The Kraken surprised most draft experts at Sphere in Las Vegas last month, and not because center Berkly Catton wasn’t qualified to be an 8th overall pick in the 1st round.
Seattle has organizational depth up front, and somewhat less on the blueline. What’s more, an unexpected run on forwards by teams ahead of the Kraken left a wealth of defensive choices ready for drafting.
However, two top center prospects, David Goyette and Carson Rehkopf, and now projected on the wing at the NHL level. Kraken general manager Ron Francis, a Hall of Fame center in his own right, prizes strength down the middle. Seattle bolstered that strength not only with Catton, but both their 2nd round picks, Julius Miettinen and Nathan Villeneuve.
Director of amateur scouting Robert Kron speaks about this, and then player development director Jeff Tambellini talks about the just concluded development camp, in this Kraken Reaction.