As Seattle Kraken 1st round pick Berkly Catton made his way up to the podium last month at Sphere, he was briefly intercepted by Seattle Seahawks great – and member of the Kraken ownership group – Marshawn Lynch. And a friendship was born.
Later, Lynch worked his way through Sphere with an arm around the shoulders of the newest Kraken. “It’s unbelievable,” Catton told NHL Network radio. “I watched this guy on TV all the time growing up.”
Lynch, not exactly a graybeard at 38 years of age, only retired for the third and final time in 2019 after a reunion with the Seahawks. It is true that when Lynch and the ‘Hawks won the Super Bowl in 2014, Catton had just turned eight years old. “It’s pretty cool now,” Catton admitted, “to see him and have a conversation and stuff.”
Who should Lynch and Catton come across in their socializing but Utah’s #1 pick, Tij Iginla. The son of Hall of Famer Jerome Iginla and Catton exchanged polite congratulations and small-talk for being 1st-rounders.
That was all too tame for Beast Mode. After shaking Iginla’s hand, he grabbed his jersey and assumed a hockey fighting stance. When Iginla returned the pose, getting an arm’s length grasp of Marshawn’s shirt, Lynch exclaimed, “Yo, you strong as hell.” A few seconds of shadow boxing, a second handshake and a hug, and the dynamic Seattle duo were on their way.
At another point, the pair crossed paths with Montreal Canadiens top pick Ivan Demidov. “Congratulations my boy,” Lynch said with a handshake and hug – before engaging in a little bit of good-natured trash talk. “We’re going to beat your ass. Just letting you know, we’re going to beat your ass. You know what I’m saying?”
Demidov and Catton both erupted in laughter, which I guess is safe to do, now that Beast Mode is in retirement. Lynch acknowledged as much with his last comment. “We’re coming to smash. Well,” Lynch corrected, pointing at Catton, “He’s going to do it. I ain’t going to do it.” With a second handshake from Lynch and a heartfelt, “Congratulations. Respect,” to Demidov, another Marshawn Lynch moment had been immortalized.
Catton talks about it in this Kraken Reaction.