Nearly three years after being awarded an expansion franchise in the National Hockey League, the Seattle Kraken has its home opener Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks in the new Climate Pledge Arena. KNKX sports commentator Art Thiel and Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick look at the rebirth of professional hockey in Seattle.
Kraken vs. Canucks: Professional hockey returns to Seattle Saturday in a brand-new arena
![The floor and seating areas of Climate Pledge Arena are shown Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, during a media tour ahead of the NHL hockey Seattle Kraken's home opener Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks in Seattle.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c3c8c9a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/663x442+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F9e%2F1187273a4ba9895ea44c1171575c%2Fseattlekraken1.jpg)
Ted S. Warren
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The Associated Press