Finding His Crew – Again
As the Kraken present Military Appreciation Night presented by Starbucks at Tuesday’s home matchup with Columbus, Houtz reminds us that veterans returning to civilian life have adjustments to make, including the discovery of a career path or finding a compatible workplace culture.
“From a veteran standpoint, coming out of the military and working in a hockey arena with a team, I don’t think there was any better fit for me,” said Houtz, who supervises ice preparation by several part-time Zamboni drivers, along with overseeing operations at the Iceplex five nights a week. “I was able to find [and now lead] a crew with which to embed myself again and have that same kind of camaraderie and togetherness, being on a solid team.”
Ask any accomplished hockey player upon retirement what they miss most, and the answer is overwhelmingly the close ties with teammates and being part of a group aligned with a common goal. Kraken head coach Lane Lambert refers to it as “being on the same page” on the ice and encourages players to bond off-ice as well. Houtz has found that Iceplex sweet spot along with a hockey dream come true.
‘Flat-Brim or Curved Brim’
During his three-plus-year stint at Toyota Center and Arena, Houtz in 2019 applied for a part-time “on-call” position with MGM International to work as a Zamboni driver and conversion tech at the Las Vegas arena for NHL games and other events. Houtz spent three years there part-time, saying: “The pay wasn’t great, but it was a stepping-stone for my career.” In August 2019, Houtz became MGM’s full-time conversion lead, no doubt benefiting from leadership roles with the Army - first in missile operations and later as in-flight maintenance crew chief for UH-60A Blackhawk helicopters. But his Zamboni career went full-dream mode when he was hired by the Kraken and Iceplex in December 2022.
“Ever since I was in Fort Lewis down south, in 2015, I heard the rumblings of Seattle getting an NHL team,” said Houtz during a thoroughly enjoyable hour-long conversation this past weekend. “I was down in Vegas, but when Seattle got its team, even before there was a name or brand, I knew I had to be up here again. I was rising [in the Vegas organization] but I wanted to be closer to family [in Montana and Oregon] and back with mountains and trees and the water.”
The hockey dream gets sweeter: “I even worked the very first Seattle Kraken game,” said Houtz, chuckling, of the team’s October 2021 road debut. “I did the ice in Vegas for the Kraken morning skate before the season opener that night ... Then when I got the job with the Kraken and Iceplex I was finishing out my two weeks in Vegas. There was actually a home game against Seattle. I'm getting ready to get Kraken practice going and [head equipment manager] Jeff Camelio comes into my Zamboni room to ask if the ice is ready. I said, ‘Yes and, hey, this is kinda weird, but I actually just got hired by you guys to be part of managing facility operations at KCI.’ Jeff said, ‘Oh, cool, are you a full-brim or curved-brim guy?’ I’m like, I guess, curved brim. Moments later, Jeff came back with a Kraken curved-brim, fitted hat. I wore that hat for the whole first year I was working here in Seattle.”
Honored with Medals, Traveling the World
Houtz is modest about his military service, but this reporter felt obliged to dig and hit pay dirt. The guy adult-league players observe cutting ice fit for, well, both them and the Kraken, on Rink 1 collected 10 medals and certificates for his work as crew chief across missile operations and the Army’s Blackhawk helicopter fleet. Allow just a few adjectives to provide a sense of his respect among enlisted and officers alike: “Selfless service,” “exemplary mission accomplishment and technical expertise,” and “outstanding dedication to duty during combat operations in Iraq.”
For his part, Houtz will never forget Iraqi sunrises (“Oh my goodness, incredible”) seen over 15 months while remaining glad everyone in his unit returned safely to the U.S.
While clear about the value of serving his country, Houtz additionally viewed enlisting as his way to see the world beyond his childhood hometown of Elko, NV, where he played hockey from age 11 but didn’t convert to playing goal until his high school team’s goalie moved away before senior year. As an ultimate team player, he volunteered to “put on the pads” and loved it.
What’s more, playing goalie proved a talent that has sparked playing for hockey teams throughout his military career and, most enjoyably, in many countries (“I counted one time, but I don’t know the number anymore”). While goalie union member and Kraken fan favorite Philipp Grubauer has played more often in his native Germany, Houtz logged many games while stationed in that European nation. He’s been in net across Europe and even South Korea while stationed there for Blackhawk operations, flying in agreed air zones (“I've flown along the North Korean border and looked into the eyes of some North Koreans ... that was interesting”).
“The great thing about being stationed in Germany, we received a four-day weekend at least once a month because soldiers were encouraged to travel more and see the world because it can be scary for some people,” said Houtz. “I saw 16 countries overseas and before that I had never been east of Nevada.”
