Report: Andre Burakovsky, Kraken Agree to 5-Year, $5.5M AAV Contract After Avs Stint
Jul 13, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Andre Burakovsky #95 of the Colorado Avalanche carries the Stanley Cup following the series winning victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Andre Burakovsky's time with the Colorado Avalanche has ended, but at least he departs a Stanley Cup champion.
The veteran winger has signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal with the Seattle Kraken on the opening day of free agency, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The contract is worth $5.5 million annually.
Burakovsky is coming off a two-year, $9.8 million deal with the Avs, so his latest contract with the Kraken is a nice raise. He spent three seasons with the Avalanche from 2019-22, posting 61 goals and 89 assists for 150 points in 191 games.
The 27-year-old had the best season of his career in 2021-22, tallying 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points in 80 regular-season games. In 12 playoff games, he posted three goals and five assists for eight points.
Before joining the Avalanche, Burakovsky began his career with the Washington Capitals, which selected him in the first round of the 2013 NHL draft.
Burakovsky made his NHL debut with the Caps during the 2014-15 season. He tallied 62 goals and 83 assists for 145 points in 328 games across four seasons from 2014-19. The Austrian also helped Washington win a Stanley Cup in 2018.
With Burakovsky in the fold, the Kraken are now projected to have $15.6 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. They still need to use some of that space to re-sign restricted free agents Morgan Geekie and Kole Lind.
The Kraken are set to enter the 2022-23 season with a top line of Jaden Schwartz, Matthew Beniers and Jordan Eberle. Burakovsky should slot in on the team's second line alongside Jared McCann and Yanni Gourde.
Seattle finished its inaugural season in 2021-22 with a 27-49-6 record, eighth in the Pacific Division. Burakovsky should help the team continue to build next season, though it also needs to improve on both offense and defense via free agency if it hopes to compete for a playoff spot.
2022 NHL Draft Results: Team-by-Team Grades, Analysis for Notable Picks
Jul 8, 2022
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: Shane Wright poses for a portrait after being selected fourth overall by the Seattle Kraken during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
The 2022 NHL draft came to a close on Friday night, and each of the league's 32 teams are hoping their new additions can one day help them contend for a Stanley Cup.
While there were some surprises throughout the draft, perhaps nothing was more of a shock than Shane Wright being passed on by the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes with the top three picks.
Wright, who was widely believed to be the best player in this year's class, was selected fourth overall by the Seattle Kraken. The pick is now being viewed as the steal of this year's draft.
That said, let's give the NHL's 32 teams a grade for the picks they made over Thursday and Friday's action.
2022 NHL Draft Grades
Anaheim Ducks: B
Arizona Coyotes: A
Boston Bruins: C
Buffalo Sabres: B+
Calgary Flames: C-
Carolina Hurricanes: C+
Chicago Blackhawks: B+
Colorado Avalanche: D+
Columbus Blue Jackets: A-
Dallas Stars: B
Detroit Red Wings: B-
Edmonton Oilers: C
Florida Panthers: C
Los Angeles Kings: B+
Minnesota Wild: B+
Montreal Canadiens: A+
Nashville Predators: B
New Jersey Devils: A-
New York Islanders: C
New York Rangers: B
Ottawa Senators: C+
Philadelphia Flyers: A-
Pittsburgh Penguins: C
San Jose Sharks: B+
St Louis Blues: C+
Seattle Kraken: A+
Tampa Bay Lightning: B-
Toronto Maple Leafs: B
Vancouver Canucks: C+
Vegas Golden Knights: C
Washington Capitals: B-
Winnipeg Jets: B
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens took one of the best young players in the draft, selecting Juraj Slafkovsky first overall. However, their decision to pass on Shane Wright was baffling to many.
That said, Slafkovsky should be a productive player for the Habs for years to come.
The 18-year-old helped lead Slovakia to a historic bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, tallying seven goals in seven contests, including two in the bronze-medal game.
He also represented Slovakia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing with three goals and six assists in five games en route to a silver medal, and played his domestic hockey in the Finnish Liiga for TPS Turku.
In addition to selecting Slafkovsky, the Canadiens also picked Filip Mesar (No. 26), Owen Beck (No. 33) and Lane Hutson (No. 62) in the first two rounds. all of whom should see plenty of time at the NHL level.
So while the Habs passed on Wright, they still get an A+ for this year's draft as they selected multiple players that could become staples in their lineup down the line.
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken got the steal of the draft when they selected Shane Wright fourth overall.
The 18-year-old was widely expected to be the top pick in this year's class after an outstanding career with the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs.
While Wright got out to a slow start to the 2021-22 season with the Frontenacs, he still tallied 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 regular-season games and added three goals and 11 assists in 11 playoff games.
Wright also represented Canada at the 2021 Under-18 World Championships, helping lead the Canadians to a gold medal. He notched nine goals and five assists in five games and was one of the best players of the tournament.
Considering Wright has been compared to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, the Kraken may have just drafted their future franchise center.
Seattle also selected Jagger Firkus (No. 35), Jani Nyman (No. 49), Niklas Kokko (No. 58) and David Goyette (No. 61) in the second round. The Kraken have a great 2022 class that is sure to prepare them well for the future. which is why they received an A+.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche made just two picks in this year's draft—one in the sixth round and one in the seventh, selecting a right-handed defenseman in Chris Romaine at No. 193 and a goaltender in Ivan Zhigalov at No. 225.
Colorado made a number of deals that included draft picks to make its 2021-22 squad better and, after winning the Stanley Cup, the front office probably has no regrets about losing some of those picks.
However, it's hard to give the Avalanche a grade higher than a D when they didn't add much to their prospect pool this week.
Shane Wright Selected No. 4 Overall by Kraken in 2022 NHL Draft
Jul 7, 2022
OSHAWA, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 21: Shane Wright #51 of the Kingston Frontenacs skates against the Oshawa Generals at Tribute Communities Centre on November 21, 2021 in Oshawa, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken landed the steal of the 2022 NHL draft, selecting center Shane Wright with the fourth overall pick on Thursday at Bell Centre.
This is a significant get for the Kraken as Wright was widely believed to be the best player available in this year's draft class following a standout career with the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs.
Wright has spent the last three years of his career with the Frontenacs, though he didn't play the 2020-21 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was allowed to enter the OHL one year early when he was just 15 years old.
Wright was named the team's captain for the 2021-22 season and, after getting out to a slow start, proved why he's the best player in this year's NHL draft class with a strong second half.
The 18-year-old finished the year with 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 regular-season games and added three goals and 11 assists in 11 playoff games. The Frontenacs were eliminated from the OHL playoffs with a semifinals loss to the North Bay Battalion.
Despite not playing for the Frontenacs during the 2020-21 campaign, Wright represented Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championships, helping lead the Canadians to a gold medal. He dominated the tournament, tallying nine goals and five assists in five games.
Wright also represented Team Canada at the World Junior Tournament, appearing in two games, tallying one assist, before it was rescheduled to August because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
The 6'1", 187-pound center has improved his skating over the last year and can really do it all offensively. He is a pure goal scorer but also has the ability to be a playmaker with great puck possession skills, high IQ and elite vision.
In addition, Wright can play solid defensively with good positioning and pressure on the back check. He has most often been compared to Patrice Bergeron, and if he can play anything like the Boston Bruins center, the Habs will certainly been in good hands for many years to come.
Wright should enter Seattle's lineup immediately. The team struggled to a 27-49-6 record during the 2021-22 season, one of the worst finishes in the league, and could use a player of his caliber to provide a boost.
Jessica Campbell Named Kraken Minor League Assistant; 1st Full-Time Female AHL Coach
Jul 5, 2022
Germany's Canadian Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell follows the action during the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships preliminary round group A match between Germany and Denmark in Helsinki on May 19, 2022. - Finland OUT (Photo by Jussi Nukari / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by JUSSI NUKARI/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken announced Tuesday they are hiring Jessica Campbell as an assistant coach for their minor league affiliate the Coachella Valley Firebirds, making her the first full-time female assistant in AHL history.
Campbell spoke with ESPN's Emily Kaplan about the landmark accomplishment:
"I always had a belief as a young girl, playing boys' hockey until I was 17, that I was equal and capable too. I've never focused on my gender. Growing up, I never dreamed of coaching, because I didn't see it and therefore didn't know what that path looked like. But for young athletes now, it's so important to have that visibility for them to understand they can literally be anything they want. Some of the guys I will be coaching, their daughters can now watch them have a female coach. And that opens up the conversation, which can inspire young girls for something they might not have seen as possible."
Campbell, who spent last season as an assistant and skills coach for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany and served as an assistant for Germany in the men's IIHF World Championship, is taking on the highest-profile coaching job ever held by a woman in men's professional hockey in North America.
While Emily Engel-Natzke became the first full-time female coaching staff member in the NHL last week when the Washington Capitals promoted her to video coordinator, there has never been a full-time female assistant coach at the NHL level.
Longtime NHL head coach Dan Bylsma, who was named the Firebirds' head coach for their inaugural season in 2022-23, reached out to Campbell about the job after hearing "rave reviews" about her work.
Bylsma chose Campbell for his staff after speaking with her and coming away impressed, and he discussed the historic hiring with ESPN:
"Obviously this is significant and it's important Jessica is getting this opportunity. But more importantly, I wanted a coaching staff that had a ton of passion for the players, a willingness to put in the work with them, and a plan to help them develop, because our job is developing players for the Seattle Kraken. We just wanted that person, and Jessica was the person who best exemplified that. It's what she's all about."
The 30-year-old Campbell is from Rocanville, Saskatchewan. She played as a forward collegiately at Cornell, professionally in the Canadian Women's Hockey League and for Canada internationally.
Campbell was part of the Canadian team that won a silver medal at the 2015 world championship in Sweden. She also won a gold medal and a silver medal in the under-18 world championship.
She transitioned into coaching after ending her playing career and founded JC Powerskating, training multiple NHL players.
Campbell is joining a brand-new organization, as the Firebirds will begin play next season and the Kraken entered the NHL as an expansion team for the 2021-22 campaign.
Given that the AHL is one step below the NHL, Campbell will have a significant hand in preparing up-and-coming players to become contributors for the Kraken.
Kraken's Philipp Grubauer Says He's Been Called a Nazi by Other Players
Jun 17, 2022
SAINT PAUL, MN - APRIL 22: Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken defends against the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on April 22, 2022 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer said Friday he has been called a Nazi by other players during his hockey career.
Grubauer told the story as part of the Kraken's "Hockey is for Everyone" discussion series:
The 30-year-old Grubauer, who is from Germany, said in the full video of the conversation on the Kraken's website that the slurs were used against him during his junior hockey playing days.
Grubauer played in Canada's Ontario Hockey League from 2009 to 2011 for the Belleville Bulls, Windsor Spitfires and Kingston Frontenacs after growing up in Germany and playing junior hockey there as well.
During the discussion, Grubauer said he and other players used to be afraid to speak up because of the reaction it would elicit, including "20 other guys chirping you" from the other team.
The veteran netminder went on to suggest that the culture has changed in hockey since then with players coming together to stand up against hateful language and views.
Grubauer recently finished his first season with the expansion Kraken after signing a six-year contract with them in free agency.
He posted an 18-35-1 record with a 3.16 goals-against average, .889 save percentage and two shutouts.
Grubauer previously played for the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche, earning a Stanley Cup with the Caps as a backup in 2018, and finishing third in the Vezina Trophy voting as the Avs' starter in 2021.
6 NHL Storylines to Watch in Final Week of the 2021-22 Regular Season
Apr 25, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: The Stanley Cup is shown before the first period of a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Amalie Arena on October 12, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
We've made it to the final week of the 2021-22 NHL regular season. The playoff picture is starting to become clear, and on the other end of the spectrum, the draft lottery odds are starting to come into focus as well.
But some things are still undecided. The awards race is heating up, and the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers are in a battle for the President's Trophy. Plus, there is still time for teams to battle for playoff positioning.
With that in mind, let's get into some of the questions that still need to be answered over this final week of play.
KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Shane Wright #51 of the Team Red poses for a team photo prior to the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
Which team has the best odds for the No. 1 overall draft pick?
The rights to draft Shane Wright are on the line.
The NHL will hold the draft lottery remotely on May 10. The odds were adjusted this season to allow for the addition of a 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken.
The 16 teams that did not make the Stanley Cup playoffs will be entered into the lottery. The team with the fewest points will have an 18.5 percent chance of winning the top pick, while the second-worst squad will have a 13.5 percent chance.
Currently, the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens have the fewest amount of points with 51. The Coyotes kinda sorta openly tanked this season, and the franchise is in a strange state, with the team temporarily relocating to a college arena next season while it attempts to work out a deal for a new arena in Tempe. Winning the lottery and drafting Wright, who is projected to go No. 1 overall, would be a boon to an organization struggling to attract fans.
However, the Habs are hosting the draft in July, and that city could see a celebration even rowdier than the one we saw when the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last year.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken will likely be the next-worst teams.
The Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils have point totals in the low 60s.
There are two new rules this year: A team will be restricted from moving up more than 10 spots if it wins one of the lottery draws, and it cannot win the lottery more than two times in a five-year period. However, wins in lotteries prior to 2022 will not be counted, which is good for the Devils, who won the lottery in 2017 and 2019.
New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin stands in front of the gaol as time runs out during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, April 23, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Will Igor Shesterkin win the Hart Trophy?
Full disclosure: I'm an awards voter as a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It's a privilege that I take seriously, and I do a lot of research when it comes to my ballot each season. I'm not going to disclose my ballot, especially since I have yet to finish my deep dive on the candidates, but Igor Shesterkin is making my job and the job of other voters interesting.
It's not often that a goalie makes a case for hockey's version of the MVP award, but the New York Rangers goalie will certainly be a finalist. He would be the eighth goalie to win the award. It would be the ninth time it was given to a goalie (Dominik Hasek won it twice) and the first since Carey Price won it in 2014-15.
Shesterkin leads the league in save percentage (.936) and goals-against average (2.03). His 36 wins are tied for fifth. But the traditional analytics don't illustrate his full value, in part because sometimes it is difficult to quantify a goalie's full value.
But if fancy stats are more your thing, then consider his 24.46 goals saved above average at five-on-five, which is second behind New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin and his 0.887 high-danger save percentage (also at five-on-five).
It's tough to compare a goalie to skaters, which is why they're often overlooked in the Hart Trophy race. And there is also the age-old question of what constitutes the most valuable player: Is it the player who make the biggest contribution or the one who does the most for the team without ending up on the scoresheet?
Shesterkin is also a strong candidate for the Vezina Trophy, the award given to goalies and voted on by NHL general managers.
Other top candidates for the Hart right now are Jonathan Huberdeau, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. If it was up to Huberdeau, who has a career-high 114 points, he would give it to Matthews.
And speaking of Matthews…
OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 16: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators on April 16, 2022, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Will he score 60 goals?
Matthews is sitting at 58 with two games left to play against the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins. The Toronto Maple Leafs have already grabbed a playoff spot, but they cannot win the Atlantic Division. They enter the week five points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning, so there isn't much left to play for in these last two games and this is typically where we see some veterans and some top players resting in anticipation of the playoffs.
But no one has netted 60 goals in a season since Steven Stamkos did a decade ago. The only other active player to have scored 60 or more is Alexander Ovechkin, who really hasn't slowed down much considering he scored 50 this season, marking his ninth season with at least 50. It's a remarkable feat that has only occurred 39 other times and has been done by only 20 players.
Matthews might have already reached the milestone had he not missed eight games this season, especially three he sat out last week with an injury. But he returned to the lineup Saturday and tallied two assists on Sunday in a win over the Washington Capitals.
Is the injury nagging him enough that he should sit out and get ready for the postseason? Or should he go for 60? It's a tough call, but he appears to be well enough to play for now.
CALGARY, AB - APRIL 14: Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on April 14, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
Will the Golden Knights make the playoffs?
Things sure have changed in Las Vegas since the club began its inaugural season in 2017-18. The expectation has been to win a Stanley Cup, and they went all-in this season by acquiring star center Jack Eichel, but injuries derailed the 2021-22 season.
The Golden Knights are currently sitting on the outside looking in, six points behind the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division and three points behind the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference wild-card standings.
Their playoff prospects are nearly dead after a disaster of a game on Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks. San Jose was down by two with two minutes left but came back to tie it with 0.9 seconds left. The Sharks killed off a penalty in overtime and won in a shootout.
They do have a game in hand on the Stars, and they will play in Dallas on Tuesday. However, goalie Robin Lehner has been battling a knee injury since early March, and there seems to be a disconnect between him and the club as to whether he will undergo surgery. He did back up Logan Thompson on Sunday night against the Sharks, but it's been a little bit of a soap opera of late.
A few weeks ago, I wrote that the Eichel trade needs to be judged for the long-term benefits and that the season shouldn't be considered a disaster if the team fails to make the playoffs. However, it's tough to know what management and ownership make of the situation.
This team has been known to turn on a dime when it comes to decision-making. They jettisoned former coach Gerard Gallant in January 2018 with the team sitting in fifth place in the Pacific Division and traded goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in a salary-cap maneuver last summer. Both moves were quite unpopular. How will the management and ownership groups view the situation with current coach Peter DeBoer? DeBoer is widely regarded as one of the top coaches in the league, but there could be some heat on his seat as the season winds down.
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 23: Florida Panthers fans hold signs up prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the FLA Live Arena on April 23, 2022 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Can anyone beat the Panthers?
The Panthers saw their franchise-best 13-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday night in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avs have been stuck at 116 points for a week. They've lost their last four games, and backup goalie Pavel Francouz has been injured after an errant puck struck him on the bench.
The schedule for Colorado isn't light this week with games against the St. Louis Blues, Predators and Minnesota Wild. So the attention turns to the Panthers to see whether they can stay hot in the postseason against either the Capitals or the Boston Bruins.
The good news for Florida is that star defenseman Aaron Ekblad appears to be on the mend. He skated with the team on Long Island last week, so there is hope he can return for the postseason. He's been out since March 18 when he was injured in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. Without him, the Panthers have gone 15-1-0. If that's how they play without one of the best blueliners in the league, imagine what they might look like in the playoffs with him.
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) celebrates with teammate left wing Nicolas Deslauriers (44) after defeating the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
How will the brackets shake out?
We have one postseason matchup set: The St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild will square off in the first round. The rest of the matchups are still up in the air, but you can probably pencil in the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings.
The two series I would most like to see in the first round are Rangers-Bruins and Toronto-Tampa Bay. The second one is still in play.
The first round continues to vex a Toronto squad laden with talent and questionable goaltending. However, if the Leafs can get past the two-time defending champs in the first round, then it would make a huge statement that this team is ready to move on from its recent history and finally contend for a Cup once again.
As for the Rangers and Bruins facing one another, it's not quite Yankees-Red Sox, but it could be close. The intensity seems to ratchet up a few notches when Boston and New York teams play one another. Boston vs. New York might be the greatest rivalry in sports, and this is coming from a born-and-raised Californian.
This scenario would mean the Rangers leapfrog the Carolina Hurricanes in the standings. The two will play each other on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, but the Rangers are four points behind the Canes.
It's a race to the finish for some and a race to the bottom for others. This next week should be high on drama and build up some excitement for the upcoming playoffs.
NFL Legend Marshawn Lynch, Rapper Macklemore Become Minority Owners in Seattle Kraken
Apr 18, 2022
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Marshawn Lynch attends the premiere of HBO's "Westworld" Season 3 at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 05, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and rapper Macklemore are now minority investors in the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
The newest minority owners of the Seattle Kraken, per @cnbc:
That parallels his on-field drive in a cart after a game when he played college football at California.
Lynch spent 12 years in the NFL, including seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He helped the team win a Super Bowl in the 2013 season.
The 35-year-old founded Beast Mode Apparel in 2014, and since his retirement in 2020, he has created a marijuana company and owned a team in the Fan Controlled Football league among his investments.
The latest venture helps him support Seattle's new hockey team, which is wrapping up its first NHL season. The squad is in last place in the Pacific Division with 54 points in 74 games and is out of playoff contention.
Macklemore is also known for his Seattle love as a native of the city. The Grammy winner is often seen at Seahawks and Mariners events and purchased a share of Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders in 2019 alongside then-Seahawks star Russell Wilson.
Kraken's J.T. Brown, Everett Fitzhugh to Become NHL's 1st All-Black Broadcasting Team
Feb 10, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: Team broadcaster Everett Fitzhugh of the Seattle Kraken poses for a photo at Gas Works Park for the NHL Expansion Draft on July 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Kraken is the National Hockey League's newest franchise and will begin play in October 2021. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
J.T. Brown and Everett Fitzhugh will form the first-ever all-Black broadcasting duo in NHL history when they call the Seattle Kraken's Feb. 17 road game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic revealed the news on Wednesday.
Brown, 31, is the Kraken's television analyst alongside play-by-play announcer John Forslund. Fitzhugh, 33, is the team's radio voice.
Forslund will be working a nationally televised NHL game on TNT Feb. 17, so Fitzhugh will shift to TV for the Jets matchup. ROOT Sports will carry the game.
Brown played professional hockey for 11 years, including seven in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild.
The 31-year-old spent more than five of those years with the Lightning and finished his career with 23 goals and 49 assists. Brown also represented the United States at the 2012 Ice Hockey World Championships.
"Just being a part of it is crazy to think about," Brown said, per Clark.
"Any time something like this happens, I think about a year ago and ask, 'Would I have thought this is where my path would be?' Here we are. We did know this was eventually going to happen at some point."
Fitzhugh's resume includes a stop as the play-by-play announcer and color commentator for Bowling Green State University. He also called play-by-play for the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms.
Fitzhugh pulled double duty for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, working as the team's radio broadcaster and the Director of Media Relations. The Kraken hired him in 2020.
"I've been trying to wrap my head around it," Fitzhugh said, per Clark.
"It might be one of those situations where it hits me in that moment. It’s something that has never happened before to have two Black men commenting on an NHL game together in the same booth. … I know that it is special and it is a big deal. But it truly will not hit me until I start doing that game."
Game time for the Kraken at Jets game is 8 p.m. ET from Winnipeg's MTS Centre.
Nadia Popovici Awarded $10K Scholarship by Canucks, Kraken for Helping Brian Hamilton
Jan 2, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 01: Seattle Kraken fan Nadia Popovici and Vancouver Canucks equipment manager Brian Hamilton meet before the game at Climate Pledge Arena on January 01, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. Popovici made headlines by alerting Hamilton at a previous game between the teams on October 23rd of a cancerous mole. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
Nadia Popovici, the Seattle Kraken fan who alerted Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian Hamilton from behind the bench to visit a doctor for a possible cancerous mole on his neck, was awarded $10,000 toward her medical school training from both teams on Saturday for her heroic actions.
Kraken and Canucks are giving $10,000 to Nadia Popovici toward her medical school funding for what she did for Canucks trainer Brian “Red” Hamilton. #SeaKrakenpic.twitter.com/nBi0tH0mVG
During the Kraken's inaugural home game at Climate Pledge Arena on Oct. 23, Popovici began banging on the glass to get Hamilton's attention. When he finally looked at her, she flashed a message on her cellphone telling him he had a possibly cancerous growth on his neck.
Hamilton then went to Canucks team doctor Jim Bovard, who took a biopsy of the mole, which revealed a malignant melanoma. The melanoma hadn't penetrated far into Hamilton's skin, but things could've taken a turn for the worse had it gone unnoticed for another couple of years.
Hamilton credits Popovici, who is going into medical school next fall, for saving his life.
Kraken Fan Who Alerted Canucks Equipment Manager to Cancer Found After Twitter Post
Jan 1, 2022
SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 18: Seattle Kraken logo on a sign during warms up before an NHL hockey game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Seattle Kraken on December 18, 2021 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken fan who alerted Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian "Red" Hamilton of a malignant melanoma on his neck has been found.
Hamilton released a statement through the Canucks explaining how a fan attending the Oct. 23 game in Seattle got his attention and wrote a message expressing concern that he may have a malignant melanoma.
The fan's instincts were accurate, and the melanoma is now gone.
The internet community helped us find Brian's hero, Nadia, and tonight they met in person where he got to express his sincerest thank you to her for saving his life.
"She extended my life, she saved my life," Hamilton said Saturday, per ESPN's Kristen Shilton.
She didn't take me out of a burning car like [in] the big stories but she took me out of a slow fire. The words out of the doctor's mouth were if I ignored that for four to five years, I wouldn't be here. I didn't [even] know [the mole] was there. She pointed it out. How she saw it boggles my mind. It wasn't very big. I wear a jacket [on the bench], I wear a radio on the back of my jacket that hooks on, so the cords are there. Like, she's a hero.
The woman, identified as Nadia, is an aspiring doctor who was recently accepted into multiple medical schools, per Shilton.
She had just spent the night working at a suicide hotline and had plans to attend the Canucks at Kraken game Saturday.
A member of the Facebook group, Yukyung Nelson, made the connection:
Oh my gosh!!! This was my daughter!!! She just got accepted into multiple medical schools. We have season tickets behind the opposing team and she noticed the mole on the back of his neck so she typed a message into her phone and knocked on the glass window to get his attention. She finally got his attention and he looked quickly and then nodded. We didn't think anymore of it. This is absolutely amazing!
The Canucks are back in Seattle to take on the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET. The 47-year-old Hamilton, who has worked over 1,000 games for the Canucks over the past two decades, will be back behind the bench.
