Seattle Kraken creates adorable calendar featuring players with their pets and adoptable canines

The Seattle Kraken, the National Hockey League's newest hockey team is creating sweet memories with their pets. And a non-profit organization called Done Gone Seattle is helping them do it. The team decided to create a 2023-2024 specialty calendar with dogs as they are filled with animal lovers and many dog owners. The calendar features the players posing with their pets and canines from Dog Gone Seattle, as reported by PEOPLE. The organization worked with the team to create 12 months of fun photos that show the players goofing around with the pets and canines.

The calendar does not only promote awareness about adoptable dogs but the net proceeds from Seattle Kraken Dog Calendar sales will go to Dog Gone Seattle and One Roof Foundation. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Seattle Kraken and is working towards building the Climate Pledge Arena, an art facility for the community. Devin Donskoi, wife of Seattle Kraken Joonas Donskoi and who is part of the Seattle Kraken Better Half, which helped to organize the calendar, said that the animal rescue cause is "important to players" because they themselves have experienced good mental health because of their pets. She said, "A few dogs on our team are service animals, and they provide emotional support for the players and their families during such a long 82-game season filled with highs and lows. Players see the emotional value pets provide and enjoy finding ways to help other families adopt these lovable pets."

She called the calendar shoot a "cute chaos" with about 28 dogs who were playing, frolicking, and giving their best shots for the photos. She said that the team had "an absolute blast." On Sunday, the Seattle Kraken won against Florida Panthers with a score of 5-2. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, “We did not move quick enough in our last two games to expect to win," according to Florida Hockey Now. 

Matty Beniers went ahead and took advantage of a Matthew Tkachuk miscue and put Seattle up in the game early. However, Eric Staal got his first goal from the Panthers' end. But the momentum was gone in just 90 seconds when Andre Burakovsky gave Kraken a lead. Seattle was ahead in the rest of the game, Maurice called a timeout with 6:45 left in the game but it did not work out. 

Yanni Gourde from Seattle Kraken sealed the game with an empty netter with two minutes for the game to end. Chris Tierney from Florida Panthers did not give up and went for the second goal for the Panthers. However, Samatha Holloway has become a co-owner of the Seattle Kraken. She is the third principal female team owner in the National Hockey League, according to sportspromedia. She has founded two technology companies in GoSpot Check and Hat Labs. She is joining her father David Bonderman as the co-owner of the team. She is on par with Bonderman now.

Holloway told Seattle Times, "My father has been hugely successful, and I respect him immensely, and there’s a tremendous amount to learn from him." “And that comes with a lot of perks, and it’s also very difficult."

She added, “And so I made it a point to go out on my own and do my own thing for a long time, start several companies and work within tech as a founder and investor.”