Seattle Kraken NHL Learn to Play program draws crowds of kids in Anchorage

There were plenty of spills Thursday evening at the Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena.

But there were also plenty of smiles as the inaugural Seattle Kraken NHL Learn to Play program in Anchorage wrapped up for more than 80 area kids ages 5-9.

The Kraken have teamed with the Anchorage Hockey Academy for previous camps, but the Learn to Play program is specifically for newcomers to the game.

The Kraken have been involved in Alaska hockey since joining the NHL in 2021-22, including making major donations in the effort to save the UAA hockey team in 2021. Senior manager of partnership marketing Melissa O’Brochta said access is part of the organization’s model. The Kraken have been doing similar camps in Seattle regularly.

“It really all comes down to growing the game of hockey,” she said. “Youth access to sport is a pillar of ours as an organization, but Alaska has always kind of been our territory and we’ve always considered Alaska as Kraken territory. So we want to make sure that the same access that we’re creating for hockey in Seattle, we’re trying to do here in Anchorage for now and hopefully beyond.”

The Learn to Play programs generally run for about eight weeks and, on top of instruction, include a full set of hockey equipment for each skater.

“This is fully introducing the game of hockey,” O’Brochta said. “The Learn to Play program is set up to introduce the sport, get them the gear that they need and give them those, like, first stepping stones or skating skills in order to get really comfortable on the ice and get the basics of the game down and set them up so they can go join a team or a league.”

Kirk Kullberg runs the Anchorage Hockey Association Mite Program, which is generally for kids 8 and under. Kullberg helped administer the Learn to Play program and said it was perfectly timed and a great way to give more kids an opportunity to see if they like the game.

“I didn’t want to conflict with any of the regular season stuff or compete with any other local associations,” he said. “And obviously, the Kraken name, it carries a lot of weight ... and through this program, it’ll pump kids into the programs that maybe would not have been interested, and the biggest asset is they get out here with gear from head to toe, so that’s a good deal.”

The initial plan was to host a group of 40, but when around 100 kids showed interest, they doubled the program with two groups and plans for a spring session for any kids who didn’t get a chance to be involved this fall.

Ophelia and Dmitri Clark had some initial trepidation after their mom signed up the siblings for the program.

But both ended up enjoying the camp and said they met friends. Ophelia, 9, liked skating, while Dmitri, 6, said he liked shooting the puck.

The final session on Thursday featured a number of segments on the ice with various drills and free skating.

It also included a special guest — Kraken mascot Buoy, who joined kids on the ice and chipped in with some hijinks.

“It’s so cool to see,” O’Brochta said. “These kiddos are coming up to my knees barely and they’re on skates. And it’s just so special to see the game getting introduced so young and hockey’s so integral to what Alaska is and means. And so we’re really excited to be part of it.”

The program was a partnership between the Kraken, Bristol Bay Native Corp., Premera and the Anchorage Hockey Academy, allowing it to be free for kids to attend.

“Our goal is now to run this in the spring and the fall until we run out of resources,” Kullberg said.