Knights awestruck by Winter Classic: ‘The scenery is unbelievable’

SEATTLE — The center-field shipwreck loomed large in the background as the Golden Knights posed for a photograph in their vintage white Winter Classic jerseys Sunday.

As did the retired numbers of Seattle Mariners legends Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. As well as the giant looming red eye of the Seattle Kraken logo underneath T-Mobile Park’s videoboard.

It was a practice setting unlike anything the Knights have experienced. The NHL transformed the 48,000-seat ballpark into the latest picturesque setting for its marquee event of the regular season.

The Knights and Kraken will meet in the Winter Classic on Monday. The teams have been anticipating the nationally televised matchup all season. Seeing the setup in person only added to their excitement.

“I think walking out there with our jerseys on for the picture and looking around, taking in the sights, how big it is out there and the open sky, it’s awesome,” goaltender Logan Thompson said.

The scene

There were new features everywhere as the Knights practiced Sunday in preparation for the NHL’s 15th Winter Classic.

T-Mobile Park’s retractable roof hung overhead, pulled back so the team could skate in the open air. The regulation rink was pristine. It took the league’s 53-foot mobile refrigeration unit, 243 ice pans and 350 gallons of white paint to create the surface that will be used Monday.

“It looks awesome,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “The ice is as good as you can expect. They did a great job, and I’m sure tomorrow will be special.”

The elements sprinkled around the ice sheet were impressive in their own right.

The shipwreck in the middle of the outfield — caused by the tentacles of a kraken — will serve as the main entertainment stage for when Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Heart performs during the first intermission.

There are also 6,500 square feet of wooden docks throughout the park in keeping with the design’s nautical theme. They’re laid over 44,800 square feet of printed blue graphics representing the water of the adjacent Puget Sound. The players will walk over the docks to get to the rink from the dugout when they are introduced by rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot.

The outfield features more than just the shipwreck. There are three frozen ponds and a smaller rink where youth hockey players will be skating throughout the game. There is also a boat house in left field that will house TNT’s pregame and intermission panels.

“This is huge,” said TNT commentator Eddie Olczyk, who will be on the broadcast. “This is a huge production, and it’s a lot of fun. Everybody’s gonna be there. It’s a celebration of what we think is the greatest game in the world.”

Making memories

The backdrop brought back memories old and new for the Knights.

Many of them grew up playing on outdoor rinks as children. Center Jack Eichel said “it’s the purest form of the game.”

The Winter Classic is a rare opportunity to experience a bit of nostalgia. It’s the second outdoor game in franchise history, after the team’s 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Edgewood Tahoe Resort Golf Course on Feb. 20, 2021, in Stateline.

The Knights are hoping this game goes smoother. The sun caused a long delay after the first period in Lake Tahoe. The game started at 12:13 p.m. and didn’t end until 10:49 p.m.

“I’m hoping there’s not a nine-hour intermission (this time),” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said.

The Winter Classic is a different experience. The Knights got a chance to create memories they’ll remember forever Sunday.

The team was allowed to have friends and family on the ice for 45 minutes after its practice. Pietrangelo supervised his four children at play. Captain Mark Stone skated laps with daughter Scarlett. Right wing Jonathan Marchessault’s four kids zoomed all over the place, even when he tried to gather them together for a family picture.

“The scenery is unbelievable,” Marchessault said. “Kids had fun. All the families had access. Like my kids, they were on the bench during practice. Everything was great.”

The event was so special that the Knights brought some of their injured players on the trip to give them a chance to take it all in. Goaltender Adin Hill and defensemen Ben Hutton, Kaedan Korczak, Daniil Miromanov and Shea Theodore were present even though they won’t play Monday.

The Knights aren’t likely to forget the experience anytime soon. Now all they have to do is add to it with a win.

“These are special moments,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m sure when tomorrow comes, they’re competitive people, right? They’re going to want to get to the game, get playing and get the win. It’s OK to let yourself go and soak it all in because you don’t get to do this all the time.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on X.