Missing Stanley Cup Playoffs Is One Thing For Kraken - This May Be Worse

This Seattle Kraken mystery is so big, we might have to enlist the services of Scooby-Doo.

The NHL is partnering with dog rescue organizations for a TV show they're calling "Stanley Pup." (See what they did there?) The paw-pose of the show is to encourage adoption of rescue dogs. (See what I did there?)

If you liked all that, you'll love the names given to some of the rescue dogs for the sort-of competition show, airing in the U.S. on NHL Network and ESPN+ on June 7 at 5 pm Pacific time. Here's a sampling:

• Alex Ofetchkin
• Auston Mattchews
• Nathan MacKibble
• Connor McDoodle
• Nikita Poocherov
• Sergei Bobruffsky
• Joe Pawvelski

Shelters in 27 NHL cities will have a participating pooch, according to listings on PetcoLove.org . Some have already been adopted. But one of the five cities and teams not listed is the Seattle Kraken.

We know the Kraken love dogs; check out Seattle defenseman Will Borgen in our featured photo above. No less than People Magazine confirmed it back in 2022.

"The team is filled with animal lovers, including numerous dog owners, so the Seattle Kraken decided to do good with all the adorable dogs they had at their disposal. The result is a 2023-24 specialty calendar that features the Seattle Kraken players posing in festive and silly scenarios surrounded by their pet dogs and adoptable canines from Dog Gone Seattle ."

While we dig into the reason for the Kraken's absence from the 2024 event, enjoy photos we dug up from the promotional calendar. And don't punish us for digging.