News Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we’ll go over the latest prospect news from Kraken training camp, including a number of junior reassignments. We’ll also get into a few exciting professional debuts for Kraken prospects playing overseas.

For our feature this week, we caught up with Jon-Randall Avon (who prefers “J.R.”) the day after he made his Kraken preseason debut in Calgary. We touched on a variety of topics including the trade that brought him to Seattle, his friendship with Tucker Robertson (his counterpart in the trade), and his off-ice interests. Let’s dive in.

J.R. Avon is feeling like himself in fresh start with Kraken​

The Philadelphia Flyers traded the 22-year-old Avon to Seattle just a couple weeks before camp began. Avon told us he had “a little bit of a sense” that he could be on the move from Philadelphia after he sat during Lehigh Valley’s playoff run last season, but it was “still a shock.”

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere told him that “[Avon] and the guy that got traded [back to Philadelphia] were kind of in similar spots of, not necessarily getting pushed aside, but not looked at the same.” So it was an opportunity for a “fresh start” for both with a new organization.

After talking with his parents and agent after the trade, one of the first text messages Avon sent was to his former Peterborough Petes teammate Tucker Robertson, because he thought he was getting the chance to reunite with Robertson again after the two played together for four years in the OHL. Avon recounted, “I texted him saying, ‘Hey, I’m coming to Seattle,’ and then he texted me back saying ‘Hey, I’m going to Philly.'” Avon previously had no idea that Robertson was the return going back to Philadelphia in the deal.

Avon laughed and called the situation “honestly a bit weird” because the two are “good buddies” and “pretty close” after playing together for so long. They have talked a lot since the trade about what to expect in Seattle and Philadelphia.

Right after the trade, Kraken GM Jason Botterill told Avon the organization was “excited to have [his] speed in the lineup.” Avon agrees that his skating is a difference maker for him. “Speed is definitely my big advantage. [The preseason game in Calgary] wasn’t my greatest, but I definitely have speed as one that I can bring to get in on the forecheck, get pucks, and get scoring chances.”

As for his best position, Avon said that he feels like a natural center since that’s the position he played until he arrived in Lehigh Valley. That said, he has played almost exclusively on the wing as a pro, so that position also feels very natural to him at this point. In Tuesday’s preseason game in Calgary, Avon shifted from wing to center after Chandler Stephenson departed with an injury, and Avon noted his center instincts kicked in seamlessly.

Avon conceded he does feel some pressure going into the last year of his contract and with a new organization, but at the same time, he has enjoyed his time in Seattle and feels like he can “play free” with the Kraken. “I feel like I can be myself instead of trying to be someone else.”

Off the ice, Avon is primed to fit in with his Firebirds teammates—including his training camp roommate Jagger Firkus—because one of his favorite hobbies is golf. He said he has gone out to play with Firkus in the Seattle area a couple times already, but he declined to get into who played better because, as he noted with a laugh, they were both “using rentals.” I suspect we might have gotten a more direct answer, if not an unbiased one, from Firkus.

Kraken reassign six from camp to the CHL​

On Monday, the Kraken reassigned six 18- and 19-year-old junior-eligible players from the training camp roster back to their CHL clubs. The reassignments included 2025 first-round pick Jake O’Brien and second-round pick Blake Fiddler, both of whom played in Sunday’s preseason opener against Vancouver and performed well, as they have done throughout camp.

Two junior players remain in camp: Nathan Villeneuve, who is injured and currently rehabbing, and Berkly Catton. Neither player is AHL-eligible this season, so they will need to be offered back to their junior teams if they don’t stick around on the Kraken roster or injured list out of camp.

The #SeaKraken have reassigned the following players to their junior clubs:

Alexis Bernier (@DrakkarBAC)
Jakub Fibigr (@OHLSteelheads)
Blake Fiddler (@EdmOilKings)
Julius Miettinen (@WHLsilvertips)
Jake O’Brien (@BulldogsOHL)
Will Reynolds (@nlregiment)

— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) September 22, 2025

Most of the six reassigned players are returning to highly competitive junior teams. The CHL’s Top-10 Ranking after Week 1 of the season put Fiddler’s Edmonton Oil Kings at No. 3, O’Brien’s Brantford Bulldogs at No. 5, Reynolds’ Newfoundland Regiment at No. 8, and Miettinen’s Everett Silvertips at No. 9.

Catton’s Spokane Chiefs also rank highly, coming in at No. 6 in the poll. Whether Catton joins Spokane’s WHL Championship chase this season is very much in doubt, though. On this week’s episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, I explained the positives I saw in Catton’s play through two preseason games, particularly in Calgary, and why I’ve never been more confident in his ability to stick with the NHL club. My co-hosts John Barr and Darren Brown were more measured in their evaluations, and left the door open that Catton may not be ready for a full-time NHL role this season if he does not continue to progress. I suspect the best read of Catton’s standing falls somewhere in the middle, which makes this one of the top storylines to monitor as the regular season approaches in less than two weeks.

Notes on three Kraken prospects​

Maxim Agafonov | D | Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)​

Last week’s notes section was riddled with injury updates. This week, we’re able to strike a more positive theme: professional debuts. Maxim Agafonov continued his ascent, taking a few shifts in the KHL last Saturday for Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Though his role wasn’t significant—he played just over three-and-a-half minutes in the game—Agafonov’s presence in the KHL alone is notable. Currently, he is the sixth-youngest player active in the KHL—a highly competitive professional league. Not bad for the 2025 fifth-round pick.

Karl Annborn | D | HV71 (SHL)​

Speaking of impressive ascents for a late-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick Karl Annborn played in his first two games in the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league, over the last week. Similar to Agafonov, Annborn averaged about three-and-a-half minutes of ice time per game as HV71 managed his initial pro exposure.

Visa Vedenpää | G | Kärpät (Liiga)​

After missing almost all of last season, Vedenpaa is healthy and getting his first time in goal in Liiga, Finland’s top professional league. The 20-year-old Vedenpaa entered last Saturday’s game for Karpat when veteran Niklas Rubin departed less than four minutes in. Vedenpaa then earned the start in the team’s next game on Wednesday too. The stat lines aren’t overly impressive, but it is encouraging that Vedenpaa is getting these opportunities after a lost year of development.

Kraken prospects data update​

In our data updates moving forward, we’ll highlight in gold any league debuts. As mentioned above, we have three such debuts this week. Otherwise, the stat lines for Seattle’s overseas prospects were fairly uneventful this week.

Semyon Vyazovoi has played in only one of his KHL team’s seven games to date. He struggled in just 23 minutes in goal in his sole appearance. We’ll need to monitor for news whether his inactivity is injury-related, as I’m inclined to suspect, or due to performance.

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week​

In what was probably the least-competitive week we have tracked for this “honor”—no skater prospect scored for his club team—goalie Kim Saarinen was legitimately excellent again, turning away 22 of 24 shots in an overtime win for HPK. This earns him a second consecutive early season Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week title. As is (probably) said when it comes to Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week, they don’t ask how, they just ask how many. And Saarinen now has two before most players in Seattle’s organization have even started playing.

Previewing the week ahead​

In our weekly previews moving forward, we’ll highlight in deep sea blue our “Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week.” This week, Skellefteå’s game on Tuesday at 10:00 am PDT will be broadcast on FloHockey, offering an opportunity to check in on prospect Zeb Forsfjall. Elsewhere, we can expect most of the players Seattle reassigned to the CHL to begin their junior seasons this weekend, starting with Jakub Fibigr and the Brampton Steelheads Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm PDT. Remember that the WHL can be viewed on Victory+ this year and the QMJHL and OHL are on FloHockey now.

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

The post Down on the Farm – Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/09/26/down-on-the-farm-junior-seasons-begin-j-r-avon-settles-in/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Monday Musings: Rolling through the preseason

We’re still in preseason, but with so many thoughts and ideas bouncing around in my head, it felt like the perfect time to fire up the first edition of Monday Musings for the 2025-26 season. If you’re new around here, Monday Musings is where I pull together and share a handful of topics and themes from the past week across the Seattle Kraken world, and sometimes a little beyond.

First big round of cuts​

Last Monday we saw a small round of cuts, but Saturday brought the first real round of assignments. Apart from Nathan Villeneuve, every player was sent to Coachella Valley, and because none of them required waivers, the process was straightforward. Still, any time you see that many names move off the board, it feels like camp is starting to tighten up. Here’s the full list of cuts/assignments:

One name that stood out before the cut: Tyson Jugnauth. We talked about him on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast this week, but he really made the most of his opportunity. It wasn’t his first training camp, but it was his first one under contract, and you could tell he wanted to make an impression. He even got into his first preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers, an eye-opening experience for the 21-year-old defenseman.

"You might be wondering how I got here."

– Tyson Jugnauth (probably), facing TWO STRAIGHT 2-on-1's against Connor McDavid. #SeaKraken

Also, look at the THREE Kraken players running into each other to create the second opportunity. pic.twitter.com/OOnmrzy6FO

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 25, 2025

Jugnauth was never really in the mix to make the Kraken out of camp, but he definitely climbed the organizational depth chart as he heads into his first pro season. On top of that, he’s got a great personality. If you missed his media scrum the day after the Edmonton game, it’s worth a watch.

Bubble players that remain​

With the first big cuts done, the Kraken’s camp roster is now down to 30 players. They’ll need to trim that to 23 by Oct. 6. By my count, that leaves about 10 “bubble players” fighting for the final spots:

Forwards: Berkly Catton, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, John Hayden, Tye Kartye, Ben Meyers, Jani Nyman, Mitchell Stephens, Ryan Winterton

Defensemen: Ville Ottavainen, Cale Fleury

All signs point to Seattle starting the season with three goalies, and with Kaapo Kakko’s injury news (he’s expected to miss six weeks with a broken thumb) this weekend, that leaves room for at most four of these 10 bubble guys. Given that seven defensemen are already locks, those four spots will come from the forward group.

So, who has the inside track? Nyman’s stock has skyrocketed thanks to four goals in three preseason games. Catton also feels destined for the Opening Night roster—the only question is whether he sticks past his nine-game limit or heads back to junior at some point. That leaves two more spots in the game of musical chairs, with Hayden, Kartye, and Winterton all in the running. Each has a legitimate case, but it’s worth noting that both Hayden and Kartye would need to clear waivers if they’re sent down to the AHL.

Other musings​

• As I mentioned earlier, all signs point to the Kraken rolling into the season with three goalies. It’s not ideal, but when you’ve got a stretch in October with seven games in 12 days, the extra insurance makes sense.
• The Kakko injury stings, but it could be worse. Shoulder, knee, and groin injuries always make me nervous—they have a way of nagging all year.
• I was a little surprised to see Jacob Melanson sent down. He looked good enough in camp that I thought he might sneak into the conversation for a fourth-line role. Head coach Lane Lambert talked about him Sunday and said his rookie camp performance was “just ok,” then his training camp showing was better.
• The Kraken spent a healthy chunk of their Sunday practice working on the power play.

Two #SeaKraken power play groups:

Dunn
Catton / Beniers / Nyman
Eberle

Evans
Tolvanen / Marchment / Wright
Schwartz pic.twitter.com/3va0JTtl8P

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 28, 2025

• Some other news from Sunday: Jared McCann and Brandon Montour were back on the ice, skating separately from the main group. After practice, Lambert hinted to the media that both players are expected to be ready for opening night.
• If I had to guess, McCann probably slides into Catton’s spot, while Chandler Stephenson takes over for Tolvanen.
• I actually love preseason hockey. No stress, no stakes—just a chance to watch prospects test themselves against real NHL talent.
• The national media is down on the Kraken this year, and I get the reasoning. But without local insight into what went down last season, their projections miss the bigger picture. I’m not saying Seattle is a playoff favorite, but 76 points? Nah, that’s too conservative.

Goal of the week​

Sicker then your average #OHL #BFD #mnwild pic.twitter.com/7csj4N7jX4

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) September 28, 2025

Player performances​

• Julius Miettinen (EVT/SEA) – The Kraken prospect, who missed all of training camp, wasted no time making an impact with Everett. He posted two goals and two assists in his first two games of the season over the weekend.
• Kim Saarinen (HPK/SEA) – One of Seattle’s top-rated goalie prospects is off to a strong start in Liiga, going 3-0-2 with a .919 save percentage. Saarinen is still likely a few seasons away from North America, but the early signs are encouraging.
• Mathis Preston (SPO) – A projected top-10 pick for the 2026 NHL Draft, Preston is already producing in the WHL. He has three goals and four assists through Spokane’s first three games of the season.

Chart of the week​

Excluding empty-net goals, goal differential is a key sign of a team’s potential in the standings. By that measure, the Kraken weren’t too far off last season.

The week ahead​

The Kraken have two preseason games left before things start to count for real. With the roster trimmed down, here are a few things I’ll be watching for:

• Battle for the final roster spots – I’ll be keying in on the play of Hayden, Kartye, and Winterton. All three have a legitimate case to make the team, but at most, only two spots are realistically open.
• The goalies – Matt Murray went the distance in Vancouver, so it will be interesting to see if Lambert gives Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord a full game each in the final two. There’s even a scenario where Grubauer gets sent down to Coachella Valley if he can’t deliver the level of play the team needs this year.
• Kraken special teams – Sunday’s practice gave us our first real look at how the coaching staff is approaching the power play. While the personnel is easy to focus on, I’ll be watching closely for strategy: zone entries, puck movement, player rotations. This week could offer the first hints of their plan to start the season.

Closing thoughts​

With the first big round of cuts behind us and just two preseason games left, the Kraken are starting to take shape—but there are still plenty of questions. Who will earn the final roster spots? How will the rookies perform under the bright lights? And how will the coaching staff’s system tweaks and special teams strategy translate once the games actually matter? Preseason is always a mix of promise and uncertainty, and that’s exactly what makes this time of year so fun to watch. As we inch closer to opening night, I’ll be keeping an eye on how these storylines develop, and you can be sure we’ll revisit them in the next edition of Monday Musings.

The post Monday Musings: Rolling through the preseason appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/09/29/monday-musings-rolling-through-the-preseason/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Berkly Catton scores in preseason loss to the Calgary Flames

The Seattle Kraken fell 2-1 in a shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday night. Seattle carried the play most of the game, outshooting Calgary 36-21. The Kraken outshot the Flames in every period, including overtime, but eventually lost in the fourth round of the shootout, when Matvei Gridin scored the winner.

Flames goaltender and Calder Trophy finalist Dustin Wolf stole the show with a .972 save percentage. Seattle generated 3.8 expected goals for, which usually leads to a win. If this had been the regular season, the Kraken at least would have earned a point. It’s not the result they wanted, but the important thing is it’s still preseason, and none of it matters.

Takeaway #1: Berkly Catton scores his first Kraken goal​

The 2024 No. 8 pick flashed his offensive skill and led all Kraken skaters with five shots on goal. He buried a rebound in the second period for his first NHL preseason goal and Seattle’s lone tally.

Berkly Catton buries his first in a Kraken sweater! Seattle jumps ahead 1-0. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Pk0u51HMan

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 30, 2025

Catton looked more confident with the puck and worked well cycling with linemates. He also led Kraken forwards with three blocked shots. His night wasn’t flawless, but it stood out as his best preseason performance yet.

Takeaway #2: Hopefully Dunn is not done​

Vince Dunn has a history with Calgary’s Martin Pospisil, who was suspended in 2023-24 for a dangerous hit on Dunn. For a preseason contest, this game turned physical, with scrums closing both the first and second periods.

In the second, Pospisil caught Dunn with a high stick. Dunn exchanged words while heading to the box and was assessed a minor for roughing. Pospisil received two minors for high-sticking and roughing. Tempers were rising, and it looked like more was coming, but before his penalty expired, Dunn headed to the dressing room and did not return to the game.

#SeaKraken Dunn has words for #Flames Popisill who get 2 minutes for high sticking and 2 minutes for cross-checking. Dunn gets 2 for roughing.

Kraken to the poweplay. pic.twitter.com/dMRqeYTTFP

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 30, 2025

It’s unclear what Dunn’s injury might be. He took the high stick and, just seconds earlier, had blocked a shot that caused him to grimace. After the game, coach Lane Lambert said Dunn was being evaluated.

Seattle already has a growing injury list, and Dunn’s absence would be another significant setback. The Kraken cannot afford to lose him for any significant period.

Takeaway #3: Gruuuuu looked sharp​

Philipp Grubauer was tested early when Calgary forward Matt Coronato broke free for a wrist shot on the game’s first chance. The German Gentleman turned it aside and cleared the rebound, preventing Seattle from falling behind early. The Kraken responded with 17 first-period shots.

Big stop by Gruu!!! He’s sharp early. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/JymihwkNGH

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 30, 2025

Goaltenders often say seeing pucks early helps them settle in. Grubauer was sharp from the start and finished with a .952 save percentage. This loss wasn’t on him, and Seattle will hope his strong play carries into the regular season.

Strong performance, but no result​

The Kraken played a physical, structured game, and on most nights would have come away with the win. In the NHL, though, all teams can win on any give night.

The forward lines looked steady, with Mason Marchment, Shane Wright, and Eeli Tolvanen standing out as a potential regular-season trio.

Seattle closes the preseason Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers in a matchup expected to feature a roster closer to resembling the Opening Night lineup.

Blaiz Grubic​

Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.

Read more from Blaiz

The post Three Takeaways – Berkly Catton scores in preseason loss to the Calgary Flames appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/09/3...ores-in-preseason-loss-to-the-calgary-flames/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Flames – Sept 29th

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Flames – Sept 29th appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/09/29/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-flames-sept-29th/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Preseason 2026 NHL Draft data-only watchlist

With CHL seasons now underway, junior hockey leagues across the world are back on the ice for games. That means it’s time to publish our annual “preseason” NHL Draft watchlist. Several public scouting and analysis resources have published lists with a handful high-end players to watch. We’re digging deeper, giving you a list of 200 first-time eligible and 100 re-entry candidates for you to follow as the season progresses.

The “Data Score” approach​

This is not a traditional scouting assessment of prospects. Instead, as in years past, we built our watchlist using quantifiable data only. Think of it as a supplement to the scouting and analytical work on prospects being published by other sources like Elite Prospects. It can be revealing in its areas of agreement or disagreement with the work of traditional scouting services.

What does our data-only analysis involve? As I have done in years past when looking at NHL Draft prospects (or NHL-affiliated prospects), I have organized this player list by “Data Score”—a rough metric we came up with here at Sound Of Hockey. Data Score begins with the bedrock of an NHL equivalency (“NHLe”). NHLe is a method to compare the scoring proficiency of players in the various professional and junior leagues across the globe. I used Thibaud Chatel’s model, which is the most up-to-date public research in the area. Check out Chatel’s Substack for an in-depth discussion of NHLe. For this project, I used Chatel’s newest model, which has been updated to account for 2024-25 season data.

What’s new this year? In contrast with years past when I looked at only a one-year sample to create this list, this time I applied this NHLe to multiple years of scoring data for these prospects—specifically the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. More recent play is given more weight. I think this is an important upgrade to the approach and one I will be continuing to iterate on moving forward.

After deriving an NHLe from the scoring data, I then make adjustments for age, height, and position, as well as a modest upward adjustment to the NHLe for low-scoring players playing in high-level professional leagues. I then normalize the resulting output and call it the prospect’s “Data Score.” This number no longer projects NHL scoring but is (hopefully) useful in describing the relative strength of prospects. I’ve gone through the methodology in more detail previously here and here.

After refining my data-gathering methods, the full watchlist, which will be made available to Sound Of Hockey Patreon members shortly, covers approximately 25,000 draft eligible skaters. This is up dramatically from the lists of approximately 10,000 skaters I have made in previous years.

The 2026 NHL Draft watchlist​

The draft has at least one elite player at the top in Gavin McKenna. I compiled all potentially draft-eligible prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft before filtering out those who had already been selected in previous drafts. Even if those drafted players were left in consideration, Gavin McKenna would be the second overall prospect on the list, behind only Macklin Celebrini, who played last year in the NHL. McKenna’s scoring profile, at his age, is rare.

Beyond McKenna, the top 10 to 15 of this draft looks quite strong. Forward Ryan Roobroeck’s name seems to get lost in the shuffle when discussing the high-end players in this class, but he has piled up 139 points in 127 OHL games over the last two seasons for the Niagara IceDogs. He has the chance to be a star. Beyond him, there are a number of interesting defense prospects, including two-way force Keaton Verhoeff and the QMJHL’s undersized point-producing dynamo Xavier Villeneuve.

Revisiting the 2025 NHL Draft preseason list​

How much can you learn about a player’s draft projection from looking at biometric data and scoring data from seasons before the draft year in question? As you might expect, it’s not perfect. Players—particularly first-time draft-eligible players—often take a very large statistical leap in their draft seasons as they continue to mature.

For example, Matthew Schaefer averaged only .30 points per game in his draft-minus-one year, which contributed to his placement at No. 57 overall on the 2025 NHL Draft preseason watchlist. He then proceeded to electrify scouts with his international play and piled up 1.29 points per game in the OHL in an injury-shortened draft season en route to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Could another elite player emerge from lower in the top 100 this year? It’s certainly possible. And there are always going to be players that teams and scouts “like” (or “dislike”) more than their scoring data would suggest.

That said, it is remarkable how much you can learn even from scoring data predating the draft year. Looking back at the top-32 first-time eligible prospects on our 2025 NHL Draft preseason watchlist, draftniks will see a lot of familiar names. Nine of the top-11 picks are there, as are 15 first-round picks overall. If you extend to look at the first-time eligible skaters ranked from 33 to 64 on our preseason list, you’ll find seven more first-round ricks, including Schaefer.

Similarly, if you rewind to our 2024 NHL Draft preseason watchlist, you’ll find that four-of-the-top five picks in the 2024 Draft were in our preseason top 32, as well as 15 first-round picks overall.

These results almost replicate the success rate of source-consulting prospect analysts evaluating the prospect landscape at this time of year. For example, last year at this time, Corey Pronman—who is as well-sourced as any prospect analyst currently working—correctly predicted 19 first-round skaters on his initial 2025 draft first-round board.

The accuracy of the watchlist as a predictive tool declines the deeper you go into it, but the success rate at the top of the list gives me confidence that the Data Score approach can serve its purpose as a guide to tracking players who could end being high draft picks.

Other watchlist takeaways and local connections​

The run of top prospects playing junior hockey in the Pacific Northwest has not broken yet. No. 11 ranked Mathis Preston and No. 18 ranked Chase Harrington will play for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL this season. And even though the Victoria Royals lost Verhoeff to the University of North Dakota there are other intriguing prospects playing throughout the WHL’s Western Conference. No. 6 ranked defenseman Ryan Lin will play for the Vancouver Giants and No. 13 ranked defenseman Carson Carels will play for the Prince George Cougars.

Looking at the league landscape, eight players on our preseason top-32 first-time eligible prospects watchlist played their draft minus-one seasons in the WHL, which tied with the OHL for most overall. Add in 3 from the QMJHL and 19 of the top 32 played in the CHL. This underscores the strength of that league—at least before the NCAA rule changes that resulted in several prominent players opting to play college hockey in their draft years, including Verhoeff and McKenna.

* * *

Do you have any questions? Reach out to us in the comments below or on Twitter/X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or on BlueSky at @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

Header photo of Mathis Preston taken by Brian Liesse, courtesy Seattle Thunderbirds.

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

The post Preseason 2026 NHL Draft data-only watchlist appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/10/01/preseason-2026-nhl-draft-data-only-watchlist/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Oilers – Oct 1st

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The post Photo Gallery – Kraken vs Oilers – Oct 1st appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/10/01/photo-gallery-kraken-vs-oilers-oct-1st/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Three Takeaways – Ryan Winterton nets two in Kraken preseason win over Oilers

The Seattle Kraken wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Winning and losing doesn’t matter much in preseason, but it’s still nice to finish with a winning record at 3-2-1. This game also marked the end of training camp. The team will have the next two days off for team-building activities before returning to practice Saturday in preparation for the regular-season opener at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 9.

Here are Three Takeaways from a 4-2 Kraken win over the Oilers.

Takeaway #1: Special teams​

The Kraken special teams got plenty of work in this one. In the first period alone, there were eight penalties, four for each team. The period ended 3-1 in Seattle’s favor, and all three Kraken goals came on special teams. Josh Mahura and Eeli Tolvanen scored power-play goals with blasts from the point, while Ryan Winterton added a shorthanded tally after intercepting a poor pass by Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard below the goal line and wrapping it into an open net. Tolvanen’s goal came during a 5-on-3. Jaden Schwartz provided the screen on both of the power-play goals by Mahura and Tolvanen.

EEEEELI Goalvanen rips a rocket! #SeaKraken take a 3-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/1XNOc25mqs

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 2, 2025

Seattle’s penalty kill technically gave up just one power-play goal on five Edmonton attempts, including some 5-on-3 time. However, the Oilers’ second goal came seven seconds after a penalty expired, showing there’s still work to do in cleaning up those situations. Last season, Seattle occasionally allowed goals just after a kill or power play, an area that could still use improvement.

Berkly Catton had a rough night, spending time in the box for three stick penalties. Coach Lane Lambert said, “He’s not the only one who took stick penalties and hooking and this and that. We just have to clean that up overall, as a group.”

Takeaway #2: Slow start in the second​

Seattle jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and almost looked like they expected Edmonton to fold. After the Oilers scored late in the first and started the second on the power play, momentum shifted. The Kraken struggled to clear the zone, and Edmonton cut the deficit to one. Joey Daccord held strong as Seattle adopted a bend-don’t-break approach for about 10 minutes before regaining some offensive push.

On one hand, it was good to see Seattle weather the storm, but this is not a formula for consistent success. Coach Lambert noticed the lack of spark and shuffled the right wingers, moving Tolvanen, Winterton, and Jani Nyman around. The change worked, and Seattle began generating chances again, finishing the period ahead 3-2.

Nyman hops up with Schwartz and Wright and nearly cashes in, but Pickard outwaits him. #SeaKraken still holding a 3-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/hqiJsFbhvt

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) October 2, 2025

Takeaway #3: Winterton’s big night​

For a guy battling for one of the final roster spots, Winterton definitely left a solid final impression in the minds of the front office and coaches on Wednesday. The 22-year-old winger had two goals, including a shorthanded tally, despite getting just 10:07 of ice time. His second came early in the third to restore a two-goal cushion. Off a slick feed from Freddy Gaudreau, Winterton corralled the pass on his backhand, shifted to his forehand, and lifted it over Pickard’s glove. These were the first goals of the preseason for the 22-year-old forward.

Winterton started the night with Schwartz and Shane Wright, but with so many early penalties, he rarely played with them. He later settled in alongside Tye Kartye and Gaudreau, and the trio clicked well. Asked if he got what he wanted from shuffling the right wings, Lambert replied, “I did out of Winterton.”

Winterton earned first-star honors and yeeted the fish after the game.

Looking ahead to the regular season​

There are still roster decisions to come, but preseason is in the books. Now, the focus shifts to the regular season and hopefully getting a couple key players back from injury in time for the meaningful games. Despite dealing with injuries, Seattle finished with a winning record (3-2-1), and all three goaltenders turned in solid performances. Adding Matt Murray provides extra competition in the crease, which should help push everyone.

Nyman didn’t score Thursday but saw time with Wright and Schwartz, where he looked comfortable and got some scoring chances. He consistently gets into scoring positions, but he seems to need a playmaker to set him up.

How do you think this preseason went for the Kraken? Are you more or less optimistic about the upcoming season? Comment below.

Blaiz Grubic​

Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.

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The post Three Takeaways – Ryan Winterton nets two in Kraken preseason win over Oilers appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/10/0...nets-two-in-kraken-preseason-win-over-oilers/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Down on the Farm – Catton makes his case for the NHL roster

Welcome to “Down on the Farm,” your weekly Seattle Kraken prospects update. This week we’ll cover the latest prospect news from Kraken training camp, as well as the week that was for Kraken prospects playing in junior leagues and overseas. For our feature this week, we reviewed every shift from Berkly Catton’s five preseason games to evaluate where he stands in his quest to become an NHL regular. Let’s dive in.

Catton proves he is ready for NHL time, but must continue to develop​

Though the Kaapo Kakko injury likely ended any conversation on whether Berkly Catton will make the NHL roster to begin the year (he will), Catton has been very active this preseason attempting to show that he is ready for a full-time NHL role. From my perspective, there has been far more good than bad.

Catton began camp playing center where he showed the speed necessary to traverse the rink end-to-end, getting low in support in the defensive zone before joining or leading the rush the opposite direction. This is an important trait for a center in new coach Lane Lambert’s system, which asks a lot of its centers defensively. From the center position, Catton was all over the ice hunting the puck. He won more than his share of puck battles and was undaunted physically even if he wasn’t able to body defenders away from the puck due to his stature.

Offensively, Catton regularly set up his teammates with crisp, pinpoint passes to take open ice in transition or for shots in the offensive zone. There were shades of rookie Shane Wright in Catton’s passing game where Catton would rush a no-look feed not realizing he had another split second to make a more accurate pass. As with Wright, this is correctible with repetitions at pro pace.

Similarly, Catton was overly aggressive at times, particularly with east-west passes along the offensive and defensive blue lines. The NHL game is all about speed and pressure, and those plays could lead to bad turnovers as opponents scout and key in on it. Taking the simpler north-south play more often and trusting his puck possession skill a bit more will help him there.

In transition, Catton is one of Seattle’s best players already with the pace, puck handling, and vision to dice up opposing forechecks and get into the offensive zone with possession. This was even more notable when he was playing on the wing in the latter portion of the preseason. At the wing position, Catton is more likely to find himself high in the defensive zone when a turnover occurs, and this gives him a chance to create breakaway chances or other transition advantages (as he did early in the Vancouver game, see below).

Catton has a quick release on his shot and good offensive instincts to get to the scoring areas where he can find rebounds, deflections, or passes from his teammates. That said, the shot is not particularly hard or pinpoint by NHL standards right now. This is something that a 19-year-old player can continue to develop.

Most concerning from an NHL perspective is his instinct to tie up an opponent with his stick after losing a puck battle. We talked about this as something that showed up in his junior games. It was particularly glaring in the team’s final preseason game when he took three minor penalties on plays of this kind. Put simply, that cannot happen. Catton will be off the team if he’s taking penalties with regularity. The solve for Catton is in more conservative body positioning that protects against a breakaway, even if he loses some advantage in a puck battle, and in trusting his feet more defensively. He can catch just about anyone if he’s skating.

Kraken reassign 20 players to the AHL, waive Meyers and Stephens​

Last Saturday the Kraken reassigned forwards J.R. Avon, Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, Justin Janicke, Andrei Loshko, Ian McKinnon, Jacob Melanson, Logan Morrison, Carson Rehkopf, Lleyton Roed, and Eduard Sale, defensemen Lukas Dragicevic, Kaden Hammell, Tyson Jugnauth, Ty Nelson, Gustav Olofsson, and Caden Price, and goaltenders Nikke Kokko, Jack LaFontaine, and Victor Ostman to the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

All of these players could be reassigned to the AHL directly without waivers because they were either signed to AHL contracts (Janicke, McKinnon, Olofsson, and Lafontaine) or waivers-exempt. Melanson is the only player in this group that I thought had a legitimate chance at the Opening Night roster. I still believe he has a shot to play NHL games this year if he can keep pushing.

On Thursday, Oct. 2, the team waived forwards Ben Meyers and Mitchell Stephens for the purpose of reassigning those players to the AHL. If no other teams claim them, they will join the Firebirds too. Waiver claims will be reported at 11:00 am PT on Friday, Oct. 3. Meyers and Stephens are top depth players who will play in the top-six for Coachella Valley and should see NHL games at some point during the year.

[Author’s Note, Fri, Oct. 3, 2:00 pm PDT: Meyers and Stephens cleared waivers and will report to Coachella Valley.]

Within the last week, the team has also placed injured forward Kaapo Kakko (out six weeks) and defenseman Ryker Evans (out six-to-eight weeks) on injured reserve, which opens their rosters spots for other players.

These moves, along with one more noted below, leave the team with 26 players in camp for 23 spots. Forwards Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Ryan Winterton, and Jani Nyman, and defenseman Ville Ottavaien, could all be reassigned to the AHL without waivers. Forwards John Hayden and Tye Kartye, defenseman Cale Fleury, and goalies Matt Murray and Philipp Grubauer would all require waivers to be reassigned. One or both of the backup goalies will stick to begin the year. (I suspect the answer will be “both.”)

It’s also worth reminding that Catton cannot go to the AHL because of his age and the CHL/NHL transfer agreement that bars 19-year-old CHL players from the AHL.

Notes on three more Kraken players​

Max McCormick | F | Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)​

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the Coachella Valley Firebirds announced that the team’s first and only captain, forward Max McCormick, would miss the season with a hip injury. This is a difficult blow for the AHL club, both from a leadership and production perspective. McCormick had a knack for getting to the goal front and producing when the Firebirds most needed it. The team made it to the Calder Cup Finals both years McCormick was healthy and in the lineup for the AHL playoffs before faltering without him last year.

The Kraken television broadcast mentioned John Hayden as the captain of the Firebirds during a preseason contest earlier this week. It would be a worthy title for Hayden, assuming he’s not needed on the NHL roster to begin the year.

Nathan Villeneuve | F | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)​

In addition to the AHL reassignments noted above, the team also reassigned injured forward Nathan Villeneuve to his junior team, the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, leaving Catton as the only 18- or 19-year-old junior-eligible player still in camp. While Villeneuve was always a long shot to remain with the team after camp, the injury was a disheartening development for a young player who was pushing for the second-straight camp displaying some pro-ready aspects of his game. Instead, he’ll look to finish his junior career on a high note before turning pro after his OHL season ends.

Julius Miettinen | F | Everett Silvertips (WHL)​

Julius Miettinen missed all of Kraken camp with an upper-body injury, but he was back in the lineup for the Everett Silvertips right away, and he made an immediate impact. He scored twice and added an assist in last Friday’s game against the Wenatchee Wild. After adding another assist on Saturday, Miettinen is your Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week.

[Author’s Note, Fri, Oct. 3, 2:00 pm PDT: Miettinen’s new week is off to a good start too, with the Kraken announcing that they have signed him to an entry-level contract.]

The Finnishing touch
Julius Miettinen's 2nd of the night puts @WHLsilvertips up 3-1. #WHLOpeningWeek | @SeattleKraken | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/0uwz9xCpPz

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 28, 2025

Kraken prospects data update​

Loke Krantz also had a case for player of the week, scoring two goals and recording an assist in his only game for Linkoping HC U20. The degree of difficulty involved in tallying three points immediately after missing a few weeks with an injury tipped the scales in Miettinen’s favor, though.

Beyond Miettinen, Jakub Fibigr, Jake O’Brien, Blake Fiddler, and Will Reynolds also returned to their junior lineups last weekend. Fibigr, O’Brien, and Fiddler wasted no time getting on the scoresheet.

Semyon Vyazovoi returned to the crease for Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the first time in more than two weeks. The raw results were not spectacular (five goals against on 37 shots), but it was good to see him back in net and playing a full game for the first time this season. He’ll look to build on this performance moving forward.

Kim Saarinen continues to draw regular starts for HPK and perform well. He was 2-0-1 this week with a 1.99 goals-against average. Among all Liiga goalies with at least five starts, Saarinen is first in GAA (1.79) and second in save percentage (.912).

Sound Of Hockey Prospect of the Week tracker​

2: Kim Saarinen

1: Julius Miettinen

Seattle’s Finnish prospects are now three-for-three, though you could argue the Swedish Krantz was unjustly denied this week.

Previewing the week ahead​

Barrett Hall and St. Cloud State kick off their NCAA season today, Oct. 3, against Augustana University. Zaccharya Wisdom will likely debut for his new NCAA team, Western Michigan University, next Thursday, Oct. 9, against Ferris State University.

The Deep Sea Hockey Game of the Week is a matchup in Sweden’s U20 league between Krantz’s Linkoping HC and Karl Annborn’s HV71. Annborn had been playing up with the senior HV71 team, but he was absent from the senior lineup on Thursday, Oct. 2, which could indicate he’s back with the U20 team. If so, we’ll get our first Kraken prospect head-to-head game of the 2025-26 season.

Tracking 2026 NHL Draft prospects​

If you’re here, you likely have an affinity for following players who will be the next stars of the NHL game. We recently published our preseason 2026 NHL Draft watchlist. Consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna will make his NCAA debut for Penn State University on Friday. You can watch the game on NHL Network or the NHL YouTube page.

Recent prospect updates​

September 26, 2025: Junior seasons begin, J.R. Avon settles in

* * *

If you have a prospect-related question you’d like to see featured in a future column, drop us a note below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey.

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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The post Down on the Farm – Catton makes his case for the NHL roster appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/10/03/down-on-the-farm-catton-makes-his-case-for-the-nhl-roster/