Wish Upon a Puck

The calendar has turned the first corner of 2021. We can now say, finally, "Kraken hockey happens this year." From the NHL returning to play Wednesday, to the the Kraken's inaugural season to the completion of Climate Pledge Arena and the Kraken Training Center, there is so much to be excited and fired up for.
To celebrate and anticipate, here's a "Fitz List" of 21 hockey and Kraken wishes for the New Year:

1. Foremost, I wish the 2020-2021 NHL season goes start to finish as planned. Saying that a year ago would have sounded outlandish, and we've all learned a lot in the last year about how quickly it can change. The NHL had a chance to come back and finish their season. The wish extends to younger developing players and prospects too. Other leagues couldn't finish seasons in 2020. Whether it's the AHL, ECHL, NWHL, Major Junior, NCAA, the Junior 'A' leagues or high schools. Here's the NHL universe is back on the ice. It feels like this could be the year when some normalcy returns and it offers everyone a chance to play
   2. A shortened season means wins are more valuable, losses hold more weight and ties will be extra frustrating. It's the type of emotion that makes us watch. It's also the type of emotion that can turn two ordinary teams into an unexpected rivalry. We know some rivalries (yes, I'm talking to you Calgary and Edmonton) are going to take center stage, but what new ones will teams and fans fashions? My wish is we see new "can't miss" matchups develop from this abbreviated season-maybe even a non-traditional Stanley Cup Final matchup. Could you imagine a Montreal/Boston or Toronto/Philadelphia final? Vegas and Vancouver had an exciting seven-game playoff series this past fall. What if we saw a rematch between the Pacific Division foes in this year's Stanley Cup Final? I'm not going to say "no" to those possibilities. P.S. It will be the only season during which two future Pacific Division Kraken rivals could play each other since three teams are (VAN, CGY, EDM) are in the North division while the others (VGK, LAK, SJS, ANA) will be part of the one-season-only realignment of the West Division.

3. My time in the ECHL made me appreciate rivalries. Much like when the Cincinnati Cyclones and the Fort Wayne Komets played between 10 and 12 times a season. You quickly learn why each side does not like one another. How they get tired of seeing the same faces. From it, comes something so passionate, personal and special. That was the experience in the ECHL. My wish is more fans throughout the NHL experience the same.
   4. We debate about the upcoming game and why they matter. So do the people who are part of making all of this possible. It's not just the players and coaches. It's the arena workers that get facilities in game order, custodians, training and equipment staffs, medical professionals and so many more. Nothing about what they do and face is easy, nor should it be taken for granted. Are there going to be times when enjoying the season could be trying? Yes. I wish for all of us to exercise patience and an abundance of appreciation for what is about to happen.
   5. Something new: Sticker ads will be placed on team helmets, plus there a brand sponsors of each division name. I wish people don't get too upset. Naturally, there are multiple opinions about how much people like or dislike the idea of ads on uniforms or playing surfaces. I'll admit. I cringed a little when the NBA did the same with logos on their uniforms or when New Era's logo was placed on Major League Baseball caps. But that is the reality. Sports is a business. It's fun for us as fans, but it is still how others can make a living and take care of their families. Right now, those are revenue opportunities that will keep the ice in game shape and provide jobs.

6. If anyone can appreciate the future, it's definitely Kraken fans. Knowing what the future can offer is what made watching the World Juniors even more special. My wish is for people to understand and appreciate the level of talent on the way to the NHL. It's definitely one of those events that tells you know where the game is heading. Look at the gold medal game between Canada and the United States. It was a game that had 26 first-round draft picks. Canada had 19 yet it was the U.S. that took gold. There were names like Dylan Cozens (Buffalo prospect) and Trevor Zegras (Anaheim) who Kraken fans will be seeing in the future. Then there's the fact both goaltenders in that game - Spencer Knight and Devon Levi - are Florida Panthers' prospects. This is what makes fans excited about the future of their favorite club. Pretty soon, Kraken fans can feel the same way.
   7. At the "World Junior" in Edmonton, Germany's performance was a reminder of how much the NHL game is changing. My wish is enjoy the trends. German-born Leon Draisaitl won the 2020 Hart Trophy as most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by players). It appears Tim Stuetzle (drafted No. 3 overall in the 2020 NHL Draft) could be that nation's next star player. Having a future star was only one of the reasons Germany stood out. They had the bulk of their staff and eight players battle through a COVID-19 outbreak on the team. Yet they still kept pushing despite those challenges, making it to the quarterfinals. How they persevered and performed is more than a feel-good story. It could be the sort of thing that sees the next wave of German players find the inspiration to make their mark and grow this game.
   8. OK, what about the Kraken? This week, the team announced two new hires in the hockey operations department with assistant general manager Jason Botterill and Norm Maciver as director of player personnel. My wish is for fans to come to know both executives as contributors to success here in Seattle, as they both won three Stanley Cups in the front offices of Pittsburgh and Chicago, respectively.

9. The Pittsburgh Penguins (back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017) and Chicago Blackhawks (Cup years of 2010, 2013, 2015) contended for NHL team of the last decade. Your call on which you pick. With either selection, it comes with a culture created that played a part in getting those teams to Cup night. That's what makes people around here excited about having Botterill and Maciver join the front office. I wish both Jason and Norm the same success in Seattle that they have enjoyed in their previous stops. I think fans will be with me on that one.
   10. Over the holiday, the NHL released the tentative dates for the 2021 Expansion Draft and NHL Entry Draft. If everything holds up, the Kraken will have the expansion draft on July 21, followed by the entry draft on July 23 and 24. I wish people knew just how excited I am-along with the whole organization-for this to finally happen. So much work and planning has gone into this venture already. It will only ramp up as we inch closer and closer to those dates.
   11. You might not know Alex Mandrycky, Namita Nandakumar, Dani Chu, John Mavroudis, and Eric Mathiasen. But you should. They are five people who are part of the analytics staff that will play a key role in the expansion draft. Believe it or not, the Kraken already have one of the largest analytics groups in the NHL. Imagine all the information that exists when it comes to evaluating players? They sort through a growing database with the objective of giving general manager Ron Francis and colleagues another tool for building this team. My wish is for fans give them all of the praise and adulation deservedly coming their way in 2021. Check out
   this article
   by Kraken beat writer Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic.
   12. Ah, yes. The expansion draft. Word is we're going to draft … just kidding. If it helps, I am a fan too. I am always reading the different mock drafts and looking at the rumors of who could possibly head this way when it comes time. I wish I could comment and give an opinion on who the Kraken would, should, and could take. But, alas, I cannot. So, mum is the word on that topic. But I do wish for any players who can score goals and prevent them.

13. What I can say (I think) about the Expansion Draft, is the city of Seattle, the Pacific Northwest and the NHL as a whole are going to love what we have in store for this event. Much like the Kraken brand launch, we are thinking of new ways to engage our fans and the community-making them part of this experience. I wish fan circle July 21 on the their calendars to not miss what will a can't-miss sports event of the summer.
    14. All this talk about a team, but we have yet to touch on where they are going to play? Climate Pledge Arena and the Kraken Training Center in Northgate are slated to be completed later this year, and I wish for the timelines to stay on track in what remains a challenging time.
    15. The training center, in addition to housing the Kraken offices and hockey operations department, will be a beacon for the community. My wish is everyone finds a a reason to visit: From learn-to-skate and learn to play programs, to youth and adult hockey leagues, to Kraken practices and so much more. The Kraken Training Center will be a place that works for the community.
    16. Many fans have viewed renderings of Climate Pledge Arena, but what's really cool is thinking about the future to soon take place in the brand-new arena. Kraken games. Storm games. Concerts. Family events. It's a lot. It makes me wish I knew who makes history as the first musical act to perform inside Climate Pledge. I'd volunteer to play the triangle, but Seattle is not ready for that. You know what? Neither am I.

17. One of the first things I noticed when I moved here is local passion for sports. It already exists with hockey and that fanbase might not get enough credit. It might be driving to pick up food, walking past someone on the stree or watch TV news; you are bound to see someone wearing Kraken gear. It shows how excited people are for this team. I wish more people around the country and globe understad how special the Seattle sports community is, and just how big of a fanbase the Kraken are building.
    18. I really am looking forward to the region seeing an increase in the amount of people playing the game of hockey and participating in various other ice sports. I wish (everyone in the organization too) more kids and adults continue exploring learn-to-skate and learn-to-play programs. We are determined to provide the access. I want to see the number of teams in local hockey leagues grow exponentially, and I'm pumped the Kraken are going to help lead the charge.
    19. If folks have not noticed already, the Kraken plan on having a presence and impact in the Seattle area. But it won't be just western Washington. I wish all regional fans discover this effort in 2021. We are constantly exploring ways to reach fans in places like eastern Washington, Oregon, parts of Idaho and Montana and, most definitely up in Alaska. The vision is for the Kraken to be a truly regional team, through events, marketing and media initiatives. Stay tuned.

20. Keep an eye out for more content that aims to tell the stories within our communities. plus the hockey culture already in place. The first video episode of our "SightSeeing with Ftiz" attracted views and positive comments. We appreciate that. And shoutout to the Kraken's own Chase Johnsen (I wish you all could meet him) for his vision and hard work on this series. We have so much more planned for future episodes.
    21. Whew, there is so much still left to do before we drop the puck this fall. All of it is pretty cool and the one I am perhaps most excited about is the launch of our inaugural jerseys. We saw the mockups of the jerseys during the brand launch back in July. But to see a Kraken sweater? It makes everything even more real. From jerseys to pucks, I wish (this one will come true) there will be something for everyone. And that's the goal, isn't it? Making sure all of us feel part of it. Enjoy the New Year!