When Hilary Knight first set foot in Seattle as a member of PWHL’s newest expansion franchise, she didn’t just see a new city – she felt a spark.
When asked what she was looking forward to most in coming to Seattle, “Honestly, just the vibes,” Knight said with a laugh. “I really like it out here, and then combine that with just an amazing fan base… to feel that embrace of a very storied professional women’s sports city, yeah, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
For one of the most decorated players in women’s hockey history, Knight’s arrival in Seattle is more than just another stop. It’s a chance to be part of something from the ground up: a team built from scratch, a culture still forming, and a fan base more than eager to connect.
On the ice, Knight knows her role well. “I love offense. I love scoring goals, I love setting up plays,” she said. “But I also take a lot of pride in the defensive zone and trying to be responsible with the puck. I just want to have a presence every time I’m on the ice.”
But Knight’s impact won’t only be measured in goals or wins. She’s already immersing herself in Seattle’s culture, starting with coffee, of course. “I don’t know, maybe it’s cliché,” she admitted, “but I’m excited for the coffee.”
She’s equally excited about the Pacific Northwest landscape, as most people moving to the area are. Knight is a self-described casual hiker, and she’s already making plans to explore.
“If there are mountains, I’m good,” she said. “I texted one of my teammates like, ‘Hey, you want to be hiking buddies?’ We’re going to make a checklist and start going.” Her bulldog-mastiff mix, Bane, is along for the adventure, too. “He can do a couple miles, but he’s also a total potato who’s happy just hanging out at home.”
Seattle’s professional sports community has also welcomed her quickly. A night at the Seattle Storm game stood out as a highlight of her first days in the city.
“We were down on the court and I had to take a video, my feet were literally on the court. That was pretty epic,” Knight said. “Seeing other women who are complete legends in their space is unbelievably inspiring.”
While fans may know Knight best as a U.S. national team icon and one of the faces of women’s hockey, she wants them to know she’s just as passionate about being part of everyday life. She loves music, her current go-to track is Maggie Rogers’ Alaska (Tycho remix) along with anything by Zulan. Aside from hockey, where she cheers for the AHL's Chicago Wolves and loosely followed the NHL's Detroit Red Wings growing up, her favorite sports to watch are basketball and tennis.
And every time Knight pulls on her Seattle jersey, she carries a reminder of her roots. She wears number 21 in honor of her childhood idol, Cammi Granato. Knight told the story of picking out her number as a kid, where you fill out a slip of paper with the number that you want on it.
“There’s no way they’re going to give me this number, but I’m just going to try.” Knight said, “I was thinking I’m just going to try, so I put down number 21 and they gave me 21. It was unbelievable. So for me it’s just special.”
“She was the reason I wanted to play at the highest level,” Knight said. “When I was little, I saw her in the Olympics and thought, ‘I want to be just like her.’ To wear that number now, it’s a constant reminder of how important those moments are, and how I can hopefully inspire the next generation the same way.”
For Knight, being signed by Seattle in the expansion process wasn’t just a career move – it felt right. “Everything aligned,” she said. “It happened quickly, but in many ways it feels like where I’m supposed to be.”
Seattle fans, famously devoted to their teams, now have another star to rally behind, and as Knight settles into her new city, she’s just as eager to join them – not only as the player who can change a game with one shift, but as the neighbor who’s just as happy sipping coffee, hiking a trail, or walking her dog.
“They love sports here, and they’re so passionate,” she said. “To be a part of that is incredible.”
