SEATTLE — Inside the Kraken Community Iceplex, 12-year-old Elly Garcia-Dudek can’t help but be drawn to the hockey players during practices. A devoted fan of women’s national team stars, Elly admires Hilary Knight, who showcased her talents for the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) last season. Soon, Elly won’t have to seek inspiration from afar. With the PWHL expanding its reach to Vancouver and Seattle next season, role models like Knight will be closer to home.
Elly’s enthusiasm for this development is shared by her family, all fans of the Seattle Kraken, who have already reserved their PWHL Seattle season tickets. Elly is thrilled to learn that Knight has agreed to play in Seattle, a move that instills the young player with hopes of one day reaching such heights. “It’s really inspiring and cool to watch them play because it’s different from the men’s game. Women aren’t accustomed to playing with contact, but that’s part of the PWHL, which is really cool to watch,” Elly shared, adding, “It inspires me personally like, ‘Oh, I can be one of them when I grow up.’”
Seattle’s team is expected to pack a significant offensive punch from the start, especially with Knight — a four-time Olympian and recent PWHL MVP contender — adding to the lineup. Seattle GM Meghan Turner praised Knight’s multifaceted talent after the PWHL expansion draft, calling her a superstar both on and off the ice.
The Pacific Northwest expansion to include Seattle and Vancouver will grow the PWHL to eight teams, marking its first ventures west of Minnesota. The introduction of these teams is anticipated to further ignite interest in hockey throughout the region, where the sport has been gaining traction, particularly in Seattle since the Kraken’s arrival in 2021.
Martin Hlinka, who took on the role of director of the Kraken Youth Hockey Association (KYHA) in April 2021, witnessed firsthand the growth of youth participation. Beginning with just 72 players across six teams, the KYHA now boasts 39 boys and girls teams, including a 14U Jr Kraken squad on which Elly will compete this year. Hlinka attributes much of this growth to the Kraken’s influence.
“The growth was great because more kids watch games on TV or in person, and they have a better interest and they’re excited to be part of it,” Hlinka explained. He believes the addition of a PWHL team in Seattle will further elevate interest in hockey amongst young players. Since 2014-15, Washington has seen a notable increase of 1,744 youth hockey players, and since the Kraken’s debut in 2021, another 268 children have picked up the sport in the state.
Julia Takatsuka, a goalie coordinator for the Jr Kraken, reveres the advancements in local hockey infrastructure. Reflecting on her childhood, Takatsuka recalls traveling to Canada for tournaments and practicing at less equipped rinks than the now available Iceplex. “I would have loved to train at a place like (KCI) where we have all of the actual things we need,” she remarked.
While the Seattle area will require more time to become a major hub for women’s hockey, progress is evident. The University of Washington’s women’s club hockey team played its first season in 2021, enabling West Seattle native Regan Thomas to continue pursuing the sport she loves. Having only discovered the opportunity to play hockey upon attending boarding school in New Hampshire, Thomas appreciates the new local opportunities for girls in the sport she lacked growing up.
Thomas, who once admired soccer star Megan Rapinoe during her tenure with Seattle Reign FC, speaks to the vital role of role models in sports. “I think having those role models is incredibly important,” she said, wishing such opportunities had been available during her youth. She believes that exposure to professional women’s hockey will inspire the next generation of players to dream bigger and push further.
Lindsay Skogmo, whose young son Oliver is already a Jr Kraken participant, hopes the presence of professional women’s hockey in Seattle will encourage young girls like Elly to pursue their dreams. Reflecting on the significance of this development, Skogmo stated, “So, for us to be able to get a professional female team here really gives a lot of girl power.”
The positive impacts of having a professional women’s hockey team in Seattle extend beyond the rink, providing aspiring female athletes the chance to believe in possibilities within the community and beyond.