Despite being in the league for just three seasons, the Seattle Kraken have assembled quite the prospect pool. While they have had a few early selections in the first round, they have also found hidden gems in recent drafts in the second and third rounds, helping formulate one of the league’s best prospect pools. The honorable mentions list alone is arguably better than some team’s prospect pools, and the top five is filled with All-Star potential talent.
Honorable mentions: Julius Miettinen, Clarke Caswell, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Ryan Winterton, Logan Morrison, Lukas Dragicevic, Kim Saarinen, Zeb Forsfjall, Alexis Bernier, Nathan Villeneuve
10. Ty Nelson, 20 years old (RD)
Ty Nelson has an exceptionally hard shot despite being just 5-foot-10. He has a very high hockey IQ, frequently making precise passes look routine. His best qualities are his passing and playmaking ability, largely due to his ability to regulate puck possession in the offensive zone while keeping his head up to find an open teammate. He is on the younger side of 2022 draftees, so he is a bit behind in development, but a few seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Coachella Valley Firebirds could see him develop into a top-four defenseman who plays on the powerplay, producing north of 30 points per season while providing average to above average defense.
9. Eduard Sale, 19 years old (W)
Eduard Sale was selected 20th overall by the Kraken in the 2023 Draft and struggled last season. Growing up in Czechia, he had never played on North American soil, so suiting up in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) presented a challenge. He scored just 15 goals and 38 points in 49 games split between the Barrie Colts and Kitchener Rangers. These are disappointing numbers for a first-round pick, especially in the OHL as a 19-year-old. However, there is reason to believe he will turn his game around.
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Sale will begin this season with Kitchener and he is bound to improve his offensive totals since he will be more accustomed to their system. When he played for Czechia at the 2024 World Junior Championship last season, he dominated, scoring three goals and four assists in seven games. He is an exceptional passer and strong skater, two qualities that bode well in the OHL, so a bounceback should be in the cards. Only time will tell, but Sale could still develop into the player Seattle was going for when they selected him last offseason.
8. Caden Price, 18 years old (LD)
Another 2023 draftee of the Kraken is Caden Price. He is still just 18 years old and was a few weeks away from being ineligible to be selected in the 2023 Draft, but his film would not show it. The smooth-skating, two-way defenseman has great defensive awareness and rarely makes mistakes in the defensive zone. While his 13 goals and 55 points in 62 games for the Kelowna Rockets are impressive, he is capable of much more.
Price will join the Rockets again next season and could be one of the best defensemen in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He is a very fun prospect to watch, and it is hard to imagine he does not develop into an NHL defenseman. He may be close to three seasons away from reaching the NHL, but his upside of developing into a reliable, two-way top-four defenseman warrants his position on this list.
7. David Goyette, 20 years old (C)
David Goyette was selected 61st overall in the 2022 Draft, but his production would make you think he was selected in the top 10. Last season he scored 40 goals and 117 points in 68 games for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. He led the league in points and finished second in assists (77). His elite skating may suit him better as a winger at the NHL level, but his upside is ridiculous.
Goyette’s best trait is his elusive, high-paced skating, but he is a well-rounded offensive prospect. He has impressive hands and can score from all areas on the ice. He does struggle in the physical aspect of the game, which is why he is not ranked top-five in the prospect pool, but that is a weakness that could be overcome. He will be starting this season with the Firebirds, which will be a test of his physicality, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the adversity. If all goes well, he could be rushed to the NHL as a middle-six forward with a 50+ point upside. If not, he may struggle to see consistent shifts in the NHL.
6. Jani Nyman, 19 years old (W)
Jani Nyman may be one of the most underrated prospects in the entire NHL. The 6-foot-4 winger finished last season with 26 goals and 43 points in just 48 games for Ilves in Liiga, Finland’s premier Men’s league. Liiga is often considered a top-three hockey league in the world, trailing just the NHL and arguably the Kontinental Hockey League. Nyman finished the season 26th in points and second in goals as a teenager while playing against grown men primarily in their 20s and 30s. He also missed 12 regular season games. On a point-per-game basis, he finished 14th in points and first in goals.
Nyman has a strong shot and hockey IQ and is not too far away from playing in the NHL. This season he is expected to join the stacked Firebirds lineup, which could be a valuable litmus test for the youngster. While last season was no fluke, it will be interesting to see if he can continue his offensive dominance in his first season in North America. If he can, his future as an elite middle-six winger will become more likely.
5. Carson Rehkopf, 19 years old (C/LW)
Carson Rehkopf is a 6-foot-2, 194-pound forward who put up 52 goals and 95 points in 60 games for Kitchener last season. He was a 2023 second-round pick by the Kraken due to his impressive speed, shot, awareness, and well-rounded playstyle. He fell in the draft due to worries regarding his consistency, but he put those comments to bed last season.
While Carson Rehkopf is returning to Kitchener next season, there is not much left he has to prove in junior hockey. He has showcased an ability to control play in the OHL, evident in his point production and two-way dominance, so it will be interesting to see how he improves his game this season. The Kraken have an abundance of centers both on the NHL roster and in the system, so he is likely to transition to the wing full-time, but this could be good for his development. His playstyle would mesh well alongside Matty Beniers, allowing the two to become the future of the Kraken’s top-six.
Rehkopf’s offensive upside in the NHL is around 20-30 goals and 60-75 points per season with impressive defensive play. His floor is a reliable, two-way forward on the Kraken’s third line, scoring around 10 goals and 30 points per season. He will likely develop into a middle of these two outcomes.
4. Niklas Kokko, 20 years old (G)
Niklas Kokko is one of the better goaltending prospects in the NHL due to his 6-foot-4 frame, consistency, and track record. He spent last season in Liiga, going 11-5-5 with a .917 save percentage, 1.86 goals against average, and five shutouts. He rarely makes mistakes in the net, providing him with a relatively high floor in his NHL journey.
Projecting goaltenders is always a tall ask, not only because they are so fickle but also because of their inconsistency. Kokko is a few seasons away from reaching the NHL, so re-assessing him in a year or two will be a better way to gauge his potential. For now, he is just a name Kraken fans should follow as he continues his development.
3. Jagger Firkus, 20 years old (RW)
Jagger Firkus is not just one of the best names in hockey, he is also a top prospect. The 2022 second-round pick scored a whopping 61 goals and 126 points in 63 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, leading the league in points and finishing second in goals. He stands just 5-foot-11 but possesses a lethal wrist shot due to his strength and ability to score while skating. He loves to attack the net and find the most opportune angles to put one past the netminder.
Firkus has a real shot at making the Kraken’s lineup out of the preseason, although it is unlikely due to the teams’ history of prioritizing player development. So, he is more likely to join the flood of young talent in Coachella, leading the future of hockey in Seattle. His upside is very high due to his skillset being so translatable to the NHL, so a future spot in the Kraken’s top-six is quite likely. On the scoresheet, he could develop into a 30+ goal, 75+ point winger if all goes well.
2. Shane Wright, 20 years old (C)
Shane Wright received exceptional-player status from Hockey Canada in March 2019 but did not get much use of it due to the COVID-19 outbreak shortening and eliminating much of his development. Despite this, his development has gone quite well to the dismay of many hockey fans.
Wright showcased his scoring prowess last year with 22 goals and 47 points in 55 games for the Firebirds, ranking among the top u21 prospects in the AHL in points per game. This upcoming season is pivotal for his NHL aspirations, presenting a significant opportunity.
A strong offensive performance could solidify Wright’s path to becoming a top-six center with 25+ goals and 80+ points upside. However, struggling under pressure could diminish his upside, though he could remain on track to develop into an above-average middle-six center who underwent a longer developmental trajectory.
1. Berkly Catton, 18 years old (C/LW)
Berkly Catton was selected eighth overall by the Kraken in the 2024 Draft and immediately became the team’s top prospect. He is an elite playmaker who has the vision and hands to dominate the NHL. He also has a sneaky-strong shot, evident in his 54 goals in 68 games for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL last season.
Catton is expected to return to Spokane this season but should be in the NHL not long after. Primarily a winger, though capable at center, he is in the same tier as the most promising NHL-affiliated prospects. His ceiling is very high, with many scouts suggesting he could reach 30+ goals and 85+ point seasons in his prime, though aiming for 20+ goals and 70+ points might be a more realistic target.
While the Kraken are not serious Stanley Cup contenders currently, their future is very bright. They have some young talent on the current NHL roster and a stacked prospect pool with upside and depth at each position. The next few seasons may not see much success, but four to five seasons from now this team could be a favorite for the Stanley Cup.
