NHL Style Rankings: Strong Suit Games Across the Board with a New No. 1
Nov 30, 2022
TJ Oshie is stylish, but is he No. 1 in our rankings?
I try to keep the NHL style rankings simple. It's the 10 best game-arrival outfits, every other Wednesday. No need to complicate it any further.
But if our Style Lord and Savior Patrik Laine has taught us anything over the years, it's that sometimes you need to break the rules. And too many fun fashion things happened in the NHL over the past two weeks for me not to include some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mention: Nikita Malkin
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 23: Evgeni Malkin #71and family pose with a stick honoring his 1000th NHL game Kris Letang #58 and Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the game against the Calgary Flames at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 23, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
Evgeni Malkin's son, Nikita, showed up to his dad's 1000th game dressed to the absolute nines.
Better yet? The Malkins had this suit custom-made by Gentleman's Playbook.
Custom made 3Piece suit for the little guy by yours truly đ„
If you're unfamiliar with Gentleman's Playbook, self-taught tailor Tom Marchitelli creates luxury custom suits for professional athletes across sports, including several NHL players that routinely make this list. His Instagram is a must-follow for anyone who cares about these rankings.
I'm currently losing my mind picturing the creation of the little teeny vest for Nikita.
Honorable Mention: JT Brown
My colleagues often joke that we should do a media version of the style rankings. At least I hope they're all joking because former NHLer and current Kraken broadcaster J.T. Brown would (literally) take the rest of us to the cleaners every single time.
He's had banger after banger since his broadcast career began, and much like his on-air performance, it's only getting better. I highly recommend following noted Ph.D. owner and former goalie Lexi, who also happens to be J.T.'s wife, for more J.T. fits.
Speaking of the Kraken, Gourde makes his season debut with a hat and an outfit that finally matches. Don't get me wrong; I love Gourde's dedication to the nautical theme in Seattleâand I'm OK with the fact that he likes his hatsâbut I'm relieved to see it finally all come together in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Caufield has had a few good looks this season, but it's a tough crowd over here. He finally broke through for the first time this season at the No. 9 spot with this pinstripe number. I'm a huge fan of the coffee-inspired color scheme, the absence of the three-piece suit here and the pocket square.
As always, the smile also goes a long way.
8. Nikita Zadorov Previously: Unranked
Highest ranking of the season: No. 5
We are here once again to remind you Big Z does not miss.
Zadorov was right when he said he and I have different tastes. I gravitate towards streetwear, and he is almost singlehandedly keeping the double-breasted suit industry afloat. It's admittedly not my favorite look, but I admire his dedication, and I can appreciate his fits in the objective grand scheme.
OK, folks. Let's bring it in and do a collective exhale: Pastrnak's style is rounding into midseason form. I had to knock some points off because we've seen this black-and-white fit before, but it's so good that it'll make the rankings every time.
And honestly, when I saw the Florida Fits post with Pastrnak and fellow rankings regular Linus Ullmark, Ullmark almost took the cake. Ultimately, Pastrnak's array of fits, including the topical World Cup support and salmon, no-tie look en route to the Sunshine State, won me over.
This outfit is like a solar eclipse. I can't look directly at it for too long, but out of the corner of my eye, it truly feels like something beautiful.
You know those Twitter accounts that are like, "Pictures that precede unfortunate events?"
How about "Outfits that precede fortunate events"?
Oshie's return has been huge for a struggling Caps team, and that's obviously the main priority for Washington. But it doesn't hurt that he's looking good doing it, and I can't think of a better complement to this joufit-y three-piece than some finger guns.
Miller's rercent consistency lands him the No. 4 spot. Notice how there's still some variety in his looks, though; you've got the strictly indigo vibe, the plaid with the fun, silver tie, and my personal favorite with the velvet three-piece.
I'm starting to think that Miller can do no wrong.
This is the kind of look I've been waiting to see from Pettersson this season. I specifically want to point out the socks; they're a perfect example of a small thing going a long way to elevate the entire cohesiveness of the look. Love the detailing in the front of the suit jacket subtly matching the socks and part of the shoe. Also glad that his hair is growing back.
Nylander's got one of the best sneaker games in the NHL these days, and I'm eternally grateful that the Maple Leafs are putting it on display this season.
I was discussing the art of the sneaker/suit combination with Hurricanes color commentator Tripp Tracy in the Bruins press box over the weekend. He was rocking some brown Givenchy platforms that matched his suit perfectly.
Apparently, some of the Canes players were chirping Tracy's sneakers, and I think that's rich if it was coming from Andrei Svechnikov, who thinks he can get away with wearing the same white sneakers every single day.
Svechnikov is one of my favorite people I've ever had the opportunity to cover, so he knows I say this with love. But Svechnikov, you signed the biggest deal in your franchise's history. It's time to consider purchasing one more pair of sneakers.
Anyways, Nylander is fantastic with turning sneakers into a central piece of an outfit. We saw it a few weeks ago with the mint green suit and the dark green Nike high tops. We're seeing it twice here, with the shades of blue and then the pink and brown combo.
Look, not every outfit has to do something revolutionary to hit the No. 1 spot. The whole Lightning team is particularly masterful when it comes to the more classic GQcore, with Steven Stamkos and Pierre-Ădouard Bellemare to name a few.
Bogosian's suit here has flown under the radar, but it deserves recognition. The material itself screams thick and rich. I love when a three-piece suit looks a bit more modern, and the pattern achieves that. The warm tones are perfect for Thanksgiving.
Seattle Kraken Unveil Mascot 'Buoy,' Drawing Inspiration from Fremont Troll
Oct 2, 2022
MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 12: View of a Seattle Kraken logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the Seattle Kraken versus the Montreal Canadiens game on March 12, 2022 at Centre Bell in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken finally have a mascot.
The NHL's 32nd franchise, which began play with its inaugural season during the 2021-22 campaign, announced Saturday that its mascot draws inspiration from the Fremont Troll, and its name is Buoy.
Seattle unveiled Buoy by having having him rappel from the rafters at Climate Pledge Arena before a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Hundreds of names and ideas were submitted for the Kraken's new mascot, but the iconic Fremont Troll sculpture located on N. 36th St. in Seattle is what inspired Buoy's creation.
The Kraken did not want to use an octopus for their mascot because the Detroit Red Wings already use an octopus as their mascot. They also didn't want to use a Kraken, because no one actually knows what a Kraken looks like.
Kraken vice president of entertainment experience and production Lamont Buford said, per ESPN's Ryan S. Clark:
"We looked at all the characters in this area, and we wanted to make sure that what we brought was going to be unique. We didn't want to be like anybody else. When you look at a lot of mascots in sports, you can tell which mascots that were generated from looking at another mascot. We wanted to make sure we avoided that."
So, the next time you're at Climate Pledge Arena, be sure to be on the lookout for Buoy.
The 2022 NHL offseason has been a busy one thus far. Several notable stars, such as Brent Burns, Max Pacioretty and Alex DeBrincat, were
Shane Wright Selected No. 4 Overall by Kraken in 2022 NHL Draft
Jul 7, 2022
OSHAWA, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 21: Shane Wright #51 of the Kingston Frontenacs skates against the Oshawa Generals at Tribute Communities Centre on November 21, 2021 in Oshawa, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken landed the steal of the 2022 NHL draft, selecting center Shane Wright with the fourth overall pick on Thursday at Bell Centre.
This is a significant get for the Kraken as Wright was widely believed to be the best player available in this year's draft class following a standout career with the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs.
Wright has spent the last three years of his career with the Frontenacs, though he didn't play the 2020-21 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was allowed to enter the OHL one year early when he was just 15 years old.
Wright was named the team's captain for the 2021-22 season and, after getting out to a slow start, proved why he's the best player in this year's NHL draft class with a strong second half.
The 18-year-old finished the year with 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 regular-season games and added three goals and 11 assists in 11 playoff games. The Frontenacs were eliminated from the OHL playoffs with a semifinals loss to the North Bay Battalion.
Despite not playing for the Frontenacs during the 2020-21 campaign, Wright represented Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championships, helping lead the Canadians to a gold medal. He dominated the tournament, tallying nine goals and five assists in five games.
Wright also represented Team Canada at the World Junior Tournament, appearing in two games, tallying one assist, before it was rescheduled to August because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
The 6'1", 187-pound center has improved his skating over the last year and can really do it all offensively. He is a pure goal scorer but also has the ability to be a playmaker with great puck possession skills, high IQ and elite vision.
In addition, Wright can play solid defensively with good positioning and pressure on the back check. He has most often been compared to Patrice Bergeron, and if he can play anything like the Boston Bruins center, the Habs will certainly been in good hands for many years to come.
Wright should enter Seattle's lineup immediately. The team struggled to a 27-49-6 record during the 2021-22 season, one of the worst finishes in the league, and could use a player of his caliber to provide a boost.
Jessica Campbell Named Kraken Minor League Assistant; 1st Full-Time Female AHL Coach
Jul 5, 2022
Germany's Canadian Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell follows the action during the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships preliminary round group A match between Germany and Denmark in Helsinki on May 19, 2022. - Finland OUT (Photo by Jussi Nukari / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by JUSSI NUKARI/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken announced Tuesday they are hiring Jessica Campbell as an assistant coach for their minor league affiliate the Coachella Valley Firebirds, making her the first full-time female assistant in AHL history.
Campbell spoke with ESPN's Emily Kaplan about the landmark accomplishment:
"I always had a belief as a young girl, playing boys' hockey until I was 17, that I was equal and capable too. I've never focused on my gender. Growing up, I never dreamed of coaching, because I didn't see it and therefore didn't know what that path looked like. But for young athletes now, it's so important to have that visibility for them to understand they can literally be anything they want. Some of the guys I will be coaching, their daughters can now watch them have a female coach. And that opens up the conversation, which can inspire young girls for something they might not have seen as possible."
Campbell, who spent last season as an assistant and skills coach for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany and served as an assistant for Germany in the men's IIHF World Championship, is taking on the highest-profile coaching job ever held by a woman in men's professional hockey in North America.
While Emily Engel-Natzke became the first full-time female coaching staff member in the NHL last week when the Washington Capitals promoted her to video coordinator, there has never been a full-time female assistant coach at the NHL level.
Longtime NHL head coach Dan Bylsma, who was named the Firebirds' head coach for their inaugural season in 2022-23, reached out to Campbell about the job after hearing "rave reviews" about her work.
Bylsma chose Campbell for his staff after speaking with her and coming away impressed, and he discussed the historic hiring with ESPN:
"Obviously this is significant and it's important Jessica is getting this opportunity. But more importantly, I wanted a coaching staff that had a ton of passion for the players, a willingness to put in the work with them, and a plan to help them develop, because our job is developing players for the Seattle Kraken. We just wanted that person, and Jessica was the person who best exemplified that. It's what she's all about."
The 30-year-old Campbell is from Rocanville, Saskatchewan. She played as a forward collegiately at Cornell, professionally in the Canadian Women's Hockey League and for Canada internationally.
Campbell was part of the Canadian team that won a silver medal at the 2015 world championship in Sweden. She also won a gold medal and a silver medal in the under-18 world championship.
She transitioned into coaching after ending her playing career and founded JC Powerskating, training multiple NHL players.
Campbell is joining a brand-new organization, as the Firebirds will begin play next season and the Kraken entered the NHL as an expansion team for the 2021-22 campaign.
Given that the AHL is one step below the NHL, Campbell will have a significant hand in preparing up-and-coming players to become contributors for the Kraken.
Kraken's Philipp Grubauer Says He's Been Called a Nazi by Other Players
Jun 17, 2022
SAINT PAUL, MN - APRIL 22: Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken defends against the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on April 22, 2022 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer said Friday he has been called a Nazi by other players during his hockey career.
Grubauer told the story as part of the Kraken's "Hockey is for Everyone" discussion series:
âThey called me a Nazi and nobody stepped up.â
The 30-year-old Grubauer, who is from Germany, said in the full video of the conversation on the Kraken's website that the slurs were used against him during his junior hockey playing days.
Grubauer played in Canada's Ontario Hockey League from 2009 to 2011 for the Belleville Bulls, Windsor Spitfires and Kingston Frontenacs after growing up in Germany and playing junior hockey there as well.
During the discussion, Grubauer said he and other players used to be afraid to speak up because of the reaction it would elicit, including "20 other guys chirping you" from the other team.
The veteran netminder went on to suggest that the culture has changed in hockey since then with players coming together to stand up against hateful language and views.
Grubauer recently finished his first season with the expansion Kraken after signing a six-year contract with them in free agency.
He posted an 18-35-1 record with a 3.16 goals-against average, .889 save percentage and two shutouts.
Grubauer previously played for the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche, earning a Stanley Cup with the Caps as a backup in 2018, and finishing third in the Vezina Trophy voting as the Avs' starter in 2021.
NFL Legend Marshawn Lynch, Rapper Macklemore Become Minority Owners in Seattle Kraken
Apr 18, 2022
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Marshawn Lynch attends the premiere of HBO's "Westworld" Season 3 at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 05, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and rapper Macklemore are now minority investors in the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
The newest minority owners of the Seattle Kraken, per @cnbc:
That parallels his on-field drive in a cart after a game when he played college football at California.
Lynch spent 12 years in the NFL, including seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He helped the team win a Super Bowl in the 2013 season.
The 35-year-old founded Beast Mode Apparel in 2014, and since his retirement in 2020, he has created a marijuana company and owned a team in the Fan Controlled Football league among his investments.
The latest venture helps him support Seattle's new hockey team, which is wrapping up its first NHL season. The squad is in last place in the Pacific Division with 54 points in 74 games and is out of playoff contention.
Macklemore is also known for his Seattle love as a native of the city. The Grammy winner is often seen at Seahawks and Mariners events and purchased a share of Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders in 2019 alongside then-Seahawks star Russell Wilson.
Kraken's J.T. Brown, Everett Fitzhugh to Become NHL's 1st All-Black Broadcasting Team
Feb 10, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: Team broadcaster Everett Fitzhugh of the Seattle Kraken poses for a photo at Gas Works Park for the NHL Expansion Draft on July 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Kraken is the National Hockey League's newest franchise and will begin play in October 2021. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
J.T. Brown and Everett Fitzhugh will form the first-ever all-Black broadcasting duo in NHL history when they call the Seattle Kraken's Feb. 17 road game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic revealed the news on Wednesday.
Brown, 31, is the Kraken's television analyst alongside play-by-play announcer John Forslund. Fitzhugh, 33, is the team's radio voice.
Forslund will be working a nationally televised NHL game on TNT Feb. 17, so Fitzhugh will shift to TV for the Jets matchup. ROOT Sports will carry the game.
Brown played professional hockey for 11 years, including seven in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild.
The 31-year-old spent more than five of those years with the Lightning and finished his career with 23 goals and 49 assists. Brown also represented the United States at the 2012 Ice Hockey World Championships.
"Just being a part of it is crazy to think about," Brown said, per Clark.
"Any time something like this happens, I think about a year ago and ask, 'Would I have thought this is where my path would be?' Here we are. We did know this was eventually going to happen at some point."
Fitzhugh's resume includes a stop as the play-by-play announcer and color commentator for Bowling Green State University. He also called play-by-play for the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms.
Fitzhugh pulled double duty for the ECHLâs Cincinnati Cyclones, working as the team's radio broadcaster and the Director of Media Relations. The Kraken hired him in 2020.
"I've been trying to wrap my head around it," Fitzhugh said, per Clark.
"It might be one of those situations where it hits me in that moment. Itâs something that has never happened before to have two Black men commenting on an NHL game together in the same booth. ⊠I know that it is special and it is a big deal. But it truly will not hit me until I start doing that game."
Game time for the Kraken at Jets game is 8 p.m. ET from Winnipeg's MTS Centre.
Seattle Kraken Get First-Ever Win vs. Predators
Oct 15, 2021
Seattle Kraken left wing Brandon Tanev celebrates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The Seattle Kraken earned their first win in franchise history on Thursday, topping the Nashville Predators 4-3 on the road.
Left wing Brandon Tanev led the way with two goals, with his second coming with 1:21 remaining in the game and proving to be the game-winner as Nashville scored less than a minute later.
The Kraken looked hungry for a win after losing their first game of the season against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. With the Predators playing their first game of the year, Seattle was more acclimated to the game speed of the regular season.
After Nashville's Eeli Tolvanen opened the scoring, Jared McCann and Tanev answered with back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 lead after the first period. McCann's goal was Seattle's first-ever power-play goal.
The Predators tied the game early in the second period with a 5-on-3 power-play goal of their own by Roman Josi. But Alex Wennberg answered back off an assist from Alex Barre-Boulet.
Mikael Granlund, who had two assists for Nashville, capped the scoring with 40 seconds remaining in the game. The Predators had another shot in the closing seconds but couldn't get past Grubauer.
The Kraken are the third expansion team to win their first game against the Predators, joining the Columbus Blue Jackets (Nov. 16, 2000) and Golden Knights (Dec. 8, 2017).
Seattle will continue its season-opening road trip on Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
