By Ike Everard | Ike@whereweconverge.com

Among the politicos and sunlight glinting off the buildings surrounding Pike Place Market, Eric Pettigrew is hard to miss. Standing well over 6 feet tall, the former member of the State Legislature has a new role: Vice President of Government Relations and Outreach for the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s 32nd and newest team. Sporting an outfit full of the ubiquitous “S” logo that has become commonplace in the city, Pettigrew spoke excitedly about the opportunities presented by the fledgling franchise.

“It’s been one of the most exciting, diverse organizations I’ve ever been a part of,” Pettigrew said. “It just so happens when you look well for good talent, and you find it, it becomes a diverse community.”

The Kraken have demonstrated a commitment to bringing hockey to communities of color in the Seattle area. According to Kyle Boyd, the Director of Youth and Community Development, some of these programs include working with Seattle Public Schools to engage elementary and middle school students in the sport during PE and equipment donation programs to those in need. The organization also says they are launching a financial assistance program to support families who don’t have the resources to let their children play hockey. 

Pettigrew, who is also a member of the Mayor’s Downtown Revitalization Committee which works with the city to determine how best to help downtown, said he expects the community to embrace the Kraken. 

“We see it’s tremendous,” Pettigrew said. “We’re going into communities like South Park and the Central District and Skyway, areas where people don’t typically see hockey, and we’re going to engage a lot of those communities in introducing hockey to a lot of those folks.”

“We are a team in a sport that is historically inequitable and exclusive based on that history, but we’ve begun to explore partnerships with communities interested in combating that inequity as ice sports become part of the sports landscape in Seattle,” Boyd added.

Pettigrew mentioned the work the Arizona Coyotes have done as an example of what’s possible. The Coyotes, located in the Arizona desert, have built a thriving youth hockey scene and promoted the sport throughout the greater Phoenix area. 

“It’s beyond hockey itself. It’s another avenue for kids who may not fit in football, fit in track, or may not get the same spark in school,” Pettigrew said. “This might open up the door for some of those young people to do more with their lives, even beyond hockey.”

Boyd says community members can be on the lookout for events in parks over the next few months meant to introduce young people to the sport of hockey. He says that he hopes meeting individuals where they are will allow excitement to build, and that a lot of focus will be placed on spreading awareness about the team facility in Northgate, of which 65% will be open to the public. This will allow the team to work with youth organizations in the city to provide kids with classes and other opportunities to dive deeper into the sport. 

As for the Downtown Revitalization Committee Pettigrew is a part of, Boyd says the Kraken can be a major factor in its success. 

“We are building the most beautiful arena in the world. We’re taking a building that was used seasonally and sporadically and giving it life year-round,” Boyd said. “[We’re] bringing fans from all walks of life back to the heart of Seattle at Seattle Center and working with our commercial partners in the arena to bring local businesses back.”

He also said the team plans to renovate the monorail and make it more accessible as a way to bring people into Seattle Center. 

Pettigrew says he used his 18 years of experience in the Washington House of Representatives to provide insights to both the committee and the team but he's most excited to focus on hockey.

“Overall, the spirit and excitement around hockey has been very positive,” Pettigrew said. “Opening night is going to be absolutely crazy.”