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Seattle’s New Hockey Team Hires the First Full-Time Black Play-By-Play Announcer in the NHL

The Seattle Kraken have made history with one of the team's recent hires.

The expansion hockey team announced Friday that Everett Fitzhugh will be the team's broadcaster, making him the first Black play-by-play announcer in the NHL.

Fitzhugh, 31, said in a statement that the role is a "dream come true."

"As someone who's worked in hockey for over a decade and who has a long-held passion for broadcast hockey, to be named team broadcaster for a brand-new NHL franchise — particularly one with an organization as strong as the Kraken — is a dream come true," he said.

"Getting to the NHL has always been my goal," continued Fitzhugh, who is originally from Detroit. "I look forward to serving as the voice for this incredible team and its fans as well as representing the Kraken organization throughout the greater Seattle community."

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Fitzhugh said that he developed a passion for hockey broadcasting in college as a student at Bowling Green State University.

Fitzhugh joins the Kraken after several years broadcasting for the East Coast Hockey League, a mid-level league.

A defining moment of Fitzhugh's career came in 2018, when he was able to announce the play-by-play of a preseason NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins.

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Fitzhugh said that opportunity gave him a chance "not only to call an NHL game and just get a little bit of a taste of the NHL to keep me on the right track, it also gave me a chance to measure myself and see where I am."

"I walked away from that game — and I say this in the most humble way possible — I walked away from that game saying, 'I can do this. I can be an NHL broadcaster,' " he said.

The Kraken also announced two other hires on Friday: Jonny Greco as senior vice president of game presentation and live entertainment and Lamont Buford as vice president of game presentation.

The NHL's 32nd team was unveiled earlier this summer and will make its debut in the 2021-22 season.