The Seattle Kraken isn't your average hockey team: it has a philanthropic branch and programming to promote inclusivity, unity, and growth both on and off the ice. As part of the team's commitment, the staff worked with local LGBTQ+ artist Kelly Bjork to showcase their work during the Pride Night game on January 6 against the New Jersey Devils.

"I have found it so exciting, and I am inspired by Pride Night," Kyle Boyd, senior director of fan development, told the SGN. "It's about [highlighting] voices that haven't been at the forefront of our community."

Boyd leads Kraken Common Thread, the organization's program to promote inclusivity in hockey. It started five years ago, Boyd said, but staff developed their own framework this past summer, adding that the partnership with Bjork allows the Kraken to celebrate LGBTQ+ people and their talent.

Bjork told the SGN that it was both exciting and overwhelming — in a fun way — to see their design throughout Climate Pledge Arena. The Kraken Pride Night jersey was the first sports jersey Bjork had designed, and the game was the first hockey match they'd ever attended.

"[Kraken Common Thread] reached out to me about a year ago — just cold calls through my website — and I thought it was spam, so it was very fun to realize it was something that was going to actually happen," Bjork said.

The most challenging aspect of this project, they said, was the initial phase. Since Bjork hadn't designed a jersey before, they brainstormed with a group of friends, which they found to be beneficial.

"We landed on disco being a focus, because of discos being such a big refuge for the LGBTQ+ community to go and express themselves and be accepted," Bjork said. "Once we decided that, then I went from there to my sketchbook to figure out the exact design."

Bjork's design features a twinkling disco ball with an "S" in the foreground, full of vibrant colors and animal prints.

"The colors and patterns and the 'S' are actually from a painting I did a few years ago of a Pride dance party. I thought it would be fun — I wanted it to be really colorful," Bjork said. "I didn't want to just do the normal rainbow, because I feel like it's used a lot, and I wanted to try something else. And also throwing in animal print is always really fun."

The response to Bjork's design has been abundantly positive, they said, adding that direct messages from strangers on Instagram about their work led to unexpected emotions: joyous tears.

A more welcoming space
While sports spaces, particularly hockey arenas, have traditionally been dominated by cis-het men, Boyd and Bjork believe Pride Night and the artistic collaboration helps crack that strong association.

"I know that hockey is a pretty straight sport, but I'm sure that it's really, actually not," Bjork said. "I think having the representation really lets people know — just [seeing] that — it opens it up to more people, and creates a connection that might not otherwise happen."

Bjork hopes the Kraken's Pride Night of 2025 encourages people to feel comfortable being themselves in traditionally unwelcoming spaces. Each year, Kraken Common Thread picks different local LGBTQ+ artists, and Bjork said they have a long list they will send the staff's way.

"The experience has been so good, I want so many other people to have it," Bjork said. "I love that the Kraken have been doing this with all of their different themed nights. I think those are really important, and I think as long as that continues, then more people will feel comfortable coming out and being themselves in this space."

Game recap
The Kraken lost to the Devils by 3-2 on Pride Night. It was a slow start for the home team, but goaltender Philipp Grubauer prevented many pucks from reaching the net. (Grubauer, a German national, was also spotted wearing Pride tape during the match.)

The Devils scored the first goal, but the Kraken caught up during the first period, with body-checking in full swing from both teams. New Jersey took the lead with just seconds left in the second period. The Kraken tied it up on a power play early in the third, but the Devils answered 37 seconds later with what turned out to be the winning goal.

Other Queer elements
Queerness was sprinkled in throughout the event, with DJ Orion blasting remixes of Gay pop icons Britney Spears, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter. Bjork also made an entrance on the ice, and Kraken staff highlighted their design.

The Kraken nominated Steven Thompson and Joey Gale of the Seattle Pride Hockey Association as the night's "Heroes of the Deep" for their work to increase LGBTQ+ inclusivity in hockey. The Kraken Unity Fund in this way honors people conducting transformative community work.

The One Roof Foundation (ORF) is the philanthropic leg of the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena, and focuses on hockey access, youth homelessness through a long-term partnership with YouthCare, and environmental justice. The ORF works with the Heroes of the Deep to select a nonprofit that will receive $32,000 from the Kraken Unity Fund.

Specialty jerseys of Bjork were auctioned off online, and proceeds are to go to the ORF and Lambert House, an LGBTQ+ community center for youth.

For the remainder of the season, the Seattle Kraken will host various other themed nights to spotlight the city's diversity.

Pride Night jersey designs by Kelly Bjork.

Bjork's disco ball design on a tote bag.

A Pride Night attendee poses next to a rainbow jersey.

Event attendee spotted wearing an All Stars Pride jersey.

The Kraken score a goal.

The unleashing of the Kraken.

Rainbow Pride Night led light.