had never hosted NHL hockey before—was something that locals would describe in reverent tones for years afterward. It wasn't just a game; it was a moment of civic pride, validation that Seattle deserved a major league franchise and that this team was going to be competitive from day one. That victory set the tone for an entire franchise and gave Kraken fans their first genuine memory of celebration.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Final Score | 4-3 Kraken |
| Attendance | 17,151 |
| Date | October 23, 2021 |
| Goals in First Period | 4 |
Philipp Grubauer arrived in Seattle as a question mark—talented but with an injury history that made his long-term viability uncertain—and proceeded to announce himself as one of the league's premier goaltenders with performances that made Kraken fans believe they had finally found their franchise guy between the pipes. His athleticism, his ability to make highlight-reel saves, and his competitive fire transformed him into a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate, a goaltender who could steal games and carry his team through tough stretches. Grubauer's presence in the net gave the Kraken confidence that they weren't just competing but that they had a genuine star capable of standing tall in the biggest moments. His consistency and resilience through the franchise's early seasons provided the kind of stability that allows a young team to develop properly. Grubauer became the face of the franchise, the player Seattle fans knew they could count on night after night.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals Against Average (2021-22) | 2.81 |
| Save Percentage (2021-22) | .912 |
| Shutouts (Through 2022-23) | 5+ |
| Wins (First Season) | 20 |
Matty Beniers represents the future of the Seattle Kraken franchise—a hometown hero who grew up dreaming of playing for his beloved Kraken and has delivered on every promise since being drafted second overall in 2021. His arrival in the NHL was delayed by injury, but when he finally took the ice in 2022-23, he immediately announced himself as a special talent with an uncanny ability to find space, make plays under pressure, and drive the pace of the game in ways that made you sit up in your seat. Beniers' first NHL goal was a moment of pure joy for Kraken Nation—here was a kid who wore the team's jersey growing up, who had always imagined this moment, achieving his dream in front of his home crowd. His work ethic, his hockey intelligence, and his genuine love for the Seattle community have made him an instant fan favorite, someone the entire region has rallied around. For Seattle sports fans, Beniers represents something more than just another prospect; he's living proof that this franchise is building something real, something that can compete for championships while remaining connected to its community.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Draft Position (2021) | 2nd Overall |
| Goals (2022-23 Debut Season) | 8 |
| Assists (2022-23) | 7 |
| Games Played (2022-23) | 38 |
The Kraken's surprising 2021-22 regular season culminated in a genuine playoff push that had Seattle fans on the edge of their seats, believing that an expansion team could actually compete in the postseason just one year into its existence. The team's refusal to accept mediocrity, their grit in close games, and their ability to stay competitive against established opponents suggested that Ron Francis had done something truly special in building this roster. Even in years when a playoff spot seemed unlikely, the Kraken showed flashes of brilliance that made fans believe bigger things were coming, that this wasn't just a feel-good story but a legitimate franchise capable of making noise in the Pacific Division. The combination of veteran leadership and emerging young talent created a dynamic that kept playoff hopes alive deeper into the season than anyone had reasonable expectations for. That playoff push wasn't just about winning games; it was about establishing the Kraken as a real team with real ambitions in the cutthroat world of professional hockey.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Wins (First Season) | 27 |
| Goals For (2021-22) | 224 |
| Goals Against (2021-22) | 234 |
| Playoff Qualification Attempts | Multiple |
Joonas Donskoi arrived in Seattle as a proven playoff performer with championship experience from his time in Colorado, and he quickly became one of the most reliable and important pieces in the Kraken's lineup, providing consistency, hockey sense, and the kind of veteran presence that young teams desperately need. His two-way play, his ability to impact the game without always showing up in the score sheet, and his willingness to play in all situations made him an invaluable asset during the franchise's formative years. Donskoi's competitiveness and his refusal to accept anything less than maximum effort established a standard within the locker room, showing younger players what professional dedication looks like at the highest level. His experience in high-pressure situations proved invaluable as the Kraken navigated the uncertainty and challenges of being a brand-new franchise in a league full of tradition and established power structures. Donskoi became the kind of player that coaches love and that fans come to respect, even if he doesn't put up gaudy numbers on the stat sheet.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2021-22) | 12 |
| Assists (2021-22) | 14 |
| Plus/Minus (2021-22) | +9 |
| Playoff Appearances | 3 (Pre-Seattle) |
Brandon Tanev arrived in Seattle as the prototypical energy forward—a player who doesn't always put up eye-popping numbers but whose work ethic, physical presence, and ability to impact winning hockey made him essential to the Kraken's identity from day one. His willingness to throw his body around, to play a physical brand of hockey that the team could build around, and to set the tone with his intensity established Tanev as one of the most respected members of the locker room. What makes Tanev special is that his game translates perfectly to the postseason, where physical play, grit, and competitive fire become even more valuable, making him a player who genuinely gets better when the stakes are highest. His ability to play a shutdown role against the opposition's best forwards, combined with his knack for chipping in with crucial goals in important moments, made him an MVP-caliber player for the Kraken's early years. Tanev represents the kind of player that every contending team needs—not the flashiest, but absolutely essential to winning hockey.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals (2021-22) | 14 |
| Plus/Minus (2021-22) | +15 |
| Games Played (First Season) | 76 |
| Physical Presence | Unmatched |
The single greatest moment in Seattle Kraken history so far is undoubtedly Matty Beniers finally pulling on that Kraken jersey and taking the ice as a professional, fulfilling a lifelong dream for a kid who grew up wearing teal, who lived and breathed Seattle hockey, and who always believed that one day he would play for his hometown team at the highest level of professional sport. After missing the entire inaugural season due to injury—a devastating blow for both the franchise and for Beniers himself—his eventual arrival in the lineup felt like destiny, like the hockey gods were finally giving Seattle and its fans the moment they had been waiting for since the expansion draft. The electricity in Climate Pledge Arena the night Beniers skated out for his first shift was absolutely palpable, a standing ovation that showed how much this kid meant to the community and how deeply connected the Kraken had become to the city's sports identity. Since that debut, Beniers has shown flashes of the superstardom that scouts always believed he possessed—his skating, his hands, his hockey intelligence, his ability to play above his years—and he represents the true future of this franchise. More than any victory or highlight-reel play, Beniers' journey from childhood Kraken fan to professional player wearing the teal and blue is the greatest moment in franchise history because it embodies everything that Seattle hockey is supposed to be about: dreams, community, excellence, and the unbreakable bond between a team and its city.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Draft Year | 2021 |
| Hometown | Seattle, WA |
| College | University of Michigan |
| Childhood Dream | Play for the Kraken |
The Seattle Kraken have only been around for a few years, but they've already created an impressive collection of moments that Emerald City fans will treasure for generations to come. From the historic expansion draft that brought legitimate star power to the Pacific Northwest, to the franchise's inaugural game victory that validated an entire region's belief in professional hockey, to the emergence of homegrown superstar Matty Beniers—this young franchise has given its supporters plenty to celebrate. These ten moments represent more than just wins and losses; they represent the building of something special, a team that's become genuinely connected to its community in ways that transcend sport. As the Kraken continue to evolve and compete for championships, these early chapters will always hold a special place in the hearts of Seattle hockey fans.