Seattle Kraken Debut Glow-in-the-Dark Alternate Jerseys And They’re Awesome
Look, I’ve seen a lot of NHL alternate jerseys over the years. Most of them? Forgettable at best, regrettable at worst. But the Seattle Kraken just debuted something that was beautiful.
The Kraken debuted their new alternate jerseys on the ice, and these bad boys literally glow in the dark. Not in some gimmicky, disappointing-novelty-t-shirt-from-the-mall kind of way, either. We’re talking legitimate bioluminescence-inspired design that pays homage to the deep-sea creatures lurking in Pacific Northwest waters.
What Makes These Glow In Dark Jerseys Special
Here’s where things get interesting. The Kraken didn’t just slap some reflective paint on a sweater and call it a day. They actually thought this through when it comes to there brand. In regards to the glow its a clever nod to “stealth-mode crest” that mimics the natural light emission from creatures living in the ocean’s darkest depths.
The jerseys feature “sonar sleeves” with lines that replicate sonar pings—because apparently, the design team decided to go all-in on the underwater theme. And they didn’t stop there. There’s also a Muckleshoot glow patch honoring the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Native people who originally inhabited the Duwamish and Upper Puyallup watersheds of central Puget Sound.
The Debut That Had Everyone Talking
The jerseys made their official debut on Saturday, November 1, when Seattle hosted the New York Rangers at Climate Pledge Arena (They lost the game 3-2 in overtime). The design itself is sharp enough to stand on its own merits even without the novelty factor. The color scheme works, the details are thoughtful, and frankly, it’s nice to see a team take a creative risk that doesn’t completely backfire and they look cool.
Why This Jersey Drop Actually Matters
Let me level with you—jersey releases have become a dime a dozen in professional sports. Teams churn out alternate uniforms like they’re going out of style (which, ironically, many of them are). But the Kraken’s approach here demonstrates something different and interesting.
The bioluminescence concept taps into something genuinely unique about the Pacific Northwest. We’re talking about waters that are legitimately mysterious, deep, and home to some seriously weird marine life. The Kraken leaned into that rather than playing it safe with another cookie-cutter design.
When You’ll See Them on Ice
The Kraken have scheduled these alternates for 12 games this season. That’s a respectable number—enough to satisfy fans who want to see them regularly, but not so many that they lose their special appeal. It’s the Goldilocks approach to alternate jersey usage, and I respect it, especially when they glow in the dark.
The team clearly knows they’ve got something that resonates with fans. Its just fits this team as a whole too and looks great on players like Joey Daccord, Kaapo Kakko, Brandon Montour, etc.
The Bigger Picture
Here’s what I keep coming back to: the NHL needs more of this in the product. Not necessarily glow-in-the-dark jerseys—that would get old fast—but genuine creativity that reflects the character of a team’s home city. Seattle gave us something that feels authentically Pacific Northwest while still looking legitimately cool.
The design holds up regardless, the color scheme is beautiful, and sometimes the story behind the jersey matters just as much as the final product. The product in general is just excellent and whoever designed it should get a bonus because it looked great.
The Kraken took a swing with this one, and it connected. Well done to them, and other teams need to take notes on how to make a jersey this detail-oriented and connect with the fans. Well done by the Kraken organization.
