Five Seattle Kraken players cracked Scott Wheeler of The Athletic's top 100 drafted prospects list .
The five players to find their names on the list were Berkly Catton (15), Shane Wright (28), Carson Rehkopf (60), Jagger Firkus (61) and David Goyette (99).
Catton was Wheeler's fourth-ranked centre and was ranked in Tier 3 compared to every prospect. Wheeler raved about Catton's offensive game, giving him his flowers for his ability to skate through the neutral zone with speed and gain the offensive blue line. His playmaking abilities are a highlight for him and he believes that despite his small stature, he can translate as a top-six centre in the NHL.
"He’s dangerous whenever he’s on the puck and shines with his knifing, slippery game. Inside the offensive zone, the way he baits and shades, drawing players to him and then playmaking past them with a pass or a cut, is pretty impressive to watch. Catton is a heady playmaker who uses spacing to his advantage and sees the ice at an advanced level, regularly executing quick plays through coverage or delaying into a pre-planned play. He’s got multi-dimensional skill, with an ability to play both with speed on the rush (he’s a smooth, fast and nimble high-end skater) and more slowly inside the offensive zone when the pace ramps down and he has to spin away from pressure (which he does so well)."
Related: Kraken's Upper Deck 2024 NHL Draft Spotlight: Berkly Catton
Wright was the next Kraken to join the list as he landed in the fourth tier and as the ninth-ranked centre. Wheeler describes Wright's game as heady with good offensive instincts. His biggest strengths offensively are his catch-and-shoot release and his ability to work the give-and-go. He has some creative upside but his physical makeup and understanding of the game make him a very projectable NHL player.
"I would still like to see him hang onto the puck a little more, but he does execute well in shorter sequences. He’s got pro tools, plays the length of the ice and plays a desirable position. Whether he can develop his individual skill and that change of pace I talked about will be the difference between him being a solid top-nine center and a legitimate top-six one. It’s worth remembering he’s still just 20 and does have an impressive track record/strong statistical track record."
Related: Dan Bylsma Is The Perfect Coach For Shane Wright And His Success Will Continue Next Year With The Kraken
In the fifth tier and as the ninth-ranked left-winger, Rehkopf is described as toolsy, rangy forward. With great goal-scoring instincts, Rehkopf couples that with good straight-line speed and an NHL-level shot. Heading back to the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL in the fall, Rehkopf will look to improve on his already impressive goal-scoring record.
"He is so, so dangerous as a shooter straight-up with goalies. He has this little feint that he does pre-release before he lets it go. It looks like as he settles into that feint, he’s comfortable getting rid of it at any time, too."
Coming in one spot after Rehkopf was Firkus as the 12th-ranked right winger. Firkus was a dominant force in the WHL winning the WHL MVP and the CHL Player of the Year award. He has a small frame but the power he puts on his shot and the skill he possesses can one day make him a point-producer in the NHL. What Firkus lacks in explosiveness, he makes up for it in agility and nimble quickness.
"Firkus is one of those little guys who just always seems to be around it and showing talent when he is. He plays the game with pace, energy and skill so that you can’t help but notice him shift to shift as he dashes around the ice making plays offensively. With the puck, defenders struggle to stick with him off of cuts and when they do he’s got the craftiness to beat them in other ways. Without the puck, he races in and out of pockets to get open. The result is a magnetic game that pulls you (and opposing players) in and then beats them with aggression and intention."
The final Kraken to appear on the list and in the sixth tier as the 30th-ranked centre was Goyette. After leading the OHL in points, Goyette will be joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds next season to build on his elite point-producing game. A wonderful skater who works hard in all areas of the ice.
"Goyette’s an impressive athlete. He’s a beautiful, effortless skater with a flowing stride who catches and handles pucks with ease at speed. He tries (and executes) difficult plays offensively with his hands by finessing pucks under sticks, through feet and into space for himself. He stays on pucks inside the offensive zone by keeping his feet moving to get to 50/50 pucks first or getting up and under sticks and pushing through board battles to extend sequences. He can beat defenders one-on-one to create for himself by pulling them to the inside and beating them with a cut back out wide, or just by going right into coverage."
Ryker Evans was considered among the final cuts by Wheeler.
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