Commentary: It's past time to give Everett Silvertips the attention they deserve

SEATTLE - About ten years ago, when the NHL to Seattle effort was just getting started, I remember asking the Seattle T-Birds and Everett Silvertips whether it would be a good thing or bad thing for their respective franchises, given the potential to be overlooked if Seattle had an NHL team.

The response was always respectful: More hockey for the region would be a good thing. Well, it’s far past time for me to reciprocate that respect. 

The Everett Silvertips are currently playing in the WHL Championship. Saturday night at Angel of the Winds Arena, they tied their best-of-seven series against Prince Albert at one game apiece. They’re now just three wins away from winning their first league championship and Ed Chenoweth Cup in franchise history.

The Silvertips have not only finished with the best regular-season record in the entire league the last two seasons, but they also set a franchise record this season with 57 wins. In 68 regular-season games, they lost just eight times in regulation. 

Their head coach Steve Hamilton was named WHL Coach of the Year, and some draft analysts expect 16-year-old Landon DuPont to be the top overall pick when he becomes eligible for next year’s NHL Draft. 

And yet, not surprisingly, most of the media attention has gone to the Seattle Kraken, despite its inability to reach the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, and its coaching carousel that’s seen three different leaders over the last three years. I’m not knocking prioritizing the local NHL team over the WHL – I’m only lamenting the fact that it’s overshadowed the dominant and unprecedented run they’ve seen in Everett.

After all, without the Kraken, you’d probably have seen more Silvertips highlights throughout the season, and their playoff run would have likely been more frequently documented than it has. 

More hockey is good for hockey, sure. But it’s unfair to shortchange a more-than-worthy team because of potential oversaturation.

So whether we’re late to the game or not, consider this an acknowledgment of incredible achievement in the North Sound — the Tips certainly have our attention. And, based on the eight thousand fans in attendance last night, the folks in Everett are well aware too. 

And this time next week, we could be celebrating the first league title in Silvertips history.   

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