News Kraken Team Notes

[Seattle Kraken]

USA Hockey Membership Report – 2024-25 season

It’s become an annual tradition at the Sound Of Hockey to dive into the latest USA Hockey registration numbers, and the 2024-25 season brings plenty to talk about. We like using this data as a proxy for the popularity and growth of the sport as a whole. Here’s what we learned about membership trends over the last year.

Year-over-year growth​

USA Hockey hit an all-time high in player memberships during the 2024-25 season, adding 13,396 new players compared to last year. That’s a stronger jump than the 8,282 gained in 2023-24, and it marks three straight years of steady growth. The sport is clearly bouncing back from the pandemic lull. For context, the previous record was 567,908 members back in 2018-19, the last full season before COVID disruptions, and we’ve now officially surpassed that milestone.

Youth numbers keep climbing​

Youth hockey is setting records for the third year in a row. USA Hockey added 6,705 new youth members, bringing the 2024-25 total to 396,525—a new all-time high. In an era when youth sports overall are facing participation challenges, it’s exciting to see hockey bucking that trend.

Female participation keeps rising​

Female participation continues to be one of the brightest growth areas for USA Hockey. The 2024-25 season saw 4,784 more girls and women register, a 5.1 percent increase year-over-year. That’s the largest non-pandemic bounce the female category has seen since USA Hockey began breaking out female-specific data. With sustained momentum like this, the pipeline for women’s hockey at all levels is getting stronger each year. You have to imagine that female participation will continue to increase as the rise and growth of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) continues.

State-by-state highlights​

Looking at where the growth is happening, two states really stood out this season. Florida led the country with an 8.4 percent increase in memberships, fueled by the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup win. Meanwhile, Utah posted the second-highest percentage growth, boosted by the buzz of the NHL’s arrival in Salt Lake City. It’s early, but the impact is already visible. With Utah Mammoth owner Ryan Smith publicly committing to growing the game at the grassroots level, Utah could be hockey’s next big expansion story.

Washington State​

Washington added 711 new player memberships in 2024-25, a 5.8 percent increase over last season. That’s a healthy jump, and most of the growth came from youth hockey—467 of those new members were under 18. That said, the state continues to run up against a familiar roadblock: ice time. Since the Kraken opened Kraken Community Iceplex with three ice sheets back in 2021-22, no new rinks have been built, and most facilities are operating at or near capacity.

The Kirkland Kraken facility still appears to be moving forward, but with no shovel in the ground yet, it’s hard to imagine it opening before the 2027-28 season. Until then, Washington’s growth will likely be capped more by rink availability than by interest.

Explore the numbers yourself​

As always, I’ve put together an interactive dashboard where you can explore USA Hockey membership by state, age group, or gender.



If you have questions, feel free to reach out—I love digging into the details.

The post USA Hockey Membership Report – 2024-25 season appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/11/usa-hockey-membership-report-2024-25-season/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle’s connection with the Stanley Cup

With Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final set for Tuesday, the Florida Panthers are on the verge of winning their second straight championship. The Edmonton Oilers are once again facing elimination and must win to force a Game 7—just like last year. This article isn’t about the teams currently battling for the Cup, though. It’s about Seattle’s unique ties to the most iconic trophy in sports, both through its early hockey history and the Cup’s visits to the city.

The magic of the Stanley Cup​

Every year, when there’s a chance the Stanley Cup might be awarded, excitement takes hold. The on-ice celebration, the tradition, the prestige—it all feels magical. I don’t have a strong rooting interest between Florida or Edmonton, but I’ll be watching. If Edmonton wins tonight and we get another Game 7? Even better.

A quick Stanley Cup primer​

The current version of the Stanley Cup was redesigned in 1948 and features five bands, each engraved with past champions. Up to 52 names—players and staff—can be engraved with each winning team. The Cup has only gone unawarded twice: in 2005 due to the NHL lockout, and in 1919 due to the Spanish flu.

Every 13 years, the top band is removed and retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) in Toronto, and a new one is added to the bottom. Three bands have been retired so far, covering the years 1927 to 1964.

There are actually three Stanley Cups:

• The original bowl, donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley, began being phased out in 1963 and was fully retired in 1970.
• The presentation cup was created in 1963 and awarded to champions each year.
• The permanent cup is a replica that remains on display at the HHOF when the presentation cup is on the road.

Seattle and the Stanley Cup​

Most Kraken fans know the Seattle Metropolitans were the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup, beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 in a best-of-five series in 1917. Seattle reached the Cup Final three times (1917, 1919, and 1920).

Back then, the championship was played between the winners of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). Each league had different rules, most notably: the PCHA allowed seven players on the ice (six skaters and a goalie), while the NHL allowed only six. The home team’s rules were used for Game 1, and the leagues alternated rules for each game after that.

Seattle went 4-2 under PCHA rules and 3-4-1 under NHL rules in its 14 Stanley Cup Final games.

1917​

The Canadiens didn’t even bring the Cup with them on the five-day train ride to Seattle, assuming they’d win. After losing Game 1, the Metropolitans rolled off three straight wins and took the championship. Montreal’s goalie? George Vezina—yes, that Vezina. Seattle scored 23 goals on him in four games.

Engraving is worn, but reads “Seattle / World’s Champions / Defeated Canadians / 1917”

1919​

Seattle and Montreal met again. Seattle led the series 2-1 before Game 4 ended in a thrilling 0-0 double-overtime tie. With players fatigued and the Spanish flu outbreak worsening, the game was declared a draw. Montreal then won Game 5 in overtime, coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Because Game 4 ended in a tie and did not produce a winner, Game 5 was played under NHL rules. A Game 6 was planned to decide the series under PCHA rules, but it was never played due to the outbreak.

The Spanish flu ravaged Montreal’s roster, and the teams agreed to cancel Game 6. Canadiens defenseman Joe Hall died in Seattle days later.

Seattle also played the series without its top scorer, Bernie Morris, a Canadian citizen who had been arrested for draft evasion. While the legal battle played out, Morris remained incarcerated and missed the entire series. Maybe, just maybe, Seattle could have had a second Stanley Cup championship if Morris had been allowed to play.

1920​

Seattle traveled to Ottawa for a best-of-five series. Warm weather produced poor ice conditions, and after the first three games in Ottawa, the final two were moved to Toronto. The Metropolitans pushed the series to a deciding Game 5 and even led 1-0 before surrendering six straight goals to the Senators. Despite Ottawa winning the Cup, Ottawa chose not to engrave its name on the trophy. The Senators were retroactively added to the Cup’s collar in the 1948 redesign.

The Stanley Cup in Seattle​

The Stanley Cup has visited Seattle multiple times in the modern era:

• 2004: Tampa Bay Lightning amateur scout Glen Zacharias, a former Seattle Thunderbirds scout, brought the Cup to a Thunderbirds game at KeyArena. I’ve played hockey recreationally for more than 30 years, so when I got a chance to touch the Cup, I absolutely did. Some NHL players hold a superstition that they will not touch the Stanley Cup unless they win it, so if Seattle never wins it, you can blame me. This means, though, that the Stanley Cup has been under the roof of Climate Pledge Arena.
• 2017: On the 100th anniversary of Seattle’s 1917 championship, the Cup returned to the city. It toured multiple locations, including the original site of the Seattle Ice Arena at 5th and University.
• 2024 Winter Classic: During the Kraken’s 3-0 shutout win over Vegas, the NHL fan village hosted the Cup. The longest line in the village? A photo opportunity with Lord Stanley’s Cup.

I’ve seen the Cup three times: once at the HHOF in Toronto, once after the Anaheim Ducks won in 2007, and once at a Thunderbirds game. Every time, it takes my breath away.

Blaiz touching the Stanley Cup at Key Arena in 2004

Anaheim Ducks hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2007

If you plan to watch the Cup presentation this year, a tip for Xfinity users: Canadian channel CBUT usually carries extended coverage of the presentation.

Wrap-up trivia​

Here are a few trivia questions on the Stanley Cup. Comment below with your answers:

1. How many times is Seattle engraved on the Stanley Cup?
2. What U.S. city was the first to be engraved on the Stanley Cup?
3. What was the nickname for the cup design used from 1932-1947, before the current version created in 1948?

Now that the Seattle Kraken exist, seeing them lift the Stanley Cup live is officially a bucket list goal.

Comment below with your stories and memories of the Stanley Cup.

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 Seattle’s connection with the Stanley Cup appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/17/seattles-connection-with-the-stanley-cup/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Breaking: Kraken acquire Mason Marchment in trade with Dallas

The Seattle Kraken have made a notable addition to their forward group, acquiring winger Mason Marchment from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a third-round pick in 2026.

The fourth-round pick involved in the deal originally belonged to Dallas, but Seattle obtained it last season in the trade that sent Alexander Wennberg to the New York Rangers at the Trade Deadline. Now, that pick returns to the Stars as part of this transaction.

At first glance, this is a strong move for Seattle. Marchment adds a combination of size, scoring touch, and grit that the Kraken have been lacking in their middle six. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 212 pounds, the 30-year-old winger (he turned 30 on Wednesday) plays a heavy, physical game, but he also brings more than just muscle.

Tye Kartye checks Mason Marchement. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Marchment is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, matching a personal high with 22 goals and finishing with 47 points in 62 games during the 2024-25 campaign. That point total would have ranked him fourth on the Kraken last season, behind only Jared McCann, Chandler Stephenson, and Jaden Schwartz. Perhaps more impressively, Marchment put up those numbers while averaging just 15:20 of ice time per game—more than two minutes fewer than Seattle’s top forwards, and missing significant time due to injury.

He also contributed on the power play, chipping in 10 points (five goals, five assists) with the man advantage. His presence in front of the net and willingness to win puck battles along the boards should complement Seattle’s current power-play setup.

Where Marchment fits into the Kraken lineup remains to be seen, but he offers versatility. He has shown the ability to move up and down the lineup, depending on need. He spent much of his time down the stretch in Dallas on a line with Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene.

Marchment has one season remaining on his current contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million, which is manageable for Seattle, especially if he can continue to produce at or near his current level. The Kraken entered the offseason with ample cap space and a clear goal of adding more scoring punch and physical presence to their forward group. This move checks both boxes.

It’s not yet clear whether this trade signals further moves on the horizon for general manager Jason Botterill, but it’s the kind of targeted addition that should help the Kraken be more competitive next season. Seattle fans can expect to get their first look at Marchment in a Kraken jersey this fall when training camp opens.

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 Breaking: Kraken acquire Mason Marchment in trade with Dallas appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/19/breaking-kraken-acquire-mason-marchment-in-trade-with-dallas/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken send Andre Burakovsky to Blackhawks for Joe Veleno

The Seattle Kraken made another move to reshape their forward group on Friday, trading winger Andre Burakovsky to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for 25-year-old center Joe Veleno.

The trade closes the book on Burakovsky’s up-and-down tenure in Seattle, which began with plenty of promise. When he signed as a free agent in the summer of 2022, Burakovsky was expected to be a key offensive driver, and early returns were strong. He led the Kraken in scoring with 39 points in 49 games during the 2022-23 season before suffering a groin injury that ended his year prematurely. Unfortunately, he was never quite the same after that.

In the two seasons following the injury, Burakovsky tallied 53 points in 128 games, struggling to recapture the confidence and touch that made him such a dangerous top-six winger at previous junctures in his career. Whether it was lingering effects of the injury or simply an ill-fitting role, a change of scenery feels like the right move for both player and team. He was widely viewed as a buyout candidate this offseason, so getting a useable player in return at a lower cap hit is another nice bit of business for general manager Jason Botterill, after he also snagged Mason Marchment on Thursday.

For the Kraken, the return is Joe Veleno, a speedy, defensively responsible center who played parts of five seasons for the Detroit Red Wings before being moved to Chicago at the trade deadline in this most recent season. Veleno has 81 points in 306 career games, and while he’s unlikely to put up eye-popping numbers, his value lies in his versatility and skating ability.

Joe Veleno,

Welcome to Chicago #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/yvOAXiKfE6

— Ovi (@OviClapBomb) March 7, 2025

Veleno gives the Kraken the option of filling the fourth-line center role vacated when they dealt Yanni Gourde at the deadline, but he can also slide up and down the lineup on wing. Veleno brings a more budget-friendly cap hit of $2.375 million average annual value than Burakovsky’s $5.5 million (Burky also has two years left on his deal, compared to Veleno’s one), and is a restricted free agent next summer, giving the team some control if things work out.

Veleno doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas, either. He’s not exactly a bruiser, but he’s got enough grit to hold his own on the forecheck and along the boards. Think of him as a modern fourth-line pivot—fast, defensively sound, and capable of chipping in offense when needed.

A spirited tilt between Corey Perry and Joe Veleno! pic.twitter.com/eTJ79qx71y

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 27, 2024

As for Burakovsky, the move to Chicago might just give him the reset he needs. He’s still only 29, and if he can stay healthy and find chemistry in a younger, rebuilding Blackhawks lineup, don’t be surprised if he regains some of the offensive flair that made him a two-time Stanley Cup winner.

For Seattle, it’s another small-but-meaningful step in retooling the roster heading into what should be a pivotal 2025-26 season. And for Veleno, it’s a chance to carve out a consistent role on a Kraken team that values depth, speed, and flexibility down the middle.

The post Kraken send Andre Burakovsky to Blackhawks for Joe Veleno appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/21/kraken-send-burakovsky-to-blackhawks-for-joe-veleno/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Grading the Seattle Kraken’s draft picks through the years (so far)

We’ve entered draft week across the NHL, and as fans feverishly study up on this year’s class of eligible prospects, I thought it would be fun to look back and give grades to the Seattle Kraken’s four NHL Entry Drafts to date. Grading their drafts at this point is a little like judging a cooking competition halfway through meal prep. Sure, you can see where it’s going, but there’s still plenty of time for things to come together… or fall apart.

The Kraken are only four drafts into their existence, and many of the players they’ve selected are still in college, junior hockey, or just starting to scratch the surfaces of their pro careers. Still, with a few seasons of development in the books, we can start to evaluate trends, hits, misses, and what those drafts tell us about the Kraken’s performance to date. So, keeping in mind that there’s a lot of runway left for all the players they’ve selected, here’s a look at how the Kraken’s first four NHL Entry Drafts are shaping up.

2021 NHL Entry Draft​

The Kraken’s first draft year featured the fewest picks they’ve ever had in a single draft, with just the seven standard selections. Matty Beniers looked like a smash hit after his 2022-23 Calder Trophy season but has cooled off since. He’s still very young and has another season or two before we’ll know whether he’s a true first-line center or if he’ll settle into a secondary role. Beniers did show some progress after the arrival of Kaapo Kakko, and it will be interesting to see how things play out next season. A few players from that class—Wyatt Johnston, Dylan Guenther, Matthew Knies, Luke Hughes—have shown flashes, but nobody has pulled away as a bona fide superstar just yet.

Outside of the first round, Ryker Evans is showing a lot of promise. He hasn’t established himself as a high-end defenseman, but he’s only had one full NHL season. Ryan Winterton looked to be on a great trajectory in 2023-24, and while expectations were high that we’d see more of him in the NHL, he’s technically ahead of schedule. He’s already played 21 NHL games, 19 more than the next-most games played by a third-round pick from that draft.

Both Ville Ottavainen and Jacob Melanson made their NHL debuts during the 2024-25 season, each appearing in one game. Meanwhile, Semyon Vyazovoi, a longshot seventh-round goalie from Russia, is starting to look less like a longshot after a strong year in the KHL that included some big-time performances. Lastly, Justin Janicke, another seventh-rounder, signed an AHL deal with Coachella Valley. The odds are always long for players taken after Round 2, but at this point, every Kraken pick from this draft has exceeded expectations.

Overall Grade: B+
Beniers’ future as a top center remains TBD, but the overall draft class is tracking well above average, especially for the later rounds.

2022 NHL Entry Draft​

The 2022 draft was a busy one for the Kraken, and the most memorable moment was Shane Wright unexpectedly falling to them at No. 4. In Wright’s first full NHL season (2024-25), he showed encouraging progression. He finished with 19 goals and 25 assists, but the real optimism comes from his growth as the season went on—averaging just 0.25 points per game in his first 20 games, and 0.66 the rest of the way. Even with hindsight, the Kraken would still take him at No. 4.

Outside of Wright, Jani Nyman was the only other player to appear in more than one NHL game, putting up three goals in 12 games late in the season. He looked the part of an NHLer, and it’d be a surprise if he doesn’t play at least 60 games next season. Jagger Firkus, Niklas Kokko, and Ty Nelson all had strong seasons with Coachella Valley and remain on solid development paths.

Folks. Jani Nyman's First NHL Goal. It's a beauty set up by the captain (his third primary helper of the game) #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/caLxRtKnYo

— Alison (@AlisonL) March 13, 2025

David Goyette, meanwhile, had a bit of a rollercoaster first pro season. After two 40-goal seasons in the OHL, fans hoped to see more than six goals in his AHL rookie year. That said, nothing was particularly concerning—he’s just on a learning curve.

NCAA prospects Ben MacDonald (Harvard) and Barret Hall (St. Cloud) are both producing steadily at the collegiate level.

Overall Grade: B
Most picks are tracking nicely, and 2025-26 will be a telling year for this class.

2023 NHL Entry Draft​

Even the most optimistic Kraken fan has to feel a little nervous about Eduard Šalé, Seattle’s first-rounder in 2023. Nobody expected him to have reached the NHL yet, but his 2023-24 OHL season was underwhelming, and while he had a strong start to his 2024-25 AHL campaign, his performance tapered off later in the season. To be fair, he was a 19-year-old in the AHL, extremely young for that league, so it’s way too early to write him off. He also was outstanding in the IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring six goals and two assists as the captain of Team Czechia, so there is still plenty of potential.

Seattle’s second- and third-rounders, however, are trending nicely. Carson Rehkopf capped a fantastic OHL career and is poised to take a big step this season. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard had another excellent year in the SHL and is coming to North America for 2025-26.

Further down the draft board, most players are developing as expected, but it’s still too early to make firm calls either way.

Overall Grade: C+
Rehkopf and Mølgaard help the grade, but concern about Šalé weighs heavily. You have to hit on first-rounders.

2024 NHL Entry Draft​

Okay, yes, it’s extremely premature to assign a grade to the 2024 draft class. But we’re doing it anyway. Kraken fans have to love what they’ve seen from Berkly Catton. It’s not just the points or goal scoring—he’s showing signs of becoming a well-rounded, play-driving center who takes pride in his game at both ends of the ice. He’s done all he can do in the WHL, and since the AHL isn’t an option, most expect him in the NHL this season.

Julius Miettinen showed a ton of promise in the first half of the season with Everett, but an injury at World Juniors kept him out most of the second half. He looked good when he returned, but it would’ve been nice to see a full campaign.

One big early surprise is Nathan Villeneuve, a physical, fearless player who stood out in preseason. In fact, in four years of watching Kraken prospects in exhibition games, Villeneuve was one of the first who looked like he actually belonged.

Wow! Nathan Villeneuve with a rocket one-timer!

Bjorkstrand sets him up, and the youngster gets a pretty goal and a nice little “sheath the sword” celly. #SeaKraken

4-1 Flames. pic.twitter.com/MGPsw9XY0c

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) September 23, 2024

Further down the list, Alexis Bernier and Kim Saarinen took strong steps forward, while Oliver Josephson, Clarke Caswell, and Jakub Fibigr all had solid seasons.

Overall Grade: A-
Yes, it’s early. But Catton’s play and Villeneuve’s trajectory have Kraken fans rightfully excited.

Final thoughts​

Four drafts in, it’s clear the Kraken are building with patience and purpose. They’ve managed to find value in nearly every round and haven’t missed wildly on any picks, though Šalé’s trajectory will be important to monitor. The foundation is there. The real question now is how Seattle can turn its impressive group of prospects into regular NHL contributors and a contending roster in the future.

As the 2025 draft approaches, the pipeline is in a healthy spot, but the next wave needs to start arriving in full. The Kraken don’t just need young players, they need young impact players. Time will tell which names from these early drafts step into that spotlight.

The post Grading the Seattle Kraken’s draft picks through the years (so far) appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/23/seattle-kraken-draft-grades/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

The 2025 NHL Draft Big Board – Compiled public prospect rankings

Welcome back to NHL Draft Week here at Sound Of Hockey. Today, we present our annual Sound Of Hockey Big Board. We also made a mid-season version of the Big Board earlier this year, which you can check out here.

What is the Big Board? It’s a ranking that compiles reputable draft analyst and public scouting service lists. This year, we gathered ranking data from 20 sources. (See the complete list below.)

We consolidated the various ranks into a single composite ranking by a weighted geometric mean calculation. Why do we use geomean? If you’re curious you can find an applicable explanation from a different context here. Weights were assigned based on our assessment of the depth of experience, sourced reporting, or scouting insight factored into the component lists themselves. For example, Bob McKenzie’s list for TSN, which is built based on conversations with scouts, is weighted the most. The voluminous work done by independent scouts at Elite Prospects is next in line, and so forth.

The Sound Of Hockey Big Board also provides information on each player’s measurements, statistics, and playing experience for the 2024-25 season, mostly drawn from Elite Prospects, NHL Central Scouting, and the NHL Draft Combine.

All told, the Sound Of Hockey Big Board covers more than 9,000 draft-eligible prospects. (That is not a typo. It’s up slightly from last year when the Big Board covered approximately 9,000 prospects.) The version published here covers the top 500. The full version will be shared on the Sound Of Hockey Patreon.

Based on what we have seen, we continue to believe the Sound Of Hockey Big Board is the most comprehensive public source anywhere compiling draft-prospect-related information in one place.

We used the following 20 sources to build the final 2025 Big Board:

• NHL Central Scouting
• Elite Prospects ($)
• McKeen’s ($)
• Bob McKenzie, TSN
• Craig Button, TSN
• Chris Peters, FloHockey
• Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)
• Corey Pronman, The Athletic ($)
• Steven Ellis, DailyFaceoff
• Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News
• Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News
• Jason Bukala, Sportnet
• Rachel Doerrie, ESPN
• Dobber Prospects
• FC Hockey
• HockeyProspect.com
• Smaht Scouting
• HockeyProspecting
• AFP Analytics
• TopDownHockey

The Sound Of Hockey Big Board​

Caveats on using the Big Board​

At this point, a few more words on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and its uses are likely in order.

First, as you scroll through the rankings on the Big Board, you will see that sometimes only the top-five ranked prospects are identified. This is because those rankings are behind a paywall. To get to Corey Pronman’s full ranking of prospects, for example, a subscription to The Athletic is required. While we utilized all of the individual rankings listed above to develop our composite list, we will not be sharing subscriber-only individual rankings in the public version of the composite big board.

Second, as you get to the player’s 2024-25 data, you will note that the Big Board displays only the date from the highest league reached by the player. (For example, Radim Mrtka’s line displays his 10 games in the Czech Extraliga, Czechia’s highest pro league, before coming to North America to play in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds and compiling three goals and 32 assists in 43 games. The Czech Extraliga is viewed as a higher league than the WHL, so that is what appears as his highest level.) This is just for simplicity of presentation.

Third, the Big Board does not reflect our view on these prospects. We at Sound Of Hockey have read reports, watched some videos, and crunched a few numbers. I’ll be putting up more thoughts of my own before the draft, but that is not what this exercise is about. The Sound Of Hockey Big Board is simply a tabulation of the rankings of others. A player’s ranking has nothing to do with whether any of us here at Sound Of Hockey “like” the player or not.

If you’re looking for more on our preferences, we published a “data-only” watchlist earlier in the spring. We also published a top-eight mock draft after the NHL Draft Lottery, and plan to do a seven-round Kraken mock draft later this week.

Fourth, and finally, it bears emphasis that a “composite” ranking is not the be-all and end-all. In many ways, finding the “best” public list and trusting it is preferable. A consensus board cannot “explain” why one prospect is ranked higher than another, and it certainly cannot displace the work of scouts, draft reporters, or even number crunchers.

But a composite ranking can provide some added information. Think of it as the cherry on top of the sundae, not the sundae itself.

How so? In the first year of this Big Board I used the case of Brad Lambert as an example (coincidentally, the nephew of new Kraken head coach Lane Lambert). This year Ivan Ryabkin could be an instructive case. Both players are talented but viewed as risky for different reasons, leading to widely varying rankings on individual public boards. We synthesize that information with a composite approach that can exploit the wisdom of the crowd. Ryabkin’s final ranking may blend the upside and risk, placing him in a “fair” position.

Final thoughts​

The 2025 NHL Draft is another strong year for Pacific Northwest hockey. Projected first-round picks Jackson Smith, Radim Mrtka, Braeden Cootes, and Carter Bear all spent most or all of their draft seasons playing for WHL clubs in Washington State.

The 2025 NHL Draft kicks off with Round 1 on Friday, June 27, at 4:00 p.m. PT. Rounds 2 through 7 start on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. PT.

In the meantime, study the Big Board, bookmark it, share it, and return to it often between now and the draft. Keep it close during the draft too because, in the past, the data has been a pretty strong indicator of what the Kraken (and other teams) will do, particularly early.

Who do you want the Kraken (or your preferred team) to select? Any misses or other suprises in the rankings? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or BluSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

Header photo of Braeden Cootes courtesy of the 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 The 2025 NHL Draft Big Board – Compiled public prospect rankings appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/25/the-2025-nhl-draft-big-board-compiled-public-prospect-rankings/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken acquire Freddy Gaudreau in trade with Minnesota Wild – How he fits

Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill continued to cook Thursday, swinging his third trade in a week by acquiring veteran center Freddy Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a fourth-round pick in this weekend’s NHL Draft. The deal comes on the heels of a transaction last Thursday that landed winger Mason Marchment from the Dallas Stars, and another trade on Saturday that offloaded Andre Burakovsky to the Chicago Blackhawks and brought back Joe Veleno.

Gaudreau, 32, is a reliable bottom-six center who can pitch in offensively but is also responsible in the defensive end and kills penalties. In two of his last three seasons, Gaudreau has scored at least 18 goals (19 in 2022-23 and 18 in 2024-25) and added 19 assists in each of those campaigns. He had uninspiring numbers in 2023-24 but was hampered by injuries throughout and only played 67 games.

How Freddy Gaudreau fits with the Kraken​

A big difference between this Gaudreau acquisition and the Marchment one is that Marchment only has one year left on his contract at a $4.5 million cap hit. Gaudreau, on the other hand, still has three years remaining on a five-year deal he signed with the Wild in 2023-24. That means he’ll be 35 years old when the deal expires.

The good news here is that Gaudreau’s cap hit isn’t crazy at $2.1 million. By the end of the deal, it will probably be more than they’d want to spend on a then-34-year-old (most likely) fourth-liner, but for now, it’s not a terrible number.

What’s perplexing at this point, though, is how all the pieces fit together. Botterill told us in his interview with the Sound Of Hockey Podcast that he doesn’t want to “block out” the young players in the organization from having a chance to make the team. But if you assume that includes Berkly Catton and, say, Jani Nyman, then they’re already reaching the limit of forwards they can keep in the lineup.

In the article I published on Tuesday, recapping the previous two trades, I haphazardly threw together a projected depth chart with the additions of Marchment and Veleno and the removal of Burakovsky.

Here’s what I came up with for the forward group at that time:

Jaden Schwartz // Matty Beniers // Kaapo Kakko
Jared McCann // Chandler Stephenson // Mason Marchment
Eeli Tolvanen // Shane Wright // Jordan Eberle
Jani Nyman // Berkly Catton // Joe Veleno
Tye Kartye

Does the addition of Gaudreau end up pushing another youngster out (potentially in addition to Tye Kartye)? Or does Joe Veleno fill the 13th/14th forward role and spend a lot of nights sitting out (heck, they could still end up buying him out, but I still don’t believe that’s the plan)?

Jaden Schwartz // Matty Beniers // Kaapo Kakko
Jared McCann // Chandler Stephenson // Mason Marchment
Eeli Tolvanen // Shane Wright // Jordan Eberle
Jani Nyman // Freddy Gaudreau // Berkly Catton
Tye Kartye // Joe Veleno

Another thing to consider is that the Kraken are suddenly bursting at the seams with centers. Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, Shane Wright, Gaudreau, Berkly Catton, and Veleno are all centers. So, at least one or two of those players will end up primarily on the wing. That’s not necessarily a problem, but it’s notable that Botterill continues to load up on players who can play the pivot.

I also wonder if this transaction marks the unofficial end of the short-lived Mikey Eyssimont Era in Seattle. The speedy depth winger, acquired at the Trade Deadline in the Yanni Gourde/Oliver Bjorkstrand trade, showed well in his time with the Kraken, but it does appear the roster is maxing out on its depth players.

More coming​

With the trade for Gaudreau, the Kraken are now projected to have about $16.6 million in cap space before re-signing restricted free agents Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Tye Kartye. When that dust settles, I’d think they’ll have around $7–8 million left.

I’m still convinced that Botterill is looking for a splashier acquisition—a top-line winger who can reliably score 30-plus goals. But as the roster spots continue to fill up and the surplus cap space dwindles, I’m even more convinced that whoever he brings in will require the departure of a key contributor from last season’s group.

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Kraken acquire Freddy Gaudreau in trade with Minnesota Wild – How he fits appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/26/kraken-acquire-freddy-gaudreau-from-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle Kraken add defensemen Blake Fiddler and Will Reynolds on Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft

The Seattle Kraken began Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft Saturday with the sixth pick in the second round (No. 38), but they didn’t wait that long to grab a player they had highly rated on their board. The Kraken traded their two second-round picks (Nos. 38 and 57) to Philadelphia for pick No. 36 and a third-round pick (No. 68). The trade may have been an ever-so-slight overpay based on our trade market value chart, but Seattle got a hulking, right-shot defenseman in Blake Fiddler that few anticipated to still be on the board at this point in the draft. By trading, Seattle effectively jumped over Philadelphia and Washington, one of which took another right-shot defenseman in Carter Amico.

At the top of the third round, Seattle then took another defenseman in Will Reynolds at No. 68 overall. What are the Kraken getting in Fiddler and Reynolds? Let’s dive in.

Round 2, Pick 36: Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)​

Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 209 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 27th | Data Score: 33.74 (94th) | Games: 64 | Goals: 10 | Assists: 23 | PPG: .52

With the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken selected defenseman Blake Fiddler from the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound, native Tennessean brings a physical element, as well as strong speed and agility for his size. He also has NHL experience in the family; his father Vernon Fiddler played 14 years in the NHL as a forward for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, among other teams.

Beyond size, speed, and bloodlines, Blake Fiddler brings significant upside as a shutdown top-four defenseman. “With three-zone skills and unusual mobility for a player this size, it’s impossible not to see Fiddler’s potential,” says Elite Prospects. “In a single shift, he dangles through the opposition for an entry, blows up an opposing rush, and then stretches the ice with a long-range breakout pass while fending off pressure. … Fiddler is highly creative, manipulating defenders with fakes before pulling the puck through them, beating them off the point, drawing pressure before passing through them on the breakout, and patiently waiting for the perfect lane to open. Many plays don’t quite click, but that he’s willing to experiment and push bodes well for his future.”

For his part, Fiddler compared his own game to Moritz Seider in a post-draft press conference with the Seattle media.

The defenseman scored 10 goals and added 23 assists in 64 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings, a .52 point-per-game pace. His 33 points ranked fifth among all first-time eligible WHL defensemen in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Fiddler was viewed by most scouts as a late-first-round talent. He was No. 27 overall on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Of the sources we gathered, Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News was the highest on Fiddler, ranking him No. 17 overall. Elite Prospects had him ranked No. 23 overall, and McKeen’s had him at No. 22.

What Fiddler does for Seattle is fill a glaring hole in the Kraken organization: a blueliner who could conceivably fill a top-pair role for the team once the current NHL players atop the depth chart start to age out. He may not project as a true offensive No. 1, but his all-around profile could compliment a more offense-oriented pair partner. The Kraken have a number of intriguing defense prospects, from Caden Price to Tyson Jugnauth, but each projects into more of a support or one-way role at this point. If it all comes together, Fiddler could be an alpha on the blue line long term.

If he’s going to reach his upside, the hockey sense and consistency needs to develop, “particularly reading the play,” says Elite Prospects. “Achieving a top shutdown projection will require better timing on his pivots, a consistently tight gap, and more physicality. An occasional lack of awareness and a plethora of miscues with possession will have to be cleaned up to translate his puck-moving to the NHL, too.”

As a July, 2007 birthday, Fiddler is a young draft entry. There is a long development runway ahead. We should not expect Fiddler on the roster in the next couple years, but his frame and style of play could have him knocking at the door thereafter if things coalesce quickly for him.

Round 3, Pick 68: Will Reynolds, D, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)​

Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 192 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 137th | Data Score: 11.74 (1995th) | Games: 64 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 10 | PPG: .22

For the second-straight draft, the Kraken departed from (some) public analyst consensus to select a QMJHL defenseman whose calling card is defensive play at the top of the third round. Last year it was Alexis Bernier. This year it is Reynolds, a young (August, 2007 birthday), big and mobile left-shot defenseman.

“There’s potential for growth in Will Reynolds’ game,” says Elite Prospects. “One of the youngest players in the draft, with room to fill out, Reynolds already boasts a few professional-level defensive abilities. Reading opposing breakouts and timing himself with the play, he pinches on opponents as they receive the puck, nullifying rushes. His aggressive approach does lead to some misses, but Reynolds has the edgework needed to catch up to attackers and push them to the outside anyway.”

The defenseman scored four goals and added 10 assists in 64 games for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL. In 2021, the Kraken selected Jacob Melanson out of Acadie-Bathurst.

Reynolds was viewed by most scouts as a mid-round talent, checking in at No. 137 on the Big Board. McKeen’s thought Reynolds should be picked in this range, ranking him No. 75 overall. NHL Central Scouting had Reynolds No. 63 among North American skaters.

“The next step for Reynolds is developing his puck-moving game,” says Elite Prospects. “He can separate opponents from the puck, but extends his time spent defending when he can’t pass it around the forecheck to open teammates. If he can develop his poise, handling, and passing skills, he could become a bottom-pairing NHL insulator.”

* * *

Seattle has two picks left in the 2025 NHL Draft, one in the fifth round (No. 134) and one in the seventh round (No. 198). Seattle added a creative, right-shot center on Day 1 in Jake O’Brien. The team then added size, mobility, and defensive upside to the prospect pool on Day 2 with Fiddler and Reynolds.

What do you think of the picks? Any players you’d have preferred to see Seattle select? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or BluSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

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 Seattle Kraken add defensemen Blake Fiddler and Will Reynolds on Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/2...will-reynolds-on-day-2-of-the-2025-nhl-draft/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Live Blog: Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft – Seattle Kraken

Welcome to the Sound Of Hockey NHL Draft Live Blog! The Seattle Kraken enter Day 2 of the NHL Draft with four picks—barring any trades, that’s the fewest selections they’ve had in any draft in their five-year history.

We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as the Kraken make their picks. The most recent updates will appear at the top, so scroll down if you want to catch up on earlier news.

If you missed Seattle’s first-round selection of Jake O’Brien on Friday, you can check out our profile on him here.

---

2:06 PM: Round 7 is complete and the draft is done​

1:59 PM: The Seattle Kraken draft Loke Krantz​

With their final pick in the NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken selected another Swede, this time, it was Loke Krantz from the Linköping HC junior team. He tallied 12 goals and 5 assists in 44 games with the J20 squad.

1:36 PM: The Seattle Kraken draft Karl Annborn​

With their first newly acquired draft pick, the Kraken selected defenseman Karl Annborn from the HV71 junior team. Annborn is considered a balanced defenseman with a broad set of skills. He recorded 3 goals and 21 assists last season while playing for the HV71 J20 team.

1:25 PM: Seattle Kraken trade their 7th round pick​

The Kraken traded the 198th overall pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the 205th and 218th picks, both seventh-rounders in this year’s draft.

1:18 PM: Round 6 is complete​

Draft is flying right now. Here are the picks from Round 6.

12:48 PM: Round 5 is complete​

12:18 PM The Seattle Kraken draft Russian defender Maxim Agafonov​

For only the second time in franchise history, the Seattle Kraken selected a Russian player, taking Maxim Agafonov with the 134th overall pick (goalie Semyon Vyazovoy was the other one in 2021). He’s currently playing for Ufa’s junior team in the Russian junior league, where he posted 14 points in 35 games this past season.

12:22 AM: Round 4 is complete​

11:22 AM: Round 3 is complete​

The Spokane Chiefs made their first pick of the 2025 Draft when Owen Martin was selected 92nd overall by Winnipeg. Here is the rest of Round 4.

11:02 AM: Kraken second-round selection Blake Fiddler speaks to the media​

Blake Fiddler spoke to the Seattle media via Zoom after being selected 36th overall. Here are a few quotes from his media availability.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, such a great organization. I couldn’t be happier to go to a team that seems like they wanted me, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

“A little bit emotional the past couple days, but it’s awesome to finally be picked.”

“I’m a rangy, two-way D-man that skates really well, especially for my size. I think that I use my legs all over the ice, I defend, good gaps, I can play heavy minutes, shut down top teams, and I have skills, so I’m able to use it offensively.”

10:31 AM: The Kraken select Will Reynolds​

Will Reynolds is one of the younger players in this draft class, with an August birthday. He’s considered a shutdown defenseman with plenty of upside. He currently plays for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the QMJHL, though the team is relocating to Newfoundland next season. He had 4 goals and 14 assists last season.

With the 68th pick overall in the 2025 @NHL Draft the #SeaKraken select Will Reynolds.

Get to know Will: pic.twitter.com/b4f4GO6jlA

— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) June 28, 2025

10:15 AM: Round 2 in the books….on to round 3​

Here are the results of round 3.

9:56 AM: The draft is flying by, especially compared to Friday night​

Kraken will not pick until early in the third but here are some bits and pieces of the action since the Kraken selected Fiddler.

• Two goalies have been selected in the second round. That’s four total in the draft so far.
• The Portland Winterhawks had their first player selected in Max Psenicka.

Round pick heading to Utah!

With the 46th overall pick in the 2025 @NHL Draft, we’ve selected Max Pšenička. pic.twitter.com/zdVGv7RnmR

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) June 28, 2025

9:28 AM: Seattle Kraken draft defenseman Blake Fiddler​

Fiddler is a big defenseman for the Edmonton Oil Kings. He is the son of former NHLer Vernon Fiddler. Most analysts had Fiddler ranked late in the first round.

9:26 AM: We have a Seattle Kraken trade!!!​

The Seattle Kraken traded the 36th and the 68th overall pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 36th and 38th pick. All picks are part of this draft.

#SeaKraken make a trade with the Flyers

Seattle receives picks 36 and 68 for picks 38 and 57

— Alison (@AlisonL) June 28, 2025

9:16 AM: The draft has officially started​

As of now, the Kraken have four picks to start the day. Here is how they are distributed.

8:50 AM: T-minus 10 minutes until the start of Day 2​

We’re back for Rounds 2 through 7 of the 2025 NHL Draft! If you missed last night’s four-hour-plus production, here are a few quick tidbits to get you up to speed.

• The Seattle Kraken selected Jake O’Brien, marking the fourth time they’ve drafted a center in the first round in their five-year history. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one scouring the internet for highlight reels of O’Brien—here’s one of my favorites:

• The Seattle Thunderbirds had a big night with two players taken in the first round: Radim Mrtka (9th overall) and Braeden Cootes (15th). The last time Seattle had two first-rounders was back in 2022, when Kevin Korchinski (7) and Reid Schaefer (32) were picked.
• The CHL led the way with 21 players selected in the first round, the league’s strongest showing since 2013.
• Canada was well represented too, with 20 Canadian-born players drafted in the opening round, the most in a first round since all the way back in 1987.
• As for surprises? There weren’t many. Most players went right around where public rankings had them pegged.
• Not draft related, but another piece of big news was that Philipp Grubauer will not be bought out.

Jason Botterill just confirmed that Philipp Grubauer will be back next season. #SeaKraken

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

Here’s a look back at all the Round 1 results:

The post Live Blog: Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft – Seattle Kraken appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/28/day-two-2025-nhl-draft-seattle-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken get an elite playmaker in drafting Jake O’Brien at No. 8 overall

With the 8th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken added another talented center to their growing pipeline, selecting Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs. The Toronto native turned heads this season with his elite vision and playmaking ability, racking up 32 goals and 66 assists for 98 points in just 68 OHL regular-season games.

O’Brien was the engine behind Brantford’s power play, quarterbacking the top unit and piling up 41 power-play assists—a testament to both his patience and precision. His ability to manipulate defenders and carve through coverage is already drawing praise from scouts. Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects described O’Brien as a player whose “head is always up, scanning, adjusting routes, and inviting defenders to make the first move before slicing them apart with a feed.” In short: he sees plays develop before they even happen.

At 6-foot-1.5 and 172 pounds, O’Brien isn’t the biggest player on the ice, but he rarely needs to be. His game is built on feel, finesse, and hockey sense. While many analysts have noted that he still has room to grow in terms of shooting and skating, his offensive instincts are already NHL-caliber.

Brantford opens the scoring #NHLDraft prospect Jake O’Brien scores a late first period goal for the @BulldogsOHL to put them up 1-0 heading into the first intermission!#OHLPlayoffs | @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/p1EaqcmBTA

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 19, 2025

The Kraken are banking on that upside. O’Brien’s pedigree also speaks volumes, his mom played high-level hockey and now runs her own hockey school, which Jake frequented growing up to fine-tune his craft. His dad also played Division I college hockey and logged a year in the ECHL. The hockey DNA runs deep in the O’Brien family.

This selection marks the fourth time in five drafts that Seattle has used a first-round pick on a center, following Matty Beniers (2021), Shane Wright (2022), and Berkly Catton (2024). And while not all centers stay at that position as pros, the organizational philosophy is clear: keep stacking the middle of the ice. The old saying goes, “You can never have too many centers,” and Seattle seems happy to live by that rule.

Whether O’Brien eventually lands at center or shifts to the wing, his ability to create offense and tilt the ice is what earned him OHL Rookie of the Year honors in 2023-24, when he posted 64 points in 61 games as a 16-year-old. That was just the beginning. The Kraken hope he’s only getting started.

The post Kraken get an elite playmaker in drafting Jake O’Brien at No. 8 overall appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/27/jake-obrien-seattle-kraken-draft/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

2025 NHL Mock Draft, Seattle Kraken seven-round edition

The 2025 NHL Draft is here. The first round begins at 4:00 p.m. PT Friday. Catch it on ESPN, ESPN+, or NHL Network in the United States. Rounds 2 – 7 begin at 9:00 a.m. PT on Saturday. That will be on NHL Network or ESPN+.

We’ve also reached the culmination of Draft Week at Sound Of Hockey. Check out all of our draft-related content leading into the 2025 NHL Draft:

• The Sound Of Hockey Big Board, a composite ranking of top 2025 NHL Draft prospects
• A Data-Driven Look at top 2025 NHL Draft Prospects, our data-only watchlist
• 2025 NHL Mock Draft, Post-Lottery Edition
• Grading the Seattle Kraken’s draft picks through the years (so far)
• NHL Draft Trade Value Chart (from 2022)

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

Mock draft rules​

As I have done in the past—with one exception I will explain below—I will presume that players come off the board in the order predicted by the Sound Of Hockey 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. 38. While the Big Board is far from infallible, this approach is intended to make the exercise more challenging and closer to reality. In highlighting potential “alternative” picks, I may mention a few players who could be in range if they “fall” to Seattle’s pick.

Typically, I follow a “no trades” rule too, but I’m departing from that once this year as well. Due to Seattle’s recent wheeling and dealing, the Kraken have just five draft picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, with none falling between picks 57 and 134. I wonder if they pursue a trade to close that gap. While speculative and unlikely, I project one such trade in the mock draft below.

Following today’s trade, we now have picks in the 2025 #NHLDraft

Get up-to-date with where we're picking before the first round kicks off tomorrow in LA → https://t.co/ILj7np6Vw4 pic.twitter.com/3RCrOPYi5M

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) June 26, 2025

The 2025 Seattle Kraken mock draft​

Round 1, Pick 8: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 170 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 7th | Data Score: 65.88 (4th) |Games Played: 66 | Goals: 32 | Assists: 66 | PPG: 1.48

Scout’s view: “O’Brien displays the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make difficult plays and run an NHL power play. He’s extremely skilled with the puck, showing the soft touch and quick hands to create a lot of scoring chances and improvise on difficult plays often.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic ($)

One stat to know: O’Brien is the second-youngest player in the top 25 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board, born on June 16, 2007. Only projected top pick Matthew Schaefer is younger. O’Brien was also the second-leading scorer among draft-eligible OHL players.

Notes: As you can tell, I broke the cardinal rule of this mock draft right away by selecting O’Brien (No. 7 on the Big Board) with Seattle’s eighth pick. I did so based on the belief that Brady Martin will go off the board before Seattle’s pick despite being ranked No. 9 on the Big Board. “It just feels like there is no way [Martin] gets out of the top seven,” Good Friend of the Podcast Chris Peters said on Thursday’s pre-draft episode of Called Up. Martin has been a “late riser” in the public realm as analysts catch up to where teams are on him. I understand the helium. Martin is a cut above in his ability to play with physicality from whistle to whistle without sacrificing speed or skill. He reminds me of another Brady (Tkachuk) in his style of play. I’ll project he comes off the board before Seattle’s pick (taking Roger McQueen’s place in my post-lottery mock draft).

The Martin pick pushes O’Brien down to Seattle, and the Kraken are happy to grab the 6-foot-2 center that Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects has called the most creative playmaker in the draft—a player in the mold of Wyatt Johnston, with legitimate first-line center potential.

Alternatives: If Boston College center James Hagens (No. 4 on the Big Board) or Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone (No. 3) fall out of the top seven instead, I suspect Seattle rushes to the stage. Based on historical precedent, I think a trade involving this pick is fairly unlikely, but if a team targeting Martone or O’Brien were willing to offer Seattle an extra first- or second-round pick in 2026 for a moderate trade down, I’d consider it. Despite the organizational redundancy of smaller, skill-first forwards, I don’t think you turn down a chance at Hagens. Looking at defensemen only, I’d probably go with Kashawn Aitcheson.

Round 2, Pick 38: Nathan Behm, LW/RW, Kamloops Blazers (OHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 198 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 47th | Data Score: 48.60 (21st) |Games Played: 59 | Goals: 31 | Assists: 35 | PPG: 1.12

Scout’s view: “[Behm] combines creative playmaking, deceptive shooting, and above-average puck handling to generate offense. He beats defenders by manipulating them and using his reach to pull pucks through traffic. His soft hands allow him to catch pucks effortlessly and execute quick slot passes and shots. He has an NHL-ready build, but he’ll need to improve pace and engage physically to reach his potential.” – Rachel Doerrie, ESPN

One stat to know: Outproduced many top-ranked WHL scorers on a per-60-minutes basis, including Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell.

Notes: At this point in the draft, few players offer the mix of production (1.12 points per game) and tools that Behm does. If the same profile came at center, we’d likely be looking at him as a top-25 pick. If it fell this way, the pick would remind me a bit of the Carson Rehkopf selection in terms of profile. That said, stylistically, Behm is much more willing to drive the net and take punishment in that area of the ice than Rehkopf has been to date. If skating and strength elements take a step, Behm could be a second-line scorer and a nice value at pick No. 38.

Alternatives: If forward Ryker Lee (No. 29 on the Big Board) fell, I’d like him for many of the same reasons as Behm. 6-foot-5 forward Vaclav Nestrasil (No. 40) is a very interesting tools-based projection. Forward Benjamin Kevan (No. 49) has a track record of USHL scoring with two strong years heading into this draft.

*TRADE: Seattle trades pick No. 57 to Buffalo for a third-round pick (No. 73) and fourth-round pick (No. 103)*

Comment: The Seattle Kraken would be slight losers in terms of market value on our Trade Value Chart, but the benefit in this deal would come in closing the gap on Seattle’s draft board that lasts until the fifth round. This trade would give them closer to their traditional allocation of first- through fifth-round picks.

Alternatives: Assuming Seattle keeps this pick—which is, of course, most likely—I’d consider many of the players listed for the next two picks. I’d also consider forward Kristian Epperson (No. 60 on the Big Board). He will likely be the first re-entry candidate selected and is appealing in this range after putting up big numbers driving play alongside Michael Misa for the Saginaw Spirit. This is a range where Seattle has found success targeting goalies, but I suspect the team’s existing pipeline of goaltenders may dissuade them from taking a goaltender this high this year.

Round 3, Pick 73: Mateo Nobert, C (QMHL)
Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot | Weight: 168 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 96th | Data Score: 42.94 (32nd) | Games Played: 57 | Goals: 28 | Assists: 39 | PPG: 1.18

Scout’s view: “[Nobert’s] game is all about his smarts. He thinks it well both on the puck offensively and off the puck offensively and defensively. He’s also a reliable 200-foot center with good hands who can make plays and reads at speed and in congested areas. He needs to get stronger and improve in the face-off circle, but he’s an August birthday who has development time in front of him and was already a riser for his rapid development this season, playing huge minutes for Blainville.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)

One stat to know: Nobert is the third-youngest skater in the top 100 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. He was also the third-leading scoring among draft-eligible players in the QMJHL.

Notes: The Kraken dipped into the QMJHL in this range of the draft last year, selecting defenseman Alexis Bernier, and I’ll project they do it again with Nobert. Nobert is a player with a lot of elements on his side—youth, hockey sense, and defensive ability chief among them. There’s a development road in front of him as he gets stronger, but his profile reminds me a bit of Oscar Molgaard (with more offense and less defense).

Alternatives: Forwards Aidan Lane and Mason Moe are also interesting in this range.

Round 4, Pick 103: Sam Laurila, D, Fargo Force (USHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 187 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 104th | Data Score: 41.04 (40th) | Games Played: 57 | Goals: 8 | Assists: 33 | PPG: 0.72

Scout’s view: “Laurila is a valuable and intelligent two-way defender; his profile is incredibly well rounded. He’s an excellent skater with smooth four-way mobility. His gap control is excellent when defending downhill, and even though he doesn’t project as an overly physical pro defender, he’s great at angling off attackers and neutralizing transitional opportunities. He blocks shots. He’s got great instincts when defending the slot and rarely misses an assignment. For our money, he may have been the best defensive defender in the USHL this past season. It’s the progression in his offensive game that truly has him in contention for the first three rounds.” – McKeen’s

One stat to know: Laurila was second among all under-19 USHL defenseman in scoring in 2024-25.

Notes: Laurila went undrafted last year as one of the very youngest eligible players (born Sept. 2, 2006). In the year since, he departed the U.S. National Team Development Program and broke out with the Fargo Force, turning into a two-way, play-driving defenseman. Laurila is bound for the University of North Dakota, which will allow him to avoid the log jam of defensemen at Coachella Valley in the near term.

Alternatives: Former Seattle Thunderbird defenseman Bryce Pickford is also appealing in this range. He also went undrafted in 2024 before breaking out with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Round 5, Pick 134: Ethan Wyttenbach, F, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-9.75 | Weight: 170 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 175th | Data Score: 53.93 (11th) | Games Played: 44 | Goals: 24 | Assists: 27 | PPG: 1.16

Scout’s view: “An intelligent and adaptable two-way winger, he has NHL- calibre playmaking, details, and skills. It all hinges on skating and physicality growth.” – Elite Prospects

One stat to know: Before he was sidelined for part of the back half of the USHL season with an injury, he tallied a point in all but three of his games.

Notes: The odds are against Wyttenbach as a smaller player drafted late, but if there is a player with that profile to bet on, it may be him—the winner of the inaugural Gaudreau Award, presented to one USHL player based on combined “elements of on-ice play with joy, enthusiasm, care and responsibility.” The production was there, and, while he is a shade under 5-foot-10, he played a sturdy interior game in the USHL. He’s bound for Quinnipiac University, which allows a long development runway.

Alternatives: Forwards Aidan Park and Kale Dach; defenseman Will Sharpe.

Round 7, Pick 198: Andrei Trofimov, G, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)
Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 176
Big Board: 266th | Data Score: N/A | Games Played: 26 | GAA: 2.10 | Save %: .929

Scout’s view: “Andrei Trofimov fits the mold of many of the Russian goalies in this draft class. Slightly undersized, strong numbers in the MHL this season, technically sound with strong edge work, and a lot unknowns about how he’ll translate to a more north-south game with traffic and more bodies in front of the net.” – Elite Prospects

One stat to know: Trofimov was fourth in save percentage among under-19 goalies in the Russian junior league last season.

Notes: The Kraken have taken a goalie in each draft. The question is whether it comes in the second- or third-round or later. Trofimov is a young re-entry with solid numbers at the Russian junior level to add a layer of international depth below Semyon Vyazovoy and Kim Saarinen.

Alternatives: Forwards Jeremy Loranger, Poul Andersen, and Gavin Cornforth; defenseman Ludvig Johnson.

* * *

What do you think? Who do you want to see the Kraken select? 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 @deepseahockey and @sound_hockey or BluSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.

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 2025 NHL Mock Draft, Seattle Kraken seven-round edition appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/27/2025-nhl-mock-draft-seattle-kraken-seven-round-edition/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle Kraken targets in shallow free agency market

After a shrewd trade that sent Andre Burakovsky to Chicago for Joe Veleno, followed by a buyout of Veleno’s contract, the Seattle Kraken head into free agency on July 1 with roughly $18 million in cap space. But let’s not get carried away, the Kraken aren’t likely to go on a shopping spree.

Around $8 million of that cap space is earmarked for pending restricted free-agent contracts with Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Tye Kartye, which leaves roughly $10 million in realistic spending room. And just because you can spend doesn’t mean you should. With plenty of long-term flexibility and a mostly set roster, the Kraken appear positioned to take a more surgical approach in free agency this summer.

There’s been some speculative chatter about Seattle’s interest in players like Jordan Kyrou, and while I’m not big on rumor-based hypotheticals, it’s worth noting that preserving cap flexibility leaves the door open for trades or bold moves if the right fit emerges. If the Kraken *were* to make a splashier acquisition this summer, the trade route feels most likely. So as far as free agency is concerned, I expect a guarded approach.

A different summer than last​

Last summer, the Kraken were among the more aggressive teams in free agency, landing Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson on significant deals. This year feels different.

The top three forward lines and top two defensive pairings are basically set, and the organization is keeping an eye on several prospects who could make the jump to the NHL. Names like Berkly Catton, Ryan Winterton, and Jani Nyman are expected to compete for forward roles, while Jacob Melanson and Nathan Villeneuve could be in the mix for fourth-line roles should the organization look for a more conventional fourth line. On the back end, Ville Ottavainen may push for a full-time spot.

So while there’s optimism about internal growth, it’s risky to assume that prospects will step in and stick. That leaves the Kraken in a bit of a balancing act, in that they don’t want to block young players, but they also can’t leave roster holes if those players aren’t ready.

What they actually need​

Assuming no major trades and the team’s intention to sign its RFA’s, the Kraken’s needs look relatively modest:

• One left winger, ideally with some flexibility and penalty-killing upside
• One third-pair defenseman

Of course, we should expect them to add more than two extra bodies for depth or injury insurance, especially players who can start the year in Coachella Valley.

One note before we get into names: No, I won’t be predicting offer sheets. Despite the “summer of offer sheets” hype, they almost never happen. Additionally, while elite names like Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers would look great in deep sea blue, I am trying to be realistic, and that kind of splash is extremely unlikely this summer.

With all that said, here are a few realistic free agent options the Kraken might consider:

Left wing Kraken targets​

Ideal profile: Comfortable in a fourth-line role, can handle elevated minutes if needed, offers some goal-scoring pop and can kill penalties.

Joel Kiviranta – 29 years old​

A sneaky good fit. Kiviranta is a solid fourth-line winger with the ability to slide up the lineup in a pinch. He also logged significant penalty kill time in Colorado. As a bonus, he’d become the fourth Finnish forward on the roster, and if my line projections are even close, that would put one Finn on each line.

Whether it’s against them or for them, with the Avs, Joel Kiviranta just hits different. pic.twitter.com/1Om6kqy6rZ

— David Castillo (@DavidCastilloAC) January 23, 2025

Anthony Beauvillier – 28 years old​

I’m not sure he’s an ideal fourth-liner, but if the Kraken are trying to rebuild a depth-scoring line like the 2022-23 version, Beauvillier could be a nice fit. He played under new head coach Lane Lambert on Long Island, so there’s some built-in familiarity.

Tanner Jeannot – 28 years old​

It’s been a while since Jeannot’s 24-goal breakout with Nashville in 2021-22. Since then, he hasn’t topped seven goals in a season. But that might mean he’s open to a short-term, “prove-it” deal. The physicality and gritty playstyle make him a natural fourth-liner who could still chip in some scoring. He also has a bit of the nasty gene that a lot of people think the team needs. He’s a low-risk, medium-reward option, likely under $3M AAV.

Tanner Jeannot lands a heavy hit on Artem Zub. pic.twitter.com/OeVtfDJdCn

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 14, 2024

Defensemen Kraken targets​

Seattle’s top four on the blue line is locked in, so this is about adding a third-pair option, ideally someone who can play both sides. No need for power-play time or major penalty kill minutes here.

Jon Merrill – 33 years old​

A classic stay-at-home vet. No offense to speak of, but he’s steady and won’t cost much. He’s not flashy, but you can trust him to give you safe minutes in a sheltered role.

Nick Perbix – 27 years old​

Perbix brings more size (6’4″) than Merrill and is a bit younger, but he still is not going to bring much offense. If Seattle wants a little more term or ceiling in their depth role, Perbix might be the better option—though he’ll likely come at a slightly higher price.

Perbix hit on Tkachuk. pic.twitter.com/W71J2a5two

— Chris Krenn (@Chris_Krenn) October 22, 2022

Final thoughts​

There are some good fits in this year’s free agent crop, but signing a player requires interest from both sides. Just because a player looks like a perfect addition doesn’t mean he’s open to joining a team that’s still building its identity and long-term core.

The Kraken’s approach this summer might not generate headlines, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be effective. Whether they spend their cap space or keep some powder dry for a midseason opportunity, the key is adding value without blocking development.

Who would you like to see Seattle go after on July 1? Let us know in the comments.

The post Seattle Kraken targets in shallow free agency market appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/3...y-targets-spending-smart-in-a-shallow-market/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Jason Botterill’s Kraken roster reshape has begun after pair of notable trades

Newly promoted Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill has stated on several occasions that he intends to be active this summer as he attempts to reshape the team’s roster into a playoff contender. While his promotion into the GM chair and Ron Francis’s simultaneous move to a president of hockey ops position may have felt like a half measure at the time, there is a distinct advantage for an executive moving up within an organization in which he has been immersed since Day 1.

“It’s exciting for sure,” Botterill said in his interview with the Sound Of Hockey Podcast last week. “It’s great to be back in the GM chair; certainly it’s what I aspired to do again. But it’s such a different experience, this time, knowing the entire organization.

“When you go to a new organization like I did from Pittsburgh to Buffalo [in 2017], you certainly have ideas of what goes on, ideas of the staff, ideas of the players. But it literally takes you a couple of years to figure it all out and figure out the nuances and the chemistry that goes on. That’s my big advantage here is just being a part of this since Day 1, being a part of all the discussions with Ron on different things.”

In short, Botterill came into the new role expecting to hit the ground running.

Indeed, he made two notable trades in a span of 72 hours last week, first taking advantage of the impending cap crunch in Dallas and snagging sizable, gritty winger Mason Marchment for a bargain return of a third-round draft pick in 2026 and a fourth-rounder in this weekend’s draft. (That fourth-rounder originally belonged to Dallas and was acquired by former GM Francis in the Alex Wennberg trade to the Rangers in March 2024.) The Marchment deal was—as they say—a nice bit of business.

Botterill followed that up by finding a creative solution to the Andre Burakovsky conundrum, trading the underperforming winger to the Chicago Blackhawks for depth center Joe Veleno.

If these trades were to happen in a vacuum and be Seattle’s only moves of the offseason, then they wouldn’t be enough to move the needle and get the Kraken back into contention next season. But I do believe Botterill is going to be aggressive in retooling the personnel this summer, and these moves are just the first steps in that process.

Marchment is a good fit​

One thing we’ve heard from Botterill is that the team wants to be better at getting to the inside in the offensive zone while also doing a better job protecting the dangerous areas in the defensive end. Marchment certainly brings size (he’s 6-foot-5, 212 pounds) and grit and should be able to help his linemates by digging out pucks and barreling his big body into the crease.

“That is my game,” Marchment said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “I like to get in on the forecheck, get inside, get pucks back, strip guys on the backcheck. That’s stuff I take pride in and like to do well. So if I can help out that way, it’s going to be great. Getting to the net front, getting in the goalie’s eyes, that’s huge. Small things like that are things that help win games and help you get to the playoffs.”

While they’re different players at different stages of their careers, this acquisition reminds me of the Kaapo Kakko trade, in which Seattle brought in a big-bodied winger who was viewed as a player capable of creating space for his linemates. Sure enough, Matty Beniers—who had another slow start to the season—took off in the second half after Kakko arrived and was placed on his wing.

Can Marchment, 30, bring a similar impact for other players? I can’t help but envision Marchment alongside Chandler Stephenson, a center who prefers to play on the perimeter and utilize his deft passing skills, drawing attention from defenders at the top of the crease, while somebody like Jared McCann tees up a one-timer from the other side.

That’s what excites me most about Marchment’s profile: he brings a package of size and skill that could help unlock other Kraken players next season and get them scoring more steadily.

What I haven’t even mentioned yet is that—although I see him as a complementary piece to help create space—Marchment can also put the puck in the net. He’s had 22 goals in each of the last two seasons, notching that number in 81 games in 2023-24 and matching it in 2024-25 despite missing 20 games with injury. So, there’s some skill there, which means he’s not only replacing some of the grit lost when the Kraken traded Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, but in a way, Marchment also replaces a good chunk of the offensive production lost when Oliver Bjorkstrand was dealt.

Considering what Botterill had to give up to bring in Marchment, my initial reaction was that this was a big win for the Kraken.

As for Marchment’s contract, he signed a reasonable four-year, $18 million deal to remain in Dallas in 2022. So, Seattle gets him at just a $4.5 million cap hit for 2025-26, and if the team doesn’t extend him, he will surely be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if the Kraken once again find themselves in a seller’s position.

A creative solution to the Burakovsky issue​

As the season came to a close, we circled two players as buyout candidates for the Kraken. One of those was Philipp Grubauer, who remains on the roster as of the writing of this story, though the first buyout window has been open since Friday and will remain open until June 30.

The other was Burakovsky, who never fully returned to form after tearing his groin midway through his first season with Seattle in 2022-23. He showed flashes but just never got back to any semblance of consistent play.

After a second straight season of minimal offensive production from Burakovsky—he had 10 goals and 27 assists in 79 games—while carrying a significant salary, we assumed Seattle would have few options in getting Burakovsky’s $5.5 million cap hit off the books. One option would be to attach assets and/or retain significant salary in a trade.

The only alternative was a buyout. A buyout of Burakovsky’s contract would have been expensive, though, carrying a $1.96 million cap hit next season, $3.2 million in 2026-27, and then two more penalty years of $1.46 million per season. (Worth noting, a Grubauer buyout would be similar at $1.98 million, $3.08 million, then $1.68 million for the two penalty years.)

But, remarkably, Botterill pulled a rabbit out of his hat and got the Blackhawks to take Burakovsky with no salary retention in exchange for Veleno.

From Chicago’s point of view, taking Burakovsky’s contract actually helps the Blackhawks get to the cap floor for the next two seasons, and there is a chance he could flourish in a top-six role with a rebuilding team that features Connor Bedard. Meanwhile, Veleno was also viewed as a buyout candidate for Chicago, so it solves that problem as well.

Back to the Kraken perspective: Veleno has one year left on his contract at a $2.275 million cap hit before he becomes a restricted free agent. He could still be a buyout candidate and would be way cheaper to buy out than Burakovsky. Still just 25 years old, Veleno can be bought out for one-third of his 2025-26 salary. This means just $795K this season and $295K next season. He could also be stashed in the AHL, which would decrease his cap hit to $1.125 million while keeping him in the organization.

I’m guessing they’ll keep him on the roster, though, to backfill the fourth-line center spot that was vacated by Gourde’s trade to Tampa Bay.

Veleno has never quite hit his NHL stride, despite showing tons of promise as a youngster, earning exceptional status to join the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs at 15 years old. With that in mind, there is some speed, size, and talent in there, making Veleno’s inclusion at the bottom of the forward corps for next season very low-risk and, again, a nice bit of business for Botterill. Perhaps the right role and setting could unlock more of the promise that once showed for Veleno.

Projected depth chart​

With Burakovsky out and Marchment and Veleno in, we can start to piece together a way-too-early depth chart for the Kraken next season. Botterill reminded us in his interview with the Sound Of Hockey Podcast that he does expect to give Berkly Catton a look on the NHL roster, and he doesn’t want to “block out” young players in the organization from having a chance to make the team.

So, I’m penciling in Catton and Jani Nyman on the fourth line for now (I know, neither belongs in that role), but the roster will surely continue to evolve throughout the summer.

Forwards​

Jaden Schwartz // Matty Beniers // Kaapo Kakko
Jared McCann // Chandler Stephenson // Mason Marchment
Eeli Tolvanen // Shane Wright // Jordan Eberle
Jani Nyman // Berkly Catton // Joe Veleno
Tye Kartye

Defense​

Vince Dunn // Adam Larsson
Ryker Evans // Brandon Montour
Jamie Oleksiak // Josh Mahura
Ville Ottavainen

Goalies​

Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Jason Botterill’s Kraken roster reshape has begun after pair of notable trades appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/06/24/kraken-marchment-burakovsky-trade/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Recapping the Seattle Kraken’s picks in the 2025 NHL Draft

The Seattle Kraken emerged from the 2025 NHL Draft with a projectable top-six scoring forward, a consensus late first-round defense talent, and several depth blueliners who are lottery tickets to contribute at the NHL level but can fill the organizational need for defensive depth. All in, it was a productive draft that received positive reviews from many analysts. Let’s take a look at each of the selections before concluding with a few general takeaways.

Seattle Kraken 2025 NHL Draft picks​

Round 1, Pick 8: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)​

Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-1.5 | Weight: 177 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 7th | Data Score: 65.88 (4th) | Games: 66 | Goals: 32 | Assists: 66 | PPG: 1.48

Pick analysis: Though it was disappointing to some fans (and perhaps also in the Kraken draft room) to see Porter Martone and James Hagens come off the board with the two picks before Seattle’s No. 8 pick, Jake O’Brien is not just a consolation prize. His scoring production over the last two seasons was rivaled only by Michael Misa among OHL first-time eligible 2025 draft picks. (He was No. 5 overall on our preseason data-only watchlist, based on 2023-24 season data, and No. 4 on our final watchlist, based on data from the 2024-25 seasons.)

O’Brien is a 6-foot-2 playmaking, right-shot, center-capable forward who brings offensive and transition skill reminiscent of Wyatt Johnston, according to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects. Brantford relied on him heavily in all situations, including on the power play and penalty kill. Some scouts expressed concern that most of his scoring production came on the man advantage, rather than 5-on-5. At this point, I don’t project him as a game-breaking, star forward, but the tools are there to contribute in a top-six role, whether at center or on the wing.

For more on O’Brien, check out John Barr’s draft-day post here.

Scouting report: “O’Brien displays the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make difficult plays and run an NHL power play. He’s extremely skilled with the puck, showing the soft touch and quick hands to create a lot of scoring chances and improvise on difficult plays often. He’s a decent enough skater. His game can lack pace at times in part because he pulls up to make his skilled plays too much, but when he gets going, he moves well. O’Brien isn’t overly physical, but he gets to the net to create chances, can kill penalties and isn’t a pushover. He projects as a very good top-two-line center who could score a lot in the NHL.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic

Scouting video:

Round 2, Pick 36: Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)​

Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-4.5 | Weight: 220 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 27th | Data Score: 33.74 (94th) | Games: 64 | Goals: 10 | Assists: 23 | PPG: .52

Pick analysis: The 6-foot-4, 209-pound, native Tennessean brings a physical element, as well as strong speed and agility for his size. He also has NHL experience in the family; his father Vernon Fiddler played 14 years in the NHL as a forward for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, among other teams.

Fiddler was viewed by most scouts as a late-first-round talent. He was No. 27 overall on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Of the sources we gathered, Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News was the highest on Fiddler, ranking him No. 17 overall. Elite Prospects had him ranked No. 23 overall, and McKeen’s had him at No. 22.

For more on Fiddler, check out Saturday’s instant reaction post here.

Scouting report: “With three-zone skills and unusual mobility for a player this size, it’s impossible not to see Fiddler’s potential. In a single shift, he dangles through the opposition for an entry, blows up an opposing rush, and then stretches the ice with a long-range breakout pass while fending off pressure. . . Mostly, Fiddler’s impact comes through his defensive impact and frequent advantage creation. With explosive backward crossovers, he wins the race to the middle before pivoting and surfing into the stop. Always thinking about body position, he skates through the hands, intercepts opponents with his back, and eliminates off-puck threats. On retrievals, he picks up the puck cleanly, waits for pressure to engage, and places it in a good spot for a teammate to carry it out.” – Elite Prospects

Scouting video:

Round 3, Pick 68: Will Reynolds, D, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)​

Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 192 | Shot: Left
Big Board: 137th | Data Score: 11.74 (1995th) | Games: 64 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 10 | PPG: .22

Pick analysis: Will Reynolds was No. 137 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board—ranking behind a few players the Kraken later selected—but the Kraken saw a lot to recommend his profile in this range. Reynolds is a relatively young (August birthday) defender with a good frame and skating skill. Public analysts that had him graded in the third- or fourth-round range noted Reynolds’ offensive skill level came along as his draft season progressed. That said, Reynolds’ profile and projection is mostly about his ability to shut down the opposition defensively.

For more on Reynolds, check out our instant reaction post here.

Scouting report: “The 6-foot-2 blueliner is an excellent athlete who is very mobile; he is nearly impossible to beat off the rush already. His four-way mobility is excellent, and this allows him to not only shut down the transition game of the opposition, it makes him routinely first to retrievals so that he can kickstart his own team’s transition game. Over the course of the QMJHL season, Reynolds’ play with the puck greatly improved, making him a much more effective two-way defender. While his skill and creativity with the puck are pretty limited, he can make a solid first pass and that bodes well for a future pro career.” – McKeen’s

Scouting video:

Round 5, Pick 134: Maxim Agafonov, D, Tolpar Ufa (MHL)​

Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 198 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 60th | Data Score: 24.93 (285th) | Games: 35 | Goals: 6 | Assists: 8 | PPG: .4

Pick analysis: Agafonov is the first Russian-born skater ever drafted by the Seattle Kraken, and just the second player overall the Kraken have drafted out of Russia. When asked what gave the Kraken the confidence in their evaluation given the difficulty of getting crossover scouts into Russia, GM Jason Botterill pointed to the fact that Director of Amateur Scouting Robert Kron was able to view and interview Agafonov at the Gold Star Hockey Development in Florida the week before the draft.

Agafonov was well-regarded by public analysts going into the draft, landing at No. 60 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Corey Pronman of The Athletic had Agafonov at No. 79 on his board, while Craig Button of TSN had him at No. 78. NHL Central Scouting slotted Agafonov as the No. 33 European-born skater in the class. He was the sixth-highest-ranked player and second-highest ranked defenseman still available on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board when Seattle selected.

In addition to 35 games at the junior level in Russia, Agafonov logged 12 games in the VHL, Russia’s lower-level pro league that scouts analogize to the ECHL. He had one goal and two assists in those 12 games.

Scouting report: “[Agafonov] plays with confidence and wants to attack and make plays. He absorbs pressure and protects pucks well, frequently looking to carry the puck past the first layer of pressure and move off of the pass. He walks the line well and can snap it. He’s strong and has a pro body. But he also doesn’t think the game well, makes his fair share of mistakes with and without the puck and needs to learn to defend better and make better reads. He’s worth drafting as a long-term project that you leave with Tolpar and reassess in a few years, though, as there is something there.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic ($)

Scouting video:

Round 7, Pick 205: Karl Annborn, D, HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)​

Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 187 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 124th | Data Score: 15.50 (1079th) | Games: 39 | Goals: 3 | Assists: 21 | PPG: .62

Pick analysis: The Kraken traded their seventh-round pick (No. 198 overall) for two seventh-round picks (Nos. 205 and 218). At No. 205, the Kraken selected another defenseman who fell farther than some might have anticipated, selecting right-shot defenseman Karl Annborn. According to some scouts, the Swedish-born defenseman fell short of lofty expectations coming into the year, but he played 21 games for the Swedish U18 team, typically earning first- or second-pair minutes with Sasha Boumedienne and other well-regarded prospects. He also earned five SHL games with HV71 this past season, during which he recorded his first professional point, an assist.

Annborn was No. 124 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Only one other seventh-round pick (Filip Ekberg) ranked higher. NHL Central Scouting had Annborn one spot ahead of Agafanov, at No. 32 among European skaters.

Scouting report: “[T]here isn’t a single area of the game where [Annborn] isn’t able to contribute, at least to some extent. While the term ‘two-way defenceman’ fits the bill well with Annborn, in our eyes, the most projectable parts of his game are the defensive work and the puck-moving. He’s got strong defensive habits, breaking up plays cleanly with his stick while also holding his own in battles along the wall and very rarely getting caught out of position. Once a breakup is created, Annborn also knows what to do next with the puck. He keeps his touches simple yet reliable and occasionally wows with a more complex breakout sequence. What ultimately kept Annborn from rising higher on our board is that while he’s well-rounded, he’s also not exceptional in any aspect of the game.” – Elite Prospects ($)

Scouting video:

Round 7, Pick 218: Loke Krantz, F, Linköping HC J20 (J20 Nationell)​

Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 181 | Shot: Right
Big Board: 2314th | Data Score: 11.07 (2214th) | Games: 44 | Goals: 12 | Assists: 5 | PPG: .39

Pick analysis: With the team’s final pick of the draft, Seattle went with a player largely unconsidered by public analysts. Krantz, a winger in the Swedish junior league, was not ranked by any of the sources we gathered for the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. His scoring in the Swedish junior league was also fairly pedestrian for that league.

Krantz is a 6-foot-2 right-shot forward, and, based on two games viewed (so far), presents with plus speed and release on his shot. This pick seems to be an investment in tools identified and valued by Seattle’s Swedish area scouts. With a four-year time horizon to sign the player, it is likely Krantz will remain in Sweden for the foreseeable future and work to climb the ranks there.

Scouting video:

Draft news and notes​

Beefing up the blue line​

In Seattle’s first four NHL Entry Drafts, the Kraken did not shy away from shorter (e.g., Ty Nelson and Tyson Jugnauth) or slighter (e.g., Ryker Evans and Lukas Dragicevic) prospects on the blue line. In fact, the team had selected just two defensemen taller than 6-foot-1 in their history: the hulking Finn Ville Ottavainen and Dragicevic, who continues to work on filling out his 6-foot-2 frame.

This draft was a different story for Seattle, with the Kraken adding four defensemen, all of whom were at least 6-foot-1: Fiddler (6-foot-4.5), Reynolds (6-foot-3), Agafonov (6-foot-2), and Annborn (6-foot-1).

This followed a league-wide trend toward taller defense prospects in this draft. Indeed, not one blueliner who measured in below the 6-foot threshold was drafted this year. This is a small sample, of course, and these things can be cyclical, but it’s something to keep an eye on as we move forward and factor into prospect rankings.

Revisiting NHL Draft Combine performances​

Botterill recently told Sound Of Hockey that he viewed the physical testing at the combine as the most important part of that event to his draft evaluations. Looking back at the results, it is possible that Fiddler’s performance pushed him up Seattle’s board. Fiddler measured in taller (.5 inch) and heavier (11 pounds) than he had been listed previously. And Fiddler himself just told us this week that he’s “still growing.” His wingspan (79.75 inches) was sixth-largest in the class, and he ranked in the top five of grip strength in both his left and right hands.

The Kraken got younger​

Whether by design or coincidence, Seattle drafted the youngest class by average age of any team in the league based on data compiled by John Barr.

Average age of the 2025 NHL Draft class by team. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/kx6sAjwDr5

— NHLtoSeattle (@NHLtoSeattle) June 29, 2025

When asked about the youth of the class, Botterill and Kron emphasized that youth is a factor in a propsect’s favor because it means there is a longer runway for both physical and skill development.

Scandinavian competition​

Following the selections of Annborn and Krantz, Seattle has now drafted three Swedish players in its history, but, interestingly, none of those has come higher than pick No. 180 where Seattle selected Zeb Forsfjall in the 2023 draft. By contrast, Seattle has selected five Finns within the top 100.

Trading for Fiddler​

After the draft, we asked Botterill about the process that led to Seattle trading their two second-round picks (Nos. 38 and 57) to Philadelphia for pick No. 36 and a third-round pick (No. 68) early on Day 2. Botterill indicated that the team evaluated Fiddler to be in a tier of defensemen that began to come off the board in the mid-to-late first round. His presence on the board to begin Day 2 immediately appealed to Seattle, and the Kraken had conversations with multiple teams at the top of Round 2 in an effort to move up for the player.

#SeaKraken GM Jason Botterill said the team started talks with teams on trade up before round 2; PHI deal was preferable bc the team also got the third-rd pick back. Seattle had Blake Fiddler in a tier of D who were selected starting in the mid-to-late first rd. Those picks pic.twitter.com/YqVVUGEXS2

— Deep Sea Hockey (@DeepSeaHockey) June 29, 2025

Botterill indicated that the team was comfortable with the Flyers trade because it was a two-for-two swap where Seattle also got back a third rounder. I infer from this that other teams were asking for both of Seattle’s second-round picks to move up and/or were offering back a second pick that Seattle did not view as valuable. Fortunately for the team, Fiddler was still on the board at No. 36, and Seattle made the trade.

Semyon Vyazovoi likely to stay in Russia another year​

As noted, Afagonov is just the second Russian player Seattle has ever drafted and the first since Russia was expelled from the international hockey community in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. The other player is goalie Semyon Vyazovoi, a 2021 sixth-round pick. Vyazovoi, 22, excelled in his first opportunity in the KHL, Russia’s top-level professional league, last season, recording a league-leading .938 save percentage in 28 regular-season games. Despite some media speculation in Russia that Vyazovoi may come to North America next season, Botterill indicated that the team expected him to stay in the KHL another year.

Kraken Development Camp underway​

Kraken Development Camp kicked off Monday, June 30, with physical testing, and the players have been participating in split-group on-ice sessions Tuesday and Wednesday. The roster includes almost all of the younger prospects in Seattle’s system, with the exception of Clarke Caswell, a handful of Europeans (Forsfjall, Vyzaovoi, and Kim Saarinen), and players who have played a full season at the AHL level (including Eduard Sale and Jagger Firkus).

Among the non-roster invites listed, 6-foot-1 defenseman Reese Hamilton is a name that stands out. Hamilton had a hugely productive draft-minus-one year in the WHL, piling up 31 points in 42 games for the Calgary Hitmen. This placed him sixth overall on our preseason data-only watchlist, just behind Jake O’Brien. As you likely guessed, his draft season did not reach the same level. He struggled in Calgary and was eventually traded to Regina. While continuing to credit his standout skating skill, scouts noted that he was repeating mistakes throughout the 2024-25 season. Ultimately, he landed at No. 102 on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board and went undrafted. Check out his shifts from his October 5, 2024, game against Red Deer here.

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 Recapping the Seattle Kraken’s picks in the 2025 NHL Draft appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/02/recapping-the-seattle-krakens-picks-in-the-2025-nhl-draft/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken sign defenseman Ryan Lindgren to four-year deal – How does he fit?

The Seattle Kraken made their first dip into the 2025 free agency market on Tuesday with the signing of left-shot defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a four-year contract carrying a $4.5 million annual cap hit.

“Ryan’s a heart-and-soul player who competes every shift,” said Kraken general manager Jason Botterill. “He does whatever it takes to win and has been a key fixture on the penalty kill throughout his career. We’re excited to welcome him to the team.”

The 27-year-old, who was born in my hometown of Burnsville, Minn., is a defensive-minded defenseman who has consistently averaged north of 19 minutes per night. He doesn’t contribute much offensively, but he’s a guy who was leaned on by the New York Rangers for years as a shutdown-type player.

This past season, Lindgren had two goals and 17 assists in 54 games for the Rangers before adding two more goals and one assist in 18 games with the Avs. He’s considered a great locker room guy—one who will take on the toughest assignments, block shots, and—as Botterill noted—kill penalties.

Where Lindgren fits with the Kraken​

If you’re scratching your head about how Lindgren fits in at this point, you’re not alone. The Kraken already had four left-shot defensemen in Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, Ryker Evans, and Josh Mahura.

So obviously, something has to give with one of those four. Any of Dunn, Oleksiak, or Evans could be valuable trade chips, although both Dunn (two years remaining on his deal) and Oleksiak (one year remaining) have 16-team no-trade clauses in their contracts.

This does harken back to memories of last offseason when the Kraken signed Brandon Montour to a seven-year, $50 million contract at the opening of free agency, leading to Brian Dumoulin being traded to the Anaheim Ducks the following day.
Could something along those lines be in the works? Stay tuned.

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Kraken sign defenseman Ryan Lindgren to four-year deal – How does he fit? appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/01/kraken-sign-ryan-lindgren/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Photo Gallery – 2025 Kraken Prospects Camp

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The post Photo Gallery – 2025 Kraken Prospects Camp appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/03/photo-gallery-2025-kraken-prospects-camp/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Notebook – Grubauer staying, RFA updates, Dev Camp thoughts, and more!

The NHL’s annual mad dash from the Stanley Cup Final to the July 4th holiday has ended. While there is still business being transacted, things have cooled off following a chaotic two-week fever dream that included the NHL Draft, free agency, Development Camps, the first buyout window, qualifying restricted free agents, and—just to keep things interesting—a slew of trades.

With things settling down, this feels like a good time to empty the Kraken Notebook and bring you up to speed on what has transpired for Seattle over the past fortnight.

Philipp Grubauer is staying​

This is relatively old news, and although we talked about it on last week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, I haven’t written about it yet. So, here’s the update: Philipp Grubauer is staying with the Seattle Kraken.

Jason Botterill just confirmed that Philipp Grubauer will be back next season. #SeaKraken

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

After a gruelingly long Day 1 of the NHL Draft, Kraken general manager Jason Botterill was asked point blank by Glenn Dreyfuss if Grubauer would be back next season following much speculation both locally and nationally that he would be bought out of the last two years of his contract.

Here’s what Botterill said:

“Yeah, Philipp will be part of our group here, for sure, and we’ll continue to work on different things on— obviously, we brought in Colin [Zulienello] to be our goalie coach moving forward here. We are going to have different things to work on from that standpoint. We’ll continue to look at different ways we can improve the team in front of [the goalies]. I think it’s one of the things that Lane [Lambert] has talked a lot about as a head coach is making sure that we play strong in front of them, and we’ll continue to look at different ways to improve our goaltending position with both Joey and Philipp.

“It’s a situation that— people sometimes think that if you buy a player out, it just automatically goes away. There’s still a cap hit and stuff from that standpoint. And we believe Philipp can bounce back from that situation, and we think there’s an opportunity still for success here.”

A month ago, I was certain Seattle would find a way to move on from Grubauer and his $5.9 million cap hit over the next two seasons. Coming off the worst season of his career, in which he went 8-17-1 with a 3.49 goals-against average and .875 save percentage and even landed in AHL Coachella Valley for a stretch, it seemed to me there was no way Seattle could bring him back.

But once the team fired goalie coach Steve Briere and replaced him with Firebirds goalie coach Colin Zulienello, signs were suddenly pointing toward the relationship with Grubauer continuing. After all, when Grubauer returned from his stint in CV at the end of last season, he spoke glowingly of his time working with Zulienello, while also taking a few pot shots (at least I thought they were pot shots) at Briere and former head coach Dan Bylsma for their communication and the way they were deploying Grubauer in net. Promoting a goalie coach that Grubauer clearly likes indicated that he could end up sticking around. Lo and behold, Grubauer remains with the team.

Financially speaking, if the team had bought Grubauer out, then he would have still counted for $1.98 million in 2025-26 and $3.08 million in 2026-27. Then, the team would have had two additional penalty years of $1.68 million per season in 2027-28 and 2028-29. So what Botterill said about that side of the decision is true.

But the optics are still difficult when you consider just how tough of a season Grubauer had. The Kraken want to portray to the fanbase that they are looking to become a perennial playoff contender, yet they’re running it back with a goalie who couldn’t even be relied upon in the second of back-to-backs last season while making $5.9 million.

I don’t believe the front office is blind to said optics, though. Where I think the decision to keep Grubauer (and instead replace the goalie coach) was really made was when the market for free-agent goalies started to develop. Plain and simple, there were no worthwhile goalies on the market. The best option was Jake Allen, who ended up re-signing in New Jersey anyway, so he wasn’t even really available. Beyond that, guys like David Rittich, Dan Vladar, and Alex Lyon were the only ones getting signed as backups, and none of those strike me as massive upgrades over Grubauer.

In fairness to Grubauer, he did look a lot better when he got back from the AHL at the end of last season, and he was excellent at the IIHF World Championship for Team Germany, going 2-1-0 with a 2.02 GAA and .930 save percentage. Maybe that carries over into next season?

I do also want to call out that Grubauer remains an extremely easy guy to root for, continuing to make Seattle his summer home and even appearing at Kraken Development Camp last week to help prospect Visa Vedenpää and the other invitee goalies that were there. It would be really nice to see him bounce back and finally put together the type of season that made us think the Kraken had hit the jackpot when they signed him in 2021.

Here’s hoping he sticks it to me and all the other media people that incorrectly predicted the Kraken would buy him out.

Development Camp thoughts​

Speaking of Vedenpää, he was awesome in the Stucky Cup scrimmage on Thursday, backstopping Team Blue to a 4-3 comeback win over Team White. Vedenpää, the only drafted goalie in attendance, played the whole game and made a bunch of big-time stops, while the three camp invitees rotated through Team White’s net.

Vedenpää, 20, had a tough season in Finland, missing most of the year with an undisclosed health issue.

“With Visa, we’re so proud of this kid,” Kraken former (more on that in a bit) director of player development Jeff Tambellini said. “He dealt with some tough health issues throughout the year, missed the whole back half. He was supposed to be one of the goaltenders for Team Finland at World Juniors, so for him to make the comeback, get in a game, play that well in front of all our fans, for us, that’s a 10 out of 10 day.”

Unsurprisingly, Berkly Catton also jumped off the page at Dev Camp, looking lightyears ahead of some of the other players in attendance. It’s important to remember that he’s facing other very young players in that setting, but for a 19-year-old looking to make the jump from the WHL to the NHL in a few months, you want to see progression, and you want him to stand out from the pack. He definitely accomplished that. He’s faster and stronger than last summer, he’s mature well beyond his years, and the way he floats across the ice gives a real “NHL-ready” vibe.

Berkly Catton is looking so smooth. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/T47j8kVXh4

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) July 1, 2025

A few other players that stood out:

• Blake Fiddler – The 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman that the Kraken traded up to get in the second round looks like a real player. He’s remarkably smooth for his size and seems to handle the puck well. He also told us in his interview on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast that he’s “still growing.”
• Jake O’Brien – O’Brien got a little too cute with the puck a couple times in the Stucky Cup, but he also showed flashes of the elite skill that made him worthy of the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. He’s very shifty and has fantastic playmaking vision. It will be fun to see how he progresses in the OHL this next season. Botterill walked out on the ice at halftime of the scrimmage and had O’Brien sign his entry-level contract in front of the many attending fans.

Jake O’Brien signs his entry-level contract with Jason Botterill before the start of the second half. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/DzCSNxg4Ag

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) July 3, 2025

• Caden Price – The 19-year-old defenseman who got traded from Kelowna to Lethbridge in the WHL this past season was flying under the radar as a prospect for a while. But he ended up playing a big role for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, and he placed first in fitness testing this past week and looked great on the ice. Keep an eye on him over the next season or two…
• Ben MacDonald – As a 21-year-old college player, MacDonald was on the older end of the Dev Camp spectrum. Still, he was notable with his play in the Stucky Cup and even his practice performances. He looked strong and fast and set up a highlight-reel goal in the scrimmage by spinning off a check in the corner and finding an open teammate in the slot.
• Reese Hamilton – Hamilton is not a Kraken prospect but was invited to camp after going undrafted last week. He had an impressive 16-year-old season for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL with eight goals and 23 assists in 42 games but then went pretty quiet in his 17 season with just 14 total points (4-10=14) in 59 games split across the Hitmen and Regina Pats. But Hamilton caught my eye a bunch of times at Dev Camp and got called out by both Tyson Jugnauth and Tambellini as a player they both thought should have been drafted. Hamilton will go back into the draft next year, but he’s a player to monitor.

“To get a Reese Hamilton into camp, a player that at the start of the year was being talked about in the first or second round, and we get a free look at him here,” Tambellini said. “From our standpoint, that’s fantastic. So we’re looking at them all differently. Again, different timelines, but always great when you get a player that you don’t expect to get to camp.”

Tambellini moving on​

Speaking of Tambellini, news broke Monday morning that he has been hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant general manager. Selfishly, we’re devastated by this news, because Tambellini did an awesome job in his role for the Kraken, and working with him was an absolute delight. That said, many congrats to “Tambo,” and we wish him the very best in his new role.

RFA updates​

Last week, the Kraken extended qualifying offers to all three of their restricted free agents, Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans, and Tye Kartye. They then signed Kartye to a two-year deal with a $1.25 million cap hit. That’s a fine number and a nice payday for the depth forward who was signed as an undrafted free agent and worked his way up through the ranks to become a full-time NHLer with the Kraken.

Kakko filed for arbitration on Saturday. That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be an abitration hearing. Indeed, parties more frequently agree to a new deal before the hearing, which will be scheduled to happen between July 20 and August 4. It does guarantee that, one way or another, a deal will get done with Kakko. It also eliminates the possibility of him signing an offer sheet with another team. If this does end in a hearing, the neutral arbitrator will award a one-year contract, after which Kakko will be an unrestricted free agent.

Arbitration hearings are contentious and can really tarnish a team’s relationship with a player. Plus, the Kraken surely want to lock Kakko up for longer than one year, so it behooves Seattle to get something done before this gets to a hearing. But from the player’s perspective, he’s also as little as one year away from a massive payday on the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

I believe Kakko likes playing in Seattle, but does he like it enough to sign a longer-term deal in the next couple weeks and forgo his upcoming opportunity to become a UFA?

Are the Kraken done reshaping their roster?​

Aside from the trades that brought in Mason Marchment and Freddy Gaudreau and removed Andre Burakovsky (the Kraken did end up buying out Joe Veleno, the return in the Burakovsky trade) and the signing of shutdown defenseman Ryan Lindgren, the Kraken still haven’t made a move that I think puts them back in playoff contention. I believe that—if they do truly want to compete for the postseason next year—they need to add a winger that can reliably score 30-plus goals.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has speculated that the Kraken were considering a trade with the St. Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou but didn’t pull the trigger. That, to me, fits the bill as exactly the kind of acquisition the Kraken need and also tells me they aren’t opposed to continuing to seek offensive upgrades.

In my reaction to the Lindgren signing, I wrote that the numbers don’t align right now, with five left-shot defensemen in the fold. So is this the roster that Seattle will roll with in 2025-26? Or is there yet a “splashy” acquisition on the horizon, perhaps with a defenseman exiting and a top-six forward entering?

Here’s what Botterill said when I asked him about that at the draft:

“I think there’s 31 other teams that want to make a splasher addition to their roster, and I think you see in other markets, everyone’s trying from that standpoint, for sure. We’ll continue to work on developing our own players internally. We’re excited about some of our young players, excited about a player like Chandler Stephenson being comfortable in this market in his second year. But hey, we continue to have draft capital, continue to have cap space to work on that, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Here’s my updated depth chart projection after adding in Lindgren and removing Veleno. I do not think Jani Nyman and Berkly Catton will play together on the fourth line; it’s just where I think they “stack up” at the moment.

There is room to add a forward and remove a defenseman here…

Forwards​

Jaden Schwartz // Matty Beniers // Kaapo Kakko
Jared McCann // Chandler Stephenson // Mason Marchment
Eeli Tolvanen // Shane Wright // Jordan Eberle
Jani Nyman // Freddy Gaudreau // Berkly Catton
Tye Kartye

Defense​

Vince Dunn // Adam Larsson
Ryker Evans // Brandon Montour
Ryan Lindgren // Jamie Oleksiak
Josh Mahura
Ville Ottavainen

Goalies​

Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer
Matt Murray

Darren Brown​

Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email [email protected].

Read more from Darren

The post Kraken Notebook – Grubauer staying, RFA updates, Dev Camp thoughts, and more! appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/07/kraken-notebook-grubauer-rfa-depth-chart/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Seattle Kraken offseason quietly improves the penalty kill

The Seattle Kraken made two subtle (but notable) roster moves this offseason that could have a sneaky impact on a part of the game that hasn’t historically been a strength for the team: the penalty kill. Frédérick Gaudreau, acquired via trade from Minnesota, and Ryan Lindgren, signed in free agency after splitting last season between the Rangers and Avalanche, were both key penalty killers for their previous teams.

The state of the Kraken penalty kill​

Let’s be honest, the Kraken have never had a good penalty kill. In their four NHL seasons, they’ve never finished higher than 79 percent on their PK success rate, and they’ve consistently been in the bottom half of the league. Last season, they ended at 77.2 percent, which ranked 21st overall.

To their credit, the Kraken haven’t taken many penalties and were shorthanded just 193 times last season, fifth fewest in the league. But even with a lower volume, the efficiency still wasn’t good enough. It was clear the penalty kill needed attention this offseason.

And then came the trade deadline, when Seattle shipped out two of their top penalty-killing forwards: Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev. In the games Gourde played, he was on the ice for over 40 percent of the Kraken’s shorthanded time. Tanev played a whopping 60 percent of the PK minutes when healthy. That’s a huge chunk of the unit gone.

To close out the season, the Kraken leaned on a mix of Chandler Stephenson, Eeli Tolvanen, Matty Beniers, and Jared McCann to pick up the slack. But it was clear they needed a more permanent solution, and that’s where Gaudreau fits in.

Why Gaudreau matters: face-offs and flexibility​

One of the sneakier aspects of the Gaudreau trade is what it means for penalty kill face-offs, especially on the right side of the ice. Until now, the Kraken have primarily relied on left-shot centers on the PK, which creates a strong-side/weak-side imbalance. A lefty takes draws better on the left dot; a righty does better on the right. That small edge matters, especially on the penalty kill when a clean face-off win can lead to an instant clear. (For more background on this topic, check this post about the face-off scenarios from 2023.)

With Gaudreau, the Kraken now have a right-shot PK center for the first time in a while. Yes, Mitchell Stephens played a few games last season, but the team has been lacking a consistent right-shot option. Gaudreau gives them the ability to deploy by specific dot, which should help them win more defensive-zone draws and the subsequent possession that will lead to more zone clears. That, in turn, leads to more time killed.

Here’s a look at the defensive-zone shorthanded face-off numbers for Gaudreau and Stephenson:

Expect Stephenson’s workload to shift to fewer weak-side draws next season, while Gaudreau will handle a majority of the right dot responsibilities, which is Stephenson’s weak side.

Ryan Lindgren impact on the penalty kill​

The Kraken’s only major free-agent signing was 27-year-old defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who inked a four-year deal worth $4.5M AAV. Lindgren brings a strong defensive presence with a propensity to killing penalties, having played 53.8 percent of New York’s shorthanded time before being traded to Colorado.

He’s known for blocking shots, making smart reads, and absorbing minutes on the PK. After he left the Rangers, their PK numbers took a noticeable dip, which tells you something about his impact.

Seattle leaned heavily on Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson last season. Both were on the ice for over 70 percent of the team’s shorthanded minutes. Lindgren’s arrival could help lighten that load, especially for Oleksiak, or it could signal a shift in usage as the team rebalances its D pairs.

Either way, Lindgren should help make the Kraken’s PK more effective and more sustainable over an 82-game season.

Big picture impact​

Zooming out, I always like to look at net goal differential as a shorthand for playoff potential. That’s goals for minus goals against, excluding empty-netters. In general, teams with a positive net differential tend to make the playoffs. Last season, only the Rangers missed the playoffs despite a positive net differential, and a couple teams with negative differentials still snuck in.

So, what’s the potential impact of a better penalty kill?

Let’s say the Kraken improve from 77.2 percent to 80 percent PK efficiency this season, and they’re shorthanded the same 193 times. That translates to 5.4 fewer goals against over the season. It doesn’t sound like much, but in a tight playoff race, that can be the difference between golfing in April and grabbing a Wild Card spot.

Final thoughts​

The Kraken have not made a splashy move this summer, but they made smart ones. The additions of Frédérick Gaudreau and Ryan Lindgren quietly patch one of the holes in Seattle’s roster, the penalty kill. The moves did not garner massive headlines, but they will help win games. Plus, the cost was cheap, and with draft capital and cap space, Seattle still has doors open elsewhere.

I am not suggesting that the upgrades in the penalty kill will get this team in playoff contention, but if they are going to play meaningful games in March, they are going to need contributions and improvements from a lot of places. The penalty kill is one of those areas of opportunity.

The post Seattle Kraken offseason quietly improves the penalty kill appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/08/kraken-penalty-kill-2025-offseason/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Understanding the arbitration process: What it means for Kaapo Kakko and the Kraken

It happens every offseason—restricted free agents file for arbitration, and fanbases panic. In the case of the Seattle Kraken, forward Kaapo Kakko has filed for arbitration, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to do so. However, no Kraken player has ever made it to an actual arbitration hearing. Each has instead found common ground and signed a contract beforehand.

So, what does the arbitration process entail, and what does this mean for Kakko and the Kraken?

Requirements for arbitration​

Arbitration is a mechanism that allows a neutral third party to determine a fair contract when the team and player can’t agree. Each side presents their case—each limited to 90 minutes—and within 48 hours, the arbitrator issues a binding ruling on the player’s salary.

The result is a one- or two-year deal at a salary determined by the arbitrator. The team, if it did not file, gets to choose the term. The exception is if the player is one year away from unrestricted free agency; in that case, only a one-year deal can be awarded. Kakko is one year away from being a UFA, so if his negotiation gets all the way to a hearing, the arbitrator will award a one-year deal.

The ruling is final, unless the award exceeds $4.85 million for the 2025 season. If it does, the team can walk away, making the player an unrestricted free agent. This threshold adjusts annually.

Who is eligible?​

A player’s eligibility for arbitration depends on his age upon signing his entry-level deal and how many professional seasons he has accrued. For players who signed at age 18 or 19, a professional season is counted if he plays 10 or more NHL games. At age 20 and older, it’s 10 or more games in any pro league (NHL, AHL, ECHL, or top overseas leagues).

Here’s the breakdown:

Age 18-20 signed contract	4 professional years
Age 21 signed contract	3 professional years
Age 22-23 signed contract	2 professional years
Age 24+ signed contract	1 professional year

Who can file and when?​

Both players and teams can file for arbitration, though it’s far more common for players to do so. Players must file by July 5 at 5 p.m. ET.

Teams have two windows to file:

• June 15 through 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final.
• July 5 at 5 p.m. through July 6 at 5 p.m., if the player did not file.

For a team to file, the player’s previous base salary (not average annual value) must exceed $2.43 million (per PuckPedia, as of 2025). Teams may use this route if they wish to avoid issuing a qualifying offer at the player’s prior salary. Through arbitration, a salary reduction is possible, with the maximum decrease capped at 15 percent. It also blocks the player from signing an offer sheet. The Buffalo Sabres just used this strategy with Bowen Byram.

Once a filing is made, a hearing date is scheduled between July 20 and August 4. Contract negotiations can continue right up to the hearing, but once it begins, both sides must abide by the arbitrator’s ruling.

Most never reach a hearing​

Despite the headlines, arbitration hearings are rare. Since Seattle entered the league in 2021-22, 60 players have filed for arbitration:

• 2022: 23 filed, 1 hearing
• 2023: 23 filed, 3 hearings
• 2024: 14 filed, 1 hearing

That’s just five hearings out of 60 filings. The rest were resolved with signed contracts ahead of time. This season, 11 players have filed for arbitration.

Kaapo Kakko celebrates a goal with his Kraken teammates. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Kakko’s unique situation​

Kaapo Kakko’s case is more complex than past Kraken arbitration filings. His negotiation comes at a unique intersection of three key factors:

NHL salary cap jump​

The cap is set to rise from $88 million to $95.5 million next season, then to $104 million in 2026-27, and again to $113.5 million in 2027. This makes short-term deals more appealing to players who want to cash in later. But there’s risk—contracts are guaranteed, but a major injury on a one-year deal can derail a payday.

Production and potential​

Kakko tallied 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games with Seattle after his midseason acquisition from the New York Rangers and has shown good chemistry with Matty Beniers. That projects to a 50-point season over a full schedule. At age 24, Kakko may prefer to bet on himself, aiming to boost his value heading into his prime years. Seattle, meanwhile, is likely to make an offer aligned with his current production rather than anticipated growth.

UFA status​

If Kakko signs a one-year deal, he keeps his path open to unrestricted free agency. That doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to leave Seattle, but it gives him flexibility and leverage.

In March, I previewed RFA expectations for the Kraken. Kakko’s case stood out then—and even with his arbitration filing, my expectations and predictions remain unchanged.

Potential outcomes​

Here are three realistic outcomes for Kakko’s contract:

1. Longer-term deal – Five years at $6 million AAV
2. Short bridge deal – One or two years at $5 million AAV
3. Arbitration hearing – One-year deal awarded in the $4 million to $4.5 million range

Technically, Seattle could sign Kakko for up to eight years, but that would take him through age 32. A five-year deal would expire when he’s 29, allowing him to cash in once more when he’s still in his prime and likely able to land another significant contract.

Final thoughts​

Arbitration filings sound dramatic, but they’re often just a step in the negotiation dance. Most cases settle before a hearing, and both sides move on.

Still, the process can be awkward. During hearings, teams must point out a player’s flaws to justify their stance—comments that can linger long after the deal is done.

For fans, it’s easy to worry, but there’s no need to panic. This is just part of doing business in the NHL offseason. Negotiations take time—and patience is key.

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 Understanding the arbitration process: What it means for Kaapo Kakko and the Kraken appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/0...what-it-means-for-kaapo-kakko-and-the-kraken/

 

[Seattle Kraken]

Kraken Contracts Corner: Key changes in the new NHL CBA

On July 6, the NHL and NHLPA announced they had agreed to a new four-year deal extending their labor agreement through the 2029-30 season. The new agreement contains a number of league-wide changes scheduled to take effect in the 2026-27 season. For example, NHL teams will play 84 regular-season games, instead of 82, and will be subject to a salary cap in the playoffs.

Digging a bit deeper, the Seattle Kraken will reckon with many subtler impacts. For example, 2025 first-round pick Jake O’Brien will likely get a development opportunity his elder teammate Berkly Catton did not. John Hayden’s contract will look a bit different 14 months from now. And there will be an important new deadline in contract extension negotiations with Shane Wright next summer.

Let’s get into all of it, starting with the basics. What is the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and what does it do? Then we’ll get into the sides’ recent agreement, what’s in it, and some big thoughts on what it means for the Kraken and the league moving forward.

The CBA explained​

The CBA is a contract between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association containing requirements, limitations, and other terms on NHL teams’ employment of NHL players.

The CBA reaches into many business and strategic aspects of the game. For example, it covers scheduling and work limitations (number of games, training camp length, etc.), player compensation (revenue split, the salary cap, length and minimum/maximum requirements of player contracts, etc.), and player rights (the draft, entry-level contracts, free agency rules, assignments to other leagues, etc.).

On the other hand, with some limited exceptions, the CBA typically does not reach on-ice matters or gameplay. Those matters are covered by separate agreements, including an official NHL Rulebook issued annually.

The current CBA became effective as of Feb. 15, 2013. Originally it was due to expire on Sept. 15, 2022. The NHL and NHLPA extended the CBA by four years under a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (“2020 MOU”). As modified by the 2020 MOU, the CBA was then due to expire on Sept. 15, 2026.

The recent July 6 announcement concerned the NHL and NHLPA’s approval of a second Memorandum of Understanding, dated June 27, 2025 (“2025 MOU”). This agreement extends the existing agreements through Sept. 15, 2030.

First and foremost, this assures five more seasons without a bargaining-related play disruption—whether a strike or lockout. This is a win for the fans. What else is in the 2025 MOU? Let’s look into that now.

Regular season and preseason schedule adjustments​

Beginning with the 2026-27 season, NHL teams will play 84 games, up from the 82-game schedule of recent years. The change will allow for “balanced” scheduling, with each of the 32 teams playing non-conference teams twice (home and away), in-conference, non-division teams three times, and in-division teams four times (two home and two away). For the owners, this balance is likely an incidental benefit to a revenue-focused change.

To partially mitigate the added burden, new restrictions on the preseason and training camp will arrive simultaneously. At least two preseason games will be eliminated from the schedule, with each team allowed to play a maximum of four preseason games total. Players with 100 or more NHL games played will be limited to two preseason games.

Players who played in at least 50 NHL games the preceding regular season will be required to participate in no more 13 training camp practice days. Training camp is limited 18 days for all other players.

Kraken takeaways: Redistributing those games to ensure balance to the in-division schedule should be beneficial for Seattle. The Kraken should be playing Vancouver twice at home and twice on the road each season.

Otherwise, I have reservations about making a training camp schedule that already feels quite brief—particularly when a new staff has been hired—even shorter. On the other hand, I don’t mind dispatching with a couple preseason games, particularly in conjunction with rules that limit veteran participation, and therefore guarantees there will still be some opportunities for prospects to play on the big stage.

More matchups with Tyler Myers and the Vancouver Canucks are on tap. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Long-term injury cap relief changes in the regular season​

Under the existing rules, if a team’s player is expected to miss at least 10 games and 24 calendar days due to injury or illness, the team is afforded the option of “long-term” injury cap relief, allowing the team to add player salary and bonuses to the roster up to the amount of the injured and unavailable player. This allows teams to exceed the salary cap that would otherwise apply while the player is out.

• Example No. 1: Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Edmonton Oilers have $93,187,500 in annualized cap commitments and $2,312,500 in annualized cap space under the $95.5 million salary cap with 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies on the roster. Assume Zach Hyman qualified with a long-term injury on Day 1 of the season.
  • Scenario A: If the team made no other moves beforehand, it would be able to replace Hyman’s $5.5 million salary as follows: $2,312,500 of any replacement player(s) would go into the available cap space and the team would be able to exceed the cap by $3,187,500.
    
  • Scenario B: If the team added a $2 million forward to the roster before putting Hyman on long-term injury, reducing the team’s available cap space to $312,500, it would enter the season with even more potential total cap relief: only $312,500 of any replacement players would go into the team’s available cap space, and the team could exceed the cap by $5,187,500 moving forward.

When combined with the absence of a salary cap in the playoffs, this rule created an unintended—and much-discussed—incentive for teams to sit out players who might be healthy enough to return earlier during the regular season until the playoffs while taking advantage of the cap relief to add another player. This would give the team the benefit of being able to play both players in the cap-free playoff environment.

The new agreement closes that loophole in two ways beginning with the 2026-27 season. The first adjustment comes during the regular season. In the event of a long-term injury, the team will get relief equal to the lower of (1) the player’s cap hit or (2) the average annualized salary of an NHL player from the prior year.

• Example No. 2: Going into the 2026-2027 season, a player with a $5.5 million cap hit qualifies for long-term injury on a team that has $103 million in cap commitments and $1 million in cap space below the projected $104 million cap. Assuming the average salary from the 2024-25 season was $3.25 million, the team would get $3.25 million for player replacements while the injured player is unavailable. In this example $1 million would go into the team’s available cap space, and the team could exceed the cap by $2.25 million.

• Example No. 3: Same setup as example No. 2, except the injured player’s contract has a $1.5 million cap hit. In this scenario, the new agreement does not change the calculation method at all because the player’s cap hit is lower than the prior season’s average player contract. If the team utilized long-term injury, $1 million in replacement player salary would go into the team’s existing cap and the team could exceed the cap by $500,000 of annualized cap hit.

There is one exception to this rule: If the NHL and NHLPA agree the severity of a player’s injury or illness justifies it, they may allow a team relief equal to the player’s full cap hit. If a team is afforded such relief, the injured player is deemed ineligible to play that season, whether in the regular season or the playoffs.

Salary cap coming to the NHL Playoffs​

The second change geared toward closing the LTIR loophole is to impose a salary cap during the playoffs beginning with the 2026-27 season.

How does this work? On the day a team is to play its first NHL playoff game—by 3:00 pm local time or five hours before puck drop, whichever is earlier—the team must submit a “playing roster” of 18 skaters and two goalies to the NHL Central Registry. The annualized cap hits of those on the “playing roster” must be at or below the league salary cap—as adjusted for the specific team due to bonus overages, buyouts, or trade retentions applicable to that season. The team can then make adjustments to its “playing roster,” if it wants to do so, within the same timeframe before any ensuing playoff game. (If a player becomes unavailable to play after a “playing roster” is due but before gametime, the team can replace that player provided it notifies the NHL Central Registry as soon as possible.)

In theory, a team can maintain a full playoff roster that is over the cap, provided the 20-player “playing roster” is cap compliant. On the one hand, this new procedure prevents a team from circumventing the cap during the season with long-term injury shenanigans only to load up its lineup during the playoffs (i.e., Mark Stone or Nikita Kucherov magically being ready to play on the first day of the postseason). On the other hand, it may prevent teams from engaging in the more standard (and accepted) practice of accruing cap space early in the season to acquire additional salary at the trade deadline for a run into the playoffs.

Accordingly, the 2025 MOU requires the parties to “meet and confer” after the 2026-27 season playoffs to determine if adjustments to this playoff cap rule are necessary to avoid unintended consequences.

NHL player contract changes​

The new agreement also provides for a number of NHL player contract-related changes. Under the current rules, a player can sign an extension with his own team for a maximum term of eight years or sign with any team during free agency for a maximum term of seven years. Under the new agreement, going into effect on Sept. 16, 2026, players will be limited to seven-year terms on extensions and six-year terms in free agency.

Additionally, the minimum NHL salaries will increase each season from the current level of $775,000:

• 2026-27: $850,000
• 2027-28: $900,000
• 2028-29: $950,000
• 2029-30: $1 million

A player on an NHL contract cannot receive a salary less than the minimum for the relevant league year, even if he signed a multi-year contract previously that provided for a lower salary. Accordingly, some low-salary contracts will be revised upward beginning with the 2026-27 season.

The minimum salary increases will also result in corresponding increases to the sums that can be removed from the NHL cap sheet by assigning a player contract to the AHL:

• 2026-27: $1,225,000
• 2027-28: $1,275,000
• 2028-29: $1,325,000
• 2029-30: $1,375,000

• Example: If the Seattle Kraken were to assign Tye Kartye and his $1.25 million average annual value contract to the AHL on opening day in the 2026-27 season, $1.225 million of that amount would come off of Seattle’s cap hit, with only a $25,000 annualized cap charge remaining.

The new agreement also restricts teams from certain unique payment structures. “Deferred” compensation arrangements—where players receive a portion of their pay after the fact—will be prohibited. Likewise, new rules limiting the front-loading of contracts and shifting too much contract value into signing bonuses will also go into effect before the 2026-27 season.

Finally, teams will not be allowed to reduce their salary cap obligations on a player contract by moving players off the NHL roster to the minor leagues without any intent that the player actually report to the AHL team and play a game. This practice—called a “paper transaction”—will be forbidden beginning with the 2026-27 season. If a player is reassigned such that the player misses a day of NHL time, the player must actually report to the minor league team and a play a game before being recalled. (This will not affect players sent down and recalled on trade deadline day with the intent of making those players eligible for the AHL playoffs.)

Kraken takeaways: The Seattle Kraken will have at least one notable young player eligible for a contract extension next offseason: Shane Wright. Until Sept. 15, 2026, the team will be able to sign Wright to an eight-year extension. Any extension signed after that date would be capped at seven years. Might this give the team and player added incentive and a new deadline to strike a long-term arrangement?

The rising NHL salary minimums will also result in John Hayden’s 2026-2027 salary being revised upward from $775,000 to $850,000. His cap hit will rise correspondingly. Even so, the new sum could still be buried in the AHL without cap consequence.

John Hayden is due a salary bump. (Photo/Brian Liesse)

NHL Draft and player development changes​

As it stands currently, an NHL team holds exclusive negotiating rights to a drafted player for differing periods of time based on the league from which the player is being drafted. Under the new agreement, the right-retention regime will be simplified and (mostly) harmonized.

Beginning with the 2027 draft, NHL teams will hold exclusive rights to players drafted in their age 18 year (i.e. first-time draft eligible players) for four years. NHL teams will hold exclusive negotiating rights for players drafted in their age 19 year or later (i.e., re-entry players) for three years. The exception for college students will continue, however, with NHL teams holding exclusive rights beyond the time period that would ordinarily apply until 30 days after the drafted player is finished with his college hockey career.

Separately, the new agreement will likely change a key player development rule. Under existing agreements, NHL teams could not assign players drafted out of the CHL directly to the AHL without first offering them back to their CHL teams until the player’s age 20 season. This left NHL teams with a juniors-or-NHL choice for many 19-year-old players who would have likely benefited from an intermediate step.

Under the new agreement, the NHL and NHLPA agreed that beginning in the 2026-27 season, one 19-year-old player per NHL team drafted out of the CHL can be assigned directly to the AHL. Importantly, this rule change will require agreement from the CHL in the form of an amendment to the CHL Transfer Agreement. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic has recently reported that these conversations have happened, and the CHL has been receptive to the change this time around.

Kraken takeaways: After drafting advanced, skilled CHL forwards at the top of the 2022 and 2024 NHL Drafts, the Kraken have been frustrated by the rule preventing CHL players younger than 20 years old from playing in the AHL for a few years now. As a 19-year-old, Berkly Catton will face an NHL-or-juniors inflection point this fall, as Wright did previously.

In contrast, the 18-year-old Jake O’Brien may be the first Kraken prospect to receive the benefit of this rule next summer—assuming his development goes as hoped in the interim. O’Brien already signed his NHL entry-level contract, which rules out the NCAA ranks as a development option for him. Before this rule change, he would have been in the same position Catton is in now. Instead, the path to the AHL is open for him.

Is Jake O’Brien headed to Coachella Valley in 2026? (Photo/Brian Liesse)

Concluding thoughts​

There are more pragmatic changes and fixes in the new agreement too—from full-time, club-employed emergency backup goalies to mandatory neck protection, off-season on-ice work with skills coaches (if player initiated), new streamlined procedures for submitting no-trade lists, and one additional post-trade-deadline player recall. With the salary cap rising again and enough wealth to share between the owners and the players, the focus in the 2025 MOU seemed to be on addressing problem areas.

One change—mandating that 75 calendar days elapse between two clubs retaining salary on the same player contract in consecutive trades—is a bit of a head scratcher. Setting that one aside, though, the new agreement contains a number of sensible, incremental improvements that will be significant for the Kraken and teams across the league soon.

* * *

Which CBA changes stand out to you? Do you have any other CBA or contract-related questions? Reach out to us in the comments below or on X or BlueSky @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey.

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 Kraken Contracts Corner: Key changes in the new NHL CBA appeared first on Sound Of Hockey.

Source: https://soundofhockey.com/2025/07/16/kraken-contracts-corner-key-changes-in-the-new-nhl-cba/