Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they need to be 25 or under, have played under 15 games in the past season or have not spent significant time in the NHL as a whole over a three-year period.

Today, we’re breaking down the Seattle Kraken.

The Kraken have had an… interesting offseason to say the least.

Since the team broke into the NHL in 2021, they’ve found themselves in the mushy middle. They’re not good enough to make a serious push forward, but they’re not bad enough to continue landing first overall picks. Despite that, I like the pipeline they’ve built. They’ve held onto their first-round picks – the complete opposite of Vegas’ game plan from Day 1.

I don’t think it’s outlandish to believe that every player in this top 10 will end up playing significant time in the NHL at one point or another. Berkly Catton is one of the best prospects in hockey, and I’d love to see him in Seattle this season.

Wth so many quality prospects headed to Coachella Valley in 2025-26, their minor league team will be must-watch entertainment. The pipeline is deeper than many others around the league, too. Players who I like who didn’t make the top 10 include David Goyette, Julius Miettinen, Will Reynolds, Jakub Fibigr, Caden Price and Niklas Kokko.

After graduating Shane Wright and Ryker Evans to the big team a year ago, I’m not sure we’ll see any prospects become full-time NHLers in 2025-26. Still, it’s a pipeline you can easily get excited about.

Biggest Strength

The Kraken have plenty of forward depth, especially on the wings. Firkus looks like a potential top-six winger – someone who can obliterate goalies with pinpoint-accurate wristers. Jani Nyman has size, Eduard Šalé has skill and Ryan Winterton has the defensive awareness you crave deep in the pipeline. Even Carson Rehkopf can play on the wing if needed. That’s the type of positional strength that could come in handy at the NHL Trade Deadline.

Biggest Weakness

Have the Kraken found their first homegrown starting goalie yet? I like Kokko, but I’m not sure he’s a No. 1 at the next level. That’s the same for the rest of the pipeline, outside of some flashes of skill from Visa Vedenpaa and Kim Saarinen. Semyon Vyazovoi has looked good in Russia, especially later in the year. But is he a future NHLer? I’m not convinced.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Jason Botterill
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Robert Kron
Dir. of Player Development: Cory Murphy
AHL Affiliate: Coachella Valley Firebirds
ECHL Affiliate: Kansas City Mavericks

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Berkly Catton (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Berkly Catton, C, 19 (Spokane Chiefs, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted eighth overall, first round in 2024

Catton signed his NHL entry-level contract way before the NCAA started allowing CHLers. The timing is unfortunate, as I’m unsure what he has left to accomplish in Spokane after registering over 100 points for the second consecutive year. Seriously, he just had 42 points in 20 playoff games with Spokane – absolutely bonkers. I wonder how long Catton will last at Seattle’s training camp because he’s easily one of the top prospects in hockey and has the skill and the hockey sense to play pro hockey immediately. Given the lack of off-season moves by the team, it wouldn’t surprise me if Catton is given a sizeable role out of training camp.

2. Jake O’Brien, C, 18 (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted eighth overall, first round in 2025

I think this could end up becoming a steal in a 2025 re-draft one day. O’Brien has the skills and the smarts to be a very impressive center in the NHL. His off-puck play is great, and he’s always out-thinking his opponents. O’Brien just fell short of 100 points with 98, but he only continued to get better as the season wore on. He’s never going to blow you away with his pure skill, but his work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones will allow him to have a solid career. The baseline is impressive, and while O’Brien might not have the highest floor, I can’t see him being anything less than a second-line NHL center.

3. Jagger Firkus, RW, 21 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 35th overall, second round in 2022

*Jagger Firkus (Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports)*

Firkus was explosive in junior hockey, highlighted by a wild 61-goal, 126-point campaign to close out his tenure with the Moose Jaw Warriors. He’s coming off his first year of pro hockey with Coachella Valley, where he had a decent 15 goals and 36 points. Given what we’ve come to expect from him, the season felt a bit underwhelming for Firkus. But I’m not worried. He’s a gifted goal-scorer who spends so much time generating quality chances. He has continued to gain confidence against tougher competition while adding some muscle, too. I expect him to get 50 points this year with the Firebirds, which would perhaps put him on the map for an NHL roster spot in 2026-27.

4. Carson Rehkopf, C/LW, 20 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 50th overall, second round in 2023

Rehkopf had yet another productive OHL season, scoring 42 goals and 86 points with the Brampton Steelheads. It was a nine-point drop from the previous year in Kitchener, but he didn’t have to be “the guy” each night, especially with Porter Martone by his side. I still can’t believe Dave Cameron didn’t play the pair together at the World Juniors – they never even played in the same game! Regardless, Rehkopf is a productive forward who I hope continues with that trend in the AHL. I’m a bit worried his game won’t fully translate to the NHL, but I’m still intrigued to see him in the AHL after watching him pummel OHL goaltenders for close to half a decade.

5. Blake Fiddler, RHD (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 36th, second round in 2025

It’s hard not to notice the 6-foot-5 Fiddler out there. He’s a big-bodied defender who clears forwards away from his net and pushes opponents to the perimeter. Fiddler is mobile, and while he isn’t the quickest defender overall, he moves well for his size. Fiddler isn’t going to be a top-pairing blueliner, but his size and hockey IQ should allow him to have a solid career. This year, Fiddler will look to add more consistency while also chasing a spot on USA’s World Junior roster. I do wonder if he’ll go spend a year in college after his junior career before turning pro – it wouldn’t hurt his confidence with the puck.

6. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, C, 20 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 52nd overall, second round in 2023

*Oscar Fisker Molgaard (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Mølgaard’s usefulness goes far beyond the scoresheet. He had a good year with HV71, and he even saw his first AHL action in Coachella Valley. His best hockey came at the end of the year, though, when he put up seven points in 10 games to help Denmark finish fourth place – the best result ever for the Danish team. It was a massive showing for the two-way forward, who beats you with speed and hockey sense. Mølgaard might not be the most skilled forward, but I like how he outthinks opponents under pressure, especially when trying to get the puck out of the zone on a penalty kill. I think Mølgaard will be a solid bottom-six forward in the next couple of years.

7. Jani Nyman, RW, 21 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 49th overall, second round in 2022

Nyman was one of the most productive players in the top Finnish league two years ago, and that momentum carried over to the AHL. He scored 28 goals and 44 points in his first year of North American pro hockey, and even had another six points in 12 NHL games. Nyman is huge at 6-foot-4 and over 215 pounds, but he also moves with the puck better than most players his size. Nyman isn’t a high-end skater and I think that’ll hurt him in the long run. But I also expect him to become a middle-six power forward who might not drive the play, but he’ll make your line more difficult to contain.

8. Eduard Šalé, RW, 20 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 20th overall, first round in 2023

Šalé has always felt like a boom-bust prospect. On one hand, we’ve seen him absolutely dominate his age group, both domestically and internationally. But we’ve also seen far too many inconsistent stretches where his play starts to lose its luster. Šalé had a bit of a difficult first year in the AHL, registering just six goals and 21 points in 51 games. On the other hand, he had an excellent showing at the World Juniors with Czechia. Given he spent most of his 19-year-old year playing in the AHL, he’s already farther ahead in his development than many others. And yet, he’s still so young. So there’s plenty of runway for Šalé to establish himself as a top prospect, but I’m just not 100 percent convinced he’ll be a top-six threat like some thought he would be in 2023.

9. Ryan Winterton, RW, 21 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 67th overall, third round in 2021

After missing significant time due to COVID-19 and injury issues during his junior hockey career, Winterton has developed into a solid prospect for the Kraken. His numbers have remained in the 35-37 range over his two AHL campaigns, but he has developed good pro-level habits that suggest he’ll carve out a solid career in the bottom six. Winterton blocks shots, battles hard along the boards, and plays a strong defensive game. His reliability will take him far, and I think he’s going to be a decent NHLer, even if the ceiling isn’t that high.

10. Ty Nelson, RHD, 21 (Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 68th overall, third round in 2022

Ty Nelson (Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Nelson put up solid numbers in his first year of pro hockey, registering 32 points in 72 games. He has always been on the smaller side at 5-foot-10, but you’re never going to find a prospect his size with that much muscle. He hits hard, and often. His defensive-zone coverage can leave a bit to be desired, but the fact he’s so skilled with the puck, can play the power play and can hold his own physically makes me think he’ll be one of the few smaller defenders to really make it work. Not everyone’s going to be Lane Hutson – he’s special in that regard. But as smaller players are forced to become more physical, I like what Nelson brings to the table.

The rest: David Goyette, C (21), Nathan Villeneuve, C (19), Tucker Robertson, C (22), Lleyton Roed, LW (22), Andrei Loshko, C (20), Jacob Melanson, RW (22), Loke Krantz, RW (18), Clarke Caswell, LW (19), Ollie Josephson, C (19), Julius Miettinen, C (19), Zaccharaya Wisdom, RW (21), Barrett Hall, C (21), Ben MacDonald, C (21), Will Reynolds, LHD (17), Maxim Agafonov, RHD (18), Karl Annborn, RHD (18), Jakub Fibigr, LHD (19), Tyson Jugnauth, LHD (21), Lukas Dragicevic, RHD (20), Ville Ottavainen, RHD (22), Kaden Hammell, RHD (20), Caden Price, LHD (19), Victor Ostman, G (24), Niklas Kokko, G, (21), Visa Vedenpaa, G (20), Kim Saarinen, G (19), Semyon Vyazovoi, G (22)

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