Today, March 1 at 10am, season ticket deposits for the possible NHL team in Seattle went on sale. Anyone who knows me probably knows I am a very big hockey fan and have been waiting for the NHL to expand and allow a team to come to Seattle for a very long time. The only problem, for me at least, is that each deposit for one season ticket is $500. I’m a senior in college, with a part-time job. Unfortunately, I don’t have $500 lying around for a ticket, but I know if I did, I’d support our potential team in a heartbeat.
Many people may think that since we aren’t home to an NHL team and haven’t been for over 100 years, that maybe us over here in the upper left corner of the U.S. just don’t have enough passion for the sport. That is so wrong.
Western Washington is home to two junior hockey teams, plus there is two on the East side of the mountains. That makes four junior teams alone in Washington State, plus Oregon also has a team. Needless to say, the Pacific Northwest has had hockey fever for years now, just no local NHL team to call our own and root for.
Despite no professional team being near us, we've had plenty of other local hockey accomplishments to be proud of. I mean, after all, the Seattle Thunderbirds did win the league championship just last year.
If you’re a native Washingtonian hockey fan like me, you may have chosen to cheer for the closest NHL team, which is in Vancouver, B.C. (go Canucks), or maybe you just chose a random East Coast team to call yours. Either way, we’re all fans who know that Seattle deserves an NHL team. We’ve clawed and fought our way to this moment and we aren’t stopping now. Not until there is a team in our city that we get to root for.
The interest for the NHL to relocate to Seattle began in 2013. It is now 2018. After today, the NHL Board of Governors have seen how devoted Seattle area hockey fans really are. Even if we do get awarded a team, which will happen, they won't play until the 2020 season. I'm totally fine for the wait. It will all be worth it in the end.
I can't wait for the day that I can walk into the rink and watch an NHL game in Seattle. I know that I have so many friends that I've met through the sport itself that have the same feeling as I do with all this. The NHL in Seattle will happen, and sooner than we think. Get ready hockey fans.
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