Thoughts on the NHL in Seattle

Earlier in my life, I watched my first NHL game and absolutely fell in love with the sport of hockey. Our closest NHL team was in another country, limiting my options to attend in person. Those limitations certainly weren't absolute, and I have attended hockey games in Canada.


Now, there has been a lot of talk about establishing an NHL team closer to home. Seattle has applied for an expansion franchise, and the league certainly seems interested. I feel that now is a good time for me to share my thoughts on the possibility of having an NHL team in Seattle.

Previously on this blog, I posted a series based off of how the NHL has gone downhill. Obviously, I am not nearly as interested in a team as I would have been prior to the league's misguided rule changes. I never completely abandoned hope that hockey could someday become entertaining again. Overall, I actually am excited about the NHL becoming more accessible to those of us who live in the Puget Sound region.

If Seattle gets a team, I will likely attend at some point. Unfortunately, Seattle completely screwed up in regards to how they handled the arena. Chris Hanson offered to build an arena in the Sodo area near the existing baseball and football stadiums. The city essentially sabotaged his efforts because they were more interested in keeping Key Arena relevant. Key Arena is smaller and less accessible than the Sodo proposal.

Seattle is definitely not a traditional hockey market. People don't grow up on the ice because the climate is too mild for ponds and lakes to freeze over. To get the most out of an NHL team, they need to ensure that the team is accessible to more than just those who live in Seattle. Sodo is on a major commuter rail line, is within walking distance of the ferry terminal, and has built up transportation infrastructure to support the teams that are already playing there. Additionally, a larger arena means more people could be exposed to the sport in person.

I would like to see an NHL team succeed in Seattle. The way the city is handling the situation could prove problematic. I honestly can't be certain that an NHL team can survive in a renovated Key Arena. They had a solid offer in place, but rejected it in favor of a worse arena in a worse location. While Chris Hanson's proposal requires an NBA team first, I would have preferred reworking the deal over a proposal that could potentially keep the NHL from succeeding in Seattle. It's possible that an NHL team could succeed in a renovated Key Arena, but it would be far more likely to succeed in Sodo. Chris Hanson has kept his property. Perhaps a Sodo arena could serve as an alternative if they can't get Key Arena to work.