The Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League have named former Seattle Seahawks running back star Marshawn Lynch of Oakland, California a minority owner according to Tim Booth of the Associated Press on Monday. Lynch played 83 games with the Seahawks from 2010 to 2015, and again in 2019.
The Kraken are in their first season in the NHL. Unlike the Vegas Golden Knights, who went to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season in 2017-18, it has been a bit of a struggle for the Kraken in 2021-22. They currently have a record of 25 wins, 44 regulation losses, and six losses in extra time for 56 points. Only the Montreal Canadiens (51 points), and the Arizona Coyotes (49 points), have fewer points this season than Seattle.
Seattle’s majority owners are American billionaire David Bonderman (founding partner of the Texas Pacific Group), American film producer Jerry Bruckheimer (producer of CSI, Cold Case and Without a Trace), and former Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke. Meanwhile the Kraken general manager is former NHL star Ron Francis, who should be considered the best athlete not in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
In 83 games with the Seahawks, Lynch had 1469 rushes for 6381 yards, and 58 rushing touchdowns. He also had 158 catches for 1309 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. For his National Football League career, which also included four seasons with the Buffalo Bills, and two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Lynch had 2453 rushes for 10413 yards, and 85 rushing touchdowns, along with 287 catches for 2214 yards and nine receiving touchdowns.
Lynch was selected to the Pro Bowl with the Bills in 2008, and then four straight seasons with the Seahawks from 2011 to 2014. He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (12 in 2013 and 13 in 2014), and won a Super Bowl with Seattle in 2014.
