Seattle Kraken (named for a maritime cryptid)

The Seattle Kraken is an NHL expansion franchise named after the legendary sea-monster 'kraken' from maritime folklore; the NHL awarded the franchise in 2018 and it began play in the 2021–22 season. The team's home arena is Climate Pledge Arena, where home games and related events are held. The choice of the name explicitly references a mythical sea creature from nautical cryptid lore common in popular culture. The franchise and arena have brought the kraken motif into Seattle's contemporary civic and sports identity.