Following a 2018 trade to the Anaheim Ducks, Brown played the remainder of the 2017-18 season with Anaheim before a two-season stint with the Minnesota Wild organization (2018-20). Brown finished his on-ice career competing for the HockeyAllsvenskan championship with Bjorkloven in Sweden for the 2020-21 season.
"We are excited to welcome JT Brown to the Seattle Kraken," said Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Seattle Kraken. "His experience as a player winning a National Championship with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the Tampa Bay Lightning gives him unique insight into what it takes to compete night in and night out at the highest levels of hockey. Off the ice, JT's values and dedication to the community reflect our own and we know he will be a great addition."
Active in the community, Brown is a long-time advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He was named to the NHL's Fan Inclusion Committee in 2020 to help develop action-oriented solutions that positively impact the access, opportunity and experiences that underrepresented groups have in the game, and the business of hockey.
He has championed 'Black Girl Hockey Club', a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for Black women and girls and has used his platform as a player and Twitch streamer to raise funds for the NHL's Hockey is for Everyone campaign.
"It was a big decision to hang up my skates, but one that was made easier by the opportunity to work alongside John Forslund for the Seattle Kraken," said Brown. "I am excited for the opportunity to continue my career within the hockey world and to join an organization that is dedicated to making forward progress within the sport, and I look forward to the ability to make a lasting impact on the game I've loved for over 25 years."
"I'm really excited to see JT Brown added to our broadcast team," added Forslund. "He will bring an energy to our telecasts that Kraken fans will love. He is fresh off his playing career and that, along with his passion for game, is a bonus for our fans. I'm thrilled to welcome him to the Kraken family."
Fans across Washington, Oregon, and Alaska will be able to watch Brown and Forslund on the Seattle Kraken broadcast on ROOT SPORTS for all of the team's regular season games not selected for national broadcast. Other broadcast talent will be announced later this summer.
The Seattle Kraken's July 21 Expansion Draft is in 30 days, followed by the NHL Draft on July 23-24. The puck will drop for the team's inaugural season at Climate Pledge Arena in October.
About Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League's newest franchise, set to play their inaugural season in 2021-2022 at
Climate Pledge Arena
at Seattle Center, developed by
Oak View Group
. Visit
www.nhl.com/kraken
for the latest news and information including press releases, multimedia content and the latest hires.
