SEATTLE — The expansion Seattle Kraken are adding some additional star power to their ownership group.
The Kraken announced Monday that Grammy winner Macklemore and former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch are joining the minority investor group.
The two are taking small stakes in the franchise but bringing big ideas about community engagement and outreach to go along with their financial commitment.
One of the original members of Seattle’s ownership group was Hollywood film maker Jerry Bruckheimer.
“I’d say that perhaps we didn’t need just two more investors. But these are investors who uniquely want to help us in the community and are excited about what we’re doing,” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke told The Associated Press.
The franchise is in the final weeks of its inaugural season after paying a $650 million expansion fee to join the NHL.
Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, said part of his efforts will focus on the music community and curating partnerships between the team and young musicians to take advantage of smaller spaces at Climate Pledge Arena for performances on game nights.
He also intends to partner on a charity golf tournament involving the team and his Bogey Boys golf brand.
“I think bringing music to Climate Pledge is the big one and helping facilitate with local artists. There’s so many small micro venues in areas that people can perform at Climate Pledge outside of just Climate Pledge as an arena itself,” Macklemore said. “I think that the Kraken have been really open and excited about bringing in local talent. So I think that that’s one way. I think the other way is just making sure that we’re exposing all people to the game.”
Macklemore has also been a part owner of the MLS Seattle Sounders since 2019. The Sounders won the MLS Cup title in the first season of his investment.
“I think that’s something that I feel super blessed and privileged to be a part of, and it’s transferred over to wanting to be part of the Kraken,” he said.
Lynch was a member of the Seattle Seahawks from 2010-15 and 2019, and was part of the first team in franchise history to win the Super Bowl. He’s a beloved figure among sports fans in the area and last year ventured into sports ownership with an investment in the Oakland Roots SC, which plays in the USL Championship, the second tier of men’s soccer in the United States.
“I’ve been a part of a lot of things, but this is something I never would have imagined. As a young hyena I always dreamed of playing on a professional team but owning one is something special,” Lynch said in a statement. “As I look back on some of my accomplishments – I retired before I was 30 and now being an owner of a professional club at the age of 35 – I’m going to continue to count my blessings. Being a part of the Seattle Kraken is something big for me and it gives me another chance to get a ring after helping bring the first one to the city.”
RED WINGS: Center Dylan Larkin had core muscle surgery, ending his second season as the team’s captain.
The Red Wings say his recovery is expected to last 8 to 10 weeks. The 25-year-old Larkin leads the Red Wings with 31 goals and 69 points in 71 games.
Detroit has not earned a spot in the playoffs since 2016 when Larkin was a rookie and its run of 25 straight postseasons ended.
CANADIENS: The NHL suspended Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta two games for an illegal check to the head of Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie.
The incident occurred in the third period of Washington’s 8-4 win in Montreal on Saturday. Pezzetta hit Oshie’s head as he finished a check after the Capitals’ forward had made a play to move the puck out of Washington’s zone.
Pezzetta was assessed a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head on the play.
The Canadiens forward, who had no history of discipline, will forfeit $7,500 in salary.
Pezzetta will be eligible to return when the Canadiens visit Ottawa on Saturday.
ISLANDERS: Forward Mathew Barza was fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making contact with a player on the ice while on the bench in Sunday night’s loss at Toronto.
The NHL’s department of player safety announced the supplemental discipline.
While sitting on the bench with about four minutes left in the third period, Barzal tugged at the jersey of Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner and held on to him for a couple of seconds to obstruct him from following the play.
Marner on Hockey Night in Canada called it a first and said: “Hopefully he gets fined for that. That would be pretty great.”
“Me and him have played a lot against each other, played with each other a couple times,” Marner said after the game. “He’s a good friend of mine. He’s a competitor out there. It’s fun to watch, fun to play against him. It’s a pretty funny moment.”
The Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention in the 4-2 loss.
It’s Barzal’s third career fine in the NHL and first this season. He was fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment in April 2021 and $5,000 two months later for cross-checking Tampa Bay defenseman Jan Rutta.
FLYERS: Flyers director of medical services Jim McCrossin and assistant athletic trainer Sal Raffa are suing Flyers ownership after they received diagnoses of rare medical conditions they allege come from exposure to chemicals used in the Zambonis at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, New Jersey.
In their lawsuit, McCrossin and Raffa allege that the Zambonis at the rink used “gasoline and/or fuel containing and/or producing carcinogens.” According to their research, there are other comparable machines available that do not require gasoline or fuel with carcinogens.
McCrossin, who has worked at the facility since 2000, developed “rare medical conditions of essential thrombocythemia, myeloproliferative neoplasm, and most recently, myelofibrosis (blood cancer), which is incurable.” Raffa, who has worked there since 2004, developed a “rare medical condition of essential thrombocythemia, which is incurable.”
Essential thrombocythemia is a disorder that causes the bone marrow to produce a higher-than-normal platelet count, increasing the risk of blood clots.
McCrossin and Raffa remained on staff for the 2021-22 season and continue to be Flyers employees.
MONDAY’S GAME
FLAMES 5, BLACKHAWKS 2: Johnny Gaudreau, Dillon Dube and Blake Coleman scored in the first period, and Calgary won at Chicago.
Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves as playoff-bound Calgary won for the seventh time in eight games. Gaudreau and Oliver Kylington tacked on long empty-netters for the Pacific Division leaders in the final 1:32.
Chicago lost for the 10th time in 11 games. Tyler Johnson and Alec Regula scored, and Kevin Lankinen made 30 stops.
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