Three Boyds, One Hockey Family: How Seattle Became the Latest Chapter in a Minnesota Legacy

Kyle Boyd is watching his kids grow up in Seattle's hockey rinks, and honestly, it feels like full circle. "It feels very much like bringing it back to our childhood," he said. "Sports, all the time." For the Kraken's senior director of fan development, that echo of the past isn't accidental. His whole family has been woven into hockey for decades, and now Seattle is where that story is being written.

Kyle's father, Dr. Joel Boyd, has been with the Minnesota Wild for 25 years as an orthopedic surgeon. When the Wild started their inaugural season in 2000-01, Joel became the NHL's first Black team physician. Before that, he played football at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, then went to Temple for medical school. He could've gone the cardiothoracic route like his mentor wanted, but once he learned how to repair an ACL, he was all in.

The Road That Led Three Kids to Sports

Joel didn't just talk about sports at the dinner table. When he headed out to work with the Minnesota State High School League or Augsburg College, his three young kids, Kendall, Kyle and Kasey, came along for the ride. Joel's wife Cheryl had spent the day with them, he figured, so this was his time. He'd plop them in the stands and keep an eye on them from the sideline. Next thing he knew, hot dogs and popcorn would materialize in their hands. "Someone would be like, 'Oh, you know, they were so cute,'" Joel said with a laugh. "They were living the life."

Minnesota high school hockey tournaments were no minor league assignment either. "The entire state descends for the hockey tournament," Joel explained. "Just like it's a professional game. I tell people, hockey in Minnesota is like football in Texas." Kyle even got to hang out near the Timberwolves during the "Stephon Marbury, Kevin Garnett years," which was absolutely a blast for a kid.

From Minnesota to Seattle: Three Siblings, Three Paths

As the kids got older, they dove into soccer, basketball, football and lacrosse. Kyle made it to the Minnesota state hockey tournament with The Blake School. But none of them followed Joel into medicine.

Kendall, the business-savvy one, played basketball at Emory and fell in love with consulting, then headed to business school to focus on business analytics. Kyle, a Dartmouth grad, joined Teach For America and was happily teaching in Seattle when a chance encounter changed everything. Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke happened to be in Renton where Kyle was skating. Instead of jumping at the opportunity himself, Kyle's response was something like: "That's great, but you should really talk to my sister."

Kendall, then working at Topgolf, was immediately interested and insisted on joining the meeting. Once Kyle agreed, both siblings were hired in 2019 as among the Kraken's first 50 employees. Kyle worked in community development while Kendall dove into her own role with the organization.

As Joel put it, none of his kids followed him into medicine, but they landed exactly where the family thrives. "They are in sports, which was the other part of what we love as a family," he said. "I didn't totally anticipate that's where they would end up, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.