SEATTLE – Sept. 16, 2024 – The Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) today officially introduced Kraken Hockey Network (KHN), the NHL’s newest team production that will give hockey fans in the Pacific Northwest more unprecedented access to Kraken games and storylines than ever before.
Beginning this season, the Seattle Kraken will fully produce every non-national game for distribution on KING 5, KONG and select TEGNA, Gray, Cox and Morgan Murphy TV stations, and via streaming on Prime Video. Games are available for free over-the-air, covering 96% of households across Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, with additional distribution through existing cable and streaming services.
Kraken Hockey Network produced games will feature new, dynamic Kraken brand elements, bringing fans even closer to the action than ever before thanks to 13 operated cameras, five super slomo replay angles, a new advanced stats graphic system, and a custom graphics package. There will be more behind-the-scenes access, as well as a new studio, pre-game shows, intermission features and post-game analysis that dive deeper into the storylines about the players, coaches and Kraken personalities as they embark on their pursuit for victories throughout the NHL season.
In addition to already having some of the best and most recognizable broadcast talent in the NHL, the Seattle Kraken are thrilled to welcome Hall of Fame sportscaster Linda Cohn, and the voice of Pacific Northwest sports and hockey, Ian Furness to the broadcasts as KHN hosts.
Linda Cohn will host approximately 15 marquee KHN games on KING 5 this season. She began her sportscasting career in 1981 and spent 1989-1992 in Seattle as a local sports anchor and reporter, before moving to ESPN where she still works today as the longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor. In early 2016 was recognized for her 5,000th SportsCenter, the most of any anchor in ESPN history. She also brings with her deep roots in hockey, having served as a goalie for her high school boys’ team and college women’s team. Cohn currently hosts the 10 p.m. PT edition of SportsCenter that originates from Los Angeles.
“Besides the fact that the Kraken are an amazing organization and there’s so much promise with this team, it’s personal for me to be back in Seattle," said Cohn. “It’s a city that I’ll always love forever because it’s a family connection. It's just very personal and I’m thrilled for this opportunity.”
Ian Furness will host most KHN games and contribute to every broadcast. Furness is the long-time host of the Ian Furness Show on the Kraken’s radio partner, 99.3 KJR. He also has deep roots and a passion for hockey, having been involved in the game for most of his career, including serving as play-by-play lead for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans, and the Utah Grizzlies (AHL/IHL).
“Hockey has always been a passion and big part of my life, in part because of the influence of my grandfather who played,” said Furness. “My father was a TV news anchor, and my mom was a competitive figure skater from Saskatchewan, so I have been around this business and ice rinks for as long as I can remember. The chance to work for the Kraken and be part of the NHL every night is a wonderful opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started."
Furness and Cohn join a broadcast all-star team, including John Forslund, JT Brown, Eddie Olczyk, Alison Lukan and Piper Shaw, who will be back to lead the broadcasts of games this season.
Legendary play-by-play announcer John Forslund joined the team in 2021 alongside recently retired NHLer JT Brown, analytics expert Alison Lukan, and in-game host Piper Shaw. In season two, the team grew to include Stanley Cup-winner and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Olczyk in the booth. The team's broadcast has been widely praised and was named number one in The Athletic's 2023 NHL broadcast rankings, voted by fans.
How fans can watch Kraken games:
This season Kraken Hockey Network will produce and broadcast 72 non-nationally exclusive Kraken preseason and regular season games plus the first round of the playoffs, including pre- and post-game shows.
Prime Video will stream all non-nationally televised games for Prime members in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, which will include pre-season, regular season and the first round of playoffs. The Kraken are the first NHL team to partner directly with the streamer.
In addition, the games will be carried over-the-air in the Seattle region on TEGNA's KONG, with at least 15 games simulcast on TEGNA's NBC affiliate, KING 5. Fans outside of Seattle will see the games on TEGNA stations KREM-KSKN, the CBS affiliate in Spokane, Wash.; KAPP-KVEW, the ABC affiliate in Yakima and Tri-Cities, Wash.; KGW, the NBC affiliate in Portland, Ore.; KEVU & KLSR, the MyNet affiliates in Eugene, Ore.; and Gray Media’s KAUU in Anchorage, Ala. & KYEX in Juneau, Ala.
KING 5 will also air a new, weekly 30-minute Kraken magazine show featuring host Paul Silvi. The show will feature deep storylines and exclusive interviews with Kraken players, management and coaches.
Fans can also tune into Kraken games on the iHeart Kraken Audio Network on 99.3 KJR, with hosts Everett Fitzhugh and Al Kinisky, plus pre- and post-game coverage with Mike Benton. Viewing and listing information can be found at seattlekraken.com/broadcast.
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About the Seattle Kraken
Launched in 2021, the Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League's 32nd franchise and compete in the league's Pacific Division. The 2024-25 season will be the Kraken's fourth at Climate Pledge Arena. Visit www.nhl.com/kraken for the latest news and information including press releases, multimedia and content.
About Prime Video Sports
Prime Video supports a growing lineup of live sports globally, including Thursday Night Football, NBA, NASCAR, the New York Yankees, Overtime Elite, and Premier Boxing Champions in the United States; the NWSL, the WNBA, and ONE Championship in the United States and Canada; NHL Prime Monday Night Hockey in Canada; Premier League in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark; UEFA Champions League football in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom; Roland-Garros and Ligue 1 in France; The Championships, Wimbledon in Germany and Austria; New Zealand Cricket in India; as well as Copa do Brasil football and the NBA in Brazil; and boxing and the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Japan. While availability varies by marketplace, fans can also subscribe to streaming services such as Eurosport, FOX Sports (Mexico), Viaplay Sport, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, NBA TV, DAZN (Germany and Spain), and Premiere FC (Brazil) through Prime Video Channels. This is in addition to a selection of Amazon Original documentaries including Kelce, Bye Bye Barry, Coach Prime, Giannis, and the Amazon Original All or Nothing franchise, including All or Nothing: Arsenal, All or Nothing: Juventus, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and All or Nothing seasons with various NFL teams, as well as the NCAA’s Michigan Wolverines football team.
