It Lurks In The Depths Of Rumours

I have to give the Seattle NHL squad a lot of credit in not letting a lot of their details leak out. Whether it be team colours, future hires, or scouting plans in terms of who they may be focusing on, they've kept their cards pretty tight to their collective chests when it comes to any details. However, it seems there may be a crack in the shell of the Seattle team as it was reported today on a radio program that they may have settled on a team name, and it was a name that was more of a fun option than a serious, professional option.

According to a radio segment today featuring John Hoven, the Seattle NHL team has settled on a name. Here is the radio clip that features his chatter on the matter, and you'll want to skip ahead to 2:20 to hear the Seattle news.

Ok, so that's a chunk of news - Seattle KRAKEN?!? Wow. I know I joked about this on The Hockey Show some time ago about how it would be a phenomenal name based on all the marketing ideas one could use, but it's not a very "professional hockey" team name. It feels like a minor-league hockey name, and I'm pretty sure that the NHL would likely have to vet this name heavily based on the number of Kraken-based products. Nevertheless, let's break this down as we sift through truths and rumours.

First, the Seattle NHL team didn't do anyone any favours by neither confirming nor denying Hoven's report.

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

In getting no help from the Seattle group themselves, it was time to turn to the good news sleuths who work in the Seattle area to see what they had to offer on this name. Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times wrote an excellent piece earlier today all about this reported name. Linked in Mr. Baker's article is a second article he wrote two weeks ago where he indicated that a name for the Seattle team would be released in March, with late February being a possibility.

Would the name already be chosen if the team is planning an unveiling? Likely, but what Mr. Baker seems to be saying is that there's nothing conclusive about the "Kraken" name whatsoever to be derived from this announcement of a date.

The name "Sockeyes", however, is not off the table according to Mr. Baker's reporting. He writes,

"Hoven went on to suggest he'd been told by a team source that the franchise had been leaning toward 'Sockeyes' as a name, but he added that was nixed because of possible legal issues. Romance novel writer Jami Davenport of Shelton has a Seattle Sockeyes book series.

"In a phone interview Wednesday, Davenport told The Seattle Times she has only a book-related trademark for the name, but nonetheless had her lawyer write the team a year ago inviting officials to discuss the issue. She filed for the Seattle Sockeyes trademark Dec. 21, 2017, two weeks after the group that became NHL Seattle was given permission by the league to apply for an expansion team, which was awarded a year later.

"'He (Davenport's lawyer) let them know that I was willing to work with them," she said. "And we haven’t heard a thing."

Sockeyes is likely the most palatable name for the NHL, and it would lend itself to all sorts of marketing ideas as well. It seems this name is still in the mix, and Miss Davenport was quick to stress that she's not stopping the Seattle team from naming itself the Sockeyes, telling Baker, "I don't like people thinking I'm the holdup here, because I'm not."

In knowing these vital pieces of info now, we can safely say that there's conclusive evidence pointing towards a name for the Seattle franchise yet. We're likely close on one of either Sockeyes or Kraken, but we also need to consider what Baker wrote down a couple of scrolls in his piece today that reads,

"NHL Seattle officials for months had strongly hinted they felt Kraken was too gimmicky to be used as a name for a major sports franchise. They at one point suggested it might be looked at for a secondary team such as their American Hockey League franchise in Palm Springs, Calif., given its popularity with some segments of fans."

It may lurk in the depths of the ocean, but there's nothing to believe that the Kraken has been summoned as an NHL franchise name at this point outside of Hoven's report. While he may end up being right after everything is said and done - and Hoven does good work, so let's not dismiss his efforts - the fact of the matter is that the Seattle NHL franchise is likely working on the name and logo as you read this.

While it's exciting to think that an NHL team went trendy with its name like the NBA's Toronto Raptors did, we need to check the nets before exclaiming that we have the catch of the day.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!