What the Seattle Kraken got in Nathan Villeneuve, pick No. 63 in the 2024 NHL Draft

by Curtis Isacke | Jul 1, 2024 | NHL Entry Draft

After drafting Julius Miettenen toward the beginning of the second round, the Kraken returned at the end of the round to draft a third-straight center prospect, Nathan Villeneuve of the OHL Sudbury Wolves. The pick used to select Villeneuve was the selection acquired from the Rangers in the trade that sent Alex Wennberg to New York at the trade deadline in March.

If Villeneuve’s junior team sounds familiar, it’s because Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette has played his entire junior career for Sudbury. Both Goyette and Villeneuve were drafted as centers and selected in similar spots in the draft—Goyette No. 61 overall in 2022 and Villeneuve No. 63 overall in 2024. Beyond that, their profiles are fairly different. Goyette is a skilled, playmaking forward who recently has been skating more on the wing. Villeneuve is a grit-and-grind, two-way center.

Evaluating Villeneuve, the prospect

Villeneuve’s motor never stops running. He beats junior competition with pace and work ethic. In particular, he delivers tenacious effort on defense, backed up by smarts and skill to shut down opponents.

He also qualifies as a pest, which is a high compliment in hockey parlance. Though he’s not a large player (he’s 5-foot-11), he nonetheless brings a menacing style, playing physically through the echo of the whistle. Add to that an agitating on-ice vocabulary, and fists that have been known to fly, and you have the archetypical “hard to play against” player—the player you only love if he plays for your team. The smile says it all really.

I watched at least a half-dozen of his games between monitoring Goyette and getting a feel for Sudbury’s 2024 NHL Draft prospects. His physical edge, not to mention a fight or two, always stood out. So too did his pro-ready movements and game. He’s not flashy but it all looks NHL-translatable, at least in a depth role.

Scouts see a true center in the long term, perhaps as a third liner or an outstanding fourth-line player.

But several analysts noted that he is one to watch for a late breakout beyond his current checking profile. Why? First, he has a high-end pedigree, having been drafted No. 3 overall in the 2022 OHL Draft on the strength of a well-rounded skillset.

Second, he was a bit limited by context during the 2023-24 season. He played behind a top-heavy all-star group of forwards for Sudbury this past season. Players like Goyette, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Quentin Musty consumed crucial offensive 5-on-5 minutes and No. 1 power-play opportunities. In this context, he was asked to drive a third line and take key penalty kill minutes, along with a second unit power-play role. Villeneuve excelled in his assignments, but there should be an opportunity for more offense with a top-six role and top-unit power-play time.

Particularly encouraging is this nugget from Elite Prospects: “Third-line minutes didn’t prevent Nathan Villeneuve from scoring at a near-point-per-game pace. Through the regular season, he amassed even-strength primary points per minute at a higher rate than Beckett Sennecke, Jett Luchanko, and multiple first-round NHL draft picks.” Sennecke was drafted No. 3 overall.

Both Corey Pronman of The Athletic and Elite Prospects see near-NHL-average skills across the board. When you combine that with a relentless work ethic and a coming opportunity to be a featured offensive player in the best junior league in the world, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic that Villeneuve will avoid typical prospect setbacks and continue to ascend.

Nathan Villeneuve player profile

Grading the pick on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board

The Sound Of Hockey Big Board had Villeneuve as the No. 91 overall prospect. Superficially, one might surmise that Seattle would have had a shot at nabbing the forward at either of its third-round picks (pick Nos. 73, 88). However, Bob McKenzie’s scout-informed list had Villeneuve at No. 73 overall, and my data score analysis put Villeneuve at No. 71. These data points suggest Villeneuve may have been a candidate to go off the board shortly after pick No. 63 if Seattle did not draft him.

So, I don’t have issue with where the Kraken took Villeneuve, assuming they didn’t want to lose the player, nor do I have many qualms with the player himself. He’s precisely the type of player I love to watch.

My questions by this point in the draft were more focused on the players Seattle was bypassing—Zeev Buium at No. 8, Andrew Basha at No. 40, and now, at No. 63, a number of players with higher public scouting marks and scoring data profiles, including Henry Mews, for example. Seattle was having a solid draft, but was it leaving value on the table? Surely, Seattle’s draft board said no, and only time will tell.

Villeneuve’s highest rankings tracked on the Big Board came from HockeyProspect(dot)com, which had Villeneuve as the No. 29 overall prospect in the draft, Scouching, which had Villeneuve at No. 52, and McKenzie, who had the Sudbury center at No. 73. NHL Central Scouting had him as the No. 60 North American skater.

Video scouting Villeneuve

Scouting breakdown

Strengths:

“[Villeneuve’s] an all-around forward who plays with good pace and isn’t afraid to mix it up along the boards. Villeneuve loves to spend time causing havoc in front of the net and plays a strong off-puck game compared to many others around this point in the list. His energy and feistiness will give him a shot in the NHL, even if he doesn’t have the pure skill to burn.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Villeneuve’s a feisty, high-pace attacker with a lockdown defensive game. When he’s not throwing hits and winning battles, he’s eliminating off-puck threats and pickpocketing the puck carrier. When the puck arrives on his stick, he instantly takes the middle or starts a give-and-go to attack the zone with speed.

“The high-pace transition game allows Villeneuve to create scoring chances off the rush, often by cutting in front of the defense or dropping the shoulder to cut to the net. He always makes sure to establish body positioning en route.” – Elite Prospects

Weaknesses:

“Villeneuve is bound to be penalized by NHL scouting staffs for his violation of the OHL’s social media policy that saw him earn a lengthy suspension (15 games) for inappropriate game-related comments, bringing his judgment into question…

“An early pick in his OHL draft year, Villeneuve has yet to truly reach his upside as an OHL player. His creativity and playmaking ability have not translated as well as anticipated, leaving some concerns over his NHL upside. However, he possesses a solid floor, but also some intrigue over his offensive ceiling once he receives more ice time.” – McKeen’s

Final thoughts

For me, Nathan Villeneuve wasn’t the highest-ranked player on the board when he was picked. Add in his involvement in and 15-game suspension relating to allegations that Sudbury players discussed putting a bounty on Barrie defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson after Aitcheson hit Villeneuve in a Jan. 18, 2024, game, and I admit to feeling some doubt about the wisdom of the pick at the time. That said, assuming Seattle is confident there are no lingering off-ice judgment concerns with the young man, I like Villeneuve’s game. I’d expect him to show well at the team’s Development Camp, which starts on-ice work on Tuesday, and follow that up with a step forward for Sudbury during the 2024-25 season.

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.

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What the Seattle Kraken got in Julius Miettinen, pick No. 40 in the 2024 NHL Draft

by Curtis Isacke | Jun 30, 2024 | NHL Entry Draft

With their first two picks Friday and Saturday, the Seattle Kraken selected two Western Hockey League centers who won’t need to cross state lines to report to Kraken Development Camp this week. After selecting Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs at No. 8 overall, the Kraken stuck around the Pacific Northwest and selected Julius Miettinen of the Everett Silvertips at No. 40.

This superficial similarity coincidence aside, the players are actually quite different. Catton has been in the WHL with Spokane for three years now and has long been scrutinized as a top prospect, whereas Miettinen just arrived in 2023-24, coming to Everett in the WHL import draft from Finland. Catton is a smaller, skilled transition dynamo capable of winning with complex maneuvers and high-end vision. Miettinen is a tall, physical, north-south player who prefers to grind in the corners and at the net front while playing a support role in transition.

Indeed, if you were to align their component skill grade profiles from Elite Prospects, you would find them almost mirror images of each other. One area of overlap, according to Kraken general manager Ron Francis, is their hockey intelligence; Francis was quick to compliment this aspect of Miettinen’s game after the draft Saturday. The Kraken certainly hope there is a future where the two compliment each other with Catton helping run the top of the lineup and Miettinen anchoring a bottom-six line.

Quick thoughts on the pick

Miettinen brings a player profile the Kraken system is currently lacking—a physically imposing, two-way forward who projects to stick at center long-term. Elite Prospects compares him to Charlie Coyle or Boone Jenner. Like those players, at first his game may seem overly simple, but with repeated viewings you start to understand how he intelligently puts himself in positions to win more than his share of battles and grind out the production a team needs to win.

It took Miettinen some time to transition to the North American game, after playing junior hockey in Finland through his age 17 season. But his scoring production trended upward as the 2023-24 season continued. McKeen’s attributes this development to improved skating skill: “He still looked like an appealing prospect overall early on, but that was in spite of his skating and pacing, not because of it… But give full marks to the Everett staff, who helped him work on his feet and his conditioning, while also instilling in him the importance of being able to play fast. Somewhere along the way it all clicked, and now Miettinen’s speed and mobility are legitimate assets for him, with explosive acceleration and the balance and edge work to navigate himself through traffic.”

For this reason, there’s certainly reason to believe Miettinen should continue his upward ascent during the 2024-25 season with Everett. This pick is a bet on that continued improvement. There were superior scoring profiles available to the Kraken at pick No. 40—forward Andrew Basha who went one pick later to Calgary is an example. I always hesitate when a team drafts a player who plays like a bottom-six NHL projection in junior because those players rarely actually materialize in the NHL. This is a bet on Miettinen’s traits.

Julius Miettinen player profile

Center | Everett Silvertips | Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 201 lbs | Left shot

Source: Elite Prospects

What does the Big Board say?

Miettinen was drafted in the range anticipated by the Sound Of Hockey Big Board, which had him at No. 41 overall. I had Miettinen as my 61st-ranked prospect in my adjusted NHLe ranking. Craig Button of TSN had Miettinen as his No. 22 overall prospect, as did HockeyProspect(dot)com. Central Scouting had Miettinen as their 16th-ranked North American skater.

How does he look on the ice?

What are scouts saying?

Strengths:

“[Miettinen’s] details shine. Positionally sound and physical, he’s always in the right spot to push attackers wide and then win possession along the wall. Offensively, he skates every route to push back defenders, creates chaos around the net, and perfectly times rolls off the boards to get open in the slot.

“An ability to link all of these details together in a single shift separates Miettinen from forwards in this archetype. He never deviates from his off-puck game, making a consistent presence.

“With the puck, Miettinen mostly plays a quick-possession game. He shoots off the catch when inside the slot and finds the open teammate when not. But there are flashes of more.” – Elite Prospects

“Miettinen is a well-built, strong, 6-foot-3 center who works, wins battles, plays hard and can skate. He’s got some soft skill and power to his game. He protects the puck well and can play along the wall or go to the front of the net and make plays around the crease.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

“With good size and a fairly well-rounded game, Miettinen could potentially go in the first round. He scored 31 goals and had over a point per game in his first WHL season after modest production a year ago in Finland’s U20 league.” – Chris Peters, Flo Hockey

Weaknesses:

“There are times where Miettinen is a little too unnoticeable for a player of his size, but when he’s at his best there’s power in his game that can be hard to come by.” – Chris Peters, Flo Hockey

“The only pressing question that still remains is just how much value, precisely, does he have as a prospect? Even though his toolbox eventually reached the point of overflowing, he barely maintained a point-per-game average on the season, while some of his forward teammates did so handily. And then when the playoffs came and went, he was pretty quiet. Are his inherent vision and creativity good enough for him to become a top-tier offensive threat? And while he seems like someone who could be a very good shutdown center and penalty killer at higher levels, the Silvertips haven’t used him often yet in those sorts of ways, so there’s not really much of a resume that can back up that hunch. All that being said, he’s already shown the ability to make major tweaks to his game, so that’s a great sign that he’s capable of doing it again.” – McKeen’s

Final thoughts

With so much focus on Seattle’s blue line depth coming into the 2024 NHL Draft, the Kraken selected only two borderline top-100 defense prospects in Alexis Bernier (73 overall pick; 122 on the Big Board) and Jakub Fibigr (202 overall pick; 98 on the Big Board). Francis strongly implied that Berkly Catton was the player Seattle was targeting all along at pick No. 8, but did Seattle try to add a higher-profile defenseman later in the draft only to be beaten to punch by other teams? It is possible.

After the draft concluded Saturday, Director of Amateur Scouting Robert Kron indicated that Seattle may have had its eye on a few blue line prospects that were selected shortly before Seattle picked. Looking at how the draft played out, the most notable instance came when a cluster of blue line prospects went off the board from pick Nos. 34 to 39. Is it possible the Kraken had hoped one or more of those players would still be on the board at No. 40? We’ll likely never know for certain, but it’s a reasonable question to ask in light of Kron’s comments. As Miettinen’s career progresses, it will be interesting to compare it against the progress of the blueliners that went shortly before he did.

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.

Read more from Curtis

2024 Seattle Kraken mock draft 

by Curtis Isacke | Jun 28, 2024 | NHL Entry Draft

The 2024 NHL Draft is here. The first round begins at 4:00 p.m. PT on Friday. Catch it on ESPN or ESPN+ in the United States. 

With that, we’ve reached the culmination of Draft Week at Sound Of Hockey. Check out all of the draft-related content delivered this week:

• Seattle Kraken draft preview
• The Sound Of Hockey Big Board, a composite ranking of top 2024 draft prospects
• The Draft Video Hub, a source collecting almost 200 2024 draft prospect-specific videos

In addition, check out these earlier features:

• Final data-only ranking of 2024 NHL Draft prospects
• Our NHL Draft Trade Value Chart (from 2022)

Today is our third annual, seven-round Seattle Kraken mock draft.

Mock draft rules

As I did last year, I will presume that players will come off the board in the order predicted by the Big Board. For example, if a player is slotted at No. 37 on the Big Board, I treat that player as unavailable to the Kraken with their first second-round pick at No. 40. In highlighting potential “alternative” picks, I’ll mention a few players who could be in range if they “fall” to Seattle’s pick. For now, I won’t “predict” any trades, because this is both difficult and unlikely when it comes to a Ron Francis-led operation.

I’d love it if someone wanted to use the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and give me their alternative mock draft using these same rules. Send it in the comments below or on X, formerly known as Twitter, tagging @deepseahockey and @sound_hockey.

Looking back on my mid-season mock draft

I used the Sound Of Hockey Big Board (mid-season edition) to generate one midseason mock draft earlier this year on Feb. 23.

My first two picks for the Kraken in that midseason mock, Zeev Buium and Jett Luchanko, have been two of the biggest risers from the midseason Big Board to the final version I will use today. Buium jumped from No. 11 on the midseason Big Board to No. 5 on the final Big Board; Luchanko rose from No. 44 to No. 22.  I take some pride in correctly identifying two players that I believed the market was undervaluing at the time, but the final Big Board has seemingly pushed both players out of reach for Seattle with its first two picks. I continue to like both players very much if they happen to linger on the board for Seattle. 

OK, without further ado, let’s draft.

The 2024 Seattle Kraken mock draft

Round 1, Pick 8: Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL) 
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-0.25 | Weight: 178 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 8 | Data Score: 3 | Goals: 33 | Assists: 63 | Games Played: 66

Scout’s view: “Parekh was far and away the best offensive defenseman in junior hockey this year, and I think the upside of him being a devastatingly good point producer will allow him to go early.” – Shawn Ellis, Daily Faceoff

One stat to know: Parekh scored the most points by a CHL defenseman in his draft-eligible season since 1989-90.

Notes: My gut tells me Seattle is most likely to end up with left defenseman Sam Dickinson after Zeev Buium (and perhaps Zayne Parekh) come off the board earlier. But the Sound Of Hockey Big Board has both Buium (No. 5) and Dickinson (No. 7) off the board by No. 8. The Big Board could prove precinct; with noted size-ist Bill Armstrong and Utah Hockey Club in need of a blueliner, it’s entirely possible Dickinson goes to Utah at No. 6. 

Buium would be the ideal scenario for the Kraken at the eighth pick should he fall that far. His absolute ceiling may be a just shade below Parekh, but, unlike Parekh, I view his absolute floor as a middle-lineup NHL regular. Compared by analyst Chris Peters to Kris Letang, Buium should go before pick No. 8.

For my money, Parekh (No. 8 on the Big Board) has the highest upside of any defenseman in the draft. Compared to Erik Karlsson, he brings game-breaking offensive instincts and passing skill that rises the tide of offensive production around him. He projects as a power play ace who could almost single-handedly transform a team’s unit. 

Defensively, the reviews are mixed at this point, but there is little doubt about his effort and commitment. With that endorsement, he should get to a competent level eventually. Even if you always have to protect him from the most difficult defensive matchups–as Karlsson’s teams have to do–Parekh will be playable if his current offense translates. 

On the other hand, if his offensive skill and instincts continue to develop as some analysts expect, he could be a No. 1 offensive defenseman and complimentary face of the Kraken franchise with Matty Beniers and Shane Wright for the next decade. 

Alternatives: Zeev Buium LD, Sam Dickinson LD 

Round 2, Pick 40: John Mustard, F, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 186 pounds | Shot: Left
Big Board: 50 | Data Score: 41 | Goals: 29 | Assists: 27 | Games Played: 60

Scout’s view: “[Mustard is] a tremendous skater who uses his speed to get out in transition, turn defenders with the puck, get on pucks and win races. A Providence commit, he should fit well with the Friars’ staff and identity as a hardworking forward who gets after it…  His athleticism, skating, competitiveness, and well-rounded skill will carry him a long way. If he can continue to develop his feel for the game, he’ll be an NHLer.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

One stat to know: Mustard is one of the youngest top players in the draft, born just 30 days before the cutoff to be draft eligible.

Notes: Ideally, the Kraken catch a player who falls from the borderline first-/second-round tier here like the team did in 2022 when it grabbed Jagger Firkus in this range. Brantford Bulldog winger Marek Vanacker is a player I’d like to see Seattle grab from the bottom of that tier.

For his part, Mustard reminds me a bit of the Carson Rehkopf–a toolsy forward with natural skating and scoring skill who is just starting to put it together and could explode in his draft-plus-one season. Mustard’s calling card is his pace and straight-line speed. Together with an NHL-caliber frame, he’s an easy projection as a scoring middle-six winger if he can continue to meet development milestones.

Worth noting, John Mustard also has an incredible name.

Alternatives: Marek Vanacker F, Henry Mews RD, Luke Misa F, Matvei Gridin F, Leon Muggli LD

Henry Mews is a high-upside offensive right-shot defenseman who reminds a bit of Lukas Dragicevic with better skating fundamentals. He’s the best value projected to be on the board at No. 40 based on my “data score” approach. Luke Misa, brother of the “exceptional” Michael, plays at a high pace and scored at a high level in the OHL, but is a smaller player and faces some questions about whether his game will translate. He reminds me a bit of David Goyette as a draft prospect. Matvei Gridin led the USHL in scoring for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. He’d be a decent data-based wager, similar to several Kraken second round draft picks in the last few drafts. Muggli may not have terrific upside, but he looks like an easy projection to the NHL in a middle-lineup role to me.

Round 2, Pick 63: Spencer Gill, RD, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) 
Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-3.75 | Weight: 186 pounds | Shot: Right
Big Board: 67 | Data Score: 48 | Goals: 12 | Assists: 34 | Games Played: 65

Scout’s view: “Gill sure is one big boy, and while there are still times where he looks like a baby moose on skates, it has been great to watch him make more and more progress with his footwork as he continues to grow into his body. He likes to regularly join the rush, and when he does, he can really push opposing defenders back because he can cover so much ice in just a few strides. He also keeps progressively adding power to both his upper and lower body, which will continue to help support the good instincts that he already has and utilizes at both ends of the ice.” – McKeen’s

One stat to know: Gill was third in scoring among first-time draft-eligible CHL defensemen at least 6-foot-3, behind only consensus top picks Sam Dickinson and Carter Yakemchuk. 

Notes: In my opinion, Gill has been a perplexing miss by public scouts. Throughout the development of the 2024 Sound Of Hockey Big Board, Gill was hovering in the 70’s. Viewing him higher than that, I had been locked into this slot in my early iterations of this mock draft. Thankfully for Gill it seems like NHL teams haven’t been sleeping on him quite as much as the public analysts. Bob McKenzie’s list for TSN published on Tuesday–which is built on interviews with NHL scouts–had Gill at No. 53. That feels a bit more reasonable for Gill and means we should put this mock pick in pencil, not ink.

Gill is an almost 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman with offensive instincts and scoring data to support a mid-second-round pick, and he plays for a junior team in Rimouski reputed for developing NHL defensemen. He’s raw in many areas and will have to work hard to clear the developmental hurdles ahead of him, but the upside is a top-of-the-lineup right-shot defenseman. This profile is often talked about in the first round. Indeed, players like EJ Emery, Dominik Badinka, Charlie Elick, and others are commonly referenced as borderline first rounders despite similarly significant flaws and worse scoring production than Gill. I’m betting on Gill.

Alternatives: Luca Marrelli RD, Jacob Battaglia F, Anthony Romani F

Round 3, Pick 73: Anthony Romani, F, North Bay Battalion (OHL) 
Age: 18 (re-draft) | Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 179 pounds | Shot: Right
Big Board: 104 | Data Score: 18 | Goals: 58 | Assists: 53 | Games Played: 68

Scout’s view: “The first thing that stands out about Romani’s game is his hockey IQ. Even last year, that was something that popped, and the results followed with a 68-point increase to 111 this year in his third campaign with North Bay… He has a remarkable shot and his skating continues to get better, but he needs to work on his defensive game still.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

One stat to know: Anthony Romani led the OHL in goal-scoring, surpassing Carson Rehkopf despite being six months younger than the Kraken forward.

Notes: The skills aren’t flashy like they are with Rehkopf, but Romani has strong offensive instincts, and you cannot ignore the immense production.  He may not have the athleticism to be a long-term NHL lineup stalwart, but if he is able to maximize his traits and traverse a path similar to Tye Kartye, there is enough goal-scoring talent there to succeed. 

Alternatives: Jacob Battaglia F, Andrei Krutov F, Jakub Fibigr LD, Clarke Caswell F

Round 3, Pick 88: Kim Saarinen G, HPK (U20 SM-sarja)
Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-4 | 181 pounds
Big Board: 105 | Data Score: N/A | GAA.: 2.41 | Save percentage: .917

Scout’s view: “[Saarinen’s] 6-foot-4 frame does offer some clear advantages, especially covering high when he’s down in the reverse-VH position, but he plays a surprisingly active style for someone of his stature. He keeps excellent access to his edges and remains patient when the puck is passed around the zone, capable of making quick adjustments in either direction. He’s tough to beat because of his edgework, even when the opponent is able to pull off quick-developing passing plays.” – Elite Prospects

Notes: The Kraken have drafted a European goalie in each of their first three drafts. General manager Ron Francis, for his part, has drafted a goalie in each of his previous seven drafts as a GM. I can’t claim to be a goalie expert, but I noted that Saarinen is frequently ranked as the second Finnish goalie in this draft behind Eemil Vinni (No. 78) and was atop the depth chart for Finland at international junior tournaments. His junior production was also mildly better than that posted by Vinni. Elite Prospects, which grades component goalie skills, gave him the fourth-highest composite skill grade in this class.

Alternatives: Pavel Moysevich G, Ilya Nabakov G, Veeti Louhivaara G 

Round 4, Pick 105: Riley Patterson, F, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-0.25 | Weight: 193 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 118 | Data Score: 57 | Goals: 29 | Assists: 33 | Games Played: 68

Scout’s view: “[T]he floodgates opened and the points really started to come [for Patterson] in the second half [of the 2023-24 season], climbing to a point per game as one of the Colts’ top offensive players by season’s end. He had some learning to do defensively to start the year in the OHL in terms of picking up marks and keeping his feet moving, but he adjusted quickly and showed a real commitment to improving his play off of the puck and upping his pace when he doesn’t have it (he has really gotten after it and shown a real desire to get to pucks so that he can make plays as the year has progressed).” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Notes: Patterson gets above-average grades on his shot and his skating from Elite Prospects. He plays with free-and-easy mobility at a size that looks NHL-projectible. His skating and production are both a tick behind Mustard, but otherwise he brings a similar profile. His production ascended in his draft year similar to David Goyette’s draft-eligible year.

Alternatives: Mac Swanson F, James Reeder F, Ilya Protas F, Jiri Tichacek LD

Round 6, Pick 169: Austin Burnevik, F, Madison Capitols (USHL)
Age: 19 (re-draft) | Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 201 pounds | Shot: Left
Big Board: 170 | Data Score: 59 | Goals: 40 | Assists: 31 | Games Played: 61

Scout’s view: “A St. Cloud State commit, Burnevik is a well-rounded player. He has a clear understanding of the power game he knows he needs to play to be successful. He controls the wall well, but he’s also very focused on getting pucks to the middle of the ice and to the net. He plays physical. He has good hands. He is a committed and effective two-way player. His future success will be completely tied to his ability to continue to improve his skating. It’s already improved from last year, especially his stride length and top speed. However, there’s still work to go. We love Burnevik’s progression and believe that he could end up being a quality bottom-six NHL player in the future.” – McKeen’s

Notes: A re-draft candidate who didn’t break through with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2022-23, Brunevik found his game in 2023-24 for Madison, potting 40 goals and demonstrating a combination of skill and size that looks projectable to the NHL to me. Scouts are down on his skating, but it doesn’t look disqualifying to me, particularly in a development system run by Jessica Campbell.

Alternatives: Kenta Isogai F, Gavin Hodnett F

Round 7, Pick 201: Kaden Pitre, F, Flint Firebirds (OHL) 
Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 168 pounds | Shot: Left
Big Board: 231 | Data Score: 91 | Goals: 10 | Assists: 20 | Games Played: 35

Scout’s view: “Right now, Pitre’s impact is most visible along the walls and inside the defensive zone. He’s a proactive, engaged defender who chokes out attacks early through his supporting movement and physicality. He doesn’t just enter battles with speed; he goes out of his way to make early contact and never stops battling. He finishes every check and creates chaos around the net. Pitre also has the beginnings of a dynamic transition game. He beats opponents with weight shifts and fakes, then drives the net or cuts inside if the defense backs off.”  – Elite Prospects

Notes: It’s rare to see a player with center potential and pedigree available this late in the draft, but Pitre was a bit underexposed in his draft season because of an injury. He has breakout potential as a tenacious bottom-six center.

Alternatives: Dylan Hryckowian F, Beau Jelsma F, Dalyn Wakely F

Round 7, Pick 202: Tommaso De Luca, F, HC Ambrì-Piotta (NL) 
Age: 19 (re-draft) | Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 187 pounds | Shot: Left
Big Board: 324 | Data Score: 39 | Goals: 11 | Assists: 9 | Games Played: 41

Scout’s view: “In transition, De Luca uses weaving rushes that get defenders moving in the wrong direction, deft passes through defenders, and sudden delays to wait for support. He reads opponents’ momentum, fakes, then cuts inside the space they exited. Constant changes of pace confuse defenders, while shot fakes and look offs in open ice extend passing lanes.” – Elite Prospects

Notes: De Luca was productive with the Spokane Chiefs in 2022-23 but went undrafted. He subsequently returned to Europe and produced in the top Swiss professional league, one of the best leagues in the world. The defense is still a question mark, but he has sufficient athleticism and skating skill, and the scoring production has been there. Plus, he’s Italian, and I did a fair amount of my 2024 NHL Draft preparations from that beautiful country. Will that factor into the Kraken’s decision here? Probably not, but you never know.

Alternatives: Hugo Fransson LD, Ben Robertson LD, Jere Lassila F

Last draft thoughts

With a few last draft thoughts still rattling around in my head, let’s test the patience of the editor in chief, who surely is ready to smash his computer due to the length of this article, and dive into a six pack of odds and ends.

1. Reviewing the 2023 Seattle Kraken mock draft

While it’s only a one-year sample size, my “rules” yielded a plausible Kraken draft last year. In fact, all but the last two selections I mocked to the Kraken last year were actually available to Seattle at the specified picks, and most went very shortly after:

Round 1. Pick 20: Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 21 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 26 (San Jose)

Round 2. Pick 50: Hunter Brzustewicz, RD, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 55 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 75 (Vancouver)

Round 2. Pick 52: Lenni Hameenaho, RW, Ässät (Liiga)

2023 Big Board rank: 56 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 58 (New Jersey)

Round 2. Pick 57: Tristan Bertucci, LD, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 80 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 61 (Dallas)

Round 3. Pick 84: Gavin McCarthy, RD, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 87 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 86 (Buffalo)

Round 4. Pick 116: Juha Jatkola, G, KalPa (Liiga)

2023 Big Board rank: 132 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 121 (Nashville)

Round 5. Pick 148: Ryan Conmy, RW, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 173 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 182 (Los Angeles Kings)

Round 6. Pick 168: Ivan Anoshko, C, Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 180 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: undrafted

Round 6. Pick 180: Justin Kipkie, LD, Victoria Royals (WHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 203 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 160 (Arizona)

Round 7. Pick 212: Bogdan Konyushkov, RD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

2023 Big Board rank: 246 | Actual 2023 NHL Draft pick: 110 (Montreal)

With another year of data, I’ll readily admit that would not have been a perfect draft. But, one year on, when looking at stats only, it rivals Seattle’s actual draft–headlined by Musty, Brzustewicz, and Hameenaho, all of whom are trending toward NHL futures, with Conmy, Bertucci, and McCarthy close behind.

2. The Russia factor

The Kraken have not drafted a player who resides in Russia or Belarus since the conflict involving those countries commenced more than two years ago. There are a few potential explanations.

First, it is possible this is mere coincidence. The Kraken continue to scout and rank those players on their draft board, but it could be that they’ve happened to see value elsewhere the last two years. 

Second, it is also possible those players are off their board entirely until these external factors are resolved to the team’s satisfaction. 

Third, it may be that Seattle is open to drafting a Russian player, in theory, but the team is downgrading those prospects due to concerns about those players coming to the NHL and because in-person scouting viewings are not as possible as they were three years back. The consequence may be the same as scenario No. 1 above, but the team’s view is different.

The third option strikes me as the most likely, but I don’t have any inside information on it. I admit that I did not view the Russian players as closely as others, given the team’s track record. But I am curious to find out: Will the Seattle Kraken draft a Russian or Belarusian player this year?

3. Beckett Sennecke chatter piques my interest

As I mentioned yesterday, I think there is a top-seven in this class: Celebrini, Buium, Parekh, Dickinson, Levshunov, Demidov, and Lindstrom. And it just so happens the Kraken draft eighth–meaning the team could theoretically miss out on all seven. 

This is why it piqued my interest when Chris Peters, on a recent episode of his excellent Talking Hockey Sense podcast, said there was a “deafening rumor” coming from scouts around the NHL that Beckett Sennecke could be in play to be drafted in the six-to-eight range.  We never hear anything from Seattle, but it’s implied by this rumor that Seattle could have interest in drafting the player.

Maybe this is true and can be taken at face value, but I almost wonder whether Seattle is at least partially supportive of this chatter in order to drive up Sennecke’s stock so that Sennecke ultimately leaps into the top-seven–which would all but guarantee one of the top defensemen falls to Seattle at No. 8.

4. With three defensemen in focus, thoughts on first round alternatives for Seattle

While I don’t believe in drafting for need, I think this happens to be a scenario where opportunity matches need at the top of the draft for Seattle. Assuming one or more is available, I’ll be very surprised if Seattle doesn’t select one of three defensemen at No. 8: Zeev Buium, Zayne Parekh, or Sam Dickinson. As mentioned above, my board is: Buium, Parekh, Dickinson, in that order (though Parekh and Dickinson are fairly close). Buium is the best overall. Parekh is both a right defenseman and the biggest upside swing. Dickinson is perhaps the most likely to be the actual pick at No. 8 and a clean projection to Seattle based on Francis’ historical demonstrated preferences.

But what about a scenario where all three players are off the board because none of Sennecke, Iginla, Silayev, Catton, or Yakemchuk have jumped into the top seven? Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects floated a spicy scenario where Celebrini is immediately followed by a run of five defensemen. What then?

Konsta Helenius (Big Board: No. 11 | Data Score: No. 7) is a Finnish center with the potential to step into an NHL lineup as soon as next season. He may not have much more than middle-six center potential, but he could be a natural successor to Yanni Gourde with the Kraken and a vital complementary roster piece soon. There is a lot of appeal to this pick even if there isn’t flashy offensive upside.

Tij Iginla (Big Board: No. 9 | Data Score: No. 21) is well known in Seattle after playing two years with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He plays an NHL-ready game on the wing, combining scoring touch with heavy forechecking ability and wall skills. 

Berkly Catton (Big Board: No. 6 | Data Score: No. 10) is a deadly offensive package, combining skill, skating, and offensive instincts. If he stood 6-foot-2 instead of 5-foot-10.25 with the same skill level, he’d be considered as early as the second overall pick.

Finally, Corey Pronman of The Athletic has linked Seattle to Carter Yakemchuk, a 6-foot-3, right-shot defenseman from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL at No. 8. Yakemchuk is an interesting player with an abundance of tools who scored 30 goals from the blue line in the WHL this season. I’d be happy to have him in the Kraken system, but there are a few too many question marks in his defensive game and how his offensive style will translate for my taste early in Round 1. If the Kraken were drafting at No. 20 again, it would be a different story.

5. Mocking the top seven 2024 picks

We all know that team dynamics affect draft selections, even if there is broad consensus about the quality of various prospects. This is why mock drafts differ from draft rankings. 

I suspect there may be some chaos near the top of the draft this year relative to the Big Board order–and, for his part, Ron Francis seems to agree–so I figured I’d try my hand at a top seven mock draft.

Round 1. Pick 1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston Univ. (NCAA) 
(Big Board rank: 1 | Data score rank: 1)

No need to overthink this one. Second straight consensus star forward at No. 1 overall.

Round 1. Pick 2. Chicago Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State Univ. (NCAA) 
(Big Board rank: 3 | Data score rank: 4)

The top defenseman on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board gives Chicago a projected No. 1 blueliner, filling a role others in the organization, including Kevin Korchinski, don’t project to fill.

Round 1. Pick 3. Anaheim Ducks: Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
(Big Board rank: 10 | Data score rank: 36)

A little bit off the board, but Anaheim doesn’t bow to convention and Silayev has many advocates, including the scouts at NHL Central Scouting, who ranked him above Ivan Demidov in their final rankings. A defensive defenseman to complement the team’s stable of offensive blue line prospects.

Round 1. Pick 4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(Big Board rank: 4 | Data score rank: 19)

Lindstrom is a risk given that a back injury knocked him out for most of his draft-eligible season. He seems to have been medically cleared, but it reduced an already small scouting sample size before a team is forced to invest a high draft pick. At his best, he’s a skilled, high-end skating center who happens to be built like a truck at 6-foot-3.

Round 1. Pick 5. Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, F, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
(Big Board rank: 2 | Data score rank: 6)

All of Montreal lets out a sigh of relief when their Canadiens do not pass on an elite Russian talent for the second straight year.

Round 1. Pick 6. Utah Hockey Club: Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL) 
(Big Board rank: 7 | Data score rank: 5)

For whatever reason, this is the pick I feel least confident about. It feels like it could be where Beckett Sennecke lands. As mentioned there has been a lot of smoke about Sennecke jumping into the top eight, and Bill Armstrong seems like the type of general manager who would take the shot on this late-rising, power winger. Even so, the team has a short- and long-term need on the blue line. Ignoring Zeev Buium at this point would be malpractice in my opinion. However, history tells us that if all things are equal, Armstrong prefers to draft size at the top of the draft, which could mean Sam Dickinson. I’ll put Dickinson here, even though part of my brain is screaming Buium.

Round 1. Pick 7. Ottawa Senators: Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
(Big Board rank: 8 | Data score rank: 3)

Parekh is a native of the Ontario area and a unique offensive talent from the blue line. If Ottawa is comfortable that his floor outcome is still an NHL player, they may not be able to pass on his Erik Karlsson-like upside. If they think Parekh is too big a risk, Sennecke seems like he could be the pick.

***

If Buium is the pick at No. 6, there would be some disappointment at Seattle’s draft table with two dynamic offensive defensemen going off the board at picks six and seven. That said, I don’t think it would take too long for the team to settle on Dickinson in that scenario. If it breaks as I’ve laid it out above, though, I’d wager Seattle sprints to the stage to select left defenseman Zeev Buium.

6. My favorite draft sleepers

I’ve gone an inch deep and a mile wide watching hundreds of draft prospects in preparation for this draft. I’ve also crunched a few numbers and compiled dozens of analyst rankings and scouting reports. Based on all of these factors–which admittedly only take me so far–here are a few potential value choices. These are the prospects I believe have a chance to substantially outperform their Sound Of Hockey Big Board ranking. I added an asterisk to my very favorites.

• *Liam Greentree | F | OHL | Windsor Spitfires | Big Board: 16 | Data Score: 11
• Michael Hage | F | USHL | Chicago Steel | Big Board: 20 | Data Score: 9
• Terik Parascak | F | WHL | Prince George Cougars | Big Board: 32 | Data Score: 14
• *Marek Vanacker | F | OHL | Brantford Bulldogs | Big Board: 35 | Data Score: 22
• Matvei Gridin | F | USHL | Muskegon Lumberjacks | Big Board: 37 | Data Score: 13
• Henry Mews | D | OHL | Ottawa 67’s | Big Board: 42 | Data Score: 15
• *John Mustard | F | USHL | Waterloo Black Hawks | Big Board: 50 | Data Score: 41
• Luke Misa | F | OHL | Mississauga Steelheads | Big Board: 53 | Data Score: 27
• Leon Muggli | D | NL | EV Zug | Big Board: 55 | Data Score: 25
• *Spencer Gill | D | QMJHL | Rimouski Océanic | Big Board: 67 | Data Score: 48
• Luca Marrelli | D | OHL | Oshawa Generals | Big Board: 71 | Data Score: 24
• Jacob Battaglia | F | OHL | Kingston Frontenacs | Big Board: 73 | Data Score: 45
• Jakub Fibigr | D | OHL | Mississauga Steelheads | Big Board: 98 | Data Score: 37
• Timur Kol | D | VHL | Omskie Krylia | Big Board: 102 | Data Score: 40
• Anthony Romani | F | OHL | North Bay Battalion | Big Board: 104 | Data Score: 18
• Mac Swanson | F | USHL | Fargo Force | Big Board: 107 | Data Score: 23
• Ondrej Becher | F | WHL | Prince George Cougars | Big Board: 117 | Data Score: 65
• *Riley Patterson | F | OHL | Barrie Colts | Big Board: 118 | Data Score: 57
• *Ilya Protas | F | USHL | Des Moines Buccaneers | Big Board: 124 | Data Score: 54
• Jiri Tichacek | D | Czechia | Rytíři Kladno | Big Board: 159 | Data Score: 17
• *James Reeder | F | USHL | Dubuque Fighting Saints | Big Board: 165 | Data Score: 47
• *Austin Burnevik | F | USHL | Madison Capitols | Big Board: 170 | Data Score: 59
• *Kenta Isogai | F | WHL | Wenatchee Wild | Big Board: 189 | Data Score: 83
• Kaden Pitre | F | OHL | Flint Firebirds | Big Board: 231 | Data Score: 91
• *Ben Robertson | D | NCAA | Cornell Univ. | Big Board: 239 | Data Score: 76
• Dylan Hryckowian | F | NCAA | Northeastern Univ. | Big Board: 284 | Data Score: 85
• *Tommaso De Luca | F | NL | HC Ambrì-Piotta | Big Board: 324 | Data Score: 39
• *Beau Jelsma | F | OHL | Barrie Colts | Big Board: 452 | Data Score: 122
• *Hugo Fransson | D | SHL | HV71 | Big Board: 474 | Data Score: 77
• *Jere Lassila | F | Liiga | JYP | Big Board: 481 | Data Score: 100

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.

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