Friday Film Room – Rylan Singh, Julius Miettinen

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 Rylan Singh, Seattle’s first of two seventh-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, and forward Julius Miettinen, the team’s 2024 second-round pick.

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.

Rylan Singh | Defenseman | Guelph Storm (OHL)

Profile: Right shot | 18 years old | 6-foot | 187 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken seventh-round pick (unsigned)

Summary: Singh is a mobile two-way defenseman who drives play through skating, puck movement, and dogged engagement habits. The right-shot blueliner’s intelligence and hard-working style show up consistently; even without overwhelming size or on-puck talent, he finds ways to slant play to his team’s advantage with smaller contributions. Defensively, Singh excels against the rush with strong gap control, angling, and stick work. Offensively, he fuels controlled exits and quick transitions, while also contributing point shots and some timely activations, particularly on the rush.

At this point, Singh lacks a carrying physical skill, shows limited offensive creativity, and there are examples of inconsistent puck execution in the defensive zone under pressure. Even so, his hockey sense, solid skating, and strong overall puck movement profile are a good foundation for further development.

Video: Singh is the right-shot defenseman wearing No. 4 in black.

Strengths

• Very good competitiveness and work ethic; consistently impacts the game through effort and engagement.
• Strong rush defender with excellent gap control, backward skating, angling, and an ability to take away the middle.
• Very good mobility, showing effective four-way skating and the ability to recover defensively.
• Reliable puck mover who can execute first passes, breakouts, and transition play quickly.
• Generally comfortable under pressure; can move pucks through forechecks and create clean zone exits.
• Strong hockey sense and awareness of timing when activating into the offensive zone.
• Willing offensive contributor who joins rushes, works give-and-go sequences, and attacks open space.
• Good shot from the point that can create scoring chances through traffic and deflections.
• Has played significant minutes in all situations and demonstrates coachability and trustworthiness.
• Physically engaged defender who uses stick work, positioning, and contact to disrupt opponents.
• Creates offense through pace and quick decision-making rather than relying solely on skill plays.
• Effective on zone entries and connective passes as a power-play quarterback.

Weaknesses:

• Average size and limited physical explosiveness may reduce his effectiveness against bigger opponents.
• Skating is effective but lacks elite acceleration and explosive separation speed.
• Board battles, physical play, and net-front presence can be inconsistent despite evident effort.
• Offensive game lacks a defining or game-changing element that separates him from other defenders.
• Offensive vision waned at times, with rushed decisions on the puck, moving it too quickly before creating an advantage.
• Offensive-zone creativity is functional but not high-end; showed limited manipulation skill.
• Shot and point production may not translate without additional deception and creativity in his offensive game.
• Puck skills can be inconsistent; issues with clean receptions, passes, and maintaining possession under pressure showed up on tape.
• Occasional turnovers, particularly when attempting difficult plays or handling pressure in his own zone.
• At times, his defensive-zone positioning and stick detail felt inconsistent.

Notes: Singh’s motor, four-way mobility, and willingness to push offensive play made him a reliable top-pair junior defender. He projects as an asset on breakouts and between the blue lines. Without significant added elements to his in-zone offensive or defensive play, though, Singh’s projection may top out in the depth category professionally. That said, what he does well fits where the NHL game is going. If he can truly max out, his profile falls somewhere between Ryker Evans and Cale Fleury as an average-sized, complementary puck mover from the blue line.

More video: Mar. 26, 2026 v. Windsor Spitfires (No. 4 in white)

Julius Miettinen | Forward | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)

Profile: Left shot | 20 years old | 6-foot-4 | 207 lbs | 2024 Seattle Kraken second-round pick (signed)

Summary: Julius Miettinen is a big, athletic, and intelligent two-way center whose value comes from his support play, defensive awareness, and ability to connect offensive sequences. He consistently wins puck battles, creates a net-front presence, and positions himself well in all three zones. While not a dynamic puck carrier or primary offensive driver, he makes quick, effective plays, complements skilled linemates, and occasionally flashes above-average playmaking.

His biggest limitation is inconsistent in-game skating, which can grade as below average in both acceleration and agility. This limits his ability to protect the puck through the middle and drive controlled zone entries. There were times, particularly late in his junior tenure, that the transition skill seemed to be trending up, but it remains to be seen if that can translate as Miettinen escalates to professional competition. Miettinen has also missed time with a few different injuries during his career to date.

Video: Miettinen is the left-shot center wearing No. 17 in green.

Strengths:

• Size (6-foot-4), strength, and athleticism to impact the game all over the ice.
• Potential shutdown defensive center with strong defensive awareness, positioning, low support, puck retrievals, and backchecking habits.
• Excellent support player who consistently provides outlets and arrives in the right areas.
• Uses his size and reach effectively to win puck battles, protect possession, and disrupt opponents.
• Reliable net-front presence, creating screens, rebounds, and second-chance opportunities, including on the power play.
• Productive along the boards and in other physically contested scenarios; uses his body to separate opponents from the puck.
• Effective at protecting the puck in the offensive-zone cycle game.
• Makes quick, accurate short-area passes and connects offensive plays well.
• High hockey IQ with strong anticipation and understanding of offensive and defensive structure.
• Versatile linemate who complements skilled players without needing the puck.
• Strong work rate and attention to detail in all three zones.
• Adequate shot that plays up in contested scenarios.
• Profiles as a core penalty killer.
• Flashes as—and has the athletic traits to become consistently—an average or better functional skater for his size once in motion.
• Dominated as a 20-year-old junior player like you would hope; he led the WHL playoffs in scoring and was third in both regular-season and playoff plus-minus (No. 1 in total plus-minus combining the regular and postseasons).
• Asset on face-offs (60.6% in 2025-26 regular season, 57.8% in 2025-26 playoffs).

Weaknesses:

• Overall, he has shown marginally below-average skating to date; in particular, his first-step acceleration, agility, and edge work need development.
• Limited ability to generate controlled zone entries or consistently drive transition play.
• Offensive creativity is more complementary than dynamic.
• Puck handling and technical skill along the boards have been inconsistent and could use further refinement.
• Passing execution and decision-making can occasionally lack precision and high-end creativity.
• Doesn’t consistently impose his physical tools despite his size.
• At this point, his offensive ceiling is tied to others possessing and driving possession rather than creating it himself.
• Projects more as a complementary, supporting center than a true top-nine offensive driver.
• Dealt with several separate injuries during his junior career.

Notes: Miettinen has NHL size and a lot of physical tools. He currently projects as a reliable bottom-six, defense-first center in the NHL. There is upside for more if he improves his skating game and can develop a bulldog puck-protection style to drive offensive possession as a “change-up” to his sound off-puck and net-front work. The skill level likely isn’t there for him to reliably score in the top six, but he has the chance to max out as a third-liner with some streaky offensive production—particularly as a net-front player on the power play—and excellent defensive impacts.

More video: Apr. 27, 2026 v. Penticton Vees (No. 17 in white)

More Friday Film Room

July 17, 2026: Chase Reid, Eduard Sale

July 24, 2026: Finn Kearns, Carson Rehkopf

July 31, 2026: Casey Mutryn, Tyson Jugnauth

August 7, 2026: Hawke Huff, Jake O’Brien

August 14, 2026: Vicktor Fyodorov, Jagger Firkus