Skip to content

Our Predictions for NHL’s 2021 Seattle Debut

Our forecast for just how ‘Seattle’ our NHL team will be when it finally debuts in 2021

By John Levesque April 17, 2019

1-lead-160179330

This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Seattle magazine.

This article appears in print in the April 2019 issue. Click here to subscribe.

Team Mascot and Name: Ideas for the team’s name—and matching mascot—have run the gamut from the “Sockeyes” to the “Kraken.” Since the Kraken is a mythical figure with no historical tie to Seattle (we can think of a better one, but the Sonics have dibs on ’Squatch), our bet is on “Sockeyes” (along with our vision for a corresponding mascot similar to Katy Perry’s Left Shark).

Equipment: A hockey puck is also called a biscuit. Given Seattle’s Scandinavian heritage, “kringle” will be the preferred nickname here. “Putting the biscuit in the basket”—hockey slang for scoring a goal—may roll off the tongue more easily than “putting the kringle in the kurv,” but, hey, a good cliché takes time.

Positions: It’s hard to find a right winger in a city that has a Marxist on its city council. The team’s Seattle-specific positions will more likely be known as “left wingers” and “alt-left wingers.”

Stadium Restaurants: Ethan Stowell—whose restaurant empire skews heavily Italian (Cortina, Tavolàta, etc.)—is the first name that comes to mind when thinking of the arena’s potential culinary partners. Might we suggest a little place called Café Zamboni?

Uniforms: Designed by Luly Yang. Look for sweaters in easy-to-pack, breathable cashmere; pants in reversible, fast-drying rayon; and skates in high-top, low-rise and slip-on styles.

Follow Us

82 Million Tons of E-Waste by 2030. Now What?

82 Million Tons of E-Waste by 2030. Now What?

Smart ways to handle old electronics after a holiday upgrade.

Every holiday season, our houses fill with upgraded gadgets and the promise that we’ll deal with the old stuff later. Meanwhile, the drawer of mystery cords multiplies, and some items just get tossed out. Most of us mean well, but those castoff electronics often end up somewhere they really shouldn’t. And with about 59% of…

Going to the Mountains This Winter? Read This.

Going to the Mountains This Winter? Read This.

A new online tool breaks down avalanche basics for anyone planning snowy fun off the beaten path.

I’m a rule follower when it comes to the outdoors. This summer, my family did some backcountry hiking in Whistler and made sure to do everything by the book—texting friends our plan and location, and wearing a bear bell even though it felt a little dorky. It’s reassuring to know you’ve covered the basics before…

Historic Flooding Prompts WA Governor to Declare Emergency

Historic Flooding Prompts WA Governor to Declare Emergency

Rivers are surging around the state amid days of heavy rainfall.

As floodwaters swelled around Washington, threatening low-lying communities along rivers, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a statewide emergency declaration on Wednesday. Ferguson says he’ll also seek an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government in response to the flooding, which is the result of an atmospheric river that has dumped multiple inches of rain in parts…

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

The bookseller will open a new flagship at 520 Pike, marking the largest retail lease in downtown Seattle since 2020.

Barnes & Noble is returning to downtown Seattle for the first time since early 2020. The national bookseller has signed a 10-year lease for a new flagship at 520 Pike Street, a 29-story tower, taking over 17,538 square feet on the corner of Pike and 6th Avenue. The store is expected to open in the…