We’ve reached the culmination of Draft Week at Sound Of Hockey. The 2026 NHL Draft is here. The first round begins at 4:00 p.m. PT on Friday, June 26 (today). Catch it on ESPN, ESPN+, or NHL Network in the United States. Rounds 2–7 begin at 9:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, June 27. Those rounds will air on NHL Network or ESPN+.

Check out all of our draft-related content leading into the 2026 NHL Draft:

• The Sound Of Hockey Big Board, a composite ranking of top 2026 NHL Draft prospects
• The data-only watchlist of 2026 NHL Draft prospects
• 2026 NHL Draft Notebook: Trades, prospect tiers, and Kraken perspective
• 2026 Top-10 NHL Mock Draft, Post-Lottery Edition
• Grading the Seattle Kraken’s draft classes to date
• NHL Draft Trade Value Chart (from 2022)

Today marks our fifth annual, seven-round Seattle Kraken mock draft. I approach this exercise from the perspective of what I would do, knowing the Kraken’s needs and draft approach to date. That said, if I believe there is daylight between what I would do and what I think the team will do, I will note that.

Mock draft “rules”

As I have done in the past, I will presume that players come off the board in the order predicted by the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. For example, if a player is slotted at No. 37 on the Big Board, I treat that player as unavailable to the Kraken with its second-round pick at No. 38. While the Big Board is far from infallible, this approach is intended to make the exercise more challenging and closer to reality. In highlighting potential “alternative” picks, I may mention a few players who could be in range if they “fall” to Seattle’s pick.

Typically, I follow a “no trades” rule. I am tempted to depart from that rule this year, given that Seattle has only one pick, No. 38, in a 91-pick stretch between its top pick, No. 7, and its first fourth-round selection, No. 99. This gap is due in part to recent wheeling and dealing, including Seattle sending pick No. 25 to the Florida Panthers for forward Mackie Samoskevich. Since draft pick trades are virtually impossible to predict, though, I will resist. Check out our draft notebook for a list of second- and third-round players that I like but believe the Kraken will not be in position to select.

COAST 🔀 COAST

We've acquired forward Mackie Samoskevich from the @FlaPanthers in exchange for the 25th overall pick in the 2026 #NHLDraft and a conditional second-round pick in 2027 → https://t.co/ZdFzWwOgaL pic.twitter.com/Y8KMEZ4yk7

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) June 21, 2026

Without further ado, let’s dive in. Enjoy the 2026 NHL Draft, everyone. (Think of how boring it would have been if the Kraken had traded No. 7 overall. Ahem.)

The 2026 Seattle Kraken mock draft

Round 1, Pick 7: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

Birthdate: Mar. 6, 2008 | Height: 6-foot-2.5 | Weight: 205 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 9th | High rank: Ellis, Daily Faceoff (6th) | Data Score: 52.20 (8th)
Games Played: 68 | Goals: 28 | Assists: 50 | PPG: 1.15

Scout’s view: “Rudolph’s hockey sense is so impressive. He doesn’t try to do more than he’s capable of and force plays for the sake of making them. Instead, he plays to his strengths, which happen to be quite a few elements. He has a booming shot, makes great breakout passes and can knock guys down. Rudolph’s two-way game is intriguing, as is his ability to get himself out of trouble consistently with and without the puck.” – Steven Ellis, DailyFaceoff

The facts to know: Rudolph had the most points (27, tied with Julius Miettinen) and assists (18) of any player in the 2026 WHL Playoffs—as a defenseman. His 78 regular-season points led all first-time draft-eligible WHL defensemen, including Carson Carels.

Analysis: Based on the Big Board, Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Chase Reid, Caleb Malhotra, Carson Carels, and Viggo Bjorck will be selected by the time the Kraken are on the clock at No. 7. That leaves Keaton Verhoeff (No. 7 on the Big Board), Alberts Smits (No. 8), and Daxon Rudolph (No. 9) as the highest-rated players on the board for Seattle. I think this is a fairly realistic scenario the team may face. I suppose it is possible Verhoeff goes in the top six leaving Bjorck available.

The Kraken have done their homework on the probable prospects in this range, both on and off the ice, including dinner interviews with Carels, Verhoeff, Rudolph, and Bjorck at the NHL Draft Combine.

Assuming a chalk top six, I think the Kraken will be picking between right-shot defensemen Verhoeff and Rudolph. Both may be farther away from being NHL-ready than Smits but have a higher offensive ceiling. This pushes them over the top for me—particularly with the Kraken front office, which has drafted for offense at the top of the first round at every opportunity to date. (That said, it should be noted that this is the first draft with AGM Ryan Jankowski on board overseeing amateur scouting, so it is possible we could see a different approach.)

The reports linking the Kraken to Verhoeff are numerous. If you asked me right now, on the morning of the draft, who I think the Kraken will select, I’d say Verhoeff.

By all reports, Verhoeff is a leader and a high-character individual off the ice. He is also young for this class, has NCAA experience, and is a player with significant scouting tailwinds. Many believed entering the season that if one player could dethrone Gavin McKenna as the projected No. 1 overall pick, it would be Verhoeff. The Kraken have often selected players with just adequate draft seasons on the strength of previous pedigree (think Shane Wright, Eduard Sale). That said, I have concerns (formed in an admittedly small sample) that gave me pause. I could be wrong and/or the issues could be fixable, but I couldn’t get over the line by draft day.

Pivoting to Rudolph, I see a cleaner path to a premier, offense-first blueliner who provides adequate defensive impact through denials, outlets, and driving play to the offensive zone. The offensive playmaking and shot from the blue line are standout traits. The skating is solid already but could become a plus if he cleans up some of the mechanical issues scouts criticize. He’ll need to progress with his in-zone defensive instincts and physicality, but he has the frame and, reportedly, the willingness to do it.

He also may need to take some steps with his maturity; bad penalties and a suspension are on his WHL résumé. But Rudolph’s future plans—a commitment to the University of Denver to play for David Carle—give me confidence. He’s in an ideal situation to take strides on and off the ice. (He’ll also be playing alongside Kraken prospects Clarke Caswell and Blake Fiddler.)

Compared by some scouts to Evan Bouchard and by others to Brandt Clarke, Rudolph has the tools to rise to the top of the Kraken’s right-side defense depth chart. It’s close with Verhoeff, but Rudolph is the pick for me.

Alternatives: If Carels drops, he’s my pick for Seattle. There are very few holes in his game. Despite questions about Bjorck’s offensive upside, I would not be upset if the 5-foot-9 Swede were the pick. I really enjoy watching him.

There are reports that San Jose, which holds both Nos. 9 and 27 overall, may covet Verhoeff. If so, could there be a scenario where Seattle agrees to flip No. 7 to San Jose for those picks (with perhaps another fourth-round pick going back to San Jose)? These types of moves almost never happen, but they’re fun to think about. Seattle would have to be content to select either Smits or Rudolph in that scenario because Winnipeg could very well pick one at No. 8.

Round 2, Pick 38: Ryan Roobroeck, LW/RW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL) 

Birthdate: Sep. 25, 2007 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 216 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 47th | High rank: Wheeler, The Athletic (30th) | Data Score: 52.22 (7th)
Games Played: 49 | Goals: 30 | Assists: 28 | PPG: 1.18

Scout’s view: “Roobroeck doesn’t play a physical or imposing game for a player his size, and needs to move his feet and engage more. He has real skill and feel on the puck and an NHL-grade shot that regularly beats goalies from mid-range, and at his size, that gives him first-round relevance despite his warts.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)

The facts to know: Roobroeck had 28 or more goals in three straight OHL seasons, peaking at 41 goals in 2024–25. He was the OHL Rookie of the Year in 2023–24.

Analysis: The pros and cons lists for Roobroeck are each longer than your average first-round prospect’s scouting report in its entirety. Let’s start with the positives. This is a player who has put the puck in the back of the net perhaps more than any other player in this draft. He has the instincts to get to scoring positions in the offensive zone and a terrific shot that can beat goalies from anywhere. And he does all of this with a 6-foot-3 frame. Looking at just the scoring and measurables, our data-only watchlist has him as the No. 7 player in the entire draft.

On the negative side, scouts fault his hockey character, pointing to waning effort and focus. He doesn’t skate as hard or as well as he will need to at the professional level. He’s very old for the class as a late-September 2007 birthday. And, despite his size, Roobroeck does not work to the inside or engage physically like a power forward, even at the junior level. Scouts also scratch their heads about the step down in production from his draft-minus-one season to this year.

All told, Roobroeck reminds me a bit of Carson Rehkopf. Not in how he plays exactly, but because he’s a big swing that could either hit as a top-six NHL scorer for a decade or stall out in the AHL. Ultimately, these are the types of swings the Kraken need to be taking at this point in the team’s player development arc. Despite the obvious risk, I couldn’t walk away from taking a potential top-10 talent in the class.

Alternatives: If Casey Mutryn (No. 32) falls, he’s the pick for me. While the Kraken haven’t drafted a U.S. National Team Development Program player since 2021, Mutryn plays such an appealing pro-style game that it’s easy to project him into a bottom-six role even if he doesn’t develop on the offensive side (which I think he could).

Compared with Roobroeck, I have many fewer questions about University of Michigan winger Adam Valentini (No. 45), who not only plays with tenacious pace and work ethic, but also delivered undervalued scoring production as a 17-year-old playing NCAA hockey. He was No. 25 on our data-only watchlist. He’s on the shorter end (5-foot-10) and not as big a swing as Roobroeck, but a third-line future is not hard to imagine.

Pierce Mbuyi (No. 58) is a deeply underrated OHL scorer who is athletic and not afraid to work to the inside despite his modest size (5-foot-10).

Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (No. 69), who played in the Swedish U20 league, is a dark horse to be the pick here. He missed much of his draft season with an injury, but he is a natural scorer with a 6-foot-2.5 frame. It would get me out of my seat if the Kraken went this direction.

I also wonder about a trade back to narrow the gap between this pick and Seattle’s next selection, No. 99.

Round 4, Pick 99: Evan Jardine, LW, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) 

Birthdate: Oct. 23, 2007 | Height: 6-foot | Weight: 179 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 99th | High rank: Ferrari, The Hockey News (60th) | Data Score: 48.64 (11th)
Games Played: 53 | Goals: 27 | Assists: 34 | PPG: 1.15

Scout’s view: “Very highly intelligent winger, held back by skating and a lack of raw puck skills. He has the brain and fine-tuning his skating and adding some dynamism to his offence are teachable things. If he hits, he could be a solid third line option.” – Kyle Pereira, McKeen’s ($)

The fact to know: Jardine led the USHL in scoring among first-time draft-eligible players.

Analysis: Cut from the same cloth as Ethan Wyttenbach, whom I mocked to the Kraken last year, Jardine looks the part of an underappreciated USHL scorer who could thrive right away playing NCAA hockey and thereby quickly up his prospect profile.

Youngstown co-general manager Ryan Koescki had this to say about Jardine, via Scott Wheeler: “I think he’s a second- or third-round pick, but I think he’ll probably go 4–7. He competes his ass off, super smart, elite NHL shot, but he’s not huge, and he’s not super fast. The skating is just OK, and his height is just OK at 6 feet. If he was 6-2 and couldn’t skate, he’d be a second-round pick, and if he was 6-foot with elite skating, he’d probably be a second-round pick.” Koescki is biased, of course, but I happen to agree with him.

Alternatives: If Everett Silvertips forward Matias Vanhanen (No. 93) falls to this spot, he’s the pick. He has special playmaking skill and vision. Green Bay Gamblers forward Landon Hafele (No. 100) brings a strong skating game that could carry him to the NHL.

Round 4, Pick 102: Patriks Plumins, G, Zemgale (Latvia)

Birthdate: Jan. 7, 2008 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 203
Big Board: 104th | High rank: Pronman, The Athletic (36th)
Games Played: 16 | Goals against average: 1.50 | Save percentage: 0.927

Scout’s view: “[Plumins is] 6-foot-4 and not overly quick so the athletic profile isn’t that exciting. His hockey sense is excellent, though. Plumins doesn’t have much extra movement, and he’s very good at both tracking the puck and anticipating the attack. He projects as a tandem NHL goalie[].” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic ($)

The facts to know: Plumins led the Latvian professional league in save percentage—as a draft-eligible 17-year-old. He carried that over to the U18 World Championship, where his .947 save percentage across five starts was best among all goalies with more than two appearances.

Analysis: Goalie picks are always a bit of a dart throw, but the arrow on Plumins seems to be pointing up, and the value on the skaters in this range seems relatively poor. After taking a year off from drafting at the position, the Kraken may want to go back to the well in the 2026 NHL Draft. They could opt to wait until later on Day 2, though.

Alternatives: Forward Julien Maze (No. 137) is an undersized, transition scoring winger from the Regina Pats.

Round 6, Pick 166: Ludvig Andersson, RW, Örebro HK U20 (U20 Nationell)

Birthdate: May 24, 2008 | Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 190 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 169th | High rank: Dobber Prospects (77th) | Data Score: 27.31 (107th)
Games Played: 53 | Goals: 27 | Assists: 34 | PPG: 1.15

Scout’s view: “Ludvig Andersson is built like a fire hydrant, small in stature but thick and sturdy, making it difficult to knock him off the puck. He’s also smart and anticipates play very well, allowing him to consistently demonstrate good positioning. Andersson separates himself from his peers with his relentless compete level but also shows flashes of dynamic play creation, making him an intriguing prospect to target with a mid round pick.” – Ethan Lindley, Dobber Prospects

The facts to know: Andersson was the second-leading scorer among draft-eligible players in the Swedish U20 league, behind only consensus first-round pick Alexander Command. He served as captain of the gold-medal-winning Swedish U18 World Championship team.

Analysis: Andersson’s game is all about tenacity, which should translate to a North American style of play. He’s been a leader in his age group and a stalwart role player on a strong Swedish international team. He’s a bit undersized (5-foot-11) and doesn’t bring enough skating to project cleanly at that size—hence his availability in the sixth round. But there is a lot to admire about this player, and if he can add some skating pace, you might be onto something here.

The Kraken dipped their toes into the Swedish player pool with two late picks last year, and the addition of AGM Patrick Allvin (even if his focus is on the professional side) probably will not work against that trend.

Alternatives: USHL defenseman Bode Laylin (No. 189) brings quality offensive skill at just a shade under 6 feet. Undersized QMJHL winger Philippe Veilleux (No. 194) does nothing but score and will go to the inside when necessary despite his size disadvantage.

Round 7, Pick 198: Jasper Kuhta, LW, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Birthdate: Oct. 28, 2006 (re-entry) | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 198 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 215th | High rank: McKeen’s (147th) | Data Score: 29.67 (76th)
Games Played: 62 | Goals: 32 | Assists: 31 | PPG: 1.02

Scout’s view: “Kuhta’s combination of size, scoring ability, and two-way awareness gives him a chance to develop into a useful role player who can also play on special teams. His shot is a major weapon, especially on the powerplay where he can set up on the half wall and one-time pucks. He’s not a physical player, but he competes to make plays along the wall, is assertive defensively, and gets to the net. Last year, the big reason for Kuhta going unselected was his lack of power and speed; simply put, he was not a strong skater. This year, he’s shown improvement and has been able to play with more pace. Continued development as a skater will be key as he takes his talents to UMass of the NCAA next year.” – McKeen’s

The fact to know: Kuhta’s 32 goals were eighth-most among undrafted players in the OHL.

Analysis: Kuhta went undrafted last season after putting up more than a point per game in the Finnish U20 league and earning eight Liiga games. Kuhta decided to continue his development in North America and immediately asserted himself as an impactful scorer in Ottawa. His shot is his calling card, but he also has a pro-projectable 6-foot-2 frame.

Alternatives: USHL forward Justin Graf (No. 232) could develop like his brother Collin did in the NCAA ranks. It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays NHL games down the line. Defenseman A.J. Francisco (No. 260) was an offense-first, power-play quarterback for the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Round 7, Pick 204: Jet Kwajah, RD, Madison Capitols (USHL)

Birthdate: Mar. 13, 2008 | Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 170 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 289th | High rank: Elite Prospects (D grade) | Data Score: 29.82 (75th)
Games Played: 55 | Goals: 7 | Assists: 20 | PPG: 0.49

Scout’s view: “A high-activity player, he sprints up on breakouts, acting as a fourth forward on the rush, catching and redistributing passes, and firing deflectable shots from the line. Similarly aggressive in his rush defence, he locks down on opponents, mirroring footwork, removing passing seams, and sticking to his man defensively. With his awareness and agility, it’s on retrievals where he shines the most.” – Elite Prospects ($)

The stat to know: Second in scoring among first-time draft-eligible USHL defensemen.

Analysis: Kwajah can skate and has some scoring touch, but will need to prove that he brings enough dynamic elements to overcome his lack of height on the blue line. Still, there’s enough here to dream on a pathway to an NHL role, which is all you can really ask for in a seventh-round pick. He’s committed to play for the Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) in 2026–27 and Penn State (NCAA) in 2027–28.

Alternatives: Oliwer Sjostrom (No. 284) is another interesting undersized defenseman with some offensive skill. Boris Borin (No. 391) is an interesting scorer out of the BCHL who seems to be well off the radar entering the draft.

* * *

What do you think? Who do you want to see the Kraken select? I’d love it if someone wanted to use the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and give me their alternative mock draft using these same rules. Drop comments below or send them to us on X @deepseahockey and @sound_hockey or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

Header photo of Daxon Rudolph by Evan Morud courtesy of the Everett Silvertips