This is “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Sound Of Hockey Podcast segment (written version) on Seattle Kraken prospects. This week we’ll highlight Jani Nyman’s extraordinary early-career goal scoring, deliver a few preliminary thoughts on the 2025 NHL Draft, update you on a productive scoring week in the Kraken system, and much more.
If you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey. I have a few questions lined up for future posts already (thank you for those), but keep them coming.
Jani Nyman’s record-setting goal scoring
Forward Jani Nyman is toppling records with his goal-scoring skill at a young age. Last season, the 2022 second-round pick posted 26 goals in 48 Liiga games as a 19-year-old. That was the highest total by a Liiga player under 20 years old in almost 40 years.
When Nyman’s 2023-24 Liiga season ended, he came to the United States immediately and joined the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He had three more goals in 14 regular and postseason games, but there was clearly an acclimation process underway. He sat for many games toward the end of Coachella Valley’s Calder Cup run.
Likewise, this season started a bit slowly for Nyman. He didn’t make a notable impact in the NHL preseason, then recorded only one point (a goal) over the first month of AHL play. Two weeks ago, Kraken Director of Player Development Jeff Tambellini noted to Sound Of Hockey that there was a learning curve to the North American game, and the first ten games of this season represented Nyman continuing to try to “figure it out.” Tambellini also stressed that there is more development ahead for Nyman, particularly with his skating.
“But if you’re watching Coachella games… within the last six weeks, [Nyman] is scoring the exact same [types of goals] he scored in Finland,” Tambellini said. “[Nyman]’s playing a physical, heavy, competitive game… You talk about translatable offense… he’s 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, and makes great plays on the half-wall [on the power play].”
Since that conversation, Nyman has elevated his game even further, with five goals in five games. He now leads the AHL in goal scoring among all players age 20 or younger (ahead of notable first-round picks like Dalibor Dvorsky). Perhaps even more impressively, he is third in the AHL among all true prospect-age players (age 23 or younger).
Five goals in his last five games for #SeaKraken prospect Jani Nyman with the Firebirds.
— Deep Sea Hockey (@DeepSeaHockey) January 17, 2025
Nyman, 20, now has 15 goals on the season, which is tied for 11th in the AHL overall (3rd among all under-24 players; 1st among all under-21 players).pic.twitter.com/SsppqBgpBM
He’s one to watch as the Coachella Valley Firebirds roll toward the Calder Cup playoffs again.
Where the Kraken could go at the top of the 2025 NHL Draft
If you’re reading this, you have at least some level of interest in the future of the Kraken organization or hockey prospects generally. Assuming that’s the case, I’d recommend you check out our mid-season Sound Of Hockey Big Board, posted yesterday (Jan. 16).
The Big Board is a consensus 2025 NHL Draft ranking using lists from credible public draft analysts and scouting services. That post also includes our list of high-scoring draft-eligible prospects we’ll be monitoring as the season rolls into the second half.
My early impression is this year’s draft class isn’t quite as strong as the last two. There is no Macklin Celebrini or Connor Bedard headlining this class, which downgrades the “elite tier” immediately. Digging deeper, the first round is short on blue-line depth and weak on the international front. This leaves a projected top 10 that is heavy on junior forwards and lacking projected star power outside the top 4.
Boston College forward James Hagens has been a standout performer for the U.S. National Team Development Program for years and is having a very good college hockey season to date, but the production hasn’t reached the transcendent standard set by Celebrini last year. (Plus, Hagens is only three-and-a-half months younger than Celebrini.) Still, I think he’s solidly in the top tier.
So is OHL defenseman Matthew Schaefer, whose strong overall game and broad skillset earned him a featured role for Team Canada at the World Juniors until he left with an injury. His 1.29 points per game would rank as the 11th-best scoring season for a draft-eligible OHL defenseman ever, and fifth-best since 1995. If I had to wager today, I’d project Schaefer as the top pick.
The other two players in the elite-tier conversation are OHL forwards Porter Martone and Michael Misa. The 6-foot-3 Martone leads the OHL in points per game as a draft-eligible player. He blends power-forward elements with high-end skill and has formed perhaps the most dangerous line in all of junior hockey alongside Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf for the Brampton Steelheads. (Berkly Catton’s new line for the Spokane Chiefs may have something to say about that before all is said and done, though.) Misa, an exceptional status player, also projects to drive offense at the next level. He leads the OHL in goals and is third in points and points per game.
After that top group, the “second tier” of first-round prospects is maybe a half-step behind last year’s group. (For example, if Zeev Buium were dropped into this year’s class, I find it much less likely he would slide all the way to No. 12. The alternatives just aren’t as compelling.)
Scouts like Swedish forward Victor Eklund (brother of Sharks forward William Eklund) and towering 6-foot-5 WHL forward Roger McQueen. Swedish forward Antron Frondell may still be in the conversation, though his draft-year production has not met lofty expectations. Scouts seem to agree that Tri-City defenseman Jackson Smith and QMJHL forward Caleb Desnoyers are also top options. OHL forward Malcolm Spence would probably be No. 10. Our data-based analysis would add junior forwards Benjamin Kindel, Carter Bear, and Jake O’Brien to the top mix.
If the season ended today, the Kraken would likely end up with the the fifth or sixth pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. This would seemingly position them to have their choice of several “second-tier” junior scoring forwards or the blueliner Smith. Given the team’s track record of scouting and drafting locally, I don’t think Smith (Tri-City) or Bear (Everett) should be discounted.
My extremely preliminary thought is that Desnoyers or Bear would present reasonable value and fit the Kraken’s need to complement some of their smaller skill players in the middle-six with more size and physicality. McQueen should be in the conversation too, assuming he performs down the stretch. On the blue line it may be Smith-or-bust at this position in the draft, so I plan to watch him pretty closely over the second half. (Radim Mrtka of the Seattle Thunderbirds is a rapidly ascending defenseman who could enter the conversation at some point.)
Notes on three more Kraken prospects
Berkly Catton – F – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
2024 first-round pick Berkly Catton played well against the Everett Silvertips last Friday night but was held off the scoresheet. After the game, recent Spokane trade acquisition Andrew Cristall told our Cameron Riggers that his developing connection with Catton would start to yield benefits soon. “We were around the puck the whole night and getting looks,” Cristall said. “[Catton]’s a special player. I think he found me a few times tonight where I didn’t think anybody really could.”
Cristall’s sentiment was immediately prophetic as the two exploded Spokane’s offense for the remainder of the week. For his part, Catton totaled an absurd four goals and seven assists in two blowout wins over Wenatchee and Kelowna.
Berkly Catton completes the #WHLHatTrick to make it 10-0 for the @spokanechiefs!@SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken | #WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/6USr9B1W9U
— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 16, 2025
Still, somehow, it wasn’t enough to get Catton his third Prospect of the Week award.
Justin Janicke – F – Univ. of Notre Dame (NCAA)
Instead, Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week goes to 2021 seventh-round pick Justin Janicke, who scored three goals and added three assists in two NCAA contests against the Univ. of Michigan last weekend. Janicke, a senior and alternate captain for the Fighting Irish, now has 21 points in 22 games. This total tops his previous NCAA career-best in points by five (in 14 fewer games). He is second on the team in scoring, just one point behind 2023 fourth-round pick Cole Knuble. Currently unsigned, the Seattle Kraken have Janicke’s exclusive NHL rights until Aug. 15, 2025.
Jacob Melanson – F – Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Jacob Melanson returned to the lineup on Sunday, Jan. 12, after missing more than two months to injury. Then, on Thursday, Jan. 16, he got back on the scoresheet with a goal and an assist.
MELLY IS BACK Y'ALL pic.twitter.com/eL7y5ODMZt
— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 17, 2025
It was a welcome sight for the Firebirds, who had missed his presence. “There is no more physical and powerful depth forward in the American League right now than Jacob Melanson,” Tambellini told Sound Of Hockey. “Don’t be surprised to see him in Seattle [sometime] in the next 12 months.” Noted.
Kraken prospects data update
It is old news by now that the Seattle Kraken waived Daniel Sprong and subsequently assigned him to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After his first AHL contest Sprong noted that he was almost “too many steps ahead” for the league. Say what you will about his quote, he wasn’t wrong. Particularly when teamed with the comparably-swift Lleyton Roed, Sprong has been dangerous on the rush for the Firebirds. Sprong had four goals and two assists in three contests this week, while Roed had two goals and four assists himself.
As of Friday, Jan. 17, Tyson Jugnauth is tied for the organizational lead in scoring—a remarkable feat for the 20 year-old defenseman who was stuck in an unproductive role at the University of Wisconsin just 14 months ago. He bet on himself that he could show his offensive talent in a different role in the WHL. It’s looking like a fantastic choice so far.
Goalie Semyon Vyazovoy had his third shutout of the season this week. He continues to perform against the highest-level European competition.
Kim Saarinen got back in the lineup for his U20 club team following the World Juniors. Hopefully we see a return to Liiga soon.
2024-25 Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
Clarke Caswell: 2
Berkly Catton: 2
Tyson Jugnauth: 2
Alexis Bernier: 1
Justin Janicke: 1
Andrei Loshko: 1
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard: 1
Victor Östman: 1
Caden Price: 1
Nathan Villeneuve: 1
Semyon Vyazovoy: 1
Previewing the week ahead
The Firebirds are in Colorado for two games this weekend before travelling to San Jose to take on the Barracuda on Wednesday. As always, we’ll see a number of Kraken prospect matchups in the WHL this week, including a Saturday night contest between two World Juniors teammates when Catton’s Spokane Chiefs host Caden Price and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Previous prospect updates
January 10, 2024: Interview with Kraken director of player development Jeff Tambellini
January 3, 2024: Stock Up, Stock Down for Kraken prospects at the World Junior Championship
December 20, 2024: Kraken system after the Kaapo Kakko trade, David Goyette’s progress, and World Juniors
December 13, 2024: Three Kraken prospects make Team Canada WJC roster
December 6, 2024: Seattle Kraken goalie prospects progressing in the professional ranks
November 29, 2024: Data check in at U.S. Thanksgiving
November 22, 2024: Projecting the Seattle Kraken’s right defense prospects
November 15, 2024: Will an NCAA ruling change the landscape for Seattle Kraken prospects?
November 8, 2024: Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus is doing the little things necessary to succeed
November 1, 2024: ‘No days off’ approach for Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell
October 25, 2024: Kraken prospect Eduard Sale’s “tryout” in Coachella Valley is going well
October 18, 2024: Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko filling the stat sheet in the OHL
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
For all those many doubters (e.g. Turbo, Daryl W) who rained on my Yanni Gourde auction fetches a 1R pick, I introduce you to Frank Seravalli: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/dont-be-surprised-yanni-gourde-fetches-seattle-kraken-first-round-pick-trade-deadline
Since you felt the need post this in multiple places for some reason… I’ll just let folks know if you’re curious – and I’m not sure who would be or why – my reply is on the SOH article prior to this… Three Takeaways vs Jets.
Suffice it to say… I wouldn’t spike the ball on Seravalli’s take… but I also don’t say “told ya so”, especially when there’s nothing to tell.
Chuck,
Your argument was that it would be a knock on Francis to get anything less than a 1st for Yanni, my argument is that’s an unreasonable bar to set. Kind of like thinking it’s a knock on Francis that he didn’t go out and get Eichel during our inaugural year, or a knock on Francis that he burned a year of Matty’s ELC (he didn’t).
Of course I’d be happy if they got a 1st for him, but I think that’s not a fair bar to set and wouldn’t be giving Francis a fair shake to judge him based on that.
My biggest criticisms of Francis are 1) Grubi’s contract, 2) Burky’s contract (although injuries have had a significant hand in his decline) and 3) Stephenson’s contract. Stephenson’s contract is generally considered to be an ownership move but I understand why people need to have someone to blame.
I think if you are talking drafting and trading (including the expansion draft) it’s hard to point to anything with any level of certainty that has been a “bad” move, unless we are solely relying on The Power of Imagination ™️ to ask why we don’t have a superstar on this team.
And this is to say nothing that Servalli saying “don’t be surprised if” is a far cry from that thing actually happening.
“My extremely preliminary thought is that Desnoyers or Bear would present reasonable value and fit the Kraken’s need to complement some of their smaller skill players in the middle-six with more size and physicality.” Neither one of those players weighs more than Catton, so not sure where the size and physicality comes from. McQueen, Frondell, Misa if he is still available, Spence, and Lakovic all are 190+.
I wonder if Loshko gets a contract and a chance to prove himself at CV?
Jugnauth going back to the NCAA seems like an interesting choice. I wonder if the Kraken see him as anything more than an ALHer?
Bear isn’t big but he plays the game like Yanni. If you get a chance to watch him in Everett you should.
Sprong’s “too many steps ahead” quote, along with a couple of others since he went to CV, likely epitomizes why he’s bounced from team to team in the NHL and sits in the AHL right now. He needs the Crash Davis course in how to talk to the media (adapted to hockey by exclusively using “special” every time he needs an appropriate adjective).
After listening to your podcast with Jeff Tambellini (and watching the World U20s) I find myself a little more sanguine regarding the Kraken’s prospect pipeline. Encouraging that Sale had such a good U20 series, but I wonder how much his play was/is a function of playing in the larger international rink. Caden Price had a solid U20 series as well. Jani Nyman is starting to look like a maninal; maintaining his current level of play at CV might confirm he’s ready to move up.
The Kraken have a solid prospect list; but it’s not enough for prospects to end up as solid 2/3rd-pairing defensemen or 3rd-line forwards. To be a contending team going forward, they’ll have to hit really big on a couple of forwards and at least one defenseman. And of course, rely on the continued development of Beniers and Wright.
While other’s (in past articles) indicated they have no interest in watching really bad team, given the current trajectory the Kraken are headed there anyway. Without changes next year’s team could easily finish last in the Pacific Division and possibly last in the Western Conference. Even with Vince Dunn’s return team remains bad. So the teardown/rebuild should start with the upcoming trade deadline. With exception of Beniers, Wright, Vince Dunn and Joey, everyone should be in play. To get a first round pick for any player would require a perfect combination of supply, demand, and desperation. Every team would love to have a Yanni Gourde (and or Brandon Tanev) on their 4th line. But what if (hypothetically) a half-dozen other teams are trying to move similar-type players? Apart from the players mentioned above, do the Kraken have any player worth a first rounder? McCann perhaps?
By way of perspective, at last year’s deadline only one trade package included a first-round pick – LV got Tomas Hertl from SJ for a first-rounder and David Edstrom(note: in fairness theriCarolina’s trade for Jake Guentzel was for a conditional first-rounder that ultimately became a second-round pick). So, while it would be nice, hoping for a first-round pick for Gourde would seem to be fanciful at this point.
I’ve heard this a few times recently… rebuild. I think it should be recognized McCann and Burakovski are the only wingers signed beyond next season… and they’re each only signed for one year beyond.
I think since before the expansion draft, since before the naming of the team, ever since NHL Seattle hired Ron Francis, it has been the organization’s plan to BUILD a team that can contend for the long term.
Moving players out via trade and drafting and developing prospects has seemed to be the plan all along and what you’re proposing doesn’t seem to me to be a “rebuild”, it seems like a continuation of the BUILD that has been going on since the day they traded away the teams first captain. I think that notion informed quite a bit the players they took in the expansion draft.
Season after next this team is looking at having a solid No.1 in goal, a backend with two reliable pairs that can both score, and young but seasoned pivots down the middle. With a collection of promising wingers on the way, an inside track on Kakko, and something in the neighborhood of $40-50m in cap space, the edges ought to fill in nicely with ELCs and a couple high profile acquisition.
It seems to me the “rebuild” you’re talking about is actually the build that has been underway for quite a while and turning over those players you’re talking about was already the plan.
I think somd folks understand the free agent signing on July 1st as a declaration that this is supposed to be a “built” team.
Montour seems to me to be part of a solid back end for the next while. I think he’s a part of the build. I’ll give a shout out to Chuck here because I think he’s one of the few folks that sees the Stephenson signing as part of the build rather than an effort add offense. He’s here to eat minutes, take faceoffs, and distribute the puck. He’s here to take tough assignments and give Beniers and especially Wright a chance to develop. Alison talked about Shane’s minutes in the last pregame and it had a lot to do with having Stephenson rather than PEB.
Stay tuned for my latest edition of Sunday Afternoon Semantics where I’ll discuss the subtle but important difference between “build” and “rebuild”!
The plan initially was to field a Kraken team competitive enough to contend for the playoffs each season to:
1. Rationalize the egregious cost of season tickets
2. Perennially compete for a playoff spot, i.e. help live up (at least in part) to the ridiculous expectations created by LV’s success and
3. Related to #2, build a loyal fanbase prior to the Supersonics return (hopefully never, but most likely 27/28 season)
It was hoped the expansion draft and subsequent acquisitions of Burakovsky, Bjorkstrand, and Tolvanen would create this competitive team AND allow a 3-4 year runway for their (mostly forward) prospects to develop and seamlessly replace the three players above and others (Eberle, Schwartz) as they entered the twilight of their careers (and/or their contracts expired). That I think was the “build”.
Instead, GMRF’ master build plan has not come to fruition given the team’s poor performance. Ownership directed him to be aggressive in the last FA cycle to try and maintain some semblance of competitiveness. The unfortunate reality is that the team as currently constructed (even with Montour and Stephenson) is nowhere near a playoff contender and on a downward trajectory.
There may have been a master build plan as you described, but it certainly didn’t anticipate the team (in its current state) being this bad – they’re playing expansion team hockey in year four. There’s nothing to be gained (and a lot to be lost see 1 & 3 above) by relying on the build to develop over the next two-three years. It assumes (maybe unrealistically) the prospects moving up (Nyman, Sale, Firkus, Goyette, Catton et all) will more than replace the players above very quickly.
The” rebuild” plan means – with the exception of Joey, Dunn, Beniers, Wright – every player should be a trade candidate. Trade Jared McCann? – we can finish last with or without him. At the trade deadline GMRF should (if possible) acquire top-level prospects that are (at most) a year away from playing in the NHL – as I’ve said before, players better than anything we have at CV. If that’s not possible then (hopefully) 1st round draft picks.
For me, the most telling moment of the season was the infamous four-game series against Anaheim and San Jose. Their younger forwards skated circles around the Kraken – they were faster, quicker, more physical and more motivated. It was embarrassing to see the Kraken so completely outclassed. We need those types of younger players on our roster. And hopefully we create enough cap space to take another whack at the FA market next summer…
I have seen a couple articles about Chandler Stephenson being among the worst players in the league at 5v5. Even if that isn’t true, it seems a stretch to say he has been good, or anywhere close to what his contract demands. Bad news is this will be the glory years of his contract. It’s just gonna get crappier as he ages and we pass up legitimately good players because of that albatross of a contract. I hated the move on day one, I hate it more now. I didn’t think this team justified an overpay on a stupidly long term contract, all appearances seem to justify that stance.
I am sadly at the point where I root for losses because this team ain’t going anywhere and a top of the draft pick could hopefully help a new general manager who hopefully won’t ever make as stupid of a signing. Sorry if I sound like a broken record on that guy, but it pissed me off on day one and has only gotten worse. I liked the Montour contract fwiw.
https://vendettasportsmedia.com/chandler-stephenson-totally-sucked-since-signing-kraken/
I’m also going to be a broken record by stating that this contract is too long, but is nowhere near the albatross people think it is and won’t stop the Kraken from acquiring legitimately good players if the situation presents itself. They have 28 million coming off the books by the end of next year, and that’s before you consider buying out Grubi or cap increases. That number will jump to 38 million by 26-27. A lot of ELCs will be coming up by that point as well so the financials aren’t really that bad.
For transactions within a week of the deadline the Adam Henrique, Noah Hanafin, and Sean Walker trades all included first round picks, although only the Henrique one was a 2024 pick. Going back a little further to late January/early February, the Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan trades also included 2024 first rounders. I don’t know if anyone we would trade would actually fetch a first but it’s not as unusual as you make it seem.
Henrique also included Carrick… it was a first, but it was for two centers.
Don’t know how I missed those….I stand corrected…