Things get off the rails pretty quickly on this one, as the guys discuss Jordan Binnington’s bizarre display this past week against the San Jose Sharks. They then move on to Kraken news, specifically the announcement that the team is pitching in to save the University of Alaska Anchorage hockey program.
Full sequence here. Binnington went after 3 guys. Received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pic.twitter.com/18a20idIcS
You’ll also get a pretty robust WHL Update from WHL correspondent Andy Eide and a recap of the PWHPA Dream Gap game. That recap leads to a rare Get Off My Lawn segment led by John.
The guys also discuss John’s Mock Expansion Draft, Claude Julien’s firing by the Canadiens, and much more.
Bits this week include Three Stars. Segments include Goalie Gear Corner, Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week.
It didn’t take Dylan Guenther long to make up for lost time. In fact, it took less than two minutes. At the 1:47 mark of the Edmonton Oil Kings’ season opener Friday, the 2021 NHL Draft prospect banged home a power-play goal.
He was just getting started.
With the Western Hockey League back on the ice after nearly a year-long hiatus, Guenther’s hot start is solidifying him as one of the top prospects for July’s draft. He may be a player the Seattle Kraken have circled to be their first pick ever.
Guenther followed the early marker with an assist 45 seconds later and would finish the game with a pair of scores and two assists. The next night he matched those totals to earn the season’s first WHL Player of the Week award with eight points in two games.
If you talked to him 24 hours before the season opener you wouldn’t be surprised.
“Everyone is super excited to play and we have a lot of adrenaline,” he said the night before. “The guys will be buzzing on the first couple of shifts.”
The WHL is playing a shortened 24-game season focused on player development. Winning games is still important – and the Oil Kings started 2-0 – but so is being seen by NHL scouts for a guy like Guenther.
Waiting around to play has been stressful for everyone involved. It’s Guenther’s draft year, he needed to be seen by scouts, needed them to see the step he has taken after an impressive rookie campaign where he scored 26 goals.
“The whole uncertainty of the year was leaning on my shoulders a bit,” Guenther, 17, admitted. “I felt that, but I think I took that time to better myself and better my game and I’m excited about that.”
Dylan Guenther by the numbers
Playing in the WHL at 16-years-old is tough.
The jump from minor hockey to playing with NHL prospects can be a monumental one, but it’s one that Guenther made with ease last year. It helped that the 6-foot-1 winger had a brief call-up at the end of the previous season. He not only got his feet wet but produced by scoring three goals – including a game-winner – in eight games.
Last year he exploded. Along with the 26 goals he piled up 33 assists for 59 points in 58 games on the way to winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award. He chipped in on the power play as well, scoring eight times with nine assists.
Being considered for the top of a draft is not a new experience for the Edmonton native. The Oil Kings selected him with the first overall pick in the WHL’s Bantam Draft in 2018.
“Going into the Western League draft I just tried to play my game to the best of my ability,” Guenther said. “Just blocking out the outside attention is important. This is obviously a much bigger scale, but I think if I play my game and play the right way everything will fall into place at the end.”
What kind of player is he?
Speed, skill, with a scoring touch are attributes that describe Guenther’s game. He sees the ice well and can distribute the puck.
He has played on the wing with the Oil Kings but says that he can, and is comfortable, playing as a center.
“I’m a guy who plays with speed and I see the ice well,” Guenther said about his game. “I think my hockey IQ is the strongest part of my game, whether its finding open ice to jump into or creating space myself to score goals. I’m an offensive player. I have to work on my strength, with that will be my play along the boards.
“Skating is something I’m always looking to get better at. The game is always getting faster so that’s something I’m always looking to improve on.”
He’s the kind of player that puts pressure on the defense and attracts defenders to him.
That was on display Friday night with the play below. His teammate, St. Louis Blues prospect Jake Neighbours, takes a hit to get the puck to Guenther along the boards. Three defenders skate towards Guenther which leaves a teammate wide open in the slot.
Guenther easily flips the puck across ice, past the defenders for his mate to score an easy goal. Pick your poison with this guy.
The old adage "take a hit to make a play" has never rung more true for Jake Neighbours. But it pays off for the @EdmOilKings. pic.twitter.com/OII8UtmXhd
“I really like Dylan,” one NHL scout says. “He plays with really good speed and loves to attack the net off the rush. Along with that he plays a responsible three-zone game.”
The Kraken are promised a pick in the top six of the upcoming NHL Draft, depending on how the lottery balls bounce.
A lot of scrutiny and pressure comes with being a top prospect and he heard from 15 to 20 teams over the offseason. He’s playing with a couple of players, such as Neighbours who was selected by the Blues in the first round of last year’s draft, which will make it easier.
“It helps having a couple guys go through it before you,” Guenther said. “Just the way they handle themselves both on and off the ice. They conduct themselves like pros and that’s something I like to do and something I learned off them.”
These 24-games will be big for Guenther’s future.
He’ll finally be seen by scouts after waiting a year. He probably won’t continue at a four-point-per-game pace, but his skill will be on display and Edmonton is poised to win a lot of games.
How high he goes remains to be determined and he has no preference as to which team selects him. That team could be Seattle, which would make Guenther a part of Kraken history as the first-ever pick by the league’s newest franchise.
“The thought of that is crazy,” Guenther said. “An expansion team, I remember when they got announced. It’s super exciting. I remember their whole process. They have a logo and I really like the logo. It’s cool. I’ve never been to Seattle, but I’ve heard it’s a nice city. That would be pretty cool.”
It has been another relatively quiet week on the Seattle Kraken front, and around the Seattle sports scene in general there has been practically no news or semblance of significant controversy [slams door just in time to fend off barrage of rotten vegetables, daggers, and pitchforks].
There have been some major bombshells heard from around the rest of the hockey world, though, so those will be the focus of this edition of Weekly One-Timers. For the Kraken-minded reader, here are a couple items to at least whet your appetite because again, we know there hasn’t been much to talk about for Seattle sports fans.
What an odd ride the last six months have been for Claude Julien. In August, he was hospitalized with chest pains which led to him missing the entire NHL playoff bubble. In October, general manager Marc Bergevin made several huge splashes to improve the Canadiens. With newly acquired Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, and Jake Allen under his watch, Julien returned to training camp in January with elevated expectations. Fast forward a month and change, and Julien is out the door, despite the Habs getting off to a hot start and despite them still sitting in a playoff spot.
What happened?
Well, in 2019-2020, the Habs nosedived into a few pits from which they never could fully emerge, highlighted by two separate eight-game losing streaks. In 2021, after they came out looking like world-beaters in the early going, Bergevin saw the Canadiens heading into another one of those holes. After the team lost six of eight including its last three in a row under Julien, Bergevin decided to take a proactive approach to stopping the bleeding. Assistant coach Kirk Muller was also issued a pink slip.
Julien is replaced in an interim basis by Dominique Ducharme, 47, who has been at Julien’s side since 2018. He is viewed as a progressive coach that will bring a new philosophy to Montreal’s bench.
Julien to the Seattle Kraken?
So will Julien be the first head coach in Seattle Kraken history? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s the extent of our conjecturing at this point.
But seriously, he will likely at least get considered for the job. Julien has 18 years of NHL head coaching experience that consists of two stints with the Canadiens, a brief stop in New Jersey, and 10 years behind Boston’s bench. His Bruins also hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2010-2011, and he boasts a career record of 667-445-152.
We at SOH do believe Seattle will select somebody with NHL head coaching experience as its first benchboss, and the team has made no bones about being patient until the right candidate becomes available. Is Julien that guy?
Artemi Panarin allegations are questionable
The other whopper of a story this week was New York Rangers superstar Artemi Panarin taking a leave of absence after being accused of assaulting a young woman in Riga, Latvia, in 2011. The claim comes from Panarin’s former KHL coach, Andrei Nazarov.
While most reports of this manner result in society quickly piling on athletes and celebrities and finding them guilty in the court of public perception, the opposite has happened here. Instead, countless journalists and former teammates and even the Rangers themselves have rushed to support Panarin, calling the accusations fabricated.
Well, Panarin has spoken out against Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past. On Jan. 21, Panarin posted on his Instagram in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived an attempted poisoning while traveling abroad. Navalny eventually returned to Russia and was promptly jailed by Putin’s regime upon arrival. His arrest led to mass protests throughout Russia.
This is pretty significant: New York Rangers superstar forward Artemi Panarin showing support for jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny ahead of planned Saturday protests all over Russia. Hashtags this Instagram post “Freedom for Navalny” https://t.co/9rwcP87oKKpic.twitter.com/8zZyjEjOeO
And wouldn’t you know? Coach Nazarov happens to be a staunch Putin supporter. VICE News had a fantastic write-up on the fascinating and generally bizarre story.
NHL Outdoors was a disaster… But then it wasn’t!
The ice melted. Hand up, I’ll admit it. I did not see that coming.
Through the first period of the Avalanche versus Golden Knights on Saturday, ruts in the ice were horrible, guys were falling all over the place, and play was generally slow and choppy.
So, the league made the very tough call to postpone until 9PM Pacific that night, and also to push back the start of Sunday’s game between Boston and Philadelphia until the evening.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the remainder of today's #NHLOutdoors game at Lake Tahoe will resume tonight at 9pm PTpic.twitter.com/cOGVvVzyFz
In the end, it still was a great event, even with what some would perceive as an embarrassing eight-hour delay in the middle of the first game. The visuals were still stunning, the off-ice coverage was fun to consume, and the Flyers-Bruins game was the most-watched regular-season game ever to air on NBCSN.
Stealing the show was undoubtedly Gritty, who took in the sights of Lake Tahoe, shredded some gnar, and even crashed a wedding.
We can’t help feeling bad for Blades the Bruin, who played second fiddle to his Philadelphian counterpart all weekend, earning just a small fraction of Gritty’s recognition. Blades did have the last laugh when the Bruins beat the Flyers 7-3 on Sunday, though.
WHL schedule released
The WHL announced the full schedule for its US Division’s abbreviated season. The Seattle Thunderbirds will open on March 19 at home against the Spokane Chiefs. The Everett Silvertips will open the following night also at home and also against Spokane. The season will last until early May, and there will not be any playoffs.
Fans will not be allowed to attend games in person, but the WHL did announce a new streaming service through CHL TV that will allow viewing access to all scheduled WHL games. WHL Live, as it’s called, is $59.99 for the full season or $6.99 for a 24-hour pass. If you are a WHL fiend, remember, the Central Division starts play on Friday, so you’ll immediately have something to watch.
Seth Jarvis is good at hockey, Dustin Wolf bounces back
Typically, 19-year-old CHL players are ineligible to play in the AHL until their CHL season ends. But with the ongoing pandemic leaving major junior hockey in limbo for so long, the leagues made an unprecedented agreement to allow those that had signed entry-level pro contracts to temporarily level up until their respective CHL teams return.
Portland’s Seth Jarvis was selected in the first round of this year’s NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. While he waits for his Winterhawks to return to play, he has been allowed to compete for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he has been very impressive. Despite playing his first professional hockey, Jarvis already has six goals and three assists in just seven games.
Everett’s Dustin Wolf—selected in 2019 by the Calgary Flames—has been suiting up for the Stockton Heat. Wolf made his debut on Sunday and got shellacked by the Toronto Marlies, allowing five goals on just 11 shots. We’re happy to share that the friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast recovered beautifully in his next appearance, stopping 36 of 38 shots to earn his first professional win and first-star honors.
Wolf and Jarvis will return to the WHL when their teams start back up in March.
The King is back
Oh, you thought you had seen the last of Henrik Lundqvist’s dashing good looks after he said he wouldn’t play this season because of a heart condition? Well, look who’s back on the ice after open-heart surgery!
Could you imagine looking this good while running? I certainly can’t.
Today is a good day. The checkup with the doctor this morning reaffirmed what I’ve been feeling last few weeks, everything looking great. It energized me so much I had to go out for a run (FYI, I’m not a runner) Today is a good day! 😃👍🏻#Stepbysteppic.twitter.com/AXrZzMDbts
The Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL will officially change its name (temporarily) to the Sioux Falls Fighting Wiener Dogs on Saturday. It’s the second time the team has performed this stunt, which comes in conjunction with the Sioux Nation Pet Clinic Wiener Dog Races. Get your Wiener Dog gear here!
Bruce Boudreau bought his second USPHL team over the summer, this one in Hershey, PA, his full-time home. The team has cleverly named itself the Hershey Cubs, and the logo is a thing of beauty.
The Cubs logo takes after the old Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA, for whom Boudreau played in the 1975-1976 season.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
Lots to talk about on this week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, as John, Andy, and Darren break down NHL Outdoors and all the good/bad times that were associated with the picturesque event. The star of the show was predictably Gritty, who gets plenty of airtime devoted to him on this episode.
There were also a couple major scandals that erupted this week in the NHL. Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence from the Rangers after a big accusation out of Russia. Meanwhile, the Arizona Coyotes apparently have a lot of bad stuff happening behind the scenes, as was expertly reported by Katie Strang. The Sound Of Hockey guys fill you in on the details.
The guys give their Three Stars (all players this week!).
They then move from bits to segments, with segments including Let’s Get Quizzical, Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week.
It was a pretty quiet news week on the Seattle Kraken front, but the team did put out the below video showing that the tunnel into Climate Pledge Arena has been completed.
The tunnel will allow trucks to pull right onto the arena floor, making for easier set-up for large-scale events. Perhaps the most exciting part of the video, though, is the image of the future Seattle Kraken home as a whole. It’s getting there, folks.
NHL Outdoors
In case you’re missing Saturday’s outdoor game at Lake Tahoe between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche, you’ll have another chance to take in the stunning imagery on Sunday when the Philadelphia Flyers face the Boston Bruins on the same makeshift rink. Read Andy Eide’s preview of the games here.
Nick Cotsonika has had some breathtaking photos on his Twitter feed the past few days.
I have a bone to pick with the Colorado Avalanche, though. This team has been wearing heinous blue pants that really don’t match with either their home burgundy uniforms or their road whites. The general understanding around the hockey universe was that since Colorado’s Reverse Retro jerseys are throwbacks to the Quebec Nordiques, the blue pants would eventually make more sense once those kits were put into game action.
So what do the Avs do? They show up to NHL Outdoors in BURGUNDY PANTS! WTF?!?
You’re telling me they could have been wearing burgundy pants all season long—which clearly would match better with both of their typical uniforms—and yet they continue to trot out in those blue monstrosities? Unacceptable. Sound Of Hockey demands an explanation from the Colorado Avalanche on this matter.
The Jack Eichel rumor mill churns again
Back in September, Bobby Margarita briefly came out of “retirement,” or whatever he’s calling it, to drop a classic Bob Bomb via a long Twitter thread starting with the below.
Imagine my surprise when I started making calls today and heard Jack Eichel trade rumours, including unverified chatter he may have at some point recently requested a trade out of BUF and that NYR were amongst interested teams. This, of course, required further investigation.
The gist of the thread is that what he was hearing was just a bunch of nonsense. But some of us here at SOH wondered at the time if there was any smoke to go with that fire, because frankly, why would Bob tweet about that at all if there really wasn’t anything there?
Well, fast forward five months and—surprise, surprise—the Buffalo Sabres stink again. This Tage Thompson play from this week sums things up nicely.
Before we move on from the Thompson play, it’s also remarkable how Tom Wilson reacted after receiving that generous gift in front of the net, but that’s beside the point.
Ok, back to Buffalo. The stinkiness of the Sabres has reignited the trade rumors surrounding Eichel, and as yet another Buffalo season heads down the trash chute, one can’t help wondering what happens with Taylor Hall as well. Remember, he is on a one-year deal, and we at Sound Of Hockey had surmised that he could end up a candidate for joining the Kraken as a free agent in the 48-hour negotiating window prior to the Expansion Draft. Hall will certainly be on the block at the trade deadline too if things don’t take a turn for the better in Buffalo very soon.
The Arizona Coyotes are still a mess
Optimism was in the desert air when billionaire businessman Alex Meruelo bought the Coyotes back in July, 2019. In his introductory press conference, he famously said, “We’re Coyote Nation, we want to win, and I sure as s**t want to win.”
The incomparable Katie Strang released a fascinating exposé in The Athletic this week documenting in great detail what has transpired since Meruelo’s purchase of the franchise. Let’s just say the optimism of 2019 has left the building.
Strang indicates some pretty serious financial issues, from missed payments to players, staff, and partners to shady business practices. She also paints a picture of a toxic work environment for staff that’s marred by finger-pointing, fear, and even some occasional harassment.
Strang goes so far as to point out that she herself was threatened by Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong. “After delivering a lecture on journalism ethics, Armstrong asked this reporter what she thought would happen if he were to tell general managers around the league how she did her job.”
Yikes.
Around the boards
Mike Babcock is apparently, uh… back… in… the… game?
Here’s a wild one. Sources say Mike Babcock will be announced head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies next week.
The ECHL’s Brampton Beast is (are?) ceasing operations, citing the seemingly endless economic challenges associated with the COVID pandemic. The Beast lasted seven seasons and served as an affiliate for the Lightning, Senators, and Canadiens at different stages. Brampton was also the subject of one of the best hockey articles ever, written by Scott Wheeler on his time embedded with the team in 2018. RIP, Beast.
To lighten the mood, check out these dirty dangles by young Elyssa Biederman.
GOTTA SEE THIS!!! Elyssa Biederman of the little Caesars u16 girls team pulls NASTY heel drag between the legs before scoring!!! pic.twitter.com/2FsaCvksWw
[Record scratch, freeze-frame, linesman Ryan Galloway narrating]: “You might be wondering how I got here.”
No, Galloway did not get hit with this shot, and yes, Seth Jones did score here.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
With that in mind, let’s veer off the ice and into the minutiae of game presentation for some of the most important decisions the club will make before its first game: selecting the correct arena music.
After going without fans – or few fans in some cases – in NHL arenas for more than a year, generating maximum energy in home rinks will be vital components to team success next season. We know Seattle fans can be loud, but a good soundtrack will help produce a top-notch sports atmosphere when the Kraken hit the ice.
Certain songs are inextricably associated with sports teams, producing a signature sound that defines a club and becomes a part of their identities. “Gloria” became the St. Louis Blues’ victory song after it represented a key moment in their turnaround from last place team to Stanley Cup champions in 2019. Every visiting team loathes to hear “Chelsea Dagger” play in Chicago because it means the Blackhawks scored again. Manchester City fans sing “Hey Jude” before games and after victories at Etihad Stadium. “Sweet Caroline” gets Boston Red Sox fans singing along in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. West Ham has “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.”
While we trust the folks at KEXP to be up to the task, Sound of Hockey’s writers have some sound opinions about what the Kraken should play for their pregame introductions, goal celebrations, victory revelry and more.
Everyone appreciates good music curation. Consider this to be a carefully crafted mixtape we’re sharing with you. So let us know what you think of our playlists in the comments area at the bottom of this page, and tell us what songs you believe the Kraken should use to get Climate Pledge Arena rocking.
Introduction song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
I know it’s been struck down by some on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, but this one’s a no-brainer to me. “Can’t Hold Us” will get the audience fired up like no other song and blow the old roof off The Pledge. The music video even has a winter motif and ends up atop the Space Needle. The punchy “nah, nah, nah, nah, nah-na-na-na” parts just invite fans to sing along with all the gusto of European football fans. Macklemore is a part owner of Seattle Sounders FC and a loyal fan of all Seattle sports teams, although he might have some explaining to do about the jersey he wore at a 2017 concert up in Vancouver.
Goal song: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters
A goal song will, hopefully, be played a lot. It needs to be an appealing earworm that people won’t get sick of. If I was sentimental for a hockey-themed song, I might lean toward something from the Tragically Hip or Warren Zevon’s “Hit Somebody.” Despite the nostalgia of Seattle Thunderbirds fans, going the Gary Glitter “Rock ‘n’ Roll Part 2” route won’t fly even with a chorus that has some na-nas or yeah-yeahs to sing or chant with.
I considered Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other Seattle music greats but kept coming back to “Everlong.” You get about 35-40 seconds to use after the red light flashes, which is perfect for the guitar and drums build-up near the end and through the last chorus:
“And I wonder “If everything could ever feel this real forever “If anything could ever be this good again “The only thing I’ll ever ask of you “You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when”
Victory song: “We Win” by Duff McKagan’s Loaded
This one is a little obscure, but it’s a catchy sports anthem that is Seattle in its heart. McKagan is a class act and a hardcore sports fan (full disclosure: I was his editor when he wrote a column for ESPN.com) who bursts with civic pride for his hometown. I admire and respect McKagan immensely for surviving his own incredible personal comeback and for being a man of character. And this song kicks ass. Forgive me for going a little Ron MacLean on you again:
“Some day “We might find “The victory “Is well worth the bitter fight”
Just imagine fans filing out of The Pledge into the streets of Lower Queen Anne after another Kraken victory singing together, “We win, we win, we win, we win, yeah we win.”
I hate clichés and always look for a different approach. My choices are not going to be popular, but that is precisely the point. I want Seattle to have a truly unique experience. My desire is that these songs are distinctively Seattle across all of hockey. I do not hate Macklemore’s music, but the fact I hear him in literally every hockey arena I visit including Angel of the Winds Arena for Silvertips games and accesso ShoWare Center for Thunderbirds games disqualifies him from my list, regardless of his Seattle roots.
Introduction song: “You On The Run” by The Black Angels
For the intro song, I want something dark and ominous as the legend of the Kraken. It will be loud, and I want it to strike fear in the opposing team’s hearts and minds. I want the visiting team to be defeated before the puck is even dropped.
Honorable mention: “Wolf Totem” by The HU, “Angel” by Massive Attack
Goal song: “Turnaround” by Nirvana
The goal song needs to hit you right away with no build up. It also needs to be fun and might unknowingly get people moving when they hear it.
The victory song gets people moving and shaking. The right song could get some fan participation. Imagine a fan chant of “Oh yeah, all right, hell yeah, that’s right” after the Kraken seal the victory.
I hate most popular music so I’m going to go off the board but still try not to venture too far out into left field for Kraken songs. Hate is probably too strong of an emotion, but I find most pop music boring and its use at hockey arenas is overdone and obvious. We have a chance to tap into some great bands that don’t get regular airplay. So, let’s do that.
Introduction song: “The Nights of Wine and Roses” by Japandroids
This could be the ultimate get hyped song by a pair of Canadian maniacs. Yes, just two guys make all this beautiful noise. But what else to get the crowd going than a line like “We yell like hell to heavens.” Japandroids are from Vancouver, B.C., which could be problematic because the Canucks have used some of their music in the past. But Seattle is obviously better.
Goal song: “Uncontrollable Urge” by Devo
Most people know Devo from “Whip it” and nothing more. That was probably their least interesting song. “Uncontrollable Urge” is one of their better tunes. It’s fast, upbeat and imagine the Climate Pledge crowd all yelling “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” along with this classic track. It has goal song written all over it.
Victory song: “Everyday Sunshine” by Fishbone
We all like sunshine. We’d all love it every day. What a happy, uplifting song to celebrate winning. It’s got horns, bass, funk, ska, and most importantly, it’s fun. This tune starts strong and builds up to pure joy by the end.
A Seattle band with a fun little song that would be the perfect soundtrack to a tilt on the ice. It’s fast paced, and when they chant “one hit” it will perfectly frame any scrap on the ice that usually ends with one hit.
Unlike some of my fellow Sound Of Hockeyers, I’m not too concerned with picking “popular songs” as long as they fit the situation. Several of these songs feature ties back to the Seattle music scene and they all, in my humble opinion, kick ass.
Introduction song: “Cochise” by Audioslave
Tipping a cap to Seattle’s music history with legendary frontman Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog fame, this song from Audioslave features a perfect build-up, is extremely upbeat and would set the tone in the arena before Kraken home games. Ignore that the song is about an Apache chief, I think it’s a good fit for a team introduction that isn’t very cookie cutter.
What it probably will be: Some intense mashup from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Goal song: “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine
In this scenario, Tom Morello – who is also the lead guitarist of Audioslave – will be prominently featured at Seattle home games. In this instance, this iconic guitar riff from Morello would be a treat to hear after the Kraken’s goal horn.
What it will probably be: Something by Nirvana, Soundgarden or Pearl Jam.
Victory song: “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
This groovy guitar riff from Seattle icon Jimi Hendrix would be a perfect fit at Climate Pledge Arena. The song is catchy, upbeat and popular enough to hold the distinction of the Kraken’s victory song, but the lyrics may be a dealbreaker (not sure what Purple Haze has to do with a sea creature – or hockey for that matter).
Introduction song: “Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine
Picture this: The lights go down in Climate Pledge Arena. A hype video plays on the state-of-the-art triangular scoreboards, with “Guerrilla Radio” blasting. Then, in sync with the 2:58 mark of the below video, the screens go black. The arena is filled with complete darkness.
Zack de la Rocha whispers into the tension of the crowd, “It has to start somewhere. It has to start sometime. What better place than here? What better time than now?” Then, BANG! Explosions! Fireworks! Goal horn!
“AW! HELL! CAN’T STOP US NOW!” de la Rocha screams, with Rage blasting away in the background.
“Please welcome to the ice, YOUR SEATTLLLLLLLLLLLE KRAAAAAAAAAAAKEN!!”
Goosebump City, population 17,000.
Goal Song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Screw it, I’m doubling down.
I’ve taken a lot of heat on the “Sound Of Hockey” podcast for my opinion that this should be the goal song, with John and Andy claiming that it’s far too common in sports arenas. Fine. But you know what? It gets the people going! And other arenas don’t have the local ties to Macklemore that Seattle does. Yes, it’s a bit cliche. But also, yes, it would work great as a goal song. There’s literally a clap-and-sing-along portion built in.
I was running the Disney World Marathon at the beginning of 2019, struggling mightily around mile 18. I heard “Can’t Hold Us” playing as I shuffled through a miserably long stretch between Disney’s Wide World of Sports and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Suddenly, my feet were hitting the ground to the beat of the music, and I was back in the game in every way. If that’s not proof that it gets the people going, then I don’t know what is.
And if you’re among the poo-pooers of this fine ditty, then go listen to John’s selections in this post and good luck cleaning up the blood that will surely come out of your ears.
Victory song: “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles
Why not? A victory song should just be fun. Ringo’s songs are generally the less-beloved of Beatles songs, but this one is a banger. And how many songs are out there about cephalopods?
