Seattle Kraken Prospect Talk

[Brewin Flames]

2021-22 Top 10 Seattle Kraken Prospects

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Published on03/07/2022

AUTHOR

Peter Harling

The immediate success of the Vegas Golden Knights going all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season is a tough act to follow. GM Ron Francis was not able to exploit the trade market the way George McPhee was able to. Perhaps the rest of the league was a little more gun-shy to trade picks and prospects to protect certain players. That left Francis with the expansion draft, entry draft, and free agency as his primary sources of player recruitment.

Francis collected a good team, better than an average expansion team, but a far cry from a Stanley Cup Contender, and closer to a draft lottery than a playoff team.

Seattle is currently sharing an AHL affiliation with Florida and will begin with their own AHL team in Palm Springs for the 2022-23 Season.

With an influx of prospects coming in the 2023 draft and a dedicated AHL development team coming the future looks brighter, but it’s going to be a long road.

 

1. Matty Beniers, C – Michigan University (NCAA)

Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 6-1/171
Drafted: 2021 round one, second overall by Seattle Kraken

Beniers had a tremendous draft season as a freshman with the Wolverines scoring 24 points in 24 games. He really made an impact at the World Junior with USA winning the Gold Medal and scoring three points. Beniers got a preview of pro hockey with USA again at the World Championship after the Wolverines season ended, adding a Bronze Medal to his growing collection of accolades and trophies.

The big three from the 2021 draft all returned to Michigan and will chase a NCAA Championship. Beniers has surpassed the point per game pace as a sophomore and again played for USA this time at the Olympics where he notched two points in four games. Look for Beniers to represent USA again when the rescheduled WJC resumes in August before he begins his pro career.

Beniers may not have been the prospect with the most offensive upside in his draft class, but he is a very reliable bet to be an impactful NHL player in the immediate future. Beniers has a motor that never quits. He is very versatile as he can play an offensive game, shut it down defensively and play physical. Seattle may have drafted their first franchise player as Beniers has Jonathan Toews upside.

 

2. Ryker Evans, D – Regain Pats (WHL)

Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-0/192
Drafted: 2021 round two, 35^th overall by Seattle Kraken

Seattle selected the overage Evans from the WHL with their second overall selection in their inaugural draft. Evans could have made the move to the AHL this year but rather than let him play in a split affiliate situation he was returned to the WHL for his overage season. He’s been is getting big minutes and dominating the league. For the second season, Evans has surpassed the point per game pace as a defenseman and is on pace for a 70+ point season with over 100 penalty minutes as well.

Evans excels at retrieving pucks and making a quick transition to offense. He is a late bloomer both physically and skill wise. His physical game is an asset as he continues to grow and fill out his frame. Evans should see some pro adjustment and development time next year when the Kraken prospects debut in Palm Springs. The wait time for Evans to be NHL ready will be short and his path to the NHL has fewer obstacles as the Kraken are a young organization.

 

3. Ryan Winterton, RW – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)

Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 6-2/190
Drafted: 2021 round three, 67^th overall by Seattle Kraken

Winterton did not play in any league games in his draft year as the OHL was locked down and he did not find a club in a European league. Winterton played in just seven games for Team Canada at the U-18, where he played well posting four points.

An injury cost him to miss a significant chunk of time in his D+1 season as well but when he has played, he has been outstanding. The big forward has produced 13 goals and 28 points in just 19 games for the Bulldogs.

Winterton is one of the younger, but bigger players in the 2021 draft. He is a very versatile player in that he can play all three forward positions, can drive offense with his skill, and is used defensively as well. He uses his size well and drives the net. The Kraken seem to have a style of player they prefer and Winterton fits that to a tee. His development in his D+1 season is rewarding the Kraken in their faith in selecting him 67^th overall with such a small sample size.

 

4. Kole Lind, RW – Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Age: 23
Ht/Wt: 6-1/180
Drafted: 2017 round two, 33^rd overall by Vancouver Canucks

Selected in the expansion draft from the Vancouver Canucks, Lind began the season in the NHL playing five games and recording two assists before being reassigned to the AHL. Drafted back in 2017, Lind now has 169 career games played in the AHL with Utica and the Checkers. The 23-year-old has 103 career points in that span, plays a power forward style of game.

He’s a versatile forward that can play all three positions and is a good defensive player as well. Lind has shown steady and consistent development over his career and is on the cusp of breaking into the NHL on a full-time basis. The concern for Lind has been his skating, he lacks speed at the NHL level.

 

5. Joey Daccord, G – Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Age: 25
Ht/Wt: 6-2/196
Drafted: 2015 round seven, 199^th overall by Ottawa Senators

It has been a long road to the NHL for Daccord, the son of Brain Daccord who is the current Assistant GM for Arizona Coyotes and was the Toronto Maple Leafs Goalie Coach at the time of his draft. Daccord played for the Arizona State Sun Devils in the NCAA for three seasons after his draft and established himself as one of the premier goalies in the NCAA.

After turning pro in 2019 he quickly moved up from the ECHL to the Belleville Senators with a strong 15-6-3 record. Daccord played in eight NHL games during the 2020-21 COVID season on a challenged Ottawa Senators team but played well.

With Philip Grubauer as the starting goalie in Seattle, the Kraken have allowed Daccord more development time in the AHL with Charlotte. The challenge for Daccord to crack the roster is that Driedger is under contract through the 2023-24 season and Daccord is already 25 years old.

 

6. Alexander True, C – Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Age: 24
Ht/Wt: 6-5/201
Drafted: Signed as a free agent by San Jose Sharks in 2018

The big Danish center played three seasons in the WHL in Seattle for the Thunderbirds but was passed over in drafts due to skating deficiencies. True is a skilled forward and uses his size to muscle opposition off pucks, insulate and protect the puck and get under the skin of the other team.

The Sharks originally signed True out of the WHL to an AHL contract with the Barracuda whereas a rookie, True posted 28 points earning his ELC with the Sharks. True reward them by posting 55 points in his sophomore season and then making his NHL debut the following season.

True has been splitting time between the NHL and AHL and represented Denmark in the 2021 WC with two points in seven games there. True began the season in the AHL after being selected from the Sharks in the expansion draft and was recalled for eight NHL games with the Kraken and has since been returned to the AHL.

True fits the mold of what Seattle is looking for – a big physical and skilled player. If his skating concerns can be improved, he could develop into a solid bottom-six forward, but at 24 years old, the clock is ticking.

 

7. Ty Kartye, C – Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-1/198
Drafted: Signed as free agent in 2022 by Seattle Kraken

Seattle dipped into the free agent pool to sign undrafted prospect Ty Kartye from the OHL. The 20-year-old Kingston native posted 53 points in 64 games in his draft season back in 2020 with the Soo but went undrafted. With no OHL play in his D+1 season to showcase himself he was undrafted again in 2021.

Kartye was already on the Kraken radar at this point as he was invited to the Kraken training camp this past September. Now at 20 he has returned to the OHL and sits 5^th in the league in scoring with 33 goals through 46 games. His play this season was enough to convince Ron Francis to offer Kartye his ELC. Kartye will turn pro following the conclusion of his OHL career and with such a shallow prospect pool, could be on a short track to the NHL.

 

8. Luke Henman, C – Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 6-0/168
Drafted: 2018 round four, 96^th overall by Carolina Hurricanes

Originally drafted by Ron Francis with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018, Henman went unsigned and became a free agent. Francis made Henman the first player in Seattle Kraken history when he signed him as a free agent to his ELC on May 12 in 2021. Henman played his junior hockey in the QMJHL with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the final two as team captain and posting well over a point per game production.

Henman is 6-0 but has a slight frame and needs to add some bulk as a rookie at the pro level. He started the season in the AHL and was sent to the ECHL for a brief three-game tour. After scoring six points with the Allen Americans, he was recalled to the AHL where he now has nine points through 34 games. Henman will need to add some strength and find his offensive game at the AHL level to be given serious consideration for the Kraken roster.

 

9. Jacob Melanson, RW – Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)

Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 6-0/205
Drafted: 2021 round five, 131^st overall by Seattle Kraken

Yet another big strong power forward with skill. Melanson is also a versatile forward, capable of fitting into the Titan roster at different positions and in any situation. Melanson was selected 15^th overall by the Quebec Ramparts in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft.

After a trade demand following his rookie season where he recorded ten points in 39 games, he was limited to just 18 games in his draft year but posted 19 points. Now in his D+1 season, he continues to produce at a point per game pace with 19 goals and 29 points through 32 games, with 51 penalty minutes.

Melanson plays a physical game, has good skill and vision but may have to work on skating skills to be successful at the pro level. Melanson has one more season of junior eligibility before he embarks on his pro career.

 

10. Ville Ottavainen, D – JYP (Liiga)

Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 6-4/201
Drafted: 2021 round four, 99^th overall by Seattle Kraken

The towering Finnish defender is a fluid skating defensive defender. Ottavainen is a physical presence at the back end, and somewhat of a throwback to the old school big mean physical defenseman, but his skating is a strength in his game. Ottavainen will likely never run the first unit power play or be a big offensive leader.

[Brewin Flames]

Seattle Kraken sign 2nd-round pick Ryker Evans to 3-year, entry level deal

7:43 PM ET

• Associated Press

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Kraken signed defenseman Ryker Evans to a three-year entry level contract Friday, locking up the second draft pick in franchise history.

 

Evans was picked No. 35 overall by the Kraken in last summer's NHL entry draft. The 20-year-old just completed his fourth season of junior hockey for the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League.

 

"He had a really impressive season with the Regina Pats and we're looking forward to having him continue his development with our organization," Seattle general manager Ron Francis said.

 

Evans set career highs in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and game-winning goals this past season for the Pats. Evans had 14 goals and 47 assists, and he finished seventh among all defensemen in the WHL in scoring.

[Brewin Flames]

https://thehockeywriters.com/kraken-prospect-report-2021-draft-class/#sq_h3xnqa1atw

[Brewin Flames]

PROSPECT POOL OVERVIEW: SEATTLE KRAKEN

The NHL's newest franchise has built up an impressive prospect pool in a short time. Tony Ferrari looks at the team's future and the top names in the system already.

• TONY FERRARI

The NHL’s newest franchise has begun building a solid prospect pool -- essentially because they have to. 

 

They still have a long way to go, but through moves throughout the past two years, they've managed to grab some young prospects that should be key parts of the team's growth in the near future.

 

Their first-ever draft pick was Matty Beniers, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. The two-way center out of the University of Michigan made his debut last year after the NCAA season wrapped up and he’s expected to be a full-timer this season. Having Shane Wright fall into their laps at fourth overall secured them a 1-2 punch down the middle of Beniers and Wright, creating one of the more intriguing young forward duos in the game.

 

On the blueline, Ty Nelson is a short defender but is built stalky and has some incredible strength for his frame. He's a good skater with the offensive instincts that could make him a difference-maker at the next level. Ryker Evans is an impressive transition blueliner, with his passing ability and willingness to activate off the blueline making him noteworthy. Ville Ottavainen is a defense-first blueliner who hit his stride in the Liiga last year. He understands how to cut off routes and quickly break up the play with efficiency.

 

Ryan Winterton is another interesting prospect. He didn’t play during his draft season, but the Kraken saw something in his tools that could project and he wound up being well over a point-per-game last season. Starting the year injured didn’t help, but Winterton eventually got his season on track.

2022 NHL DRAFT CLASS

Round 1 (4 Overall) - Shane Wright, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Round 2 (35 Overall) - Jagger Firkus, RW, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Round 2 (49 Overall) - Jani Nyman, RW, Ilves Tampere (Liiga)
Round 2 (58 Overall) - Niklas Kokko, G, Karpat (U20 SM-sarja)
Round 2 (61 Overall) - David Goyette, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Round 3 (68 Overall) - Ty Nelson, D, North Bay Battalion (OHL)
Round 3 (91 Overall) - Ben MacDonald, C, Noble and Greenough (USHS - Mass.)
Round 4 (100 Overall) - Tyson Jugnauth, D, West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)
Round 4 (123 Overall) - Tucker Robertson, C, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
Round 6 (164 Overall) - Barrett Hall, F, Gentry Academy (USHS - Minn)
Round 7 (196 Overall) - Kyle Jackson, C, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

 

The Krakens’ draft class was among the most impressive league-wide. They made eight selections in the top 100 picks with several interesting swings and high upside picks. The weekend started with the expected first overall pick, Wright, falling to Seattle at fourth overall. A highly intelligent and tactical center, Wright put up 94 points in 63 games after virtually not playing the year before as the OHL shut down for COVID. Wright improved his scoring rates month by month as the year wore on. His two-way game is predicated on his anticipatory play, quickly turning play around and helping exit the zone with efficiency. Wright could very well turn into a player akin to Jonathan Toews or Ryan O'Reilly, which should excite Kraken fans.

 

In the second round, the Kraken made four picks, beginning with the human video game that is Jagger Firkus. Firkus combines incredible puck control and hands with a willingness to try things others could only dream of. Whether it’s a puck between the legs move or a windmill deke, the Moose Jaw Warriors winger will embarrass his opponent with it. He also boasts a wicked shot and creative passing ability. If he were a bit taller and stronger, he would have been a top-15 candidate.

Jani Nyman is a hard-working winger with some finishing ability who played at a point-per-game pace at the Mestis level this year. He stands at 6-foot-3 and has  good mobility, although working on his agility would give him more dynamism offensively. Nyman is a shooter at heart, but his playmaking certainly isn’t subpar. 

One of the purest playmakers in the draft class, David Goyette is a filthy passer who can thread the needle all over the offensive zone. He has some sneaky scoring touch but focuses much of his energy on improving teammates. Should the Sudbury Wolves forward decide to shoot more, he could become a more well-rounded player overall.

Sandwiched between Nyman and Goyette, the Kraken drafted Finnish netminder Niklas Kokko. He has good size and a solid track record of junior-level success. Kokko plays with body control and wants to stay within his crease. He isn’t the most athletic netminder but he stays square and covers the net well with his technique.

Ty Nelson is an undersized defenseman that's built like a mini fridge with impressive strength and a booming shot. Nelson isn’t afraid to engage physically and defends hard but will need to continue getting stronger and take better routes defensively. His offensive game is dynamic, and he has game-breaking ability at times.

 

The Krakens’ second pick of the third round was U.S. high school center Ben MacDonald. He plays a strong two-way game and uses his penchant for physical engagement at both ends of the ice, throwing his body around in his end and lowering his shoulder in the offensive zone to drive the net.

 

Tyson Jugnauth was one of the BCHL’s best puck movers from the back end, using his skating and passing acumen in transition. Heading to the University of Wisconsin, Jugnauth will have ample time to refine some of his game's defensive aspects while physically maturing.

 

Tucker Robertson was one of the more intriguing overage players in the class. He missed his draft season because of COVID, but he bounced back with 41 goals with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. Robertson understands timing and space well, and while he needs to work on his skating to become more efficient, he was a good late-round pickup.

STRENGTHS

The center depth that the Kraken has built up is impressive. They have one of the most impressive groups at the top end of their center pipeline, but because they're new to the league, they still lack depth. Having Beniers and Wright up front is a mix most teams dream they could have.

WEAKNESSES

The defense position is a weak point in the Kraken system. They have a few higher upside players, but they have largely used their higher picks on forwards. Ryker Evans and Ty Nelson are quality prospects but they're still missing their stud blueliner.

NEXT MAN UP: C MATTY BENIERS

Beniers jumped into the Kraken lineup last season after his year with the University of Michigan ended and immediately made an impact. Collecting nine points in 10 games, Beniers was among the best players on the ice for the Kraken down that stretch and should start the season as Seattle's No. 1 center. There’s no reason to believe that Beniers won't be in the conversation for next year’s Calder Trophy.

PROSPECT DEPTH CHART NOTABLES

LW: Justin Janicke, Ville Petman, Kyle Jackson
Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, David Goyette
RW: Jagger Firkus, Jani Nyman, Tucker Roberston, Ryan Winterton
LD: Ryker Evans, Peetro Seppälä, Tyson Jugnauth
RD: Ty Nelson, Ville Ottavainen
G: Niklas Kokko, Semyon Vyazovoy

Edited August 16, 2022 by Brewin Flames

[OccamsRazor]

Is this what they are looking  at??
 

LW	C	RW
ANDRE BURAKOVSKY	MATTHEW BENIERS	OLIVER BJORKSTRAND
JADEN SCHWARTZ	ALEXANDER WENNBERG	JORDAN EBERLE
JARED MCCANN	YANNI GOURDE	KARSON KUHLMAN
BRANDON TANEV	MORGAN GEEKIE	JOONAS DONSKOI

 

 

 

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
VINCE DUNN	ADAM LARSSON
JAMIE OLEKSIAK	JUSTIN SCHULTZ
CARSON SOUCY	WILLIAM BORGEN

 

 

GOALIES
PHILIPP GRUBAUER	MARTIN JONES

 

 

Not bad in moving in the upward direction. Another good draft can only help.

 

A stud goalie could go a long ways too.

[Brewin Flames]

Kraken sign 2022 second-rounder to entry-level contract

Story by Brian La Rose, • Yesterday 7:58 PM

 

 

Seattle Kraken jersey© Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Kraken have signed one of their top draft picks from 2022, as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the franchise has inked forward Jani Nyman to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal will carry an AAV of $950K and breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K games-played performance bonus

2024-25: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus

2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus

[Brewin Flames]

A data-only ranking of 2023-24 Seattle Kraken prospects

by Curtis Isacke | May 14, 2024 | 

Welcome to Prospect Week at Sound Of Hockey. All week we’ll bring you content about the players that will be the future of the Seattle Kraken and other teams around the NHL. Today, I’ll kick things off with a “data-only” ranking of Seattle’s skater prospects.

This “data-only” ranking is built on Thibaud Chatel’s NHL equivalency research and uses only quantifiable measures: prospect points per game and strength of the player’s current league, with adjustments made by me for prospect age and positional value. 

This approach is similar to what we did in making a data-based ranking of 2023 NHL Draft and 2024 NHL Draft prospects. If you want the full gory details on method, check out this post describing the process from earlier this offseason. 

But, more to the point, here we’re updating our work from last offseason when we ranked every NHL-affiliated skater prospect (both drafted and signed players) that met two criteria: (1) younger than 25 years old, and (2) fewer than 50 NHL games played, based on their 2022-23 data.

Now that the final buzzer has sounded on the 2023-24 regular season in every professional, developmental, and amateur hockey league around the world where NHL prospects play, we can re-run the analysis using data from this season.

In this post, we’ll focus on the Seattle-specific results. Tomorrow we’ll have a follow-up post that ranks all 946 NHL-affiliated prospects meeting our criteria and compares Seattle’s prospect pool to those of the 31 other NHL teams. How do Seattle’s prospects measure up overall? Check in again tomorrow to find out.

No eyeball test here

Before getting to the results, I should reiterate that this rank order does not contain any adjustments for subjective preference or the “eye test.” That will come later this week when we’ll publish our first Sound Of Hockey consensus prospect ranking. 

Today’s “data-only” exercise is meant to complement those more traditional assessments. Are there players that the scouting lists have overlooked? If so, we can try to figure out if the player is under-appreciated. Or, conversely, we can dig into whether there is a flaw in the player’s game that could hold the player back from translating his current production to the NHL level. The data is helpful in honing in on these outlier cases that may be worthy of a second look (for good or bad).

Data-only prospect ranking

Without further ado, you can find the full ranking, with more data on each prospect HERE.

Important note on using the data-only ranking: If you want to filter the data by various categories, highlight row 2, then select “Data,” “Filter Views,” and “Create New Temporary Filter View.” This will allow you to manipulate the data in a way visible only to you.

 

Let’s dig into the Top 10, as well as a few of the more interesting lower-ranked skaters.

1. Jani Nyman

6’3” | RW | Multiple teams | Liiga/AHL | 2022 round 2 pick 

28 goals | 17 assists | 53 games played | 0.85 PPG

If it surprises you to see Jani Nyman at No. 1 over Shane Wright, don’t worry, you’re not alone. I was surprised too. Both are 2022 draft picks, and Wright not only reached the more advanced developmental league, but he performed well. And when Wright played with the Kraken in April, he looked like he belonged. By many accounts, Nyman isn’t quite as close to NHL-ready. So, what gives?

While it flew a bit under the radar, Jani Nyman had a historic scoring season in Finland’s top professional league, Liiga. He scored 26 goals, which is the fourth-most ever in Liiga by an under-20 player and most since Mikko Mäkelä in 1984-85. Overall, he was second in the league in goals. The next youngest player in the top five in goal scoring was 25 years old.

According to Thibaud Chatel’s win shares metric, which is based on goals, assists, and plus-minus, adjusted for playing time, position, team, and league context, Nyman was the second-best player in Liiga.

All of that said, my adjusted NHLe numbers for Nyman and Wright were extremely close. But for the fact that Nyman is about six months younger than Wright, Wright would have come out slightly ahead. Without spoiling too much of tomorrow’s post, here is a chart that shows the Kraken’s top 10 prospects against their overall league rank. You’ll see Nyman and Wright are neck and neck.

Nyman’s adjusted NHLe rank would have made him the top prospect in 20 of 31 other systems.

2. Shane Wright

6’0” | C | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 2022 round 1 pick

22 goals | 25 assists | 59 games played | 0.8 PPG

Though Jani Nyman edged Shane Wright out for first place in this data-only ranking, Wright had a very productive AHL season that would have made him the top “data-only” prospect in most (19 of 31) systems. Among all AHL skaters who played at least one game under age 20 during the 2023-24 AHL season, Wright had the most points (47), second-most goals (22), and third-best on-ice plus-minus (+6). He looks primed to assume a top-nine role for the Seattle Kraken in 2024-25.

3. Carson Rehkopf

6’2” | C/LW | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 2023 round 2 pick 

52 goals | 43 assists | 60 games played | 1.58 PPG

Rehkopf led the OHL in goals scored per game and finished second in total goals. His 95 points were sixth in that league. 

Rehkopf ranks slightly above Jagger Firkus and David Goyette who have higher raw point totals in the CHL for two reasons. First, and most importantly, Rehkopf is younger than Goyette and Firkus. Accomplishing nearly comparable production while being nine months younger than Goyette and seven months younger than Firkus is important in evaluating current prospect performance and making projections for the future.

Second, the OHL remains the strongest of the CHL leagues, though the margin separating it from the WHL has narrowed. So, Rehkopf’s OHL scoring gets a fraction more credit than would comparable scoring in Firkus’ WHL.

As we investigated previously, Rehkopf’s scoring pace of greater than 1.5 points per game gives him about a 20 percent chance of emerging as a top NHL performer and a 60 percent chance of establishing himself as an NHL lineup regular within the next five years.

Rehkopf’s adjusted NHLe would make him the top prospect in eight other systems.

4. David Goyette

5’10” | C | Multiple teams | OHL/AHL | 2022 round 2 pick

40 goals | 77 assists | 69 games played | 1.7 PPG

With Rehkopf scoring 50 goals in his age 18 season, and Firkus leading the CHL in scoring, David Goyette flew under the radar a bit, but his season deserves more attention. Goyette led the OHL in scoring. Goyette accomplished this in part on the strength of teaming with one of the very best lines in junior hockey in Dalibor Dvorsky and Quentin Musty, but late in the season, Sudbury broke up that line and moved Goyette to the second line to drive play on his own. He continued to produce, recording 20 points in the team’s final 10 regular-season games. 

Goyette was also second in the OHL in assists and third in points per game. Similar to Rehkopf, he would be the top prospect for eight other teams in this ranking.

5. Jagger Firkus

5’10” | RW | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 2022 round 2 pick

61 goals | 65 assists | 63 games played | 2.0 PPG

While Goyette led the OHL in scoring, Firkus led the entire CHL in that department, notching 126 points in 63 games, a truly amazing two-points-per-game pace. (What’s more: While it is not factored into this ranking, he leads the WHL playoff in scoring with 31 points in 18 games as of this posting.)

Firkus’s scoring pace matched Oliver Bjorkstrand’s pace in Oliver’s 2014-15 WHL season, his last with the Portland Winterhawks. Bjorkstrand played 68 AHL games the season after, scoring 27 goals and 18 assists, as well as 12 NHL games, with four goals and four assists. 

Could Bjorkstrand’s trajectory be a model for Firkus? It’s interesting to consider because while Bjorkstrand is and always was slight in stature, he amazes with his ability to stay sturdy on the puck and his skates in the face of consistent size disadvantages. Firkus faces the same challenge and then some, measuring in an inch shorter and perhaps 15 pounds lighter than Bjorkstrand. Can Firkus make the same leap? It’s the challenge in front of him, and it may take time. That said, he couldn’t have done much more in the junior ranks. His statistics say he has approximately a 50 percent chance of becoming an NHL regular within five years.

Jagger Firkus (Photo/Brian Liesse)

6. Ryan Winterton

6’2” | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 2021 round 3 pick

22 goals | 13 assists | 58 games played | 0.6 PPG

Winteron had a normal and fully healthy season for the first time in recent memory, and it allowed him to put together an impressive AHL season, topping 20 goals offensively. And while it doesn’t factor into an NHLe ranking, he was an important defensive presence too, finishing 11th overall in plus-minus and first among players who played at least one AHL game at age 21 this season, while also logging penalty kill minutes. 

While his scoring pace matched Ryker Evans and trailed Logan Morrison at the AHL level, he is (narrowly) ahead of both on this list because he is younger than both by a wide margin–22 months younger than Evans and 10 months younger than Morrison.

7. Logan Morrison

6’0” | C | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | undrafted 

16 goals | 25 assists | 64 games played | 0.64 PPG

Entering the Kraken system as an undrafted free agent, Morrison wasted no time winning fans amongst the Coachella Valley staff. He not only secured a spot as a lineup regular from the jump, he also earned a top-unit power-play position almost immediately. Morrison ended the season tied for 17th in scoring and tied for ninth in plus-minus among all AHL rookies. 

Morrison ranks fifth among all undrafted free agents across the league in this adjusted NHLe ranking. 

8. Ryker Evans

5’11” | LD | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 2021 round 2 pick

2 goals | 13 assists | 25 games played | 0.6 PPG

Evans may arrive later on this list than expected, but I think that says less about Evans than about those in front of him on this list, each of whom had impressive scoring seasons that put them within or on the verge of the top 100 overall skating prospects in this data-only look.

Evans’ story is well-known at this point. He went undrafted during his first draft season only to develop physically and on the ice in the year that followed. The Kraken were so impressed they made him a second-round draft pick as an overager. From there, Evans has done nothing but validate Seattle’s feelings about him. 

Evans’s relatively late physical maturity has put him slightly behind the development curve of the very top prospects in the game, and this hurts him in this NHLe ranking. Even so, he checks in as the league’s 125th overall prospect and 14th-ranked defense prospect who played games in the AHL this season.

Evans may never be a star NHL performer, but his prospect track record (and 36 NHL games during the 2023-24 season) suggest he should have a career as a bottom-four blueliner.

Ryker Evans (Photo/Brian Liesse)

9. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard

6’0” | C | HV71 | SHL | 2023 round 2 pick 

9 goals | 12 assists | 50 games played | 0.42 PPG

Oscar Fisker Mølgaard is an under-discussed prospect whose data profile took a marked step forward this year. Mølgaard, who doesn’t turn 20 until next February, had 21 points in the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. This led the league among all players who played at least one game this past season as an 18-year-old, and, perhaps even more impressively, ranked fifth overall among all players who played at age 23 or younger.

In this way, the data has started to catch up to glowing scouting reports, which credit his sound defensive game, pace, and ability to drive play. Perhaps the strongest proof of concept with Mølgaard is the fact that he has already logged 91 games in the SHL. This is the 10th-most in SHL history for a player his age.

Mølgaard capped off his strong season playing for Denmark at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship where he was the youngest player on the roster by four years.

10. Ville Ottavainen

6’5” | RD | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 2021 round 4 pick 

8 goals | 26 assists | 70 games played | 0.49 PPG

Similar to Mølgaard, Ville Ottavainen is another European prospect who saw his scoring data tick upward during the 2023-24 season. Drafted as a height-weight-speed prospect, he started to really put things together in his first year in North America this season, recording eight goals and 26 assists in 70 games for Coachella Valley. He also led the AHL among rookies in plus-minus at +27. 

If he can maintain the scoring, Ottavainen’s stature and athleticism give him a real chance to emerge as a bottom-four right defenseman in the NHL within the next two years.

11. Ty Nelson

5’9” | RD | North Bay Battalion | OHL | 2022 round 3 pick 

16 goals | 36 assists | 54 games played | 0.96 PPG

Ty Nelson’s draft-plus-two season saw his production slip slightly from his previous standard, but he still put up nearly a point per game from the blue line in the OHL, which is no small feat. A major question facing Nelson is whether he can succeed at his height, given the length disadvantages he’ll face in the professional ranks.

There was very little left for Nelson to prove at the OHL level this past year, and I got the sense he and the organization were really just biding their time until they could see how his game translates to the professional level. He’ll get his chance during the 2024-25 season. Nelson’s data suggests he has a shot to make the leap, particularly given his strong work in past seasons.

13. Eduard Sale

6’2” | RW | Multiple teams | OHL | 2023 round 1 pick 

15 goals | 23 assists | 49 games played | 0.78 PPG

Eduard Sale’s draft-minus-one year (at age 17) was immensely productive in the Czech U20 league. And he flashed dominant skills in international tournaments too. However, his draft year production in the top-level Czech professional league was mediocre. 

He has now followed that up with mediocre production playing against junior competition in the OHL this year.

As Kraken general manager Ron Francis has repeatedly said, player development is not a straight line. There is reason to reserve judgment and allow Sale additional time to see if he can get his production up to the level of his ample on-puck skills.

That said, so far, Sale is looking like a scouting miss. Drafted at No. 20 overall, he was 25th in my 2023 Draft NHLe ranking, and his post-draft-year production sees him fall to the 329th overall prospect in hockey. The team bypassed players with obviously superior data profiles in the first round in 2023 to draft Sale. The choice was surprising at the time. And, while the jury is still out, the early signs are not good.

Eduard Sale (Photo/Brian Liesse)

17. Lukas Dragicevic

6’1” | RD | Multiple teams | WHL/AHL | 2023 round 2 pick

14 goals | 37 assists | 69 games played | 0.74 PPG

Unlike Sale, Dragicevic had a highly productive draft season that made him the No. 8 overall prospect in my 2023 NHL Draft data-only ranking. Add to that the fact that he’s a 6-foot-1, right-shot defenseman, and Seattle’s 2023 second-round draft pick seemed like one to be excited about.

However, his offensive production took a step back across the board this season in his third year on the blue line for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. After 75 points in his draft season, he managed just 50 this year. And while there was discussion that he was focusing on improvements to his defense, his plus-minus plummeted as well from a -2 in his draft year to -31 this season. 

All of that said, Tri-City struggled as a group this year. His raw scoring decline is due, at least in part, to a decline in talent around him, as the team scored 50 fewer goals total this season than last. Tri-City’s 49 standings points in 2023-24 were second worst in the WHL. Arguably, Dragicevic may be entitled to a mulligan given the group around him, but it’s also fair to say he wasn’t able to elevate that team. He faces a very important year ahead.

20. Tyson Jugnauth

5’11” | LD | Multiple teams | NCAA/WHL | 2022 round 4 pick

7 goals | 36 assists | 54 games played | 0.8 PPG

No player helped his stock over the back half of the 2023-24 season more than Tyson Jugnauth. In December, Jugnauth made the rare decision to leave his college (the University of Wisconsin) and join a junior club (the Portland Winterhawks). Since that time, Jugnauth’s offensive game has exploded. Entrusted with a power play role and the ability to activate through the neutral zone and into the offensive end, he tallied seven goals and 34 assists in Portland’s last 41 games. This scoring pace ranked seventh among all WHL defensemen in 2023-24.

Like Evans, Jugnauth has been on a slower development path, which hurts him in the NHLe ranking. But if he can prove his scoring this season was no fluke, there may be a player here that Seattle should sign and develop long-term.