The Seattle Thunderbirds roots begin in Canada where they started as the Vancouver Nat's. This team played from 71-73 until they moved to British Columbia as the Kamloops Chiefs. 

It was not until 77 that the team moved to Seattle, but were known as the Seattle Breakers. The Breakers began playing their games at Key Arena. The historic venue has remained a Seattle staple since the 60's but provided some unique difficulties in the area of hockey games. We will dive a bit deeper into these issues later though...

Fast-forward to 1985 when the Seattle Breakers officially became the team we now know and love. The team's official colors are navy blue, green, and white. Their logo is that of a native american carving of a Thunderbird framed with two hockey sticks. The T-birds plays in the Western Hockey League within the western conference. 

Currently they play in a beautiful venue that was built to mainly house them... but is a multi-use facility. That venue, the Showare Center, opened in 2009 after breaking ground in 2007. The final building price reached 84.5 million dollars, and can hold 6500 fans for hockey. 

largest attendance at Showare (2009)

The adventure to land Showare took some time however. Just as the Kingdome needed replacement for the Mariners and Seahawks, and Key Arena was too small for the SuperSonics... Key Arena also provided an odd venue for a hockey contest.

Key Arena was much better off as a basketball facility, as it provided poor sightlines when the hockey rink went down. The hockey rink also was just barely able to fit within the facility. The scoreboard/video board that hangs above most basketball and hockey events also was oddly placed with the exsisting hockey rink layout. Instead of being placed at center ice, it oddly hung above the blue line. These difficulties made Showare a necessity, rather than want, for hockey to continue in the area. 

A short trip to Kent, Washington would provide the building grounds, and the rest is history. 

 Notice the oddly placed scoreboard above the blue line @Key Arena

Despite the team's lengthy history they have yet to win it all, and are still after an elusive championship. They have had considerable talent, however, including nearly 100 NHL players who have skated with either the Breakers or T-birds. 

Their most decorated player was Glen Goodall who is the only Thunderbird to have his jersey number retired (10) Goodall set records for games played -399, goals-262, assists- 311, and points- 573. Despite the WHL success, he was not as decorated in the NHL.

Heading into 2016, hopefully a new Goodall can be discovered and coach Steve Konowalvhuk, former NHLer for Capitals and Avalanche, can get the team to the or first major championship. 

Article pic Chris K:https://www.flickr.com/photos/crackho/4328615740/in/photolist-7AvhDS-4s4...

Key Arena hockey: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortes/1919292399/in/photolist-dyNXuM-6JMH...

Showare Arena: https://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/3318470600/in/photolist-64f2Gm-64...