The Seattle Kraken Expansion Drafted More Than Just NHL Players
A Fleury of Excitement
Jahan Vasishth attended the draft as a Seattle Thunderbirds season ticket holder from Redmond, Washington. I first met him during the 2020 Hockey Challenge, benefitting Ronald McDonald House to help families be close during life-saving treatments.
“I absolutely had a blast and made it on TV a bunch a times, according to my mother! I’m hopeful for a great team. I loved the whole atmosphere with the fans screaming and hooting and hollering after every Kraken pick. Too bad some of the big-name guests didn’t stick around afterward. I would’ve loved to get photos with Bobby Wagner, Sean Kemp, Gary Payton, and Macklemore.”
Hockey buddies representing coast to coast. (Photo from Jahan Vasishth)
Liberte Sparrow originally is from the Emerald City, but now lives on Bainbridge Island. After a long break from playing hockey, she made a comeback in April’s Pacific Northwest Draft weekend and now is a regular at multiple adult tournaments.
“Gas Works Park is down the street from my childhood home, and I remember my folks taking me there as a child. Sometimes the hydroplanes would practice on the lake, and you could hear them from our house. I begged my parents to buy one of the houseboats on the lake! My fav moment was how the Kraken included super-creative ‘reveals’ of the draft picks, done from historic places in Seattle like Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, etc. Also, I loved the famous Seattle personalities and sports figures that were a part of the whole production. Very embedded and deeply tied to our city and my hometown!”
Legendary Sonics duo Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp showed love to the Kraken 🏒 pic.twitter.com/hKy4YEM3KZ
— ESPN (@espn) July 22, 2021
Andrew Black is a transplant from Ontario who now lives in Seattle. He isn’t giving up on the Maple Leafs but attended the draft as a local youth hockey developer. Next weekend he will play in the Bellingham Brew Cup with his team, the Fighting Narwhals.
“My favorite part was how they were able to get six players to attend the draft in person while wearing the new jerseys! Especially when Jamie Oleksiak came out and put that (tooth-missing) smile of his to work…was just fantastic. With the picks? Obviously, the team has a plan they want to stick to, but the Kraken has so much cap space, so they can sign nearly anyone! They have some work to do, but I think they drafted a young team and could be physical, which any West Coast team needs. Speed and size.”
Andrew Black with an epic hockey beard! (Photo by Jonathan West)