Great Expectations -- Met and Exceeded

The countdown to buying an authentic Kraken jersey? Over, poof, no more waiting. The official team jerseys are available for purchase locally and exclusively Wednesday through Sunday at all three
Kraken team stores
, including the newest location at the Kraken Community Iceplex in the Northgate neighborhood, Bellevue and Chandler's Cove at South Lake Union.
As a result of careful planning, design and production, the
official uniform of the Seattle Kraken
is well worth the anticipation. That's apparent from the numerous social media postings of Kraken fans modeling the jersey -- and smiles you will see on lots of faces through the weekend at team stores, including a Rink 3 jerseys-and-more setup at Kraken Community Iceplex.

There's lots to appreciate about the home and away jerseys, which debuted on the backs of six Kraken players during the NHL Expansion Draft event in July at GasWorks Park. Mark Giordano, Jordan Eberle, Chris Driedger, Brandon Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak and Haydn Fleury all looked sharp and raved about the new look, brand marks and team colors to reporters and even a few fans observing festivities from kayak.
The Kraken name was announced in July 2020 with team CEO Tod Leiweke unveiling the big news in front of socially distanced workers at the Climate Pledge Arena construction site. That finalized details for the jersey design team at Adidas, the official uniform provider for the NHL, but it was far from the first discussion or creative input about what the team jersey should look or feel like. The first meetings between NHL Seattle executives and Adidas reach back to mid-2018.
"Right from the outset, Tod was really clear about the [brand] ID work helping create a framework that would be part of the team name and colors," says Nic Corbett, director of NHL relations for business and sports marketing at Adidas. "The framework led to local focus groups with fans talking about possible names and colors."
Former NHL Seattle advisor Dave Tippett (now Edmonton Oilers head coach) and Kraken GM were equally clear with the Adidas team about creating a jersey that players would be excited and proud to wear. It makes a positive and emotional difference, both said with conviction, a perspective coming from two accomplished veteran NHL players who have fashioned successful coaching and hockey executive careers.
"The names and marks and colors all work together," says Francis. "I think the colors are cool and certainly tie into the Northwest."
Close your eyes for a moment and ponder the "S" on that jersey isn't a bit like Superman or Superwoman transforming from mild-mannered to tough. It figures to work on that level for players and fans alike.
The process from concept to jersey required multiple layers and steps once Leiweke announced the name. The creative team at Adidas, armed with Kraken fans and staff input, considered the city of Seattle, the mystery and meaning of Kraken, colors, the primary "S" mark and secondary anchor mark, how to use stripes and what they symbolize, whether to have any white in home jerseys and more.
One example: The Kraken colors are four entries of blue that all have consistently and true to intended hue. The authentic jerseys serve as bellwether of those four blues plus the red that appears as the eye of the Kraken in the "S" mark. It was imperative to get the colors right on every jersey produced and requires numerous tests and reviews and materials choices.
The year-plus timeline for the Kraken jersey is similar to all team jersey creation and production in the NHL. It involves an upfront creative brainstorming and product agreement, then goes through manufacturing tests and adjustments. There are formidable approval processes at the Adidas, Kraken and National Hockey League levels.
The Seattle jersey arrives in time for training camp and preseason games despite any number of significant headwinds presented by a worldwide pandemic, ranging from basic health and safety of workers to shipping delays and beyond.
"We at Adidas are always striving to make the best product for the athlete and the fan," says Corbett. "With that focus on the fan, we created an accelerated timeline to deliver the retail authentic jersey to the Kraken before the inaugural training camp. To accomplish that with the manufacturing and supply chain hurdles created by the pandemic is something we are particularly proud of."
Another important aspect of producing an authentic jersey is that it is truly part of a player's equipment, fitted for comfort and performance. Today's jersey are more lightweight (including the crest and a perforated single-layer numbering system), cooler (next-generation breathable fabrics, countered to the body) and durable (better protection against ripping and abrasion).
What's more, the Kraken jersey and all NHL player jerseys should perform exactly the same for all 32 teams. That requires testing, cross-checking and significant time.
Fans at the team stores this week will discover another tactile and appealing feature of the authentic Kraken jerseys. The embroidery and stitchwork is next level among jerseys in all sports. It is evident on social media in posts and comments that fans are loving the craft work and finer detail of the embroidery.
Matty Merrill, Adidas design director for hockey, has worked the Seattle jersey project from its earliest days. The Pacific Northwest native has his own worth-the-wait barometer gauging fan enthusiasm for the Kraken jerseys. Family members and PNW friends are texting and calling with kudos and thumbs-up.
"I've never had this type of family connection [with a hockey design] before," said Merrill this week by phone. "It's very fulfilling to feel the excitement and happiness with the jerseys."