The Seattle Kraken have revealed the seven artists behind their 2026-2027 Common Thread specialty jerseys, a season-long lineup of theme-night designs that will be signed by players and auctioned off for local charitable causes. The jerseys will not appear on the ice during warmups, since NHL policy prohibits specialty jerseys from being worn during pregame skates, but they will still take center stage at arena arrivals and online.
According to KIRO 7 News Seattle, the seven artists creating designs for this season are Andrew Gomez IV, Joe Seymour, Hoa Hong, Teresa Grasseschi, Jessie Lipscomb, Yumi Reid, and Charles Spitzack. Per the team's own account, the Common Thread designs are meant to symbolize how, regardless of diverse backgrounds and unique experiences, everyone is woven together by the same passion and devotion for the Kraken. The program has run since 2021, giving this year's rollout a now-familiar rhythm even as the specific designs change each season.
Why the Jerseys Stay Off the Ice
The reason Kraken players won't wear these jerseys during warmups traces back to a league-wide decision. The NHL banned all cause-based and specialty jerseys during pregame warmups in June 2023, after player opt-outs from Pride Night warmups sparked public controversy during the 2022-2023 season, according to CBC Sports. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the time that player refusals were becoming a distraction from the underlying community causes the nights were meant to honor.
Since that ban took effect, franchises including the Kraken have adapted by shifting the specialty jerseys to arena arrivals before puck drop, where players wear them walking in and then sign them for charity, as reported by the Washington Blade. That workaround, pioneered in part by New Jersey and other teams, has let Common Thread continue largely unchanged in spirit even without on-ice visibility.
Seven Themes, Seven Stories
Each jersey ties to a specific theme night this season. For Hispanic Heritage Night on October 22, Chicano artist Andrew Gomez IV designed a jersey incorporating classic bandana paisley patterns and chrome curves inspired by vintage car ornaments, a nod meant to represent West Coast Chicano subculture and expand Latino representation through a Chicano diaspora perspective, per the team.
Indigenous Peoples Night on December 10 features artwork from Coast Salish artist Joe Seymour, who used traditional Salish shapes including crescents, trigons, and ellipses to honor the region's original inhabitants; the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe sponsors that night. Pride Night on February 3 carries a design by Teresa Grasseschi built around the theme “nature is queer,” drawing on fluidity in the natural world to celebrate LGBTQ+ identity, with Symetra sponsoring the game.
Women in Hockey Night on March 11 will showcase a jersey from Yumi Reid centered on Japanese Sakura, or cherry blossom, trees, using blooming flowers to symbolize how women grow together through community — a concept Reid drew from her upbringing in Japan and the floral surroundings of her studio. Green Night on March 30 rounds out the announced designs, with artist Charles Spitzack applying century-old West Coast woodcut printing techniques to depict Pacific Northwest mountain ranges, ivy, and tree lines; Boeing sponsors that night, which aligns with Climate Pledge Arena's broader environmental mission.
Where the Auction Money Goes
Kraken players will sign the specialty jerseys, and the team will auction them off, with proceeds benefiting the One Roof Foundation and other Seattle organizations, per KIRO 7's reporting. One Roof Foundation, founded in May 2021 as the joint philanthropic arm of the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena, directs its grantmaking toward youth homelessness, youth access to sports, and environmental justice, and partners with regional nonprofits including YouthCare to support vulnerable local youth.
The signed jerseys go up for bid through the Kraken's game-day Anchor Auction platform, which opens online 30 minutes before arena doors open on game nights, according to the foundation. Those same auctions typically include signed sticks, mystery pucks, and player-curated gift baskets throughout the season. Fans who purchase tickets through the team's special ticket offers page can also receive a limited-edition tumbler featuring that night's artist design, the station's report notes.
New Start Times for Weeknight Games
Fans planning to catch a Common Thread night in person should note a scheduling shift for this season. Ahead of the 2026-2027 season, the Kraken moved most Monday-through-Thursday home games at Climate Pledge Arena to an earlier 6:40 p.m. PT start time, a change made based on feedback from season ticket holders. The team also introduced a Build-A-Pack ticket option this year offering savings of up to 32 percent for fans bundling multiple games.
The Common Thread program has become a fixture of the Kraken's community calendar since its 2021 launch, and this season's seven-artist lineup continues that pattern even as the jerseys themselves stay confined to arena walkways, autograph sessions, and online bidding rather than the ice.
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