Kraken vs. Golden Knights Announced for 2024 NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park
Jan 2, 2023
WINNIPEG, MB - FEBRUARY 17: A general view of the logo and inaugural season patch on the jersey of the Seattle Kraken prior to NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre on February 17, 2022 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This marks the first game Seattle has played in Winnipeg. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken are the NHL's youngest franchise, but they are set to host one of the league's marquee events next season.
The NHL announced Monday the Kraken will welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to Seattle for the 2024 Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park.
The Kraken are in their second season as a franchise and have never hosted an outdoor game before. The Golden Knights, who are the league's second-newest franchise after being founded in 2017, played an outdoor game during the 2020-21 season at Lake Tahoe against the Colorado Avalanche.
"We're pretty excited," Kraken CEO Tod Lewieke said in a statement. "I think in some regards these things we hoped would happen, these are the things we dreamed would happen. But it's a great honor that in our third season, we're going to host, really, an international event."
Per ESPN's Ryan S. Clark, the NHL had discussed playing an outdoor game in Seattle for "some time," but the venue was a point of debate. Clark noted that the "longstanding belief" was the league was deciding between T-Mobile Park, Husky Stadium at the University of Washington and Lumen Field, which is home to the Seattle Seahawks.
T-Mobile Park, the Seattle Mariners' home, will be the latest MLB park to host an outdoor game, joining Fenway Park, Busch Stadium, Citi Field, Coors Field, Citizens Bank Park, Dodger Stadium, Nationals Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium.
The Kraken wasted little time volunteering themselves as a viable host to a notable NHL event. In September, team COO Victor de Bonis told ESPN that the Kraken informed the league of their interest to host an outdoor game, the NHL All-Star Game and/or the NHL draft.
"We've always expressed interest in doing these events as we start a new franchise and build our fan base here," de Bonis said at the time.
This year's Winter Classic is being played between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway.
Oilers' Evander Kane Out 3-4 Months After Suffering Cut on Wrist from Skate Blade
Nov 9, 2022
CALGARY, CANADA - OCTOBER 29: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on October 29, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
The Edmonton Oilers announced Evander Kane is expected to miss 3-4 months after he was cut on the wrist by a skate blade in a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Kane addressed the situation Wednesday morning and said he was "on the mend," thanking the medical personnel who acted quickly to treat his injury:
The 31-year-old got knocked to the ice by Lightning defenseman Philippe Myers in the second period. Lightning forward Pat Maroon skated past and inadvertently caught his wrist.
Kane got to his feet and immediately skated toward his bench.
"It's scary, certainly scary," Oilers teammate Connor McDavid told reporters. "I think you could feel the energy in the entire rink kind of just get sucked out. We're thinking about him. We're hearing he's doing OK, but that's obviously initial."
Kane has made 14 appearances for Edmonton this year. With five goals and eight assists, he's fifth on the team in points (13). His absence will force somebody to step up alongside Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman on the Oilers' second line.
no one individual can...will have to be by committee. JP, Yamamoto, Foegele and Holloway will need to fill offensive void. Trade only if Kane isn't returning for season. If he's out three months they need cap space to put him back in lineup.
To account for Kane's shift to long-term injured reserve, Edmonton called up Mattias Janmark and Klim Kostin from the Bakersfield Condors, its AHL affiliate.
Oilers' Evander Kane Hospitalized After Suffering 'Deep Cut' on Wrist vs. Lightning
Nov 9, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 07: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts against the Washington Capitals during the first period of the game at Capital One Arena on November 07, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane was transported to the hospital and will undergo a procedure after suffering a "deep cut" to his wrist during Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena, per NHL on TNT.
Kane suffered the injury during the second period when Patrick Maroon's skate caught his wrist while trying to get up following a hit along the boards.
On Wednesday morning, Kane posted an update, saying he would be back on the ice in the near future:
Entering Tuesday's game, he had tallied five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 13 games this season.
The 31-year-old is in his second season with the Oilers and agreed to a four-year, $20.5 million deal with the franchise in July. He's under contract through the 2025-26 season.
Kane began his NHL career with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets organization in 2009 when he was selected fourth overall in the NHL draft. He spent six seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent two-and-a-half seasons before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks.
The Vancouver native put together some of the best seasons of his career in San Jose, tallying 87 goals and 79 points for 166 points in 212 games across three-and-a-half seasons.
However, Kane's tenure with the Sharks came to an ugly end when he was suspended for 21 games in October 2021 for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. After he finished his suspension, the team sent him to the American Hockey League, and the remainder of his seven-year, $49 million contract was terminated in January for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols.
Kane was in the fourth year of that deal and was due $19 million for the last three years of the contract. In September, he and the Sharks reached a settlement on the grievance the NHL Players' Association filed last season on his behalf in regards to his contract termination.
After his tenure with the Sharks came to an end, Kane signed a one-year deal with the Oilers for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign. In 43 games last season, he tallied 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points.
Kane has been mostly durable over his 14-year career, appearing in at least 63 games in nine seasons. The Oilers will hope his latest injury doesn't sideline him for too long as they need his offensive production alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Golden Knights' Phil Kessel Sets NHL Ironman Record at 990 Consecutive Games Played
Oct 26, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 24: Phil Kessel #8 of the Vegas Golden Knights warms up before playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in his 989th consecutive NHL game, tying Keith Yandle for the longest āIronmanā streak in league history at T-Mobile Arena on October 24, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Phil Kessel is the NHL's new ironman.
The Vegas Golden Knights center appeared in his 990th consecutive game when he took the ice for Tuesday's contest against the San Jose Sharks, which is an NHL record. He tied Keith Yandle's previous record of 989 straight games when he played in Monday's 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
IRONMAN PHIL KESSEL šŖ
Congratulations Phil, on playing in your 990th consecutive game and becoming the NHL's new "Ironman" leader! pic.twitter.com/BRKHSEuVKJ
Yandle played from 2006-07 through the 2021-22 campaign and announced his retirement in September. His streak ended in April when he was with the Philadelphia Flyers and missed a contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kessel's last missed game came in October 2009 when he was a member of the Maple Leafs and was sidelined by offseason shoulder surgery.
That means the 35-year-old has appeared in every game for 12 consecutive seasons for the Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes. This is his first season with the Golden Knights, and he played the first three campaigns of his career on the Boston Bruins before he began the streak.
"There were plenty of them," Kessel said when discussing potential injuries that could have ended the streak, per Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. "But I always just said, 'Screw it. I'll go out there and play because I like to play.' I'd rather be playing than sitting in the stands."
Zeisberger noted Kessel's streak continued even with the birth of his first child last season when he was on the Coyotes. He played just one shift during a March game against the Detroit Red Wings and then flew back on a private jet arranged by Arizona owner Alex Meruelo to be present for the birth.
The ironman record is another accomplishment in a career full of them.
Kessel first appeared in an NHL game during the 2006-07 campaign, and Tuesday marked his 1,212th contest. His resume includes two Stanley Cup titles, the 2006-07 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and sportsmanship, and three All-Star Game selections.
The two Stanley Cup titles came in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017 when he was a member of the Penguins. He finished with 22 points in 24 playoff games during the first championship run and followed with 23 points in 25 games in the second.
The veteran signed a one-year deal with the Golden Knights ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and entered Tuesday's matchup with two assists, zero goals and a plus-minus of zero through the first seven games.
If he remains healthy and continues to take the ice, his 1,000th consecutive game will come on Nov. 17 against the Coyotes.
With the season under way and every team (mostly) having
their rosters to compete and fit under the salary cap, we all got to see just
how old and young each...
Seattle Kraken Unveil Mascot 'Buoy,' Drawing Inspiration from Fremont Troll
Oct 2, 2022
MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 12: View of a Seattle Kraken logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the Seattle Kraken versus the Montreal Canadiens game on March 12, 2022 at Centre Bell in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken finally have a mascot.
The NHL's 32nd franchise, which began play with its inaugural season during the 2021-22 campaign, announced Saturday that its mascot draws inspiration from the Fremont Troll, and its name is Buoy.
Seattle unveiled Buoy by having having him rappel from the rafters at Climate Pledge Arena before a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Hundreds of names and ideas were submitted for the Kraken's new mascot, but the iconic Fremont Troll sculpture located on N. 36th St. in Seattle is what inspired Buoy's creation.
The Kraken did not want to use an octopus for their mascot because the Detroit Red Wings already use an octopus as their mascot. They also didn't want to use a Kraken, because no one actually knows what a Kraken looks like.
Kraken vice president of entertainment experience and production Lamont Buford said, per ESPN's Ryan S. Clark:
"We looked at all the characters in this area, and we wanted to make sure that what we brought was going to be unique. We didn't want to be like anybody else. When you look at a lot of mascots in sports, you can tell which mascots that were generated from looking at another mascot. We wanted to make sure we avoided that."
So, the next time you're at Climate Pledge Arena, be sure to be on the lookout for Buoy.
5 Hot Takes Headed into the NHL Season
Sara Civian
Sep 28, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 29: Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators looks on against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 29, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The phrase āhot take,ā represents a few things these days. To me, itās still best defined as something that could happen, but isnāt particularly likely to happen.
For reference, if you were to predict any team that landed in the 2021-22 regular season top five as this yearās Stanley Cup Champion, Iād call that a cold take. If you were to predict any of the bottom five this yearās Stanley Cup Champion, Iād consider that a scorching take.
Takes, of course, exist on a spectrum, and you can always tell the difference between a hot take that someone genuinely believes, and a hot take born for the purpose of being a hot take.
With that said, I like to think of my āhot takesā on a scale from one to five fire emojis. One is a relatively mild take that is debatable, five is something I think most people would disagree with. All takes from 1-5 need to be things I genuinely believe, though.
Without further ado, here are my most passionate hot-but-real takes headed into the 2022-23 season
The Ottawa Senators make the playoffs
The Ottawa Senators have been going through one of the most bizarrely manufactured quasi-rebuilds ever since their last playoff appearance in 2017. You know itās bad when the only reason Iām even referring to it as an intentional rebuild is because at this time last year, GM Pierre Dorion publicly declared that not only was a rebuild happening, but that the rebuild was already over.
Spoiler alert: It was not. The Senators ended the season 26th in the league.
At least while the NHL club was falling apart through no fault of the players still left, the organization was building a pipeline of some pretty exciting potential stars. And would you look at that, the Senators gave up one of their favorite starsācap spaceāand had one of the strongest off-seasons in the league, acquiring Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot among others.
Is the rebuild actually over now?
Iām not totally sure, and I will never claim to understand the inner workings of the Ottawa Senators, but things are looking good.
Heat check: 1.5 flame emojis š„ (editor's note: just imagine a half-flaming emoji with this one)
Coyotes University isn't an absolute dumpster fire
Listen, the fact that the Arizona Coyotes will spend at least the next few years playing in a college hockey arena with a 5,000-person capacity is an objective failure on multiple levels.
But we get it at this point.
Weāve read all the think pieces, tweeted all our jokes and rolled our eyes at the Canadian mediaās pearl-clutching relocation columns.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 22: Clayton Keller #9 of the Arizona Coyotes warms up prior to a game against the Seattle Kraken at Gila River Arena on March 22, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)
Now that weāve accepted the reality of the situation, we can make the best of it. I donāt know about you, but I fell in love with this sport growing up around Boston going to college hockey games. Thereās nothing like a tightly packed arena full of a few thousand people who actually want to be there. It kind of feels like one of the best-kept secrets you didnāt even realize you were in on.
Not only could the close-knit environment inspire some young Arizonians to get into the sport, but it might give a team dealing with quite a few setbacks a reason to wake up every morning and try.
Besides, who wouldnāt want to attend a hockey game at a place called Mullett Arena?
Heat check: 4 flame emojis š„ š„ š„ š„
Matt Murray succeeds in Toronto
Iāll start this out by saying the word āsucceedā in the context of the Toronto Maple Leafs means different things to different people. This is not a āwill-they-wonāt-they exit the first roundā prediction, and for the record I donāt define a second-round exit as success. (I donāt think they do, either!)
This is more about the trajectory of Murrayās career and the role he could play with the Leafs. Murray has had a few tougher seasons after his strong start with the Penguins, and he hasnāt been able to return to the Cup-winning performance he twice put up. Obviously sharing a net with Marc-Andre Fleury and generally being part of the Penguins dynasty greatly contributed to said Cup-winning performance, but Murray was no passenger in that endeavor.
Heās had a down few years on the Senators, but who among us can blame him? He was also very open about how hard the loss of his father was in 2018. Heās clearly shown us he can handle the spotlight, and the Leafs look better than ever.
This feels like the best chance 28-year-old Murray has at righting the course of his career, and I think he can do it. I donāt think he (or anybody) will single-handedly lift the Leafs past the first round, but I think he will be low on the Totem Pole of blame if they canāt get it done.
Heat check: 4 out of 5 flame emojis š„ š„ š„ š„
Moritz Seider wins the Norris
This is a good example of a mild take that I believe in so much that it becomes sort of hot. Yes, Seider won the Calder last year and heās on everyoneās radar. Yes, heās only expected to get better.
Iām sure heās on most peopleās pre-season Norris watch lists, but how many people think heās going to win it all? Count me in as one.
Weāre in a golden age of young defensemen who can put up points, and letās be real, the Norris winner has become a defenseman who can score a lot of points. I think Seider is going to be the perfect medium between the modern high-scoring defenseman and the big, gritty shot-blocker, and everyone can agree on a player like that.
Heat check: 1.5 out of 5 flame emojis š„
Elias Pettersson has the best or worst season of his career
Is this multiple hot takes stacked on top of each other in a trench coat? Maybe. After a rough start and a lingering wrist injury last season, 23-year-old Pettersson ended with career highs in games played (80), goals (32) and points (68) in 2021-22. He dipped below his usual point-per-game stats, but he exploded towards the end of the season, which bodes well for 2022-23.
But the Canucks arenāt playing around next season, and theyāve got some healthy competition down the middle with the season J.T. Miller had in 2021-22. Perhaps the Canucks get Pettersson away from top defensive matches on the second line and he flourishes, perhaps the competition works in his favor and he wins the first-line center role then flourishes. Or perhaps Pettersson fades away with less ice time.
There are so many varying possibilities when it comes to his upcoming season, and thatās why I think itās absolutely crucial for him to have a career year.
Heat check: 3 out of 5 flame emojis š„š„ š„
NHL Told Russian Players Aren't Welcome in Czech Republic for Predators vs. Sharks
Sep 22, 2022
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 01: Evgeny Svechnikov #71 of the Winnipeg Jets discusses strategy with a teammate during a first period stoppage of play against the Seattle Kraken at Canada Life Centre on May 01, 2022 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Czech Republic has informed the NHL that Russian players will not be granted entry into the country for scheduled games between the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks at Prague's O2 Arena.
Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Smolek released a statement Thursday saying the country made the decision based on Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine.
"We can confirm that the Czech Foreign Ministry has sent a letter to the NHL to point out that, at this moment, the Czech Republic or any other state in the (visa free) Schengen zone should not issue visas to the Russian players to enter our territory," Smolek said.
The Predators and Sharks are slated for games Oct. 7 and 8 in Prague. It's unclear if the NHL will move forward with the games, and Smolek would not disclose any reaction from the league.
Nashville forward Yakov Trenin and San Jose forward Evgeny Svechnikov would be barred from the games if they are held as scheduled.
Finland, which is also slated to host NHL games this season, is also in the process of banning all Russian citizens from entering the country. It is yet to be made clear whether that will apply to NHL players.
The Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets are set for two games in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 4-5.
Foreign governments and sports associations have been increasingly hostile toward Russian immigrants as the country continues to wage war in Ukraine. Russian players were barred from playing in Wimbledon this summer, and several international sports organizations have banned Russians from competition.
There have been more than 14,000 confirmed civilian casualties since February, but the number is believed to be higher.
Evander Kane, Sharks Settle Grievance over Contract Termination
Sep 16, 2022
CALGARY, AB - MAY 26: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during Game Five of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 26, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Oilers defeated the Flames 5-4 in overtime to win the series four games to one. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks have settled the grievance the NHL Players' Association filed last season on his behalf over the termination of his contract, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
"The agreement has been approved by the NHL and the NHL Players' Association," the Sharks said in a statement. "We are satisfied that its terms will not adversely impact the team, either financially or competitively, in this or future seasons."
The Sharks terminated what was left of Kane's seven-year, $49 million contract in January, citing a "breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of the AHL COVID-19 protocols"
At the time, Kane was in the fourth year of that contract, which paid him $7 million annually. He was due $19 million for the last three years of his contract, per Wyshynski.
An NHL source told Wyshynski that the settlement "is expected to bridge the gap between the money owed Kane by the Sharks and the money he's making on his new deal with the [Edmonton] Oilers."
Following his termination, Kane signed a one-year deal to join the Oilers and recently agreed to a four-year, $20.5 million contract extension in July. The left wing notched 22 goals and 17 assists in 43 games in his first season with the team.
Kane's divorce with the Sharks was somewhat expected because of a number of issues that arose during his tenure.
The NHL opened an investigation into the 31-year-old after his estranged wife, Anna Kane, accused him in August 2021 of placing bets on NHL games and said he would intentionally throw games to win money.
The league announced a month later that it found no evidence that those claims were true.
As training camp opened for the 2021-22 season, the NHL was also investigating domestic abuse allegations made by Anna Kane against him. The Sharks and Kane agreed that he would not take part in training camp while the investigation was ongoing.
The NHL announced that October it found no evidence to support Anna Kane's claims of domestic abuse.
That same month, Kane was investigated again for allegedly submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. After concluding its investigation, the NHL announced a 21-game suspension for the veteran.
After Kane served his suspension, he was placed on waivers and sent to the AHL's San Jose Barracuda.
The Vancouver native began his NHL career with the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) in 2009 after being drafted fourth overall. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015 before he was dealt to the Sharks in 2018.
J.T. Miller, Canucks Agree to New 7-Year, $56M Contract
Sep 2, 2022
VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 26: Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9) looks up ice during their NHL game against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena on April 26, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Vancouver Canucks and J.T. Miller have agreed to terms on a new seven-year, $56 million contract, the franchise announced Friday.
Miller was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 campaign. He'll earn $5.25 million this season before his new contract, which is worth $8 million per year, kicks in during 2023-24.
In early July, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun noted that Miller could have been traded this summer and was drawing "lots of interest" on the market. At that point, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli reported the Canucks and Miller were far apart on contract negotiations.
However, Miller's agent, Brian Bartlett, told The Athletic's Harman Dayal on July 20 that he believed the two sides could work out a deal:
"I do think there's a realistic path for an extension with the Canucks. J.T. loves it in Vancouver. He feels like the team is improving. He loved his role there. His family likes the city.
"He would be on board with an extension. The part that we can't answer is at what value or level the team places on him. From our end, from J.T.'s end, there's a path forward on an extension, but it takes two to tango, I guess."
The 29-year-old was also included in trade rumors leading up to March's deadline, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers being linked to a move for the veteran forward.
Miller had a career year with the Canucks in 2021-22, notching 32 goals and 67 assists for 99 points in 80 games. He has been a staple in the team's lineup since the 2019-20 season and has tallied 74 goals and 143 assists for 217 points in 202 games across three seasons.
At $8 million per year, Miller is set to become Vancouver's highest-paid player in 2023-24, topping the $7.85 million defenseman Quinn Hughes makes annually. According to CapFriendly, the franchise is more than $2.7 million over the salary cap for next season.
Miller began his career with the New York Rangers, who selected him 15th overall in the 2011 NHL draft. He made his debut during the 2012-13 season and became a regular in the New York lineup in 2014-15.
In 341 games with the Rangers across five-and-a-half seasons, he notched 72 goals and 100 assists for 172 points.
The Rangers traded Miller to the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2017-18 campaign, and he tallied 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points in 94 games for the franchise. The Bolts later traded him to the Canucks, and the rest, as they say, is history.
