Seattle is the cheapest place in the NHL to follow a team. Seventy-seven of the 84 Kraken games air free over the air on KONG, with up to 20 of them simulcast on KING 5 — up from about 15 last season. There is no subscription to buy: local games also stream on Prime Video at no extra cost to Prime members in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. A Kraken fan with an antenna spends nothing.
Which channel are Kraken games on?
KONG in Seattle carries every locally controlled game, free over the air, under the Kraken Hockey Network banner. Up to 20 games are also simulcast on KING 5. Beyond Seattle the network runs through KGW in Portland, KREM and KSKN in Spokane, KAPP and KVEW in Yakima, KEVU and KLSR in Eugene, KAUU in Anchorage and KYEX in Juneau, among others — reaching around 96 per cent of the club’s tri-state fanbase, and carried on basic cable at no extra charge.
Do I need a subscription?
No. There is no paid Kraken product at all. Local games also stream on Prime Video at no additional cost to Prime members inside Washington, Oregon and Alaska, and Prime is $14.99 a month or $139 a year if you want that route — but the antenna route costs nothing beyond the antenna.
How many games are free?
Seventy-seven of 84. Only the seven national exclusives are unavailable locally: one on TNT, two on ESPN or ABC and four streaming on ESPN+. That is the largest free over-the-air package in the NHL.
What changed this season?
The deal with TEGNA was extended in February 2026, and the KING 5 simulcast count went up rather than down — from around 15 games to as many as 20. In a season where most markets got more expensive, Seattle got cheaper. The Kraken have had no regional sports network since leaving ROOT Sports in 2024-25 and have not looked back.
Who calls the games?
John Forslund on play-by-play with J.T. Brown, promoted from rinkside to the analyst chair after Eddie Olczyk left the booth in July 2026 for family reasons. No replacement analyst has been named. Radio is on Sports Radio 93.3 KJR-FM under a multi-year extension announced on 27 August 2026, with Everett Fitzhugh on play-by-play, Al Kinisky on colour and Mike Benton hosting — on a network that has grown from ten affiliates to more than twenty across Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
When do the Kraken open?
Thursday 1 October, away at Calgary at 6pm Pacific — a fifth straight road opener. The home opener is Sunday 4 October, also against Calgary. Note that the Kraken also play two Global Series games against Carolina in Helsinki on 12 and 14 November, with unusual start times.
| Local network | Kraken Hockey Network, on TEGNA stations |
|---|---|
| Main channel | KONG (Seattle), free over the air |
| Also on | KING 5 for up to 20 simulcasts; KGW Portland, KREM/KSKN Spokane, KAPP/KVEW Yakima, KEVU/KLSR Eugene, KAUU Anchorage, KYEX Juneau |
| Free over the air | 77 of 84 games — the largest free package in the NHL |
| Streaming | Prime Video, no extra cost to Prime members in WA, OR and AK |
| Price | Free |
| Blackout territory | Washington, Oregon and Alaska |
| Radio | 93.3 KJR-FM — Everett Fitzhugh, Al Kinisky, Mike Benton |
| TV team | John Forslund and J.T. Brown |
| National TV games | 7 |
| Opening night | Thu 1 October, at Calgary; home opener Sun 4 October v Calgary |
Last verified 7 September 2026. Prices and carriage change — see our guide to watching every NHL team in 2026-27 for the national packages and how blackouts work.
