“Down on the Farm” is your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we check in on the stock of several Seattle Kraken prospects who participated in camp and the first two preseason games. We’ll also pass along news on several camp reassignments, a Jake O’Brien injury update, and video and data from around the system.
As always, if you have a Kraken prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey. Let’s dive in.
Kraken quickly assign youth to Firebirds camp amidst condensed NHL schedule
On Monday, the Kraken announced a series of transitions that trimmed the NHL roster to 27 players. We analyzed those moves in our Kraken Contracts Corner post on Tuesday. Among the “prospect” tier of players, only Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, Jake O’Brien, Ville Ottavainen, and Nikke Kokko remain in Seattle.
While the sweeping nature of these cuts and reassignments was a bit surprising, it may be indicative of the new normal moving forward—at least under the current front office. With the new CBA, a couple of significant changes likely affected the team’s approach.
The first change is the 84-game regular season. With that schedule adjustment comes the trimming of the preseason to just four games—and a commensurate overall tightening of camp. Something had to give, and for the Kraken, it was the initial evaluation window. Even with the “quick” cuts, the team had only just begun working on special teams units on Tuesday. With the first NHL game less than a week away, the team needs a smaller, more focused camp to have the veterans ready.
The second change relates to the preseason “veteran” rules, which Blaiz Grubic broke down on Wednesday. Under the new rules, teams have increased flexibility to load even more young players into any individual preseason game. This afforded the Kraken the opportunity to play lineups almost exclusively comprised of prospects during the first two preseason games and still reassign those players relatively “early.”
Under the new CBA, Jake O’Brien is a “veteran” for preseason purposes (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Kraken prospect preseason stock watch
Stock up: Oscar Fisker Mølgaard
Mølgaard was the best player on the ice during Rookie Camp and was the team’s clear best player during the team’s first preseason contest, Sep. 19 versus Vancouver. He also had a number of strong plays in the team’s veteran-heavy Sep. 24 game against Calgary.
While Mølgaard may not have one elite trait, he can contribute in all areas. He’s sound defensively; he brings penalty kill value; he is a skilled puck transporter through the neutral zone with speed and protection ability, and he filters pucks to his teammates in the offensive zone, usually in the slot, with deceptive and precise passes.
I’m likely in the minority, but his standout camp has me convinced Mølgaard can contribute more to winning right now than veterans like Freddy Gaudreau and Ben Meyers. I’d say the same thing about Curtis Douglas and Jacob Melanson, but they play different positions and roles, so it’s unlikely there is a one-for-one swap there. And all of this is before even considering the likelihood of continued development, which I believe will elevate him above some other veterans in the middle of this roster.
Mølgaard is too good to demote. He should be playing in the NHL. That said, I wouldn’t want him to sit as an extra for any extended period of time. If he’s not starting most games on the fourth line, he should go to the AHL and await a regular opportunity.
Stock up: Jagger Firkus
While Mølgaard was the team’s best player in its first preseason game, I’d give player-of-the-game honors for Seattle’s Sep. 20 game in Calgary to Firkus. Firkus showed what he needed to against mostly AHL-level competition in that game. He can be a volume-shooting wing who can get to his shot with transition vision and speed, savvy offensive-zone positioning, and illusiveness and feints on the puck to open up shooting angles that others cannot. He also contributed enough defensively high in the zone and along the walls to survive.
He’s not a “complete” player, and his game is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. For me, though, the only question is: can Firkus carry over a rough approximation of this same proven AHL game to the NHL? We won’t know that until he gets the chance. My hope is, one way or another, Firkus gets a run of third-line games at some point before the All-Star Break.
Check out Firkus’s shifts from the Sep. 20 game against Calgary below. He’s No. 57 in white.
Stock up: Ty Nelson
Nelson showed in camp and in the preseason games that he can be trusted with difficult defensive responsibilities in a way that distinguishes him from the team’s other top defense prospects right now. Add in the offensive instincts to activate and pinch when the play calls for it, and you have a player who can, at times, bring offense too—as he proved with goals in each of his two preseason contests.
“You can see the growth he’s taken from last [year’s] camp. He worked real hard last season, and he looks a lot more comfortable out there,” said Kraken assistant coach Aaron Schneekloth of Nelson. “He’s been a real good bright spot for us at camp.”
Stock up: David Goyette
Goyette was always noticeable at camp, flying to the puck on the forecheck. He plays with NHL pace and has upped his physicality to a passable level. After failing in his first effort as an offense-first player at the professional level, he has remade his game and should be commended for it.
He did well for himself in Seattle. Whether there is enough upside in this version of Goyette to climb to the NHL level or even earn regular AHL starts on a Firebirds roster is a different question. His skill impact at the AHL level is rungs below J.R. Avon, who also had a very nice camp.
Stock neutral: Tyson Jugnauth
The skating and puck possession ability showed elite flashes through camp and into the preseason. And with the puck on his stick, he can connect teammates and drive offensive sequences like an NHL defenseman.
The defense remains a problem, though. Interestingly, the in-zone issues didn’t show up as much in the limited preseason sample. And, on the better side, he showed more physicality on the boards and at the net front than he has ever demonstrated before. (Channeling that physicality toward effective results is the next step.) The defensive issues showed up more in terms of getting caught out of position (without forward coverage), which directly resulted in at least three odd-man rushes against following turnovers. He also took a poor interference penalty in transition defense.
The skill is there, but Jugnauth needs to show more defensively to be playable in the NHL.
Stock down: Eduard Sale
Sale had a couple of plus possession sequences and quick passes in the preseason contest, but overall his impact remains muted. Rarely does he hit landmarks off the puck to be a dangerous secondary option off a turnover or rebound. He offers little in the way of forechecking or defense. And he doesn’t show NHL-quality possession and manipulation skills to regularly get himself open for a shot or pass. Another relatively anonymous camp can’t be anything other than a “stock down” for Sale.
Stock down: Carson Rehkopf
Rehkopf showed a bit more forechecking desire and physicality as camp went on. Perhaps this is the secondary set of skills he needs to establish his skill game.
But overall, he was only slightly more noticeable than Sale. He struggles to protect the puck, which leads him to defer possession to others, and he struggles with his consistency off the puck, both offensively and defensively. Perhaps most telling, Rehkopf did not work in a half-wall role on the power play even during Rookie Camp. His impact was more muted as a net-front player. This neutralizes his most elite trait—his shot. It’s a very big season for Rehkopf, who needs to earn an offensive role, ideally one that includes ripping one-timers on the power play.
Notes on four other Kraken players
Jake O’Brien | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
As we detailed last week, we had suspicions that O’Brien had not been operating at full health. Nonetheless, he was a participant in training camp and the team’s first preseason game, which culminated in a goal for the 19-year-old.
On the downside, O’Brien did not come out of the game healthy. He was again ruled out day-to-day with a lower-body injury—presumably the same one that hampered him over the summer. He was back on the ice, skating separately in a red “no contact” jersey today, Friday, Sep. 25.
I was tempted to put O’Brien in the “stock down” category above due to the quiet camp outside of the preseason game, but I think it’s fairer to say it’s an “incomplete” grade given the injury. I suspect he will be reassigned to Coachella Valley camp when he is healthy enough to return to practice.
Loke Krantz | F | Linköping (SHL)
Krantz is skating with his SHL club to begin the year and has recorded his first goal.
#SeaKraken forward prospect Loke Krantz scores his first goal of the season in Linköping's Sep 22 SHL game against Brynäs. pic.twitter.com/rO73VqhHAf
Logan Morrison and J.R. Avon | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
It needs to be noted that throughout camp Morrison and Avon processed the game quickly, maximized their skill, and drove play against AHL-caliber competition. They stood out positively on a consistent basis. As older players with perceived lower ceilings, the question is: Do they ever get a real NHL chance with Seattle?
Ville Ottavainen | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Ottavainen may have been in consideration for the “stock up” category, given that he has remained with the team as the last defenseman prospect deep into camp. However, he was involved in an incident in the most recent Calgary game that puts a damper on things. Ottavainen took a bad hit from Brennan Othmann in the Sep. 20 Calgary game and then another hit from the same player in the Sep. 24 Calgary game. Even so, tackling and pummeling Othmann while he’s on the ice and not squared up for the fight was out of line.
Though Lane Lambert suggested he was OK with it, it was a suspension-worthy sequence in my opinion. As it turns out, Ottavainen escaped with only a game misconduct and a fine. If there is a silver lining, I wonder if the incident lessens interest in the player when and if he goes on waivers (if there was any such interest to begin with).
Kraken prospects data update
Ola Palme leads the Kraken organization in overall scoring with three assists in four games.
Victor Fyodorov added another goal this week and leads the organization with two so far on the season.
Kim Saarinen had a strong week, posting a .947 save percentage and 1.51 goals against average in two Liiga starts. He is fourth in Liiga in save percentage among goalies with at least five starts. He is also your Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week.
Visa Vedenpaa made his first Liiga start of the year this week. He figures to be the backup for Kärpät again this season.
Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
1: Viktor Fyodorov, Kim Saarinen, Semyon Vyzaovoi
Previewing the week ahead
Your Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week is actually a game not on the schedule below. The Coachella Valley Firebirds play their one and only preseason game on Sunday, Sep. 27, against the Ontario Reign. The game will not be broadcast, according to Firebirds Director of Communications and play-by-play announcer Evan Pivnick. So, we’ll have to look to the Firebirds’ PR staff for any updates.
Tracking 2027 NHL Draft prospects: Jonah Neuenschwander*
Neuenschwander is a tall Swiss-born forward playing his second season at Switzerland’s top professional level, the National League. Neuenschwander brings physicality and offensive skill, including a quality shot. He’s a natural center but has experience on the wing at the professional level already. He will need to see development in his agility, edgework, and overall pace to ascend the professional ranks. In a draft with a number of older players, his March birthday puts him on the younger end of the spectrum.
Right now, Neuenschwander projects as a top-10 pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. He is the left-shot center wearing No. 19 in white in the video below.
*I can’t prove it, but I’ll tell you I spelled that correctly on my first attempt.
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.
But today, we’re kicking “Down on the Farm” into gear. There is new on-ice stuff to talk about, finally. Professional and junior leagues around the world are underway. Kraken prospects have been on the ice for four practices at Kraken Community Iceplex and two Prospect Challenge games in Abbotsford, Canada. And the Sound Of Hockey Podcast sat down with Kraken Assistant General Manager Ryan Jankowski to discuss the Kraken prospect pool.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive in. As always, if you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey.
Canadian junior leagues drop the puck on the 2026-27 season tonight
Friday, Sep. 18, marks the beginning of the regular season for many CHL teams. That said, it will be a lighter season than we are accustomed to for Kraken prospects playing junior hockey.
As always, it will start slowly. Canadian junior teams play (at least) their opening-weekend matchups without players participating in NHL training camps. Rylan Singh, Finn Kearns, and Will Reynolds will be reassigned to their junior teams eventually but figure to get in a few more practices, if not games, in Seattle first.
Moving forward, though, there will be fewer junior games to watch from a Kraken perspective. Emblematic is the fact that, for the first time, the Kraken will not have even a single prospect playing in the WHL. Some of this is natural ebb and flow, but players like Chase Reid, Casey Mutryn, Blake Fiddler, and perhaps even Jake O’Brien would be playing junior hockey this season but for a couple of significant rule changes.
The most significant change is the NCAA’s decision to now afford eligibility to junior hockey players. Since Division I college hockey is generally understood to be a step up in competition from the junior hockey level, there is now an additional step in the development ladder available to high-end young players like Reid, Mutryn, and Fiddler. Before this rule change, Reid almost certainly would have played another season for the Soo Greyhounds, Fiddler likely would have returned to the Edmonton Oil Kings, and Mutryn likely would have gone to the QMJHL.
The other change is an edit to the NHL-CHL transfer agreement that allows first-round draft picks from the CHL to be assigned to the AHL for their age-19 seasons. Previously, players had to wait until they were 20 to play in the AHL, creating a difficult NHL-or-junior-hockey decision for a player like Berkly Catton. This season O’Brien has a second-tier professional option available to him, and it seems like a foregone conclusion that’s where he’ll be.
Whether O’Brien would have been in contention for an NHL spot this training camp under the former rules is an interesting question to ponder. At this point, I’d lean “no,” which underscores the immense importance of this rule change for O’Brien’s development. He is already Brantford’s all-time points leader. He would get nothing from going back to the OHL.
Regardless, it’s hard not to be excited by the return of junior hockey. Here’s your first “week ahead” snapshot for Kraken prospects.
Notes from Kraken Rookie Camp and the Prospect Challenge games
Jake O’Brien | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
I doubt O’Brien is truly 100 percent following the revelation that he was dealing with a knee injury over the offseason. At times, he seemed to be testing or flexing his leg between drills, and he seemed to be drifting or pushing three-quarters speed in some drills. Add in the fact that the Kraken held him out of the Prospect Challenge games for “precautionary reasons,” and I’m doubtful he’s at full speed right now. This is particularly disappointing because O’Brien taking a step with his skating and physicality was a big goal for the offseason. If it’s a lost summer in that regard due to the injury, he could have a harder time in the AHL.
In terms of his production at camp, O’Brien has been fairly quiet and seemingly hesitant in battle drills. There are still flashes of the high-end skill, though. His ability to deceive the defense and slip a pass to a teammate for a high-danger chance is a true NHL-caliber trait.
Will Reynolds | D | Newfoundland Regiment (QMJHL)
It has been an up-and-down week for the 6-foot-3 blueliner from New Brunswick, Canada. He took a seat while backward skating against the first rush of the Saturday game in Abbotsford and notably lost containment of his assignment on a couple of other occasions. On the other hand, his physicality has been noticeable, and he handled himself well in a one-on-one drill on Friday, Sept. 18, disrupting efforts by Chandler Stephenson and Bobby McMann back-to-back. The question with Reynolds is whether he can show enough skill to climb the ladder. He only just turned 19. There is runway left to show it. The goal this season may be to secure a favorable Division I commitment.
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
As I mentioned in our Kraken Training Camp Roundtable, I thought Mølgaard looked physically bigger—which is not to say “big,” but he looked meaningfully sturdier. And this development came with no diminishment of his crisp skating or impressive handling skills. He routinely abused his competition in one-on-one drills at rookie camp. I’m increasingly wondering if he’s entering the category of “too good to demote,” even if only for a few weeks to begin the season. He could force some hard choices.
Finn Kearns | D | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Kearns hit everything he could catch in battle drills and during the Saturday Prospect Challenge game. (Oh yeah, he also added a fight and a goal in that game.) The issue for Kearns is that his skating is not particularly competitive at the NHL level right now. It’s a clear and obvious development need for this 2026-27 season.
Tyson Jugnauth | D | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Jugnauth’s ability to skate in transition and along the blue line stood out as an elite trait in the rookie phase of camp. He used those skills to dissect defensive structures and create chances all week. The challenge ahead of him is to continue to show those skills against NHL competition. If he can do that while also continuing to be somewhat competitive defensively—as he has been—he could make some decisions difficult.
Tyson Jugnauth (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Jankowski on scouting and developing the next Kraken players
Earlier this week, Kraken AGM Ryan Jankowksi sat for a wide-ranging interview with the Sound Of Hockey Podcast to discuss his hockey journey as well as his current role with the Seattle Kraken. Jankowski is a born and bred hockey scout; he went so far as to say it’s in his “genes,” coming down from his father Lou, who was also a scout. And his enthusiasm for his craft was infectious. Here are a few notable takeaways:
On his role: “Every AGM here has a little bit of a different role, right? Mine is to oversee amateur scouting and player development. So basically everything from drafting the player up until they get here to Seattle. And that’s even working with the development a little bit in Coachella.”
On Semyon Vyazovoi, the prospect “we’re not talking enough about”: After conceding he had no idea about Vyazovoi’s development before joining the Kraken, Jankowski was effusive. “This guy is really good… [W]e’re thrilled with the development that he took last year from, you know, not just being a starter, but was an all-star goalie.” He confirmed Vyazovoi’s contract runs through the end of this season and he has his fingers crossed the team will be able to talk Vyazovoi into coming stateside after that. “He’ll come when he’s ready, but we hope he’s ready at the end of this season. It’s all about cultivating that relationship.”
On Kim Saarinen and his “good opportunity” in Finland this year: Finland’s top professional league, Liiga, is adopting a relegation format, so there will be a lot of pressure on teams to stay at the top level. This will include Saarinen’s team HPK, which has been a mid-to-bottom-table team. After this year, the plan is for Saarinen to come over, but it’s all about “figur[ing] out the goalie puzzle” at that point.
On Casey Mutryn’s top attributes: “[W]e get excited about is his character, his leadership, the type of person that he is mixed in with the type of game that he plays.” Whether he plays one year or two years of college hockey before turning pro “it’ll sort itself out.”
On what appealed to the Kraken about Viktor Fyodorov: “Victor’s very talented. He’s a little bit of he’s got an artist mentality on the ice, but he also takes care of business in his own zone. He’s very well-rounded, very smart, but we do like the skill set that he has… He’s a hockey kid. He’s a hockey player. He loves the game, has passion for it, and seems to be wanting to get better.”
Watch the full interview below. We covered many other topics, from player-specific conversations about Reid, Mølgaard, and Julius Miettinen, to Jankowski’s prospect non-negotiables, and how the NHL Draft actually works behind the scenes.
Kraken prospects data update
Speaking of Fyodorov, he had the Kraken organization’s first—and, as of now, only—goal of the 2026-27 season. I wouldn’t call it “artistry” from an aesthetic perspective, but he was in the right place at the right time to take advantage of a favorable bounce. Along with sticking on his KHL team full-time to begin the season, it’s enough to earn Fyodorov Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week honors on a light schedule.
Saarinen and Vyazovoi both look like the clear starters on their respective teams to begin the 2026-27 season.
Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker
1 win: Semyon Vyazovoi, Victor Fyodorov*
Video from the vault
Check out our Film Room Room posts for recent gameplay video. We’ll dig back into last season’s unpublished archive for this video of Kim Saarinen from Nov. 6, 2025. He’s the goaltender wearing No. 1 in blue for Team Finland.
Tracking 2027 NHL Draft prospects: Landon Dupont
Former Everett Silvertip Landon Dupont enters the season as the consensus No. 1 overall prospect. A recent sub-six-foot measurement puts a bit of a dent in the blueliner’s profile, but the overall package of skills and production is very appealing. He’ll play his draft season at the University of Michigan.
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.
The full group will take the ice at Kraken Community Iceplex for the first time on Thursday, with preseason kicking off Saturday.
NHL camps have been shortened for the foreseeable future, with only two weeks (instead of three, like in past years) to prepare for the regular season and four preseason games (instead of six). So, roster cuts will happen fast and furiously as Seattle’s front office works toward its Opening Night group.
Like any season, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Kraken as they open camp. We gathered our team here to give our own answers to those questions and make a few predictions along the way. Enjoy!
Q1: What caught your eye at Kraken Rookie Camp or the Prospect Challenge games?
John Barr: One of my biggest takeaways from the Prospect Challenge games was that Jagger Firkus looked a cut above everyone else. His shot and release have always been there, but his pace and vision looked outstanding. He even handled the physicality along the boards from time to time. I’m not overreacting to what I saw, but it’s encouraging to see the progress.
Blaiz Grubic: Jani Nyman is huge. He is now listed at 6-foot-4, two inches taller than his draft-year height.
On the opening day of rookie camp, I stood near the glass during a drill, and his stature was impressive. His shot remains his greatest strength, and it was on full display as he scored in drill after drill.
Nyman’s skating also caught my eye. He takes a while to reach top speed, but his movement looked more fluid once he got there.
Darren Brown: I went in thinking Tyson Jugnauth was going to stand out, and he proved me right. He’s so smooth and elusive, and in the game we watched in person in Abbotsford on Saturday, his poise while skating the puck out of danger gave me reason to believe he’s at the top of the call-up list for blueliners this season.
We often hear that the concern for Jugnauth is whether he can defend well enough to stop NHLers. But every time I noticed him in the defensive zone, he had the puck on his stick and was skating it out of harm’s way.
Curtis Isacke: I thought Oscar Fisker Mølgaard looked physically bigger—which is not to say “big,” but he looked meaningfully sturdier. And this development came with no diminishment of his crisp skating or impressive handling skills. He routinely abused his competition in one-on-one drills at rookie camp.
We know Mølgaard can contribute defensively and on the penalty kill. If more strength further elevates his forechecking and puck-protection skills, he could be a real factor in driving transition play for the NHL team this season.
Q2: What is the headline story you will be watching as Kraken Training Camp begins?
Blaiz: The headline story for me is whether Shane Wright can earn a larger role.
I recently posted Five questions heading into Training Camp, and that was my first one. I want to see the offseason distractions fade and Wright focus fully on hockey.
I have not lost faith in Wright. At only 22, he can still become the player the Kraken envisioned when they drafted him. A major step forward would mean moving up the depth chart and into a second-line role. This will remain a key storyline into the regular season, too.
Curtis: On paper, the top-nine winger roles are set: Bobby McMann, Jared McCann, and Berkly Catton in some combination at left wing, and Jordan Eberle, Kaapo Kakko, and Mackie Samoskevich in some order on the right side. But I still think an important story to follow in this camp concerns two young, skilled wingers we’ve already mentioned: Firkus and Nyman.
Both need to prove there is substance and depth to their NHL games beyond the occasional offensive flash. If one or both “look like they belong” in the NHL during camp, it could prompt a roster move to break the logjam or at least put them first in line for a call-up when injuries strike, and perhaps eventually vault them ahead of the likes of Freddy Gaudreau or Ryan Winterton.
John: I think Shane is obviously one of the storylines to watch, but I’ll also be watching Jared McCann. If the Kraken expect to take a step this year, I think they need a healthy and fully functioning Jared McCann. He’s really been the best player on the roster every year, but injuries have stifled his production over the last few seasons.
Darren: My two biggest storylines are Wright and McCann, but since I don’t want to double up, I’ll go with how Bobby McMann fits in. We obviously got a good look at the scoring winger after he was acquired late last season, but it will no longer have the temporary feel it did when things were unraveling for the Kraken down the stretch.
Getting McMann in the fold more permanently was important to general manager Jason Botterill this summer, and now is his time to show he was worth the long-term investment.
Q3: What could we see at Training Camp that would be an indicator the Kraken may exceed expectations?
Darren: I’ll just echo John’s sentiments from the previous question and say that everyone needs to get through camp at full health. Key players were dropping like flies at Training Camp last season, and McCann—as critical a piece of the team’s success as there is—never really got to full strength.
There are young players knocking on the door, but there isn’t a lot of veteran depth in this organization right now. So, stay healthy, fellas.
Blaiz: My expectations for the Kraken are higher than most. I see them as a team capable of making the playoffs.
As poorly as last season ended, the Kraken held a playoff spot through March 18, 67 games into the season. They then went 3-10-2 over their final 15 games and fell out of the picture.
At camp, I want to see players aged 23 and younger create healthy competition for roster spots. Only Matty Beniers and his former Michigan teammate, Mackie Samoskevich, cleared the 30-point mark last season. More consistent offensive production from that age group would go a long way toward the Kraken’s success.
Players who spent last season in Coachella Valley, including Jagger Firkus, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, and Jani Nyman, can help provide that competition and offensive boost.
John: Indicators of a successful team in Training Camp? Nothing. As flashy and exciting as some players might look in Training Camp and preseason games, I don’t think we will know how this team might perform until we get 10 games into the season.
Curtis: I think Blaiz is onto something in the sense that we can be reasonably confident in the defensive production we’ll get from Josh Mahura or Cale Fleury. Up front, we have a pretty good sense of the level of play we can expect from Gaudreau or even Kakko.
If young players are making a push for those roles, and there is a legitimate conversation about whether, for example, Ty Nelson is the team’s best bet as a third-pair defenseman, it could raise the ceiling on the season. If Samoskevich is outplaying a veteran for a top-six role and power-play time, our hopes might justifiably rise—even if John is right that you can’t earn standings points in Training Camp.
Q4: Which player has the most to prove at Training Camp?
Darren: Wright. The guy requested a trade this summer, and when that didn’t come to fruition, his agent changed his tune and made it sound like Shane is fully committed to the team. A big reason he wanted out in the first place was his usage, but he still has to show this team and its coaching staff that he deserves bigger minutes.
Plus, he may now have to reassure his teammates that he wants to be here and contribute. At 22 years old, he created his own drama this summer. Now, if he wants to quiet that noise, he has to start performing like the top forward he thinks he is.
Curtis: Some might consider this a “zag,” but I’ll say Vince Dunn. Rewind a couple years, and we were talking about Dunn as a No. 1 defender with impressive two-way skills. Due to a mix of injuries, performance malaise, and some speed bumps adjusting to Lane Lambert’s systems, I think many have shifted Dunn from the “franchise cornerstone” category into the “probable trade bait” category.
Now going into a contract season, and still only 29, Vince Dunn was named an alternate captain for the first time. Can he build off that vote of confidence and reassert himself as a skilled force on the blue line? And, if so, does he play himself back into the future story of this team—and perhaps even make himself an early extension candidate?
John: If we’re just talking about Training Camp, I would say Jani Nyman. The team gave him plenty of opportunities last season, but he didn’t seize them and prove he was ready for the NHL. To be effective, he can’t just make the team and play in a fourth-line role. He needs to earn a spot in the top nine and prove he can be trusted with more minutes.
If he doesn’t break through this season, he’s in danger of slipping into the “really good AHL player” category.
Blaiz: Jared McCann is my candidate for a player with something to prove. A lower-body injury has lingered for the past two years, and Training Camp should show whether he is fully healthy.
McCann led the Kraken in scoring through the franchise’s first four seasons. He was on pace to lead the team again last season, but he missed 30 games because of injury.
Since scoring 40 goals in 2022-23, McCann has not reached the 30-goal mark again. He scored 29, 22, and 20 goals over the past three seasons. Even while managing the injury, he was on pace for 32 goals last season, so reaching 30 goals again would be a worthy target as McCann enters a contract year.
Q5: What under-the-radar story or player has your attention over the next couple weeks?
Curtis: I’m curious if there is a “surprise” young player who sticks with the NHL team longer than we would expect. Two years ago, Nathan Villeneuve survived multiple rounds of roster cuts before being reassigned to his junior team closer to Opening Night. Last year, it was Oscar Fisker Mølgaard who left an impression with his lengthy training camp stay.
If I had to guess on a similar bit of “will-he-or-won’t-he” drama this season, Villeneuve would be a decent bet to repeat, but I’ll throw out Ty Nelson.
Blaiz: Dolan Gilbert. Who, you might ask?
Gilbert is the Kraken’s first full-time emergency backup goaltender, or EBUG, and he is on the Training Camp roster. The role marks a bit of an end of an era, as NHL teams must now carry a full-time EBUG who travels with the club.
Previously, the home team had an EBUG in the building who could play for either team if needed. Gilbert explained his role this way: “I’ll be traveling with the team per the new rules, so [participating in] scratch skates, injury skates, rehab skates or whatever they are, being available there. Giving some time off to the goalies on the Kraken, and let them be ready for game nights is the big thing.”
While he doesn’t factor into any roster decisions, it will be fun to see him practicing with NHL players.
John: Competition. It’s no secret the Kraken lack high-end talent, which means they have a glut of middle-six forwards. Other than Matty Beniers centering the top line, I think all lineup combinations are on the table. This should create healthy competition for who gets which opportunity.
I don’t expect Ryan Winterton to be on the power play, but he could sneakily earn an expanded role this season. I wonder if we’ll get a glimpse of that over the next few weeks.
Darren: Curtis got it. I love watching which youngsters stick around deeper into Training Camp.
Bonus: Who scores the first goal in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Calgary Flames?
Curtis: I’ll go with Vince Dunn. We’re kind of guessing which “group” will play in this game, but if there is any line or pair that I think will get the home game rather than Sunday’s road game, it’s the Dunn-Larsson duo. So, let’s say Dunn.
John: Nathan Villeneuve. He is going to get a greasy one.
Blaiz: Since it is the first preseason game, there is a good chance I pick someone who does not even dress. That said, I am going with Shane Wright.
He has the offensive tools to succeed, and I think he starts the season on the right—or Wright—foot by scoring goal No. 1.
Darren: This reminds me of the Celebrity Jeopardy sketch on Saturday Night Live, where Will Ferrell—playing the late Alex Trebek—gets so fed up by the idiocy of the contestants that he makes the Final Jeopardy question, “Where are we right now?” Then he accepts any semi-coherent answer as correct.
Imagine Ferrell saying, in his best Trebek voice, “Name a Kraken player. Any player will do, just name one.”
To which I say, “Karson Kuhlman.”
Now, in my best Sean Connery, “YOUR ASH IS MINE, CURTISH ISHACKE!”
Is there anything you’re looking for during training camp? If so, share it with us in the comments section.
Do you smell that? That’s hockey in the air. Youngsters in the Seattle Kraken organization split a weekend series in Abbotsford against Vancouver’s prospects, winning 7-3 on Saturday and losing 5-2 on Sunday. The games came as part of Rookie Camp, the first official on-ice activities for the organization. Rookie Camp wraps up Tuesday, and we will then transition into proper Kraken Training Camp starting Thursday.
There are several players at Rookie Camp who have designs on making the NHL roster. Jani Nyman played 28 games for the Kraken last season and 12 the year before. Jagger Firkus—who has yet to see NHL action but has proven his scoring prowess can translate from the junior ranks to pro hockey—racked up 92 points in two seasons with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. And let’s not forget Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, who seemed to fit right in during his stints with the big club last season.
Those three and other young players will be especially interesting to watch during Training Camp because it’s no secret that a Seattle youth movement is in full swing. General manager Jason Botterill has publicly stated that he wants to avoid boxing out young players from the NHL roster, and when you look at who the Kraken have in the fold entering camp, there is quite obviously plenty of opportunity for them.
So, with this in mind, which young players can impact Seattle’s team this season?
The roster locks
None of these will surprise you, but all are 24 years old or younger, so I thought they were worth mentioning.
Matty Beniers, 23, is a grizzled veteran at this point and is poised to take on an even bigger leadership role after obtaining the “A” as alternate captain two seasons ago. The two-way center has scored 20-plus goals three out of four seasons. Can he take another step and hit 30 this year?
Mackie Samoskevich, 23, was the biggest acquisition of the offseason, coming via trade with the Florida Panthers. He joins his old Michigan buddy, Beniers, after two full seasons plus a rookie “cup of coffee” with the Panthers. He was largely miscast in Sunrise and forced to play a depth role, but despite averaging under 15 minutes per game during his entire tenure there, he still managed 15 goals in 2024-25 and 12 in 2025-26. If head coach Lane Lambert can find him a top-six role, Samoskevich could see a nice uptick in his offensive production.
Shane Wright, 22, inserted his own name into offseason drama when his agent, Kurt Overhardt, publicly shared that Wright had requested a trade out of Seattle. Well, here we are on the eve of Training Camp, and no such trade has been consummated. Our expectation is that Wright will be in camp and will remain a member of the Kraken for the foreseeable future.
It’s no secret Wright has fallen short of the lofty expectations that followed him after he slipped from a no-doubt No. 1 overall pick to Seattle in the fourth spot at the 2022 NHL Draft. We all expected him to be a budding star by now, and that simply hasn’t happened. How much of that is the team’s fault, how much of it is Wright’s fault, and how much of it is that he simply isn’t the player most pundits thought remains up for debate.
But the fact of the matter is that the front office still believes Wright can become an impactful NHLer, and they want nothing more than for him to grab the reins and prove he belongs in a top-six spot. Meanwhile, he is also entering the last season of his entry-level deal, which means he will be a restricted free agent next summer. So there are a lot of reasons for Wright to be motivated to grant the Kraken their wish and start looking like one of the top players on the team, even if it only increases his eventual trade value.
Berkly Catton, 20, will almost surely break camp with the big club after spending the entire 2025-26 season in Seattle as a 19-year-old. Fresh out of the WHL, Catton’s seven goals and 10 assists were a far cry from the 109 points he posted in 57 junior games for the Spokane Chiefs two years ago.
But the jump from major junior straight to the NHL is massive, so it isn’t surprising that the offensive production never materialized in Catton’s first year as a pro. Still, we saw flashes all season long of the potential this young man possesses. Catton does have real star potential, but he still needs to develop.
Remember, Catton did not have the option of playing in the AHL last season because of his age. He does have that option this year, so if things don’t go well for him early on, the Kraken could consider giving him time in Coachella Valley to dominate and prove to himself that he can produce as a pro. Still, something wonky will have to happen in Training Camp for him to start 2026-27 as a Firebird.
Ryker Evans, 24, is the only “young” lock on the blue line, and although it’s wild to think about, he’s already starting to move out of that “young player” category. They grow up so fast! Like Wright, Evans will be a restricted free agent after this season and should be motivated for a strong performance.
Ryan Winterton, 23, grew into a lineup stalwart last season, doing everything asked of him by Lambert and proving he can be a full-time NHLer. His offensive production and usage were limited—just four goals and 14 assists while averaging 11:59 of ice time—but he ended up playing 68 games and constantly bringing the pace and energy a depth forward simply must show to solidify himself on the NHL roster.
Winterton quietly dealt with a devastating family situation last season, so with that behind him, will he take a step toward offensive production this season as well?
Jacob Melanson, 23, may not have fallen into this “roster lock” category for us a couple weeks ago. But now that the Kraken have signed him to a three-year, one-way deal worth $1.45 million per year, they have shown how highly they think of Melanson. After all, the Kraken played noticeably better with him in the lineup last season, and I do not believe that’s a coincidence.
Depending on the health of the team and how things shake out, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of Melanson or Winterton ends up getting scratched from time to time this season, but I do expect both to be on the NHL roster come Opening Night.
Could play a significant role
So, that’s seven players aged 24 or under who I expect to be with the NHL club on Oct. 1. One could argue the aforementioned players will all be full-timers.
The youth movement likely will not stop there, however. Seattle does not have much veteran depth, so any injuries will have to be backfilled by one of the youngsters champing at the bit for NHL time.
Here are a few players who have a strong chance of playing significant roles for the Kraken this season, either immediately out of camp or farther down the road.
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, 21, is way ahead of the normal development curve of a second-round pick. Having already played 13 games for the Kraken last season and earning rave reviews from Lambert, you can bet he’ll be one of the first call-ups if he doesn’t make the roster outright. He looked good in the prospect games in Abbotsford over the weekend and seems to have gotten a bit bigger over the offseason.
Jani Nyman, 22, is entering what feels like a crucial season. He’s gotten a lot of NHL opportunities already, with 40 games under his belt over two seasons. While his raw ability to shoot and score from anywhere makes him appealing, Lambert’s coaching staff clearly wasn’t enamored by his play away from the puck in 2025-26. If he isn’t scoring the lights out, the team needs to trust him. Nyman didn’t earn that trust last season.
He regained his scoring touch after he returned to Coachella Valley. Let’s see if he’s taken another step this summer to earn a more consistent role with the Kraken.
Jagger Firkus, 22, is undoubtedly knocking at the NHL door. Though he hasn’t yet played a game for the Kraken, we are under the impression that Seattle was considering calling him up at the end of last season before he got injured, derailing those plans. A prolific junior scorer, there’s hope Firkus can be a productive NHLer. He too looked good in Abbotsford, playing with speed and creativity and scoring a pretty goal on Sunday.
Things went sideways after Jugnauth tied it; the Canucks pumped in three straight goals on camp invitee Maks Corovic.
Tyson Jugnauth, 22, appears to be at the top of the defensive depth chart right now among players who could soon make the jump. The smooth-skating offensive defenseman is coming off an impressive 45-point AHL campaign and has probably shoved his way into the first call-up spot on the blue line. Who he would theoretically replace in the NHL lineup could be role-dependent, though, because Jugnauth’s ability at the defensive end of the ice is always a question mark.
Jugnauth may have been the most impressive player at the prospect showcase over the weekend. He’s just so poised with the puck.
Cup of coffee candidates
Ville Ottavainen, 24, has almost aged out of this conversation. Once viewed as the top defensive prospect for Seattle, the 6-foot-5, 216-pound Finn has yet to dominate to the point of demanding an NHL spot and has perhaps been passed up by a couple of younger players. If he doesn’t earn and keep an NHL position this season, he could fall into that “career AHLer” role.
Nikke Kokko, 22, has already appeared in four NHL games over the last two seasons, which is way ahead of schedule for a developing goalie. He does figure to be No. 3 on the depth chart for Seattle, so an injury in the crease (or even a trade—remember, Philipp Grubauer is entering the last year of his contract), and Kokko could end up playing quite a few games.
Ty Nelson, 22, is in the Jugnauth territory as another young blueliner who has played a big role in Coachella. We still think Jugnauth is a more likely first call-up on the back end, though it was Nelson—not Jugnauth or Firkus or Nyman or Mølgaard—who wore the captain’s ‘C’ in Abbotsford.
Nathan Villenueve, 20, is the type of player Lambert would love to have playing down his lineup if the need arises. He definitely needs AHL seasoning, but he reminded us in Abbotsford of his gritty approach to the game, dropping the gloves just five minutes into the first game.
Jake O’Brien, 19, is destined to start the season in Coachella Valley, now that the rules have changed to make him eligible for the AHL despite his age. He needs time to grow accustomed to the speed and physicality of pro hockey, but if he shows he can handle it, he may be able to inject some offensive playmaking into the Kraken lineup at some point this season.
Chase Reid, 18, is now at Michigan State University after playing last season for the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. Widely viewed as the top prospect in Seattle’s system, it would not shock me to see Reid get an end-of-season call-up after his NCAA campaign ends.
That’s a lot of young players who could factor into the Seattle lineup this season. Any others you expect to see donning a Kraken jersey in 2026-27?
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.
With Kraken rookie camp starting today, we’re winding down our summer Seattle Kraken prospects series here at Sound Of Hockey. But not before we get you gameplay video, data, and analysis of defenseman Ola Palme, a 2026 sixth-rounder playing in Sweden this coming season, and Clarke Caswell, the 2024 fifth-round pick and NCAA national champion.
If you like these breakdowns, we have many more for you. You can find a list of all of the Film Rooms we’ve done to date at the bottom of the post. I suspect we’ll also try to squeeze a few more in at some point, since we have not gotten to the bottom of the Kraken prospect pool yet.
But we’re bridging into “Down on the Farm” season now. In fact, I think it’s time for our first Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week. Keep scrolling to find out more about the past week’s top performer.
Any suggestions or questions for future posts? Please let us know below or on social media at @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.
Ola Palme | Defenseman | Växjö Lakers (SHL)
Left shot | 18 years old | 6-foot-2 | 201 lbs | 2026 Seattle Kraken sixth-round pick (unsigned)
Summary
Palme is a mobile, intelligent two-way defenseman who offers a rock-solid puck-moving presence from the backend. He shows strength in his stride, is heavy on the puck, and stays composed under pressure. He can break a forecheck with proficient passing and the ability to activate. Offensively, he is not much of an in-zone point threat at this stage, but is savvy with pinches and other possession-preserving plays. Defensively, he uses his size, reach, stick, and physicality effectively, though his reads and consistency in his own zone remain works in progress. His skating stride may not be the most technically proficient, but it is powerful and effective in gameplay situations against his age group.
Game video
Palme is the left-shot defenseman wearing No. 9 in yellow.
Strengths
Strong puck-moving ability, with poise under pressure and confidence executing breakouts.
Good transition passer who can make accurate outlet passes, cross-ice feeds, and creative plays through layers.
Quality hockey sense and vision, especially when activating offensively from the blue line.
Effective offensive instincts; willing to join rushes, pinch, and create odd-man situations.
Solid size (6-foot-2, approximately 200 pounds), with good reach and an evolving physical presence.
Competitive defender who engages physically along the boards and around the net.
Reliable gap control at his best; capable of stepping up early and disrupting entries.
Good stick detail and ability to pressure opponents defensively.
Balanced skating base, with solid straight-line speed, crossover ability, and functional mobility.
Powerful in his puck possession; difficult to knock off the puck or his stride.
Calm, composed style; generally avoids major mistakes and plays within himself.
Shows potential as a versatile support defenseman with two-way utility.
Experience playing both the power play and penalty kill at high levels of competition.
Five games of SHL experience in his pre-draft season, and made the big club again out of camp to begin the 2026-27 season.
Weaknesses
Skating, while sturdy and effective, lacks high-end explosiveness, first-step quickness, and lateral mobility.
Backward skating and edgework need refinement.
Defensive reads can be inconsistent; occasionally reacts late rather than anticipating plays.
Can struggle with rush defense, giving attackers too much space or misjudging gaps, particularly against speed.
Decision-making under pressure can be uneven, leading to rushed plays or turnovers.
Retrieval decisions need refinement; sometimes waits too long or chooses poor escape routes. He will need to increase his processing speed to succeed in the North American game.
Defensive-zone awareness and assignment discipline require continued development.
Offensive skill set is effective but lacks a difference-making skill or dynamic creativity.
Question remains whether his skill set is impactful enough to translate beyond a second-tier role.
Notes
Palme’s strength, size, and effective skating allow for an easy projection to a second-tier professional league like the SHL or AHL. Whether he can take the next step to the NHL depends on his ability to hone his in-zone work on both ends. If he hits, he’s a bottom-four NHL defender who can contribute through puck movement, transition play, and responsible defensive minutes.
Palme’s significant high-level experience and physical maturity benefited him at rookie camp, where he looked to be ahead of many of his contemporaries despite being a sixth-round pick. If he can continue developing apace with his cohort, there could be a real player here. I like his power frame and puck-moving skills. The developmental risk is that Palme has already neared his ceiling and will level out while others continue to ascend.
Left shot | 20 years old | 6-foot | 185 lbs | 2024 Seattle Kraken fifth-round pick (unsigned)
Summary
Caswell is a highly intelligent forward who impacts games through excellent anticipation, playmaking, and defensive awareness. He has spent much of his junior and college career as an effective two-way center, though he has also created offense from the wing in certain lineups. He excels as a puck distributor and support player who finds creative solutions under pressure. The result was high-end assist production as a junior player. Flashes of playmaking showed through at the University of Denver this past season, too, though it was certainly less consistent on a game-to-game basis.
Caswell can also impact the game as a forechecker, though he will not be able to trade on raw speed or physicality moving forward. While his ability to win positioning, create turnovers, and make plays through traffic gives him value in all three zones, questions about a lack of raw physical traits (height, weight, strength, speed) will stick with him unless he can show his wiry frame and less-physical play style can translate at the highest levels.
Game video
Caswell is the left-shot forward wearing No. 25 in red.
Strengths
Excellent hockey intelligence; he consistently anticipates plays and finds efficient solutions with and without the puck.
Very good playmaking instincts, with the ability to distribute from multiple situations, including off the rush, on the cycle, and through contact.
Creative passer capable of making difficult feeds with both the forehand and backhand.
Solid and committed forechecking ability, using timing, angles, and anticipation to disrupt opposing breakouts.
Brings three-zone impact despite physical limitations; he is responsible and smart defensively.
Strong positional awareness and ability to create turnovers through smart routes and body positioning.
Competes well physically despite frequent size disadvantages, often winning puck battles through leverage and intelligence.
Effective supporting player who enhances linemates through timing, puck movement, and off-puck positioning.
Shows clutch ability, producing important goals and assists in high-pressure situations.
Good at orchestrating offense in power-play situations.
Seized the opportunity to elevate to NCAA competition for his age-19 season and earned a prominent role for Coach David Carle and the University of Denver Pioneers immediately.
Weaknesses
Lacks standout physical traits (height, strength, speed) that could be a separator at the highest levels.
While effective in contested situations, a lack of physical strength and bulk could limit him at higher levels.
Settled in as more of a complementary and intermittent producer at the NCAA level; it remains to be seen if he can ascend to a primary scoring role at the college level like he did in junior.
Offensive impact was inconsistent; some games feature limited involvement despite strong underlying play.
Needs to continue to improve his ability to consistently turn strong forechecking and puck-recovery plays into scoring chances.
Puck-possession skills are adequate, but he lacks the ability to dynamically possess and create offense from nothing; more of a structure-based offensive creator.
Lacks dynamic offensive skills aside from his hockey sense and, at times, his passing.
Shot is not a difference-maker in itself; typically scores when he has worked the play into an easier chance.
Needs more consistent physical engagement and puck-driving impact.
Finesse, rangy profile is always a challenging projection to the NHL; he will likely need to beat the odds to ascend to the NHL level by either upping his production or improving his physical traits.
Notes
Caswell has quality hockey sense but a frame and physical profile that clouds his future projection. (In this regard, he may be vaguely similar to Jagger Firkus. He’s more of a playmaker than the elder Firkus, but lacks the finishing skill.) He will need things to break right to reach an NHL ceiling, but if he does, he has a middle-six projection. Despite his youth and inexperience, he earned the trust of Coach Carle quickly in his freshman season. This bodes well for his future.
With European leagues in full swing, we have a few prospects with multiple games under their belts already. The top performer has been KHL goalie Semyon Vyazovoi. He is 2-0 in two starts with a .970 save percentage and one shutout. Hard to top that. Vyazovoi is your Sound of Hockey Prospect of the Week.
For his part, Viktor Fyodorov scored the system’s first regular-season goal in Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s Sep. 11 KHL game against Lada Togliatti.
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.
As of Friday, Sept. 11, the Seattle Kraken will officially be back on the ice preparing for the 2025-26 season. On-ice activities begin with a Rookie Camp for players not yet established at the NHL level. This year’s group includes all Kraken prospects except for a couple AHL veterans and those scheduled to play college hockey or overseas.
With activity about to ramp up, there’s no better time to submit our second-annualSound Of Hockey Seattle Kraken prospect ranking. Without discussing in advance, John Barr and I provided our own personal preseason prospect rankings, and then we combined them to create the definitive Sound Of Hockey ranking. At the end of this post, we’ll debate how our rankings turned out, as well as a couple of bigger-picture topics.
Sound Of Hockey Seattle Kraken prospect ranking
Our ranking is an average of subjective assessments from John Barr and me. Ties are broken by ranking the player with the higher “high” rank first. We proceeded accordingly through the top 25 and ties. Then, we also ranked any player that received a top-25 vote from either of us. This process resulted in a ranked list of 29 top prospects. We added the next-highest-ranked player (Jakub Fibigr) because “top 30” sounds better than “top 29.”
Here is a breakout of each writer’s lists:
Professional analyst Kraken prospect rankings
Interested in more rankings? Several professional scouting services and analysts have put out Seattle Kraken prospect pool rankings this summer following the 2026 NHL Draft:
McKeen’s and Wheeler have the Kraken as their seventh-best prospect pool overall. Ellis has the Kraken with his No. 13 overall pool—down from No. 7 last year. Pronman evaluates each team’s total pool of players aged 22 or younger, whether or not the players are “prospects.” He has the Kraken as possessing the sixth-best collection of such players.
Kraken prospect roundtable discussion
Share a little insight on your methodology for the rankings:
John: My methodology isn’t particularly formulaic. Generally, I tried to rank players based on the impact I think they’ll ultimately have at the NHL level. For example, I think Nikke Kokko (No. 16 on the list) is likely to become a regular NHL player, but I don’t think his upside is as high as someone like Casey Mutryn (No. 8). Similarly, Jacob Melanson (No. 13) has a realistic path to spending an entire season on the Kraken roster in 2026-27, but I don’t see him having the kind of impact Jagger Firkus (No. 5) could have if he reaches his ceiling.
Curtis: In terms of list eligibility, I used the same thresholds I used when creating the data-only prospect ranking. For skaters: 23 years old or younger as of Sept. 1, 2026, and fewer than 50 NHL games. For goalies: 24 years old or younger as of the same date, and fewer than 30 NHL games.
This approach resulted in one exclusion from my list of a player who figured onto John’s: Ville Ottavainen. Ottavainen just missed my list criteria (he turned 24 in August), and I do still believe there is a possible future with him as a No. 6 or fringe NHL defenseman for years. John was right to rank him, and Ottavainen probably should have figured more prominently on our combined list as a result.
When ordering the prospects, I tried to formulate tiers based on projected NHL contributions if the player hits a realistic NHL upside—an outcome I currently believe could happen even while recognizing most players won’t hit these ceilings. When two players are next to each other on the list, I tend to ask myself: If I could only have one in the system, which one would I choose?
If Berkly Catton were still eligible for your list, where would he rank? How about Shane Wright?
John: I’d probably have Catton second behind Chase Reid. His development last season was really encouraging, and there were plenty of moments where he showed the kind of high-end skill that can make a difference at the NHL level.
Wright is a difficult one, but I’d likely put him between Catton and Jake O’Brien. We already know Wright can play and produce in the NHL when he’s at his best. O’Brien may ultimately end up higher, but there’s still some uncertainty because we haven’t seen him make the jump to the NHL yet.
Curtis: I’m pretty much of the same mind. Catton may be a bit undervalued because he was challenged with a full-time NHL role as a 19-year-old. I’d slot him above O’Brien still. Reid stays at No. 1 over Catton only because I’m very high on the young blueliner’s combination of tools. I’d likely put Wright after Catton for the same reasons you mentioned but would consider moving him below O’Brien just because the younger forward may bring more pure offensive skill.
Where would Berkly Catton rank if he were still considered a prospect?
Which prospect has the most to prove this coming season?
John: I think this is a huge season for Jani Nyman. During his NHL stint last season, he struggled to keep pace and looked a bit overmatched. To his credit, he rediscovered his game in the AHL, but now he needs to show he can bring that success to the NHL level. Hopefully, the experience he gained during those NHL games helped him identify exactly where he needs to improve to become an everyday NHL player.
Curtis: I think you’re right about Nyman, John. Jagger Firkus is another “older” prospect whose time has come to either (a) truly dominate and drive offense at the AHL level (think 80+ points) or (b) prove he can hang at the NHL level when given the opportunity. A season where Firkus or Nyman treads water in the AHL would really put a dent in their profiles.
Which ranking on the other person’s list was the biggest surprise?
John: There weren’t many rankings that caught me off guard, but I did like your higher placement of Luken “Hawke” Huff. He’s an overage fifth-round pick who took a pretty unconventional road to get here, yet he keeps finding ways to succeed. After talking with him at development camp, what stood out most was how excited he is to be playing hockey. It may sound simple, but that kind of passion matters. He comes across as someone who loves the game, embraces the work, and is still motivated to get better every day.
Curtis: I love your confidence and aggressiveness on Tyson Jugnauth. As you and our readers know, I’ve long been a fan of the skill he can bring to the blue line, and, unlike some, I’m not afraid of smaller defensemen. Even so, I was surprised to see him at No. 3 on your list. Based on pure skill level, you could be right.
Did any player from prior drafts really pop last season and jump up your rankings?
Curtis: I wrote about it last week in Friday Film Room, but I just really liked watching Ty Nelson play hockey at the AHL level over the back half of the 2025-26 season. He doesn’t have the height or dynamic traits, but he does have a mind for the game, relentless work habits, and bulldog physicality. He took every role the coaching staff threw at him and rarely looked out of place. He rose from No. 17 on my list last year to No. 11 on my list this year. I’m confident there’s an (admittedly unconventional) NHL future there.
John: We’ve been tracking Jugnauth’s progression for a while, but it’s still pretty wild to have a fourth-round pick from 2022 sitting third in the Kraken prospect rankings. Yet here we are. In the viewings I had last season, he looked incredibly comfortable and confident with the puck. I’ve even caught a few of his informal skates at Kraken Community Iceplex over the past week, and even surrounded by NHL players, he stood out.
The other player who made a significant jump in my rankings was Loke Krantz. He’s only No. 22 on my list, but his development trajectory has already exceeded what you’d normally expect from a seventh-round pick.
Loke Krantz has surpassed expectations since being selected in the seventh round of 2025 NHL Draft.
Which Kraken prospect is most overlooked by the general prospect community?
Curtis: I’ll mention Viktor Fyodorov as a player I really enjoyed watching over the summer. That said, as a top-100 pick in the most recent draft, I’m not sure he’s a perfect fit for the “overlooked” category.
Two players with Coachella Valley may fit the bill a bit better. I thought Kaden Hammell (No. 24 on my list) had a solid rookie AHL season. The 2023 fifth-round defenseman came into the season layered behind many higher-drafted blueliners, including Nelson and Ottavainen, as well as fellow rookies Caden Price and Lukas Dragicevic. Yet, his defensive-zone physicality and transition skating game have translated as well or better than Price or Dragicevic so far.
I’ll also mention J.R. Avon (ineligible for my list) as a player who brings skating, forechecking, and enough skill in his hands to see NHL games at some point in the near future. He’s a dark horse.
John: There are certainly some prospect rankings out there that I disagree with, but I don’t know if there’s one specific player I’d call overlooked. Jakub Fibigr is someone who has shown meaningful progression every season since being drafted, but he still has a long way to go before I’d consider him underrated by the broader prospect community.
That said, I’ll use this opportunity to highlight Will Reynolds, the Kraken’s third-round defenseman from the 2025 draft class. Reynolds is young for his draft year and took an encouraging step forward in his development last season. I don’t put too much stock into prospect camp performances, but he stood out to me during development camp in July. There’s a lot of upside there that I think many of us may be underestimating.
Any area that was particularly challenging when making your rankings this year?
John: As I mentioned last year, the entire process is a challenge. There is always a handful of long-shot prospects who could end up surprising everyone, but they still need to be ranked somewhere. Unfortunately, that means someone has to land in the bottom 10.
I also struggled with where to place Barrett Hall and Ben McDonald. Outside of the July development camps, I simply haven’t had enough opportunities to watch either player, so I was forced to lean more heavily on their NCAA production and scouting reports than I’d prefer when forming my opinions.
Curtis: Ranking the goalies is a challenge for me. I don’t have access to Semyon Vyazovoi’s KHL games, and, even when I can see players on the ice, I’ll admit that I’m less confident in “evaluating” them when compared with skaters. Accordingly, I tend to fall back on numbers a bit more.
Vyazovoi and Kim Saarinen posted sterling results in their leagues—particularly when adjusting for their ages. For his part, Kokko played in the most challenging league last season (the AHL), as one of the youngest goalies in that league, and likely with the least defensive help of Seattle’s “big three” goalie prospects. Kokko’s raw results weren’t “good,” but he may have done a hair better than I had expected when adjusting for the difficulty of the context.
Even so, none of the big three figure prominently on league-wide lists of goaltending prospects. All of this leaves me scratching my head. If pressed into a take, I’d say this: I think they’re all good and underrated.
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Have any thoughts on Kraken prospects or any of the roundtable topics above? What did we get wrong? Let us have it in the comments below or X/Twitter or Blue Sky.
