Moore: Hey, NHL Seattle, announce the team name already
May 29, 2020, 11:41 AM | Updated: 11:44 am
The NHL Seattle franchise will begin play during the 2021-22 season. (AP)
(AP)
We’re getting another dog in two weeks, and we’re having a hard time coming up with a name that we all like. I mention this because it’s the only reason I can think of as to why it’s taking so long to announce the name for NHL Seattle, the NHL’s newest expansion team.
What will NHL Seattle team name be and could it be announced soon?
In the scheme of things, you could say, what’s the rush? Their first season doesn’t start ‘til next fall. Then again, if we’re being impatient, it’s NHL Seattle’s fault.
We were originally told by NHL Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke that we’d get the name in spring of 2019. When that didn’t happen, Leiweke said on May 31, 2019 that the name, colors and logo would be revealed “sometime by the end of the calendar year.”
Then on Aug. 22, 2019, NHL Seattle announced another delay, saying the name, colors and logo would be revealed in “early 2020.”
At that time, Leiweke told NHL.com: “Those who think we’re sitting on a predetermined name, nope. We work on this every day. We are right on time with the naming process. We are still on a journey of self-identity but also a journey to understand not just what we are but what we aren’t. Names that might have made sense a year ago, today don’t make as much sense…
“Fans want us to represent Seattle but also a brand that stands the test of time, a brand that’s recognizable not only in hockey but perhaps even globally.”
OK, fine, early 2020, and in January the flames were stoked when John Hoven, who writes a hockey blog called Mayor’s Manor, reported that Kraken would be the team’s nickname. But NHL Seattle shot that down in a Twitter post.
While we’re aware of some fishy rumors surrounding our team name, please rest assured we’re doing our due diligence by scouring the depths of the ocean, the tallest mountains, and the densest parts of the forest to find the right name for our great, green city.
— NHL Seattle (@NHLSeattle_) January 29, 2020
Then in March, ESPN.com ran a story featuring the best possible names, listing Kraken and Sockeyes as the favorites. They also listed other contending candidates: Sea Lions, Metropolitans and Steelheads, and came up with pretenders (Renegades and Totems), wild cards (Firebirds, Emeralds) and pipe dreams (Grunge, Sasquatch).
So here we are. It’s almost June, which isn’t early 2020 anymore. On the one hand, you certainly want them to come up with a name they feel great about, but here’s the thing, whatever it is, some will love it, some will hate it, and there will be opinions in between.
If you want to cut them a break for their slow play with the naming process, you could bring up the Las Vegas NHL expansion team, which announced its Golden Knights nickname on Nov. 22, 2016, about 11 months before their first season. We’re still about 17 months until Seattle plays its first NHL season.
But if you don’t want to give ‘em slack, Las Vegas was awarded its NHL franchise on June 22, 2016, and five months later, on Nov. 22, 2016, they announced the Golden Knights nickname. Seattle was given an NHL franchise on Dec. 4, 2018, and we’re nearing 18 months since that happened and still no name, colors, logo, nothing.
I don’t think there’s a good reason for a holdup anymore. In fact, this would be the best time ever to announce the name. Yes, during a pandemic when we could all use a little happy news.
Announce it next week and give us the team colors and logo, too. While Major League Baseball is squabbling over its money issues and maybe not playing at all, the local hockey team could give us a brighter story and something more fun to talk about.
Say it’s the Kraken, and they go with green and gold as their colors. You might love the name but hate the colors or vice-versa. Or you might love one but hate the other. Why Kraken? They should have gone with Sockeyes. Why green and gold, those were the Sonics’ colors?!?!
And boy, that logo’s great! Or actually, it’s as bad as the Los Angeles Rams’ new logo.
Whatever, stop pussy-footin’ around and just get on with it already.
