Welcome back 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 forward Casey Mutryn, the No. 38 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and defenseman Tyson Jugnauth, a prospect from the 2022 draft who has taken a circuitous route to a significant role with the Coachella Valley Firebirds and NHL relevance.
If you like these breakdowns, stop by every Friday because we’ll cover two prospects per week (one 2026 Kraken draft pick and one other organization prospect) until Kraken players are back on the ice for training camp this fall.
Any suggestions or questions for future posts? Please let us know below or on social media at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.
Casey Mutryn | Winger | Boston College Eagles (NCAA)
Profile: Right shot | 18 years old | 6-foot-3 | 203 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken second-round pick (unsigned)
Summary: Casey Mutryn’s game is built around relentless effort, physicality, and hard skill along the boards and at the net front. He creates offense by protecting pucks under pressure, moving play from the perimeter into dangerous areas, and finding teammates through traffic. He works well in cycles and can execute pro-caliber passing sequences.
His effective forechecking, defensive awareness, and puck-retrieval ability give him a high NHL floor. Flashes of creativity and offensive processing hint at even more upside. Areas for development include some technical and mechanical skating aspects, as well as improving his shot efficiency and finishing skills.
Video: Mutryn is a right-shot forward wearing No. 12 in white.
Strengths:
Very good athlete, projectable frame (6-foot-3), and from an athletic family (brother Teddy was drafted by San Jose).
Relentless forechecker with an elite motor and consistent second efforts.
Recognized by teammates and coaching staff as a leader off the ice; was captain for Team USA at the 2026 U18 World Championship.
Powerful, physical, hard-to-play-against presence who finishes checks effectively.
Excellent at getting the puck off the boards and making plays in the center lane with vision and touch.
Strong puck protection using size, strength, and reach.
Can create space for himself to make plays with the puck through a combination of tight-area skating and physicality.
Exceptional in puck-battle scenarios, winning consistently.
Reliable defensive habits, backchecking, and penalty-killing value.
Good hockey sense with quick puck movement and strong “head-up” scanning habits.
Shows diverse passing skills to create offense, including one-touches, deceptive looks, and cross-seam distribution.
Drives the middle lane regularly to create offense off the puck.
Willing and effective net-front presence, capable of screening, deflections, and rebound creation.
Straight-line speed and power allow him to pressure defenders and separate with space.
Flashes transition ability to match his power-forward cycling skills in the offensive zone.
Adaptable, complementary player capable of fitting multiple lineup roles.
Weaknesses:
Though his skating has not hindered him yet and is solid for a power player his size, his mechanics could use refinement to improve recovery and four-way agility.
Skating can lack explosiveness from a standstill and in lateral movement.
Needs to add more mass and strength to his frame to translate his hard skills to the professional level, and needs to do so without further hindering his skating.
His point production has not been indicative of an impact offensive player; he can disappear from the scoresheet for stretches despite significant physical skills.
Can default to linear power attacks instead of creating better offensive options.
Needs to leverage his ability to carry possession and dictate play more consistently.
It remains to be determined whether he has the processing speed under pressure to create plays at the professional level.
Finishing ability and shot are below average at this stage and remain secondary to his playmaking.
More of a complementary offensive piece than a primary puck mover or play driver.
Ceiling depends on continued skating development and more frequent offensive execution.
System rank: 5-10 (projected NHL role player).
Notes: Casey Mutryn projects as a power-oriented, two-way winger who can complement teammates up or down the lineup and contribute on the penalty kill. He brings hard skill at the net and along the boards, as well as puck-retrieval ability, to go with defensive chops and some playmaking through traffic. The floor appears to be very high.
Mutryn looked like he could still grow into his 6-foot-3 frame a bit more at Development Camp, and he will get that opportunity while playing an NCAA schedule with access to NCAA fitness and training resources this season. His upside depends on simultaneous physical maturation and skating technique development.
This would fully unleash his ample athleticism and realize his power-forward scoring potential, which has been more hypothetical than actual to date. He has not yet broken out as an offensive player, and I wonder if he will get the opportunity to do that in the short term, given this significant leap in competition.
Tyson Jugnauth | Defenseman | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Profile: Left shot | 22 years old | 5-foot-11 | 183 lbs | 2022 Seattle Kraken fourth-round pick (signed)
Summary: Tyson Jugnauth is an instinctual and offensively gifted puck-moving defenseman. He strives to control the flow of the game with efficient retrievals, breakouts, and sustained offensive possession. With the puck on his stick, he is deceptive and intelligent in his distribution. He can also manipulate defenders with changes of pace in transition and agile blue-line movements. He deploys various body positions and fakes to create outlet opportunities after retrieving the puck. He has an effective shot from the blue line, getting the puck through layers for goals, rebounds, and shot passes. When he roves into the offensive zone, his playmaking and shot play up even further with a forward-like skill level. He projects to run a power-play unit at the NHL level.
That said, when Jugnauth is not controlling possession, he has limited defensive value, particularly in the defensive zone. Jugnauth shows inconsistent engagement, spotty defensive instincts, and average skating explosiveness. Coupled with limited stature (5-foot-11) and physicality, Jugnauth’s projection as an NHL regular remains to be determined.
Video: Jugnauth is a left-shot defenseman wearing No. 43 in white.
Strengths:
Very good awareness and playmaking ability from the blue line.
Excellent deception skills, using eyes, body positioning, and stick movement to manipulate opponents.
Strong transition game with clean breakouts, controlled zone entries, and accurate long-range passes.
Consistently identifies teammates as passing options, including cross-ice and high-danger inside feeds.
Effective at walking the blue line and creating shooting lanes through lateral movement.
Good hockey sense and anticipation, especially when reading passing lanes.
Comfortable activating offensively and joining rushes as an extra attacker.
Good at changing pace to create separation despite lacking top-end explosiveness.
Displays confidence handling the puck under pressure and making creative plays.
Shows power-play upside due to vision, puck distribution, and ability to open seams.
Has worked hard, making sacrifices and difficult off-ice choices (including leaving college to return to junior) in an effort to advance his career; seemingly has the necessary off-ice desire to make it.
Affable personality would seem to be a positive and well suited to professional stresses.
Has made solid improvements in his physicality since turning pro.
Weaknesses:
Despite some steps in his physical development, he’s still slight in build, and it will never be an area of advantage.
Lack of height (5-foot-11) and reach limits his potential defensive impact.
Defensive game remains underdeveloped and difficult to project as adequate at the NHL level; he needs to avoid defending as much as possible.
Lacks explosiveness and closing speed when defending faster attackers.
Skating stride and acceleration are only average, limiting recovery ability and gap control.
Needs to improve defensive engagement, particularly along the boards and in one-on-one battles.
Limited awareness and success when engaged at the net front.
Can watch the puck at times and miss developing threats away from the play.
Defensive-zone reads and coverage responsibilities require refinement for higher levels of play.
Offensive creativity can lead to risky decisions and turnovers.
Could continue to improve his ability to draw defenders and create space at higher pace levels.
System rank: 5-10 (projected NHL role player).
Notes: Last summer, Jugnauth demonstrated his commitment to improving his game and taking his conditioning seriously. He then earned offensive deployments and a second-unit power-play quarterback role in his first professional season. The productivity was impressive. He led all AHL rookie defensemen in assists (36) and points (45) and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team.
That said, Jugnauth does not play impactful in-zone defense. He looks to avoid defending with clean retrievals and possession control. It’s an approach that can succeed in the NHL in a sheltered role if the defensive aspects can materialize at least a bit more. That has to be the focus in his second professional season. With incremental gains in that area, a Shayne Gostisbehere-type career is not out of the question.
His profile (undersized, average-skating defenseman) has the most difficult path to NHL minutes. A team will need to have a role in mind for him, complementary blue-line pieces around him, and the commitment to stick with him through inevitable defensive challenges. If a team can do that, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is rewarded with a solid NHL career.
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.
It’s fair to say this offseason has so far felt underwhelming for the Seattle Kraken. An offseason headlined Jason Robertson denying a trade to Seattle, with only small tweaking to the roster, hasn’t exactly instilled confidence that things will be much different heading into Opening Night.
Now that we’re deep into the summer, the window for the Kraken to acquire any big fish this offseason seems all but shut. However, there is still an intriguing possibility out there.
The Columbus Blue Jackets and 21-year-old center Adam Fantilli, as of now, have not officially reached an extension. While it seems a deal with the restricted free agent will ultimately get done, according to Adam Portzline of The Athletic, this amount of waiting has left many to wonder how Fantilli’s future will look.
Aaron Portzline: Re Adam Fantilli extension/Blue Jackets: I think it's gonna be a five year deal and I would put it somewhere between 13 and 14 [million] – Oilers Now (7/24)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 28, 2026
If this were a year or two ago, it would have been hard to envision a scenario where Fantilli could be pried away. But this is a new era. If the Leo Carlsson offer sheet by Philadelphia taught us anything, it’s that there’s always a price.
Fantilli is reportedly seeking a deal that gets into the same realm as his 2023 NHL Draft counterparts, with Carlsson having signed for $18 million over five years, and Connor Bedard for $15 million over the same term.
If the figure is $15 million, only three teams currently have the cap space to even give that to Fantilli: Detroit, Vancouver and… Seattle.
With the clock ticking for the Kraken to make this offseason more “prolific” as promised, luring away Fantilli could be one of the few avenues left to deliver that.
While the cost to acquire him would likely end up being too high for the Kraken to stomach, it’s still fun to think about what it would take to bring in the potential young star Seattle has been seeking. So, let’s entertain the idea for a few minutes. Here are the risks and rewards of a Kraken offer sheet for Adam Fantilli.
The risks: The costs would be insane
With Columbus’ current cap situation, it’s still a challenge to get Fantilli signed to a reasonable number without some financial gymnastics. The fact that he has remained unsigned this far into the offseason has raised alarm bells across the league, and the Kraken are definitely one of the teams that could use his services.
Estimates for a Fantilli extension have him earning around $13-14 million AAV. Columbus has a projected $14.5 million in cap space after extending Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger. So, they can afford him if he signs in that area, but that all but maxes them out.
This is where Seattle could come in, offering an amount that would put the Blue Jackets over the cap, assuming they were to match.
If the Kraken offered a deal similar to the one they were reportedly willing to give Jason Robertson — $15 million per season — it would leave them with roughly $3 million in cap space for the coming year. Similar to Carlsson’s contract, much of that money would likely have to come in the form of signing bonuses.
But there’s a reason why offer sheets rarely ever happen: they aren’t cheap. In addition to the dollar amount on the contract, the Kraken would also have to pay a hefty draft-capital price — four first-round picks over the next four drafts.
Plus, it’s not like Fantilli is a completely finished product. He is still developing. Considering how things have gone with Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, and Berkly Catton, it’s hard to believe expectations for immediate production would be any different.
Plus, Seattle and Columbus seem to be in similar situations right now, and even with the right offer, Fantilli would still have to choose the Kraken if an offer sheet became a reality.
The Kraken would likely have to oversell both the market and the organization’s vision, something that has proven to be a tall task considering what happened with previous pursuits of stars over the last few months.
The reward: A renewed offense
But what if it works?
Even though he’s only 21 years old, Fantilli would immediately become one of the faces of the franchise and a centerpiece of the next decade of Kraken hockey. He brings a multidimensional approach to creating offense and attacking defenders.
He would have led the Kraken in assists, points, and shots on goal in 2025-26, while finishing second in goals. Having a shoot-first mentality like his would help to electrify the offense as a whole.
Seattle needs a boost in its collective offense again. They have ranked in the NHL’s bottom five in expected goals for over the past two seasons. Fantilli is the type of player who could provide sustained offensive pressure for years to come.
It’s worth noting too that he also shares the same agent as Beniers, Catton, and Freddie Gaudreau in Pat Brisson of CAA Sports.
Conclusion: Too big a risk
While it’s enticing to imagine a skilled, young player like Fantilli in a Kraken sweater, the cost of doing business here is really high.
Not only would Seattle likely be committing more than $15 million per season in cap space, making Fantilli a top-five highest-paid player in the league, but it would also sacrifice four first-round picks (that could end up being high picks) while still building and trying to strengthen the prospect pool.
There’s no doubt Fantilli would provide an immediate spark to the Kraken offense and help make Seattle a more attractive destination for future talent. But the long-term ramifications make the move difficult to justify.
Instead, Seattle should wait to see how this plays out between Fantilli and the Blue Jackets, and then figure out how they can “help” in alleviating their cap crunch.
What do you think? Should Seattle go after Adam Fantilli, or is the cost simply too high?
We’ve reached the dog days of the hockey summer, when general managers and other members of NHL front offices pack up and head to their respective cottages. During this period between the quieting of free-agent signings and the start of training camps in September, very little—like, practically zero—business historically gets done between franchises. It’s a time when teams begin to look relatively “set” as they head into the next season.
Much like last summer around this time, I find myself still waiting for news of the big offseason acquisition from the Seattle Kraken, realizing that with every passing day, such a blockbuster becomes less and less likely. I recall asking my co-hosts on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, John Barr and Curtis Isacke, during this period last summer if it was possible the Kraken would actually head into the 2025-26 season with effectively the same roster as the year before. Surely, they wouldn’t run it back, right?
John predicted that was exactly what they would do, and indeed, that’s ultimately what Seattle did. Once this quiet pocket on the hockey calendar arrived, it became clear that Mason Marchment would remain the biggest get of last summer… and we all know how that turned out.
Now, following big promises being made at end-of-season press conferences, it’s looking like the Kraken—after acquiring Mackie Samoskevich, re-signing Bobby McMann, letting Jaden Schwartz, Jamie Oleksiak, and Eeli Tolvanen walk, and taking a painfully public rejection from Jason Robertson—could be all but done altering their roster for next season.
Seattle crumbled in spectacular fashion after the Olympic break in 2025-26 and finished well outside the playoff bubble. After that collapse, it was clear that personnel improvements were needed to get the Kraken into the postseason conversation for 2026-27. Has that happened? Or have they actually gotten worse this offseason?
Improvement or decline?
Whether general manager Jason Botterill has actually improved his club this offseason is hard to say. He was smart not to blow a bunch of his abundant cap space on marginal free agents, but the trade market didn’t work out the way many of us expected and hoped.
On paper, the Kraken lost three veteran players in Oleksiak, Schwartz, and Tolvanen, assuming Tolvanen’s time in Seattle is done. At this point, the 27-year-old Finn remains an unsigned, unrestricted free agent, so he could theoretically return if the Kraken wanted him back. But we will assume here that the Goodship Tolvy has sailed.
To backfill those departures, Seattle added only Samoskevich and 6-foot-9 depth forward Curtis Douglas. What all that amounts to is essentially a wash in terms of offensive production.
Now, Samoskevich could be a great fit. He played down the lineup in his first two full NHL seasons with the Florida Panthers and averaged just 14:28 of ice time last season. At 23 years old, a reunion with his old University of Michigan buddy, Matty Beniers, coupled with an opportunity to play true top-six minutes, could result in a nice boost from his 31 points (15-16—31) in 2024-25 and 32 points (12-20—32) in 2025-26. There is real upside there.
Is the young Samoskevich better than a 34-year-old Jaden Schwartz? I would say yes, although Schwartz was one of the few players in deep sea blue who was consistently willing to go to the dirty areas. Still, call it a slight upgrade from an older veteran to a younger, speedier winger just reaching his prime.
The other piece to remember is that after McMann’s acquisition at the NHL Trade Deadline, Schwartz ended up playing way down the lineup, dropping as low as the fourth line on some nights. Not only did he seem ready to move on, but his fit in the lineup had also become muddied after his return from a scary facial injury—he was clipped in the face by a skate on March 7—that kept him out for a month late in the season.
Schwartz was a good soldier and an impactful player from Day 1 of the franchise, but it was time for the Kraken to let him walk.
As for a Tolvanen replacement, that will almost surely have to come from within. Assuming no other trades before the start of the season, Botterill is banking on young players like Ryan Winterton, Jacob Melanson, Berkly Catton, and others in the system to take additional steps. He has said publicly that he does not want to add a bunch of depth players to block the youngsters out of the lineup.
On the back end, Oleksiak certainly had his fair share of detractors within the Kraken fanbase, so many folks were fine to see him head across the border to sign with the Vancouver Canucks. I, too, got frustrated with Oleksiak’s long stretches of non-physically imposing play—he could truly be a dominant and scary defensive force if he wanted to—but I always thought he was a bit underappreciated by fans. He played hard minutes, blocked shots, and used his long reach to make it difficult for opponents to get to the front of Seattle’s net.
Oleksiak’s role and Lane Lambert’s trust in him certainly eroded as last season went on, though, so it was time for him to move on. What concerns me is that there isn’t an obvious “shutdown” defensive replacement waiting in the wings. It looks like one of Cale Fleury or Josh Mahura will get a more regular role in 2026-27, after each played 23 games for the Kraken last season.
The Bobby McMann X-factor
McMann’s impact on this team’s outlook is perplexing. He ended up being an incredible acquisition for Botterill, potting 10 goals in just 18 games as a Kraken and totaling 29 goals in 78 games between Toronto and Seattle. Botterill said his main priority this offseason was extending McMann, and he was able to bring the speedy winger back for six years at a reasonable $5.75 million annual cap hit.
But why did the Kraken spiral into a pit of misery after McMann arrived? It certainly wasn’t his fault, but something happened after the Olympic break that caused nearly every other player in the room to lose confidence.
Perhaps the summer will give those players an opportunity to reset and clear the negative vibes that were permeating through the dressing room in the closing weeks of the season. And perhaps having McMann around from the start will give him a chance to play some winning hockey in Seattle for a change, something he has yet to experience.
Outstanding business
There are still rumors floating around that the Kraken could be looking to add a player before the start of the season, and let’s not forget that the Shane Wright situation has not been resolved. He has requested a trade and remains on the Kraken roster at this point. Meanwhile, we’re heading into the final seasons of Jared McCann’s and Vince Dunn’s respective contracts. Trading either or both still makes sense, but it feels like we’re past that point in the offseason.
By the way, McCann still posted 20 goals despite ongoing injury woes that limited him to just 52 games in 2025-26. Assuming he is here for the full season (and he did have a procedure done immediately following the end of the season, so perhaps he gets back to full health), could we see a bounce-back campaign from him as he looks for one more big payday?
I say all this as a reminder that it is not set in stone that this is how the Kraken will begin the season. But if I had to guess, this is how the lineup will look on Opening Night.
How to feel about Seattle’s chances
I’ve mostly felt pessimistic about the way things have gone for the Kraken front office this offseason, most notably with Robertson’s rebuff and Wright’s trade request. But I also remember that this team was firmly in a playoff spot at the beginning of February before faceplanting down the stretch.
So, while that pessimism gnaws away at the front of my mind, I also can’t help feeling little tinges of optimism in the back of my mind that perhaps this young group will learn from what caused things to go sideways late in the year. Maybe Lambert can get them to believe in themselves again, and those painful lessons of 2025-26 will help the players see it through and reach the postseason.
That does feel like a long shot, though, doesn’t it?
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
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 Finn Kearns, an off-the-radar 2026 fifth-round pick, and Carson Rehkopf, a high-profile forward prospect who played for the Coachella Valley Firebirds last season.
If you like these breakdowns, stop by every Friday because we’ll cover two prospects 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.
Finn Kearns | Defenseman | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Profile: Left-shot | 18 years old | 6-foot-3 | 212 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken fifth-round pick (unsigned)
Summary: Finn Kearns’ game is built around physicality. He is a big, imposing shutdown defenseman who leverages his strength, reach, and punishing contact to produce. At his best, he disrupts plays with heavy hits, strong net-front coverage, and effective gap engagement, while showing enough mobility to project as a defensive specialist at higher levels. Although he flashes competent puck-carrying ability and escape skating, his puck-moving consistency, skating pace, and offensive impact are limited at this stage.
Kearns is still raw, relatively untested, and underdeveloped compared with his draft-class peers, having spent most of his draft season playing prep hockey. He is a long-term development project with the size and enough skating ability to become a dependable defensive defenseman.
Video: Kearns is the left-shot defenseman wearing No. 2 in green.
Strengths:
Elite physical presence at lower levels of competition; delivered heavy, game-changing hits regularly.
Excellent size, strength, and reach to deny space and separate opponents from the puck.
Good mobility for his frame, with flashes of solid edgework and escape skating.
Flashed strong defensive instincts and positional awareness.
Effective at denying zone entries at the blue line and defending the net front.
Capable of closing plays along the boards with physicality before making simple, effective outlet passes.
Willing, competitive defender who embraces a shutdown role and mentality.
Showed a useful, heavy point shot at the prep school level.
Physicality and an on-the-edge playing style (163 penalty minutes in 53 prep games during his draft season) bring “identity” potential in the mold of Jeremy Lauzon.
Scouts indicate Kearns is team-oriented, self-aware about the strengths and weaknesses of his game, and a hard worker.
Long-term developmental upside due to his physical tools and defensive foundation.
Weaknesses:
Adequate four-way mobility will need to take steps to be pro-ready.
Linear skating lacks explosiveness and could use technical refinements.
A bit more stiffness than fluidity in his movements.
Struggles when he does not maintain speed and momentum while closing gaps.
Puck-moving ability lacks creativity, and the results are inconsistent.
Offensive upside and transition impact are limited.
At times, he deadens his feet in the defensive zone, becoming too stationary and overly reliant on net-front physicality.
A limited sample of transition rushes at the prep school level did not generate much.
Very limited time at the major junior level (20 OHL games) and even less production (one assist).
Overall, his game remains raw and will require significant development time.
System rank: 15-30 (organizational depth).
Notes: Kearns is a pure defensive-defenseman projection. While he is buoyed by strong reports on his character and team-first mentality, he’ll need to find more puck-moving and basic playmaking ability to traverse higher levels. He has a long runway ahead to make those gains, with a post-draft year in the OHL on tap before joining the University of Massachusetts Minutemen in 2027-28. If he can get into the 20-30 point range for the Sudbury Wolves this season, it would be a good sign that there could be enough offense in his stick to dream on a professional future.
Carson Rehkopf | Winger | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Profile: Left-shot | 21 years old | 6-foot-2 | 201 lbs | 2023 Seattle Kraken second-round pick (signed)
Summary: Carson Rehkopf has significant offensive skill in his stick, combining a high-end shot with deceptive release mechanics and intermittent offensive-zone playmaking ability. He has the offensive instincts to get to soft scoring areas. His strength and physical engagement have taken a step forward since he was drafted, which should give him more of a “B” game, at least in theory.
On the other hand, his ability to rush the puck in transition has not translated professionally, as he struggles to protect the puck or evade checks. His defensive engagement has taken some steps forward but remains significantly below par. His frame and skill set should yield more forechecking and puck-retrieval production, but his commitment and motor are not there often enough.
Even if he does not hit his ceiling, Rehkopf could still bring complementary offensive value as a spot-up shooter in the offensive zone and on power-play setups, but he needs to push his off-puck game up a level or two. He has the frame and skating ability to do it, but the compete needs to be there.
Video: Rehkopf is the left-shot forward wearing No. 16 in white.
Strengths:
Elite major junior goal-scoring ability with a quick catch-and-release shot and a deceptive wrist shot (94 goals in 117 OHL games over two post-draft seasons).
Strong offensive instincts and the ability to find soft areas in coverage; consistently creates separation and gets open in dangerous areas.
Reads defensive rotations, coverage changes, and developing plays well.
Improved playmaking ability at the major junior level, which also flashed professionally, including finding teammates through seams and using give-and-go plays.
Physicality and willingness to engage opponents and battle for space have improved over time.
Showed the ability to be a net-front presence and score from high-danger areas in the OHL.
Shows patience with the puck and can delay plays to allow teammates to get open.
Improved defensive engagement, including better awareness and earlier backchecking.
Weaknesses:
Skating mechanics lack fluidity, particularly when changing direction or handling the puck laterally.
Agility and edgework can limit his ability to create plays independently against higher-level defenders at the blue line or in the offensive zone.
Above average junior pace in transition has not shown up professionally.
Upright skating style leaves the puck exposed to checks.
Puck skills are effective but can become less dynamic when forced into tight, one-on-one situations.
His poor ability to protect the puck or evade defenders with east-west skating often frustrates his rush chances and has caused him to defer as a transition rusher, limiting his scoring potential.
Development in explosiveness and overall skating range may be necessary to achieve offensive impact at the NHL level.
His forechecking and physical game have taken strides, but neither has developed into a strength at the professional level. His “want to” also appears lacking at times.
Defensive production is below average, both in terms of reads and execution; his lack of consistency in this area has cost him deployments in major international tournaments and now at the professional level.
Too many stick infractions when his skating or compete level wanes.
Has not gotten to the front of the net often enough professionally for a player with his physical profile.
Regularly skated in a fourth-line role without power-play time in his first AHL season, having failed to show that he brought enough off the puck to earn more ice time.
With just four points in his last 34 regular-season and postseason AHL games in the 2025–26 season, his scoring proficiency has not translated professionally.
System rank: 8-15 (NHL upside).
Notes: There are times when Rehkopf certainly passes the “eye test.” He can show enough skating and physicality in a 6-foot-2 frame to go along with effective offensive-zone play engagement. That said, I find it unlikely that the once-speculated high-end outcome of a top-six scoring winger is coming unless Rehkopf can take significant strides in his transition play-driving, puck protection, and/or skating agility. Absent that, Rehkopf will need to continue improving his off-puck play to earn NHL ice time in a complementary middle-six and power-play role.
Rehkopf is still young, but he needs to start showing more consistency defensively and on the forecheck this season to earn top-six AHL deployment. It’s hard to see anything more than the slimmest path forward if he’s mired in limited AHL minutes yet again this year.
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.
As the Coachella Valley Firebirds enter their fifth season, they will continue embracing a youth movement, with the roster expected to add five new Kraken prospects.
Bear in mind that the AHL is a developmental league and limits how many veterans teams can dress. I outlined the full details of the veteran rule in a previous article.
Here is a quick overview:
Development players: Skaters who are under 25 as of July 1 or have played 260 or fewer qualifying professional games.
Veteran players: Skaters who are at least 25 as of July 1 and have played more than 260 qualifying professional games.
Teams must dress at least 12 development players and no more than six veterans.
Goaltenders are excluded.
The rule applies to the gameday lineup, not the full roster.
In previous seasons, teams could dress up to five veterans and one veteran-exempt player, a designation that applied to skaters with 261 to 320 qualifying professional games. Beginning in 2026-27, that designation will be removed, allowing teams to use all six non-development spots on veterans.
How the Firebirds’ 2026-27 roster is shaping up
Overall, the veteran rule should not be a factor for the Firebirds this season, as only three players under contract, John Hayden, Mitchell Stephens and Gustav Olofsson, currently qualify as veterans. Coachella Valley rostered four veterans last season, but Max McCormick’s season-long injury limited the active group to three.
Forwards
Red text means the player is entering his first full year with the Firebirds.
The Firebirds look to add four young forwards this season, led by 19-year-old Jake O’Brien and followed by Julius Miettinen, Nathan Villeneuve, and Ryden Evers. While the CHL, AHL, and NHL have not officially announced that 19-year-olds can play in the AHL this season, Elliotte Friedman reported that the leagues were nearing an agreement.
Nathan Villeneuve (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Julius Miettinen (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Adding these forwards creates an intriguing question: Who leaves the lineup to make room? The Firebirds currently have 17 forwards under contract, and while the AHL does not limit roster size, finding enough playing time for everyone will be more difficult. With only 12 forward spots available each game, Coachella Valley must determine how to handle five extra forwards.
Healthy scratches – Players who do not make the lineup could watch from the press box, with one or two forwards likely falling into this category each night. While competition can push prospects to improve, development players also need opportunities to play and grow.
Kansas City Mavericks – Struggling or crowded-out players could join the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks to receive more playing time, with two or three forwards potentially going there. There could also be a rotating group of players that fluctuate between the ECHL and AHL, so do not be surprised if some familiar names end up in Mavericks jerseys at some point this season.
Opportunities with Seattle – Several Firebirds forwards have seen limited NHL action or appear close to earning a call-up, including Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, Jani Nyman, Jagger Firkus, and Logan Morrison. Each could find himself in a Kraken sweater at some point, though Seattle’s forward group is already crowded, meaning those chances will likely come when injuries create openings.
The Curtis Douglas question
The Kraken also signed 6-foot-9 forward Curtis Douglas, whose destination remains unclear, though he could stay in Seattle as an extra forward. Douglas is not shy about dropping the gloves and could work his way into the lineup depending on the matchup. If he lands in Coachella Valley, he would qualify as a veteran under the new rule, having played 310 qualifying professional games, which previously placed him in the veteran-exempt category.
Defense
Alexis Bernier will join the Firebirds after spending much of last season recovering from ACL surgery. After his delayed start he helped the Chicoutimi Saguenéens win the QMJHL championship.
Alexis Bernier (Photo/Brian Liesse)
With eight defensemen under contract, meaning at least two will sit each game, unless one is sent to Kansas City. You can expect that all eight will start the year in Coachella and see how the lineup shakes out before any move to the ECHL is made. Right-shot defensemen are sought after in the NHL and in the bunch the Kraken have five prospects right-shot defensemen. This could lead to a defenseman having ot play on their off side.
Red text means the player is entering his first full year with the Firebirds.
For now, I have included Gustav Olofsson as under contract in the AHL, but he is an interesting case. Originally, the Firebirds signed Olofsson to a two-year AHL-only contract good through the 2026-27 season. In March 2026, the Seattle Kraken signed Olofsson to a two-way contract through the end of 2025-26 season. I will continue working to confirm Olofsson’s contract status, but I believe he remains under an AHL contract. Thanks to user phiFiFoFum for pointing this out.
While the defensive group continues to develop in Coachella Valley, it seems unlikely that any of these prospects will secure a full-time NHL role this season. Tyson Jugnauth and Ty Nelson led Firebirds defensemen with 45 and 35 points, respectively, with Jugnauth finishing third among all team skaters in scoring during his rookie AHL campaign. Ville Ottavainen offers a different dimension as a shutdown defenseman and, at 6-foot-5, brings the size NHL teams value.
Goaltending
Little has changed in goal, as Nikke Kokko and Victor Östman are expected to split the crease again for Coachella Valley. Östman started 36 regular-season games last season compared with Kokko’s 35 (Kokko missed time with an injury) and posted a .906 save percentage, slightly ahead of Kokko’s .901.
However, when the playoffs arrived, Kokko became the clear No. 1 option, starting 12 postseason games while Östman started only one, clearly showing which goaltender the Firebirds trusted most. Look for Kokko to take a larger share of the starts this season.
A change behind the bench
The Firebirds will also have a new assistant coach, as Stu Bickel left the organization to become head coach of the Iowa Wild.
Scott Ford was hired to fill the vacancy on head coach Derek Laxdal’s staff after Ford spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Wrapping up
As they did last season, the Firebirds will lean heavily on prospects and could once again have one of the youngest rosters in the AHL, if not the youngest.
This promising group reached the Division Finals during the 2025-26 Calder Cup Playoffs, and continued success would bode well for the Kraken. Another winning season would allow their prospects to develop while playing meaningful minutes in competitive games. Much of last season’s core remains in place, and the newcomers will increase competition for playing time while creating an environment that pushes everyone to improve.
As the Kraken strive to become more competitive at the NHL level, the Coachella Valley club should be an exciting, high-tempo team to watch this upcoming season.
Comment below with any questions or thoughts on the Coachella Valley roster.
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
The NHL released its schedule last week for the upcoming 2026‑27 season, which means it’s time for my annual tradition: digging into travel distances, back‑to‑backs, and identifying any appetizing road trips on the schedule.
Even before the schedule dropped, we already knew two big wrinkles were coming. First, the Kraken will play two games in Helsinki, Finland against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes as part of the NHL Global Series. Second, the league is officially expanding the regular season from 82 to 84 games. More hockey is never a bad thing, but more hockey also means more miles, more wear and tear, and more opportunities for chaos.
Let’s dive in.
Looking at the travel schedule
Historically, Pacific Division teams dominate the league in total miles traveled. That’s just life on the far edge of the map. But this season, something unusual is happening: Central Division teams will actually travel more on average than Pacific teams. As I do every year, I exclude the Global Series travel to have fair comparables to all teams in the league.
Central teams will average 47,037 miles traveled per team while Pacific teams will average 46,004 miles per team.
Even when removing the Helsinki trip entirely, the Kraken still land near the top of the league in total miles traveled. Only the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will log more sky time.
The league’s shift from 82 to 84 games adds roughly 2,000 miles of travel per team on average. For Seattle, the increase is even steeper: 4,484 additional miles compared to last season.
Minnesota gets the biggest bump of all, 10,195 more miles this season than they traveled in 2025‑26.
Back-to-back scenarios
Analyzing back‑to‑backs meant a lot more last offseason, when the Kraken were coming off that unforgettable (in the worst way…as in worst in the league) 0‑12-0 record on the second night of back‑to‑backs. It was one of those stats that became more demoralizing as the Kraken attempted to break the streak, the later the season went on.
Thankfully, the 2025‑26 season brought a bit of redemption. Seattle went 5‑6‑2 in those second‑night games, still not great, but the 12 standings points they earned were a massive improvement over the zero they banked the year before. Progress is progress.
This season, the Kraken once again have 13 back‑to‑back sets, the same number they had last season. But adding some context: last season, 13 was in the bottom third of the league because the Olympic break compressed everyone’s schedules. This season, with a more normal calendar (plus the added two games), 13 back‑to‑backs actually lands Seattle in the top third of the league.
A quick glance at the home schedule
As a season ticket holder, I always like to get a feel for the home rhythm of the season. And once again, the Kraken’s home schedule leans heavily on weekend hockey.
10 Saturday home games
9 Tuesday games
7 Thursday games
If you’re someone who plans your fall and winter around Climate Pledge Arena, this year’s cadence should feel familiar. I will spend a lot more time going through the home schedule in the fall.
Early road‑trip candidates
I try to hit two or three road games every season, and I’m still working toward my long‑term goal of seeing the Kraken play in every NHL rink. If you’re thinking about traveling this year, here are a few trips that caught my eye.
Calgary (October 1 or October 30)
This is the final season the Flames will play in the Saddledome, and if you’ve never been, it’s worth the pilgrimage. The building is a relic—quirky, outdated, and full of charm you just don’t find in modern arenas. I’ve seen the Kraken play there before, but I’m tempted to go one more time before the doors close for good.
The season opener on Oct. 1 is the most convenient option. You could even tack on Edmonton on Oct. 3 before hustling home for the Kraken’s home opener on the 4th.
Detroit → Washington → Philadelphia (October 9–13)
I’ve seen NHL games in both DC and Philly, but never the Kraken in either building. With no snow to worry about, this early‑season swing is appealing.
Oct. 9 – Detroit
Oct. 11 – Washington
Oct. 13 – Philadelphia
I was hoping for a Detroit matchup that lined up better with the college hockey schedule—Yost or Munn in a big rivalry game is still on my bucket list—so I’ll be skipping the Wings this year. But DC and Philly remain strong candidates.
Helsinki, Finland (November)
The only November road trip worth mentioning is the Global Series, and my flights are already booked. If you’ve ever wanted to combine Kraken hockey with international travel, this is the year.
This mid‑December stretch is a choose‑your‑own‑adventure depending on your PTO situation.
Dec. 15 – Nashville
Dec. 17 – Columbus
Dec. 18 – Pittsburgh
Dec. 20 – Denver
I’m skipping this one—Pittsburgh is the only arena I haven’t hit, and I’m saving my budget for other trips—but if you’re considering it, Nashville is one of my favorite NHL cities, and Columbus is underrated both as a destination and as a hockey environment.
Vegas (January)
There’s a Saturday Kraken–Golden Knights matchup in January. If you enjoy Vegas, this is an easy recommendation. Even as someone who doesn’t gamble much, I still enjoy catching a game there.
New York City Triple (January 23–26)
Three games in four days against all three NYC‑area teams. It’s tempting, but New York in January is… New York in January. I may look elsewhere.
Toronto → Montreal → Ottawa (Early March)
This is the trip that really jumped out to me. I saw the Kraken in Toronto last season and had an incredible time. This early‑March stretch offers:
Mar. 3 – Toronto
Mar. 4 – Montreal
Mar. 6 – Ottawa
All in a relatively warmer month, all in great hockey cities. Aspirational fans could tack on Boston, which remains one of my favorite NHL road cities: walkable, historic, and usually with a college game worth catching.
Final thoughts
Those are my early impressions of the 2026‑27 Kraken schedule. Between the Global Series, the expanded season, and some genuinely fun road‑trip opportunities, there’s a lot going on in this upcoming season’s schedule.
What about you? Any road trips you’re eyeing this season?
