Friday Film Room – Hawke Huff, Jake O’Brien

Welcome to Friday Film Room, our offseason Seattle Kraken prospects series here at Sound Of Hockey. Today, we’ll look at gameplay video, data, and analysis of defenseman Hawke Huff, the first-ever Washington-born player to be drafted or signed by the Kraken organization, and forward Jake O’Brien, Seattle’s top pick in the 2025 draft and premier scoring prospect.

If you like these breakdowns, stop by every Friday because we’ll have two per week (one 2026 Kraken draft pick and one other organization prospect) until Kraken players are back on the ice for camp this fall.

Any suggestions or questions for future posts? Please let us know below or on social media at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Hawke Huff | Defenseman | Univ. of St. Thomas (NCAA)

Profile: Right shot | 20 years old | 6-foot-3 | 198 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken fifth-round pick (unsigned)

Summary: Luken Hawke Huff is a long, athletic, and dependable two-way defenseman who broke out as a top USHL blueliner in 2025-26. He has demonstrated physicality, competitiveness, defensive awareness, and quality skating while handling heavy minutes against junior competition. He excels at defending rushes, winning battles, and retrieving pucks under pressure. Particularly over the last year, he has also shown a feel for offense, puck-moving ability, and a willingness to join the attack. Continued development of his puck skills and explosiveness is necessary and will determine his ultimate upside. The runway is relatively short compared with that of a typical 2026 draft pick. He was a third-time entrant and is already 20 years old.

Video: Huff is the right-shot defenseman wearing No. 4 in green.

Strengths:

• Very solid foundation of size, defensive instincts, and physical tools for professional projection.
• Strong physical presence, though he typically wins battles through contact absorption, wall play, and puck protection rather than relying solely on big hits.
• Proficient in puck retrievals, displaying a variety of skills to defeat pressure.
• Excellent compete level and willingness to engage opponents in difficult areas.
• Reliable defensive defenseman with strong gap control, reach, timing, and ability to defend rushes.
• Versatile player who has played both sides of the ice during his junior career.
• Strong current skating due to recent improvements; he shows better stride extension, depth, and mobility compared to previous seasons.
• Natural mover, getting to defensive landmarks and creating plays.
• Effective in all situations, with strong defensive instincts on the penalty kill and the agility and vision to competently play the blue line on the power play.
• Production did not regress despite increased responsibility and heavy minutes.
• Active offensively; willing to join rushes and occasionally lead transitions.
• Solid passing skills within the team’s structure.

Weaknesses:

• While there are promising elements, he’s not a high-end skater, and he needs to prove his recent improvements are permanent; more power and explosiveness should be attainable.
• Offensive creativity and playmaking ability remain limited.
• Puck handling and offensive stick skills are not positive assets at this stage.
• Rarely makes truly creative or unexpected passes; attacks opponents in a more basic fashion.
• Flashes as a puck transporter but will need to become more consistent to succeed at higher levels.
• Needs to develop greater aggression and assertiveness to leverage his physical skill set.
• Needs offensive growth and skill refinement to project as anything more than a reliable third-pair professional defenseman.
• Late-developing prospect who was drafted at the very end of his eligibility window; Huff is two weeks older than Berkly Catton.

System rank: 15-30 (organizational depth).

Notes: Huff is getting a chance, despite being a late bloomer, because he is a 6-foot-3 right-shot defenseman. Even so, I was impressed by Huff’s athleticism and movement skills relative to his peers at Development Camp. Notwithstanding earlier scouting reports that questioned Huff’s agility and explosiveness, I thought his skating was a positive component of his profile. If he can build on what we saw at Development Camp and make skating pace an asset, one can easily envision a professional game built on proficient retrievals, controlled exits, and up-ice puck movement. I suspect I’m higher on him than most.

I have little problem projecting Huff as a solid AHL prospect, but the on-puck skills will need to come along if he’s going to be more than that. He will have several years at the University of St. Thomas (now an NCHC school) to build up his game against quality competition and prove there is another level to his game.

More video: Feb. 27, 2026 v. U.S. National Team Development Program U18s (No. 4 in green)

Jake O’Brien | Forward | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Profile: Right shot | 19 years old | 6-foot-2 | 176 lbs | 2025 Seattle Kraken first-round pick (signed)

Summary: Jake O’Brien is a highly intelligent, creative playmaking forward who shows elite ice vision, a deep bag of deceptions, and difference-making passing skill to drive offense at even strength, but particularly on the power play. Though he lacks game-changing speed or physicality, he is able to win and create offensive advantages by getting to the correct areas off the puck and manipulating defenders with changes of pace, fakes, and strong puck handling.

His defensive game and off-puck habits have improved steadily, increasing his two-way value and giving him a chance to stick at center as a professional. That said, a future as a playmaking winger who is free to rove the offensive zone and find soft spots to create shots and passing lanes also fits his profile.

He is willing to go to the middle and attempt interior shots, but his projection depends on adding strength, elevating his pace to professional standards, and embracing a mindset of playing through defensive contact.

Video: O’Brien is the right-shot forward wearing No. 44 in white.

Strengths:

• Elite vision and passing creativity from all angles and puck positions.
• Outstanding deception with his hands, body fakes, and changes of pace.
• High-end power-play half-boards quarterback capable of dissecting defenses with seam passes others do not see or attempt; he can single-handedly elevate a unit’s in-zone production.
• Has shown the ability to control the puck and maintain composure through traffic at the junior level.
• Manipulates defenders to open passing lanes and create space for teammates.
• Strong offensive processing and anticipation.
• Shows a willingness to drive the net front, absorb defensive abuse, and work through checks for rebounds.
• Solid shot with a quick release when he chooses to use it, though he often errs on the side of playmaking.
• Reliable off-puck support and offensive positioning.
• Defensive game has taken meaningful strides, with strong positioning, stick detail, lane denial, and puck retrievals.
• Good height (6-foot-1.5) and stick reach help him offensively and defensively.

Weaknesses:

• Solid athlete but will not defeat professional defenders purely with size, speed, or agility.
• Needs to add strength to win board battles and handle physical pressure.
• Solid production in puck battles declines along the boards.
• Physical engagement and consistency under heavy forechecking pressure remain question marks as he transitions to the professional game.
• Below-average pace and acceleration limit his separation and transition effectiveness.
• Limited explosiveness reduces his ability to consistently beat defenders one-on-one.
• Needs to develop a more direct, north-south attacking style, even if only as a “changeup” to open up his delays and east-west game.
• Pass-first mentality leads to missed shooting opportunities and overcomplicated decisions.
• Can overhandle the puck or delay too long, resulting in turnovers.
• Needs to improve his puck-protection ability if his delays, fakes, and deceptions intended to elicit defensive overcommitment and open passing lanes are going to work.
• Has some east-west tendencies and a propensity for extended possession plays that may be less effective at the NHL level.
• Does not create as much offense at 5-on-5 compared with his stellar power-play impact.
• There are times when, out of frustration or otherwise, he will force low-percentage or hopeful passes.

System rank: No. 2 (top-of-the-lineup NHL player).

More reading: From Pumping Iron To Pumping Goals

Notes: Scott Wheeler of The Athletic reported that O’Brien missed this summer’s World Junior Summer Showcase because he was in Seattle receiving treatment for knee tendinitis. Geoff Baker’s article linked above highlights O’Brien’s strength-training work in Seattle in recent weeks but makes no reference to a knee issue. This is a situation to monitor as we head into Kraken training camp. Is O’Brien fully healthy with added strength or is there a lingering knee issue that needs to be managed?

Longterm, O’Brien’s value turns on his ability to create offense professionally as he did at the junior level. His game may appear “quiet” for long stretches since he cannot impose his will with raw speed or power. But if you forget about him for even a moment, he’ll set up high-danger chances with high-end, no-look, cross-seam, or give-and-go passing sequences. His offensive processing and game instincts are his separators. But to deploy them, he will need to level up his pace and physical strength. It will take some time in the AHL, perhaps even two full years. But the upside at the end could be a Mitch Marner-like (light?) offensive driver who is a threat to create scoring opportunities for his teammates at any moment and approach point-per-game status with first-unit power-play time at his peak.

More video: Mar. 13, 2026 v. Sudbury Wolves (No. 44 in white)