Friday Film Room: Fiddler, Wisdom, and Vyazovoi

[Seattle Kraken]

Friday Film Room: Fiddler, Wisdom, and Vyazovoi

Welcome to a new recurring column here at Sound Of Hockey—Friday Film Room. In these posts we’ll pass along new gameplay video of three players in the Kraken organization and analyze recent trends or progress in their play. Our goal will be to cover as many players as possible as we proceed through the year. If you have questions or Film Room requests, don’t hesitate to reach out below or on social media @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

Blake Fiddler | Defense | 18 years old | 2025 second-round pick (unsigned)​

Video: All Shifts | Edmonton Oil Kings vs. Prince Albert Raiders (OHL) | Apr. 1, 2025


Notes: Fiddler has rare mobility and creativity for a sturdy, 6-foot-4, young-for-his-draft, right-shot defenseman. From blue-line denials, breakouts, and transition rush patterns, to offensive-zone roving and net drives, he strives for plays that many junior defensemen would never consider, much less attempt. The results aren’t always there for Fiddler, but he’s attempting plays that should translate to the pro game rather than resting on junior hockey skills.

Fiddler is aggressive trying to deny space at the blue line and above the dots. He’s very active whenever he is able to diagnose and move forward in all three zones. The other side of the token is he needs to be more scheme sound and develop his four-way mobility because he won’t be able to succeed in attack mode 100 percent of the time at the next level. He needs to develop his more “conservative” defensive skillset and get a better overall feel for when to ratchet up and ratchet down the aggression.

Fiddler’s offensive play-driving ability is substantial even if it hasn’t shown up in points at the junior level. There’s no concern he’ll be unplayable offensively at the NHL level. (For more, check out our coverage of Fiddler’s play at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase.)

System rank: No. 5 (No. 1 defenseman)

Projection: Bottom-four NHL defenseman (ETA: 2028-29)

Zaccharya Wisdom | Forward | 21 years old | 2023 seventh-round pick (unsigned)​

Video: All Shifts | Colorado College vs. Providence College (NCAA) | Dec. 6, 2024


Notes: Wisdom presents as a selfless, team-first player on tape—seemingly willing to plug into any role the team needs. He won’t put the team in a bad position with selfish plays or changes. He is an active forechecker who is willing to engage the physical game. His goals almost all come at the net front, where he is willing to do the dirty work to win positioning and connect on tips and rebounds, and he can win contested puck battles along the boards. He has solid-average speed in transition but does his best work off the puck, driving to a spot or creating space for a puck transporter.

Wisdom doesn’t generate much offense on his own. He won’t possess the puck for longer than a moment before cycling it on. He doesn’t shoot from outside the blue paint often, and he is relatively basic in his passing and playmaking. All of this amounts to an offensive profile that is probably too deferential for his skill level. His production trended up toward the end of his 2024-25 season with 11 points in his final 10 games.

He has skated in a bottom-six role in college and plays net-front on the power play. The role has limited his ability to tap into any latent offensive creativity. At this point, his most likely path into the professional ranks is in a grinding, forechecking, bottom-line role.

He is transferring to play at Western Michigan University this upcoming season, which is a step up from Colorado College. He won’t get more offensive opportunities there, so the hope is likely that his production and overall impact will rise with more talent around him.

System Rank: Outside top 20

Projection: AHL contract (ETA: 2027-28).

Semyon Vyazovoi | Goalie | 22 years old | 2021 sixth-round pick (unsigned)​

Video: All Shots Against | Toros Neftekamsk vs. Molot Perm (VHL) | Feb. 3, 2025


Notes: Vyazovoi is a technically sound goaltender with solid size, physicality, and athleticism for the position. In the viewings I’ve had, he doesn’t present as the most dynamic goaltender in his reactions or post-to-post moves. His edgework may be a tick below average, and east-west ice reversals could give him problems.

Heads up on a shooter, Vyazovoi is not going to bite on fakes and is very solid covering as much of the net as possible. He is constantly scanning the defensive zone and has good overall awareness of puck and player positioning. He controls rebounds well.

His puckhandling and re-directions are solid but still in need of development. In my viewings, he was only adequate tracking the puck from the perimeter, conceding a couple goals on long-distance shots. He needs work on his deflection reactivity.

All that said, he has had some stellar statistics playing in Russia.

System Rank: No. 15 (No. 2 goaltender)

Projection: NHL entry-level contract & AHL tandem goalie (ETA: 2026-27) | Bubble NHL tandem or backup goalie (ETA: 2028-29)

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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Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/08/22/friday-film-room-fiddler-wisdom-and-vyazovoi/