EVERETT — The Seattle Kraken are coming to Everett.
The NHL’s newest franchise, which embarks on its inaugural season this fall, will be playing a preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers at Everett’s Angel of the Winds Arena on Oct. 1, the Kraken announced Friday.
The game is part of what’s being billed as the 3-Rink Rush, with the Kraken playing preseason games at three different WHL sites in Washington — the Kraken are also playing the Vancouver Canucks on Sept. 26 at Spokane’s Veterans Memorial Arena and the Calgary Flames on Oct. 2 at Kent’s ShoWare Center.
And not only are the Kraken coming to town, they’re giving Everett Silvertips fans first crack at tickets, as well as donating part of the proceeds to local youth hockey organizations.
“It’s exciting,” Everett Silvertips chief operating officer Zoran Rajcic said. “It’s exciting for the region, it’s exciting for hockey in the Paciic Northwest, and it’s exciting for the youth programs throughout the region which will garner some publicity and monies for their programs.”
This will be the second time Everett has hosted an NHL preseason game. The Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning played a preseason game at what was then known as Comcast Arena in September of 2009.
The opportunity for Everett to host a Kraken preseason game came about because Climate Pledge Arena, where Seattle will play its home games, isn’t expected to be ready until mid-October, thus requiring alternate locations for preseason contests.
“This gives us an opportunity to partner with the WHL teams, celebrate hockey across our region and grow this beautiful game,” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said in a press release. “We couldn’t be more excited for these games.”
Rajcic said it all came together over the past month. The Silvertips were originally going to play their home opener on Oct. 1, so fitting the Kraken preseason game into the schedule at Angel of the Winds Arena required some juggling — Everett’s home opener is now on Oct. 8.
A big aspect of the game is that Silvertips fans will have the first chance at tickets. The Kraken have their own season ticket holders who could have been prioritized. However, the team instead decided to give fans of the respective WHL teams first crack.
“I give Tod Leiweke and their people a lot of credit,” Rajcic said. “It would have been easy for them to say, ‘We’re taking all 8,000 tickets for our season ticket holders,’ but all along it’s been a great working relationship, and they’re doing what’s best for all three WHL communities and for the good of hockey. Hopefully we’ll do them justice when it comes to game time.”
Tickets to the Kraken game at Angel of the Winds go on pre-sale to Silvertips season ticket holders beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, with sales to the general public opening at noon next Friday. Those who have put down a deposit on Silvertips season tickets by noon Sunday will be eligible for the pre-sale.
Rajcic said tickets to the game will be in the $80 range. Kraken season ticket holders will be issued a credit for missing out on the preseason games.
A portion of the proceeds from the 3-Rink Rush is being donated to the One Roof Foundation with the goal of raising $500,000 to expand access to youth hockey. The funds will be distributed among the WHL’s five U.S. Division markets.
The Kraken will be facing an Edmonton team that includes former Silvertips forward Jujhar Khaira, who could be playing his first game in Everett since 2014. The Oilers currently have nine former WHL players on their roster.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
