On December 3rd, the NHL announced that Seattle would be getting an NHL team and would become the 32nd team in the league. I am ecstatic for this move. Ever since the Seattle Super Sonics left town, there has been a void in Seattle that just hasn't been replaced. Yes, they have the Seahawks, but there was a certain pride in the Super Sonics fan. I would know, as I was a fan of the Super Sonics my whole childhood until they moved. Now that void is getting filled a little bit; it's not the Super Sonics, but it is something.
Not much is known at this time about what exactly the franchise team or logo will be. I'm going out on a limb here and say that the Space Needle will be involved. The only thing we really know is they are debuting in 2021-2022, which is a bummer because I want them now. We also know they will be playing in the historic Key Arena after a reported 800 million dollars of renovations go into the project. I was thinking, though, about team names. It can't be just anything; it has to have a historic meaning and sound good. So, I took it upon myself to come up with great name ideas.
Seattle Grunge: Now this is a no brainer; Grunge music was a highlight of the early 90's and even put the Hip Hop movement on the back burner. In cultural shifts, this is huge. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, the Melvins and Sound Garden all helped put Seattle on the map, so what would be better than honoring the late Kurt Cobain and others than by naming the new expansion team after the genre of music that defined not only a city, but a generation.
Seattle Experience: This is also a call back to a famous time for the Seattle music scene. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was the rave of the 60's. Imagine it: the psychedelic colors, the florescent lights. It would be an experience to just see the light show before the games and to hear Jimi Hendrix bump on the speakers, not to mention the uniforms. To top it off, you then get to enjoy the hockey game. It would definitely be the best pregame experience in all of sports.
Seattle Teriyaki: Now, I know what you're thinking, but hear me out. Do you remember the crazy "Szechwan Sauce" craze? You could try to replicate it with Seattle Teriyaki. Seattle is actually famous for the Japanese derived dish. It is so famous that The New York Times even wrote about it. All different styles and variations of terriyaki would go main stream. The jerseys would be ugly as shit, but it could create a craze like we saw a year ago with "Rick and Morty."
Seattle Originals: This is a call back all the way to 1917 when a Seattle hockey were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup. It is sort of a shout out to all the other teams; to me is says, "We were the original American Stanley Cup champions, a championship you all hold dear, and now the Originals are back to reclaim what we originally started, and, in the process, will take some of your players in the expansion draft." It's a real slap in the face.
Seattle Emeralds: The Seattle Emeralds: it shines bright (and is my birth stone). The team is named after the city's nickname, "The Emerald City." Emerald is by far the most mesmerizing shade of green on the color pallet, so the uniforms would be cool. All emerald green. And why not have the ice be green? Emeralds represent birth and love. That is exactly what Seattle is doing, being re-birthed back into the NHL, and the love that Seattle has for its sports in one of the top in the nation. Could there be a more perfect name for what this team represents in Seattle?
Seattle Super Sonics: This would be a total fuck you to the NBA. A move that I think many would enjoy. It says, "If the NBA won't bring back the Super Sonics, we will because we care." Seattle has wanted the Super Sonics to come back ever since they left over a decade ago. This idea not only brings back Seattle's beloved Super Sonics, but gives the Super Sonics brand a chance to compete almost immediately for a championship (though in a different sport).
Now I know the Seattle team will probably choose the Seattle Metropolitans. The Seattle Metropolitans were the team I referenced earlier who were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup. I'm not super excited for that to be the team name, but if that is what it becomes, fine. I am just glad an expansion team is in Seattle.
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