As the calendar turns to August, we will be shifting our focus full time to the upcoming NHL season soon. Before we do that, though, at least one piece of offseason business remains–a recap of the Seattle Kraken’s 2023 NHL Draft.
How do the Kraken draft picks stack up on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board? How have public draft experts graded Seattle’s performance? What do we know about the newest Kraken players? Let’s dive in.
For the second year in a row, the Kraken accumulated a deep and talented class
Last year, at the 2022 NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken leveraged extra draft picks in the second round to acquire five of the top 50 players on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board.
Remarkably, history repeated itself at the 2023 NHL Draft. Again the Kraken were armed with extra second-round picks from the team’s trades at the 2022 NHL trade deadline, and again the team came away with five top-50 players on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Seattle’s five top-50 players tied San Jose for most in the NHL. No other team obtained more than three.
The key distinction this year was that Seattle’s own draft picks were those of a playoff team, rather than those of a 60-point team. Last year, the Kraken were able to grab the No. 1 overall player on the Big Board, Shane Wright, but did not have a similar opportunity to draft any true top-tier amateur players this year.
That said, the Kraken did take (at least) two high-upside swings during the 2023 draft on players that have the potential to provide top-tier production. Seattle’s first-round pick Eduard Sale was frequently projected as a top-10 draft choice after his draft-minus-one year in which he posted 99 points in 44 games in Czechia’s top junior league. His season was so good, he made the rare leap to Extraliga, Czechia’s top pro league, as a 17-year-old. He played a limited role, though, and met adversity playing against veterans in one of the best professional leagues in the world. Still lauded as one of the most skilled playmakers and scorers in the draft, the Kraken could have a top-tier talent if Sale can find his offensive footing again.
Likewise, the Kraken took a big swing at offensive talent in the later stages of the second round in the form of Tri-City defenseman Lukas Dragicevic. Setting aside high school players, Dragicevic scored more total points (79) and on a per-game basis (1.07 points per game) than any other right-handed defenseman in the 2023 NHL Draft. Some scouts question whether Dragicevic can be good enough defensively, but his potential as a blueliner proficient in the transition game and on the power play is significant.
Overall, Seattle consistently found value with their draft picks–at least in the eyes of the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. In total, only 87 players were selected at a draft position equal to or later than the player’s rank on the Big Board. In other words, these are the choices that the Big Board would deem a “value” pick. The Kraken selected seven of those 87 players, most in the league. No other team selected more than five. Columbus, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Philadelphia each accomplished that feat.
Public draft analysts ranked the Kraken draft class highly
For these reasons, it is not surprising that public draft analysts (upon whose work the Big Board was built) were generally complimentary of Seattle’s draft, frequently referencing it among the strongest draft classes assembled:
Seattle’s draft picks bring a wide array of talents
Pick No. 20, Eduard Sale, LW, HC Kometa Brno (Czechia)
Height: 73 inches | Weight: 168 lbs | Shot: L | 7 goals, 7 assists, 49 games played
Big Board: 17 | Highest rank: 7 (Craig Button)
Analytics Rank: 21 | NHLe Rank: 25
Scouting perspective: “[Sale is] a smooth skater who is noticeable in transition for both his ability to weave up ice and facilitate and also his ability to create breakaways for himself and beat goalies one-on-one. He’s got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. I love him on the half-wall/point on the PP with his ability to hit east-west seams (he just seems to see every lane and opening). He can slow it down and pick things apart or hurry up his passes through holes. He has shown a knack for making big plays at big moments and can really shoot it, whether with a quick-release wrister or his dangerous one-timer.” – Scott Wheeler
Pick analysis: Eduard Sale came to Seattle Kraken Development Camp and showed rust early. He was nondescript for long stretches. But by the end of the three-on-three scrimmage on the last day, he was starting to show the skill that made him a top prospect coming into the 2022-23 season. In one sequence he showed high-end handling and scoring touch, roofing a backhander. Sale is likely to come to Kraken camp in the fall and then spend the season with the Barrie Colts in the OHL. How he progresses this year is of paramount importance to Seattle’s prospect pipeline.
Height: 73 inches | Weight: 194 lbs | Shot: L | 32 goals, 33 assists, 77 games played
Big Board: 48 | Highest rank: 36 (Peter Baracchini)
Analytics Rank: 39 | NHLe Rank: 78
Scouting perspective: “Rehkopf is [a] bigger build with an interesting blend of size and skill. He has a pro level frame and shot already. . . . He has also shown the ability to play both down the middle and on the wing. . . . If able to develop his skill set effectively, there could be a . . . middle-six forward that can dominate middle ice. He also has the length and active stick to provide value on a penalty kill unit. There are concerns about Rehkopf’s engagement with the play off the puck, as well as his commitment to physical play . . . .” – Ben Jordan
Pick analysis: Rehkopf has no shortage of physical tools, and his skills impressed during portions of Seattle Kraken Development Camp too when he displayed a heavy and accurate shot. Rehkopf’s counting stats during his 2022-23 season in the OHL were good but not elite, and scouting reports cast doubt on his off-puck engagement and defensive-zone play. On the other hand, Seattle Director of Amateur Scouting Robert Kron complimented Rehkopf’s two-way game when describing the pick. Rehkopf feels like a player with volatility in his projection, but with several different avenues to earn professional playing time.
Height: 72 inches | Weight: 163 lbs | Shot: L | 4 goals, 3 assists, 41 games played
Big Board: 38 | Highest rank: 23 (Dobber Prospects)
Analytics Rank: 52 | NHLe Rank: 143
Scouting perspective: “Molgaard’s excellent defensive work has resulted in him playing most of his year in the prestigious SHL mainly as a role player. Molgaard has an . . . exceptional defensive toolset and a composed mindset lets him disrupt his opponents frequently and successfully. Offensively, he has understandably struggled at the SHL level given his role but his nippy skating has been a danger in the lower levels. At international and the U-20 level Molgaard proved he can ‘the guy’ with driving offense with great vision for teammates and a well-rounded skillset.” – Joe Maciag
Pick analysis: Molgaard exudes maturity. This manifests on the ice, where he displayed a responsible two-way game in the SHL as a 17-year-old. It also shows off the ice in his dealings with the media, including his interview with Sound Of Hockey’s own John Barr and Darren Brown. The question with Molgaard is whether he can score enough to play at the NHL level. Further developing his offensive skill level is key to his future.
Height: 74 inches | Weight: 181 lbs | Shot: R | 15 goals, 64 assists, 74 games played
Big Board: 33 | Highest rank: 20 (McKeen’s Hockey)
Analytics Rank: 19 | NHLe Rank: 8
Scouting perspective: “Lukas Dragicevic is the best offensive defenceman in this year’s draft. No one combines his level of puck skills, vision, and activation. For both of his WHL seasons, Tri-City’s offence has flowed through him. He’s the initiator, connector, and often the finisher. And he led the team in ice time both seasons – no small feat for a player who switched from forward just a few years ago. . . . Full stop, the defence must improve to get the green light in the NHL.” – Elite Prospects
Pick analysis: Before the draft, I mentioned Dragicevic as a first-round candidate based on his rare point production from the blue line. Match that production with a right-handed shot, six-foot-two frame, and skating talent (even if it is still in need of refinement), and you have a defenseman with almost every quality a player development program could ask for. His movements and reads on defense, particularly defending the rush, will need to improve, but it’s not a long shot to think those improvements will come since he has only played as a blueliner for three years.
Height: 73 inches | Weight: 181 lbs | Shot: L | 6 goals, 36 assists, 69 games played
Big Board: 50 | Highest rank: 28 (Dobber Prospects)
Analytics Rank: 50 | NHLe Rank: 55
Scouting perspective: “Kelowna asked [Caden Price] to take on a lot of responsibility as the leader of their blue line, but the Rockets never fully clicked as a team, and when things started to go sideways, he didn’t have a lot of support underneath him. He didn’t look ready or comfortable in the role he had, so the challenge for scouts now is trying to determine what sort of role you can project for him as a future NHLer. The most appealing thing about his game is that there really isn’t anything unappealing about it. He’s well-rounded and highly versatile. With good smarts, a relatively full toolbox and a can-do attitude he can play the game any way you want him to, and every coach loves having guys like that around.” – McKeen’s Hockey
Pick analysis: Price is another defenseman long on both physical tools and skills. He has not put it all together into game production to the same extent as Lukas Dragicevic, but his advocates in the scouting community suggest he can still do it and ascend into that upper echelon. Others look at Price and scratch their heads as to why he didn’t produce more offensively and defensively. This coming season will be crucial for Price as he will likely have a featured role on the Kelowna blue line. Can he shore up his defensive game and get closer to a point per game on the offensive side? He’ll have the opportunity.
Pick No. 116, Andrei Loshko, C, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Height: 73 inches | Weight: 170 lbs | Shot: L | 22 goals, 49 assists, 72 games played
Big Board: 122 | Highest rank: 89 (FC Hockey)
Analytics Rank: 98 | NHLe Rank: 113
Scouting perspective: “Loshko plays like a veteran. He’s the player the coach sends over the boards to counter the opposition’s top line, to play on the penalty kill, and protect leads. His mature game impressed our staff in every single viewing. He applied his team’s system well and offered timely passing options to teammates in transition. ‘He reloads defensively, anticipates the next play of opponents, supports teammates on breakouts, and knows his next play in possession,’ Elite Prospects lead scout David St-Louis wrote in a November report. ‘The hockey sense looks above-average — offensively, too. He’s really intriguing.’” – Elite Prospects
Pick analysis: Scouts credit Loshko for playing a simple but effective two-way game. He is able to slow down the chaos around him and make the right play more often than not. Whether he can keep up with professional pace and score enough in the NHL is an open question, but most scouts that got a close look at him came away raving about him and describing a potential fourth-line checking forward.
Andrei Loshko shoots the puck at Kraken Development Camp (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Height: 74 inches | Weight: 181 lbs | Shot: R | 8 goals, 18 assists, 72 games played
Big Board: 167 | Highest rank: 92 (McKeen’s Hockey)
Analytics Rank: 146 | NHLe Rank: 240
Scouting perspective: “[Hammell’s] game so far has certainly leaned much further on the defensive side than the offensive one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, as leaning into that specialty might be the best application of his tools. He’s strong and sturdy in his lower body and combines that with clean footwork and a long reach to be a real pain in the neck to get through or behind in one-on-one situations. He’s tough and physical, whether that’s by driving players into the boards hard and pinning them there or battling them tooth and nail in front of his goalie, and he can play this way without getting whistled for unnecessary penalties. He’s going to get a lot of opportunities over the next two seasons to diversify and expand his game through more encouraged usage as a puck-mover and offense creator, but maybe temper expectations about how successful that will go.” – McKeen’s Hockey
Pick analysis: This pick has an interesting blend of “floor” and “ceiling.” On the one hand, Hammell is a six-foot-two, physical, righty defenseman, with solid athleticism whom scouts believe should be able to play representative defense. Those traits carry a lot of value in the NHL and could earn him professional minutes. On the other hand, Hammell was believed to be an exciting offensive prospect coming into the 2022-23 season, and according to scouts, he did show solid passing and transition game skills, even if the point totals lagged. Hammell will play this coming season in Everett, so Seattle will be able to monitor his development closely.
Pick No. 168, Visa Vedenpaa, G, Kärpät U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
Height: 74 inches | Weight: 170 lbs | Catches: L | .886 save percentage, 31 games played
Big Board: 222
Analytics Rank: 1937 | NHLe Rank: 1017
Scouting perspective: “Visa Vedenpää is an exciting young goaltender in the Kärpät development system in Finland. . . . Playing with good instincts, he reacts well to broken or quick- developing plays. His strong technical base puts him into position to do that, because he stays within the frame and is rarely caught out of his net. He plays with moderate depth, with his heels generally at the top of the crease on plays off the rush. . . . His skating ability might be his weakest aspect.” – Elite Prospects
Pick analysis: Seattle drafted goalie Niklas Kokko out of Kärpät U20 in Finland in the 2022 draft and came back for an encore in 2023, selecting the goalie that took Kokko’s place for that same club, Vedenpaa. The success of the Kärpät program in developing goaltenders is well documented, and it surely didn’t hurt that Kokko appears to have taken a further step forward since he was drafted. Vedenpaa is highly regarded by the Finnish National Team, as he was one of three Finnish goalies brought to the World Juniors Summer Showcase. He is unlikely to be at the 2024 World Juniors–that should be Kokko and Topias Leinonen–but the invitation suggests he’s a prime candidate to be in net in 2025.
Niklas Kokko and Visa Vedenpaa watch the Kraken Development Camp scrimmage (Photo/Brian Liesse)
Height: 69 inches | Weight: 168 lbs | Shot: L | 1 goal, 0 assists, 18 games played
Big Board: 104 | Highest ranking: 49 (Peter Baracchini)
Analytics Rank: 187 | NHLe Rank: 1919
Scouting perspective: “Forsfjall is a strong playmaking forward. He can run a power play well enough and find seams to create chances. He has good hands and can create in small areas too. He’s not that big or physical, but Forsfjall gives an honest effort every night, can PK, and wins enough puck battles. Forsfjall has played center in junior regularly but I’m guessing he’s a wing as a pro due to his frame. He has strong speed and in-tight quickness although it’s not elite small guy skating. He has talent, but whether there’s enough in his game to be a legit NHL’er is up for debate” – Corey Pronman
Pick analysis: Easy agility on the ice, plus speed, strong puck handling in transition, and tenacity and instincts on defense, particularly penalty kill, characterize Forsfjall’s game. He did not score very much as a 17-year-old fourth-line center in the SHL, but that is to be expected. It’s easy to see the value he brings and fall in love with him as a player, but the question will be whether he can squeeze enough offense out of his profile to succeed. He is a willing forechecker, but light on his skates and won’t be moving hulking defenders off the puck. His shot seems solid, but he has not been able to use it to generate much production yet.
Pick No. 212, Zaccharya Wisdom, RW, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
Height: 73 inches | Weight: 172 lbs | Shot: R | 29 goals, 20 assists, 64 games played
Big Board: 207 | Highest ranking: 164 (McKeen’s Hockey)
Analytics Rank: 584 | NHLe Rank: 461
Scouting perspective: “The significant improvement in production this year thanks to improved on-puck play has put him back on the draft radar. Still a high energy and tenacious off-puck player, Wisdom can now drive play with the puck on his stick thanks to upgrades made to his skating and refinements made to his skill and finishing ability. His upside is likely still pretty limited, but the well-rounded nature of his game makes him an ideal bottom six candidate.” – McKeen’s Hockey
Pick analysis: Wisdom is an overaged, physical winger, who took a step forward with his puck handling and scoring during his 2022-23 season in the USHL, according to scouts. Some see a late-blooming power forward profile capable of earning a bottom-six role down the road. His low point production and age work against him, though. Wisdom is bound for Colorado College in the fall, so he has a longer development timeline and an opportunity to continue to build his game brick-by-brick at the NCAA level.
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.
Caden Price, selected No. 84 overall by the Seattle Kraken in this week’s NHL Entry Draft, is a 6-foot-1 left-handed defenseman who has played the last two seasons with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.
Reaction
One pick after selecting Lukas Dragicevic, the Kraken seized the opportunity to select another quality defense prospect who slid down the draft board unexpectedly. He was No. 50 in our composite analytics ranking and No. 55 in my NHLe calculation. Price does not have the offensive upside of Dragicevic, profiling more as a bottom-four defenseman, but scouts credit quality mobility and transition skills.
On the other hand, Pice’s counting stats may overrate him a bit because he was thrust into a featured role due to lack of other options in Kelowna. On the ice, scouts – some of whom saw Price as a potential first-round pick at the beginning of the season – saw an up-and-down season from a player who didn’t display standout carrying traits indicative of an NHL future with nearly enough consistency.
That said, there are several reasons to believe a breakthrough could be coming for Price. First, born in late August, 2005, he was the fourth-youngest prospect drafted in the 2023 draft. There is a lot of development runway left here. Second, he tested well athletically at the combine, checking in at No. 30 in our composite athleticism ranking based on public information. He was a top-25 performer in seven different tests. Finally, he will keep getting opportunities in Kelowna because the team doesn’t have any defense prospects coming for his role. Repetitions in high-leverage offensive and defensive situations could lead to a step forward in his skills.
Caden Price player profile
Left defenseman | Kelowna Rockets (WHL) | Age: 17 | Height: 6’0.5″ | Weight: 190 lbs | Left shot
Price was ranked at No. 50 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. His highest ranking was No. 28 by Dobber Prospects. Recruit Scouting (32) and Elite Prospects (37) also had Price as a borderline first-round prospect. Bob McKenzie, our best barometer of league thoughts on a player, had him at No. 67 in his final ranking.
“Price is a strong skater who can skate pucks up ice well, and can close effectively on his checks. He has good skill with the puck and can take an extra second with the puck to make a play. He’s not the most physically imposing defenseman either in size or with his physical play. He makes stops in junior due to his skating and decent-enough sense and compete. I think he will be a full-time third-pair defenseman who contributes but doesn’t stand out at either end.” – Corey Pronman of The Athletic
“Who is the true Price? A mistake-prone, out-of-sync defenceman or the most NHL projectable blueliner on this side of the Atlantic? At his best, Price makes every play in the book, offensively and defensively. He’s a defensive stopper, a puck-mover, and a playmaker. Improving his mobility would give him more freedom to activate offensively and play aggressively defensively.” – David St-Louis of Elite Prospects
Where can I find more information?
Corey Pronman of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Price No. 51 overall
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Price No. 46 overall
Chris Peters of FloHockey (link) ranked Price No. 47 overall
We are still getting to know Seattle’s draft tendencies, but one recurring theme I have noticed: Seattle is willing to take a prospect who was thought of as a high-end prospect early in his development, but experienced a disappointing pre-draft year. This was true of Ryan Winterton (lost his draft year entirely to the COVID shutdown), Shane Wright (delivered an excellent scoring season rather than a truly dominant one), Eduard Sale (low production and compete questions this past year), and Caden Price (up-and-down play). This may be a coincidence. It also could be that the Kraken – an analytically inclined team – are attempting to find advantage in the “recency bias” of NHL decision makers. This will be something I monitor going into the 2024 draft.
Lukas Dragicevic, selected No. 57 overall by the Seattle Kraken, is a 6-foot-1, right-handed offense-first defenseman who plays in Washington State already, with the Tri-City Americans in the WHL.
Instant reaction
This pick made so much sense. A perfect combination of need (right-handed defense, transition play, power-play production, and offense from the blue line) with value in the late second round (Dragicevic was ranked as a mid-first-round pick in our data and analytics ranking).
It was well documented going into the draft that the Kraken were lacking in depth on the right side of their blue line. The team had invested just one pick in each of their first two drafts on the position and neither player has top-of-the-lineup ceiling. 2022 third-round pick Ty Nelson has shown scoring touch at the junior level, but some questions about his projection to the NHL persist due to his style of offensive play and 5-foot-10 frame. 2021 fourth-round pick Ville Ottavainen is a towering defense-first blueliner who has not done much in the way of scoring during his time in the top Finnish league, Liiga, but is scheduled to join the Coachella Valley Firebirds this season.
Enter Lukas Dragicevic. Dragicevic has been on my radar for months because his scoring profile befitted a first-round pick. Setting aside U.S. and Canadian high school players, no right-handed defenseman eligible for the draft for the first time this season scored more in total points (79) or on a per-game basis (1.07 points per game). Among all defensemen, only QMJHL lefty Etienne Morin scored at a slightly higher rate, and, when accounting for the relative strength of those two major junior leagues, there is an argument to be made Dragicevic’s production was more impressive.
In other words, to quote to the Elite Prospects Draft Guide: “Lukas Dragicevic is the best offensive defenseman in this year’s draft.” My NHLe calculation, which primarily relied on point production and incorporated only minor adjustments for age and height, pegged Dragicevic as the eighth-best player in the entire draft. And the consensus in the analytics community was not far behind, placing the Tri-City blueliner as the 19th overall prospect.
Before the draft, I was tempted to project Dragicevic as a first-round fit for the Kraken but resisted due to the potential high-end value of first-round forwards. As I explained then: “My hesitation on targeting Dragicevic (or Gulyayev) in the first round relates back to positional value. High-end forwards are hard to find and typically deliver the most value in the game. Setting aside a few truly transcendent players, a team is capping its upside by drafting on defense in the first round. Add in the significant probability that Dragicevic settles in as a bottom-four guy and a bit of a defensive liability, and I can see the arguments against using a first-round pick on the player.”
As a team with a heavy focus on these types of analytics, it would not be surprising if the Kraken have reached a similar conclusion. Seattle snagged three forwards at 20, 50, and 52. Then, with Dragicevic still available at 57, it was a no-brainer. He was a perfect fit for the Kraken at No. 57 and brings the high ceiling the Kraken have lacked amongst their right-handed defensemen.
Lukas Dragicevic, the #2023NHLDraft's top offensive blue-liner, led Tri-City in:
Dragicevic was ranked at No. 33 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Dragicevic’s highest ranking was from McKeen’s, which placed him at No. 20 overall. Bob McKenzie, often a good indicator of sentiment inside the league, had him ranked at No. 35 overall. Dragicevic being available at No. 57 was likely a surprise to Seattle and a welcome one.
Strengths: “Dragicevic possesses elusive footwork and slick hands, which he can use in tandem to dance around and embarrass anyone who tries to recklessly pressure him. He has an absolute bomb of a slap shot that he loves to uncork and lean in to, but he also has a hard, accurate wrist shot that he can use to try beating a goalie clean or send in for a deflection. As good as he is on the attacking line, he’s also not shy about getting closer to the net to generate offense, whether that’s by driving the puck himself deep along the wall or into in high danger, or by moving forward with a burst of quickness to get open for a bang-bang play or trying to sneak in undetected. Unsurprisingly, he’s a monster on the power play and has what it takes to quarterback a top unit in the NHL one day. He’s also a major factor at driving the play up the ice and into the offensive zone, keeping his head up and controlling the puck at full flight as he weaves through traffic.” – McKeen’s Draft Guide
Weaknesses: “Dragicevic’s game has some real warts, highlighted most notably by, as one scout aptly describe to me, ‘clunky feet.’ He gives too much in his gaps, likely to compensate for his footwork and also his processing speed (he’s just doesn’t pick up on when to close gaps in real time fast enough). He lacks foot speed going in straight lines forwards and backwards, where his stride can look rushed and heavy, and his pivots are a real issue.” – Scott Wheeler of The Athletic
Where can I find more information?
Corey Pronman of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Dragicevic No. 31 overall
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Dragicevic No. 36 overall
Chris Peters of FloHockey (link) ranked Dragicevic No. 34 overall
Following a theme of this draft, Dragicevic is not without risk in his profile – he’s relatively new to his position, struggled with rush defense, and wasn’t particularly effective as an in-zone defender either. As Mckeen’s notes: “The sheer range of possibility for how his career goes is immense from one end to the other. It’s entirely possible that he ends up as one of the 10 best players to come from this class, yet at the same time, it also wouldn’t be particularly surprising if his development went sideways, and he never ended up sniffing the NHL.”
Dragicevic needs to develop significantly on the defensive side and at least some scouts suggest he needs to clean up aspects of his skating. How that goes will determine his future. If the arrow points up in those areas, first-pair potential is not out of the question, particularly if matched with a stronger defensive partner. With moderate progress, he’s a bottom-four type. With little or no progress, he may never become an NHL regular. Still, he’s a terrific bet at pick No. 57 – a steal, in fact.
Carson Rehkopf, selected No. 50 overall by the Seattle Kraken, is a 6-foot-2 shot-first, scoring winger. He played with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this season.
Quick thoughts on the pick
One day after the Kraken invested in a high-upside left-shot winger with a safe floor of point production, drafting Eduard Sale with pick No. 20, the team returned to the same script with their first pick in the second round, tabbing Rehkopf at No. 50. The Elite Prospects team puts it this way: “Rehkopf is one of the most polarizing players available from the OHL this year. His strong athletic profile makes him a very intriguing player to scouts, but many are concerned by the varying engagement levels.” We heard similar things about Sale. That said, Rehkopf produced well enough to justify a pick in this range, checking in at No. 39 overall in our consensus analytics ranking. If there’s more production in the tank with increased consistency, this will start to look like a strong value pick in the years ahead.
Carson Rehkopf player profile
Left wing | Kichener Rangers (OHL) | Age: 18 | Height: 6’2.5″ | Weight: 195 lbs | Left shot
Rehkopf was ranked at No. 48 on theSound Of Hockey Big Board. His highest ranking was No. 36 by both DraftPro and Peter Barachinni of The Hockey News. He was a consensus second rounder in the range of Seattle’s selection.
How does he look on the ice?
What are scouts saying?
“Rehkopf’s NHL argument is all about his toolkit and less about his production. He has a rare combination of speed, skill and size. When you see a 6-foot-2 forward jet up the ice and beat guys one-on-one like Rehkopf can, it’s easy to dream on what he will be in the NHL. He’s a shot threat from range, often beating goalies from the dots. While he can score from outside, I’d like to see more interior attacks from Rehkopf, especially given his frame. He has playmaking in his game, as I’ve seen Rehkopf execute high-difficulty passes and make plays, but that part of his game needs to be more consistent.” – Corey Pronman of The Athletic
Where can I find more information?
Corey Pronman of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Rehkopf No. 39 overall
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (link) ($$) ranked Rehkopf No. 47 overall
Chris Peters of FloHockey (link) ranked Rehkopf No. 44 overall
Brock Otten (McKeen’s) (link) goes in depth with a video scouting report on Rehkopf
Last thoughts
Seattle built a base of solid prospects in the 2022 draft, but if there was a criticism of the players in the system, it was that there weren’t many players with top-of-the-lineup ceiling beyond Shane Wright. Through two picks in 2023, the Seattle Kraken seem to have made high-end tools a priority. Sale has top-line potential, and Rehkopf could blossom into a top-six forward too. That said, there is a bit of risk in both of their profiles that they may not have the compete level or hockey sense to translate to the next level. It will be fascinating to follow them both as they (likely) go up against each other in the Ontario Hockey League next year.
Welcome to the Sound Of Hockey NHL Entry Draft live blog. The Kraken have ten picks in total today. We will continue to add information about their selections here throughout the day. The most recent updates will show up first, so scroll down on the page to see earlier news.
Let’s get to it!
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11:35 AM – That closes the books on the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Here is your 2023 Seattle Kraken Draft Class. Expect many of if not all of these prospects in Seattle this weekend for the Kraken Development Camp.
Here is how the class breaks down by position, league, and place of birth:
11:20 AM – With the Kraken’s last selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken have selected Forward Zaccharya Wisdom from the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL. This is the second year of eligibility for Wisdom. He had 48 points in 59 games.
— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) June 29, 2023
10:55 AM – The Kraken have selected their first Swedish player ever in the NHL Entry Draft. Zeb Forsfjäll had limited games in the Swedish Elite League last season but got a majority of his games in J20 Swedish Junior League where he had 22 points over 24 games. He is listed as a center.
Sweden has broken the ice against Slovakia to take a 1-0 lead!
10:44 AM – Always a good bet to draft a Finnish goalie. Visa Vedenpää has been drafted by the Kraken in the 6th Round. That is the second Finnish goalie selected by the Kraken after the selected Niklas Kokko in 2022. Goalies are a long play so it could be years before we see Vedenpää in the Kraken system.
10:25 AM – After being passed up the last two drafts, Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic has been drafted by the Winnipeg Jets! This kid just wins, and it is so nice to see him finally drafted.
Thomas Milic finally gets drafted in 3rd year. It's been a long road, but the Winnipeg Jets get the guy who won World Junior and WHL titles as a starting goalie. Even his backup went before him in the draft, but he earned his selection today. Size is the concern, but he competes.
10:23 AM – The Seattle Kraken keep it local with their fifth-round pick. They select Everett Silvertips defenseman Kaden Hammell. Hammell was traded to Everett halfway through the 2022-23 season from Kamloops. This is the third WHL player selected by the Kraken this draft and third defenseman. (They only selected two defenseman last draft.) It should be fun to have a Kraken prospect right in our backyard.
10:02 AM – Flying through these picks right now. Here is the recap of Round Four.
9:51 AM – With the 116th pick, the Seattle Kraken select Andrei Loshko from the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL. Listed as a center, he had 70 points in 67 games this season. According to Elite Prospects, he is strong defensively as well, often matching up with the other team’s top line. Originally from Belarus, he has played the last two seasons with Chicoutimi.
9:26 AM – And we are through Round Three.
9:18 AM – The Seattle Kraken select another WHLer, Caden Price, from the Kelowna Rockets. This is the second defensman selected by the Kraken and the second WHLer of the draft. Price is a big body that uses that size for a physical game. He is a little bit of a gamble that could be a boom… or bust.
8:55 AM – That is a wrap on Round Two. With three Kraken picks and two Seattle Thunderbirds, it was a bit of a whirlwind.
8:41 AM – With their third selection of the second round and pick No. 57 overall, the Kraken keep it local with Tri-City Americans defenseman Lukas Dragicevic. Loved watching this kid this season. He’s a 6-foot-2, 181-pounder, so he has room to grow into his frame. The Sound Of Hockey big board had him at a composite ranking of No. 33 overall, so good value here.
8:36 AM – The Kraken select Oscar Fisker Molgaard from Denmark at No. 52 overall. He is currently playing for HK71 in the Swedish Elite League. Molgaard is a left-shot center that had just seven points in 41 games last season, but he was playing against men. So, you typically wouldn’t see huge production from a player in that position.
8:33 AM – With the 50th overall pick, the Seattle Kraken select Carson Rehkopf. Rehkoph is a big-bodied left winger from the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. He had 65 points in 77 games this season.
8:15 AM – We have our first Seattle Thunderbird selected. Nico Myatovic kicks off the second round. He is headed to the Anaheim Ducks.
8:08 AM – Probably stating the obvious, but players drafted in later rounds tend to take a lot longer to make it to the NHL.
8:00 AM – Welcome back for Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Things will come fast and furious today, and we will do our best to keep you current as the draft unfolds in Nashville. Here is a look at the Seattle Kraken Draft picks to start the day.
Note that last year, the Kraken would trade three picks throughout the day, and I imagine more of the same this year. If you have not read up on the Kraken’s first-round selection from last night, check out this profile on the latest Seattle Kraken, Eduard Šalé.
Eduard Sale (pronounced SHAH-lay), selected No. 20 overall by the Seattle Kraken, is a 6-foot-2 left-shot winger. He played at the professional level this season in perhaps the third-best league in the world, Czechia’s Extraliga, for HC Kometa Brno.
Quick thoughts on the pick
On the one hand, this is a swing on talent. The Elite Prospects team had this to say on Sale: “[On] sheer talent alone, Sale is a no-brainer top-10 pick. Perhaps even higher.” On the other hand, this isn’t an example of drafting an unproductive player. To the contrary, he checked in at No. 21 overall in the Sound Of Hockey consensus analytics ranking. My NHLe calculation pegged him as the 25th best prospect in the draft.
Eduard Sale player profile
Left Wing | HC Kometa Brno (Extraliga) | Age: 18 | Height: 6’1.75″ | Weight: 175 lbs | Left shot
Sale has been closely scrutinized, playing at a top professional level in Czechia from a very young age. But this experience makes him one of the more pro-ready prospects in the draft. It’s also possible he could come to North America this season to play in the OHL for the Barrie Colts, according to Jeff Marek.
Expect Seattle first round pick Eduard Sale to play with the OHL’s Barrie Colts next season.
Alternatively, he could be a candidate to follow in the footsteps of countryman David Jiricek and play in the AHL immediately. If so, there would be yet more reason to fire up AHL.tv and watch the Coachella Valley Firebirds again next year.
What does the Big Board say?
At the time the Kraken drafted, Sale was the second-highest ranked remaining player on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board at No. 17 overall. Only Gabe Perreault was ranked higher at No. 14. There were some highly productive North American players that were still on the board at the time of the Kraken’s pick (Perreault, Quinton Musty, and Andrew Cristall) that I thought would likely be strong considerations, but of those players only Musty’s physical tools compare with Sale’s. Sale’s highest ranking was No. 7 overall by Craig Button of TSN.
How does he look on the ice?
What are scouts saying?
Strengths: “His movement stands out as a top trait, stemming from technically sound skating mechanics. He’s able to accelerate quite quickly, reaching his top speed effortlessly. He might just be one of the fastest prospects in the draft. It’s not just his straight-line skating either. He has strong edges that he utilizes to change direction quickly and suddenly, making him hard to predict as he attacks in the offensive zone. . . . His puckhandling is nearly as good as his skating . . . . He’s able to head into traffic with the puck or without and come out with it with relative ease. He also regularly jumps into board battles and isn’t afraid to get physical in his play. He plays without any lack of confidence, sometimes even overconfident as he cheats to the offensive side of the puck. He has a strong shot but does need to work on his accuracy at times. He’s just as good at dishing it out though, showing off great vision as he moves the puck around the offensive end. . . . What might just be Sale’s most intriguing attribute though is his ability to play in all situations. He can be depended on during the penalty kill, and more than contributes at even strength and on the power play. He can play up and down the lineup and be relied on in the dying minutes of a game.” – McKeen’s Draft Guide
Weaknesses: “Where he does need to focus is his consistency, as he can tend to lack urgency or off-puck commitment depending on the scoreboard. When he needs to be, he’s on, but this needs to be the case every time he hits the ice.” – McKeen’s Draft Guide
Where can I find more information?
Corey Pronman of The Athletic (link) ($$): ranked Sale No. 24 overall
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (link) ($$): ranked Sale No. 14 overall
Chris Peters of FloHockey (link): ranked Sale No. 21 overall
There are a lot of things working in favor of this pick. Sale is a tall, toolsy player with good speed and skating skill. And beyond that his data profile already supports his status as a first-round pick. Add to that the fact that he has performed at an adequate level in a high-level professional league already as an 18-year-old, and there are many different ways to look at Sale and like the pick.
Kraken general manager Ron Francis has often said he looks to his scouts and analytics department to support each other before making a move. This looks like a pick where both sides of the front office were able to find common ground, and with director of amateur scouting Robert Kron having plenty of connections in his native Czechia, he undoubtedly had plenty of information about Sale.
