100-plus Years in the Making 

This is the first in a series of articles celebrating the 2024 Winter Classic. Check back for stories on prominent Seattle hockey figures through the years; Winter Classic traditions, preparation, and key events.

On January 1, the NHL hockey world will shine a spotlight on Seattle when the puck drops for the 15th Winter Classic between the Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights. But beyond the three years that the NHL has had a team in the Emerald City, the event will celebrate a long history and love of the game of hockey in the Pacific Northwest.

Portland Rosebuds | 1914 - 1918

While Seattle may be home to the youngest NHL team, the region is also home to the first American team to be etched onto the Stanley Cup. Back in 1916, the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association battled the Montreal Canadiens in a five-game Final that ultimately went Montreal’s way (3-2). But at the time, both teams competing for the championship had their names engraved on the trophy and thus, the Rosebuds were memorialized in hockey history.

Seattle Metropolitans | 1915 - 1924

The very next year, the Cup was won by an American team, and again, it was a team from the Pacific Northwest. In 1917, playing at Seattle Ice Arena, the Seattle Metropolitans defeated Montreal in four games. The team competed for the championship again in 1919 (the series was canceled due to a flu pandemic), and in 2020 when they lost to Ottawa in five games.

The Metropolitans played through the 1923-24 season. Along the way, the organization helped foster opportunities for women to play (The Seattle Vamps played in a six-game series in 1921) and ended their nine-year tenure with a 112-92-6 record and six playoff appearances setting the stage for hockey to become a fixture in Seattle.

Seattle Eskimos, Sea Hawks & Olympics | 1928 - 1941

After four years with no formal hockey in the area, in 1928, the four-team Pacific Coast Hockey League was formed, and it included the Seattle Eskimos. The team played three seasons at the newly built Civic Arena before shutting down – but two years later, the Northwest Hockey League brought the Sea Hawks (also known as the Seahawks) to the ice. This team made multiple Finals appearances and won one NWHL title (1936) before being sold in 1940. The new owners changed the team name to the Olympics but the league was impacted by the realities of World War II and ceased operations after the 1941 playoffs.

But even as professional hockey was on hiatus in the greater Seattle area, the game had grown a foothold. And the Civic Arena didn’t just provide a home for the Eskimos, it was a place for amateur hockey as well.

Seattle Ironmen, Bombers, Americans & Totems | 1944 - 1975

The City Hockey League served as a home for weekend games that included former pro players across four teams. The League evolved into the Northwest Industrial Hockey League which had teams in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, and in 1944, the group was re-formed as the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL). With the Seattle Ironmen as the tentpole team.

The PCHL became the Western Hockey League (WHL) - and the Ironmen became the Bombers, which then became the Americans (1955), and ultimately the Seattle Totems (1958) – a team that finished first in the league in 1959. All in all, the WHL operated for 30 years with a Seattle team playing in 29 of those 30 seasons.

Amateur Hockey In The Region

After the Totems' departure, Seattle didn’t have to wait too long for a return of hockey to the region. In 1977, the Kamloops Chiefs of the junior WHL came to Seattle with a new name: the Seattle Breakers. And in 1985, under new ownership, the Breakers were re-branded as the Seattle Thunderbirds – a thriving WHL club to this day that has served as home for numerous NHL players and has played in two Memorial Cups (including serving as host to the WHL championship tournament in 1992).

Of course, the Thunderbirds aren’t the only WHL team close to Seattle. The Winterhawks play in Portland, the Silvertips play in Everett along with the Spokane Chiefs, Tri-City Americans, and Wenatchee Wild to round out the US contingent of teams.

And not everyone playing hockey in Seattle is a professional – yet.

Amateur leagues like Sno-King (established in 1964) and the Kraken Hockey League provide a home for numerous recreational teams with hundreds of teams across a wide range of ages. The University of Washington men’s team plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association and in 2021, a women’s club team was started at the University as well.

The Kraken have rightly drawn the attention of the hockey world, but in addition to their accomplishments, they continue to celebrate and build a long-lasting hockey tradition in the Pacific Northwest.

*The team name Seattle Eskimos is included with the intention to accurately represent history. However, the term long used to describe the Inuit is offensive and should not be used. Learn more about the Inuit here and the damaging impacts of mascot imagery and naming in sports here.