The future arrived Friday at Kraken Community Iceplex, as prospects gathered for the opening of 2026 rookie camp.
What does the future look like? 2025 1st round pick Jake O’Brien, 93 points in 53 games for the OHL Brantford Bulldogs. Coachella Valley Firebirds Jagger Firkus (21 goals, 35 assists) and high-energy defenseman Ty Nelson. 2026 WHL playoffs MVP Julius Miettinen. They were among a dozen forwards, nine defensemen and two goalies taking the ice at KCI.
“I think I took some big steps last year,” said Miettinen, a center who scored 35 regular season goals and 14 more in the playoffs, leading his Everett Silvertips to the final of the junior hockey Memorial Cup. “Now it’s time to take the next step.”
I asked Miettinen, a 2024 draftee from Helsinki, what the Kraken had directed him to work on. “It’s just the small details. I’m a pretty versatile player. I can play PK, power play. I think they just want to see me do all the little things well – win draws, be physical (at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds), win battles.”
Weekend Plans For Kraken Rookies
Not long after the future arrived, it departed – for Abbotsford, BC. In what’s called the “Prospect Showcase,” Kraken rookies will face off against Vancouver Canucks rookies in two games this weekend at Rogers Forum, home of Vancouver’s AHL farm team.
Saturday’s game begins at 4 pm (tickets here), Sunday’s at 1 pm (tickets here). According to Kraken PR, “Forward Jake O’Brien and defenseman Lukas Dragicevic will not play in the Prospect Showcase due to precautionary reasons. Additionally, forward Justin Janicke has been added to the roster.”
Coaches for both Kraken and Canucks prospects will come from their clubs’ AHL affiliates.
Derek Laxdal, starting his third season behind the Firebirds’ bench, says NHL schedule changes have increased the value of this weekend’s matchups.
“With only four exhibition games in the National Hockey League, these two games become real important for these players.
“Obviously, they want to make a good impression, be evaluated, transition into training camp, get their foot in the door, and get into an exhibition game.”
The Janmark Landmark
Laxdal cited the example of Mattias Janmark, who Laxdal coached in a similar prospects tournament for the Dallas Stars. “Janmark had a great tournament. He springboarded himself right into the main training camp, and made the NHL team. That’s the possibility for these young players. Your job is to push somebody out.”
Worth noting: Janmark scored on his first shot in the NHL. To date, the Swedish forward has played 680 NHL games over the last decade, and has a year remaining on his contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Meanwhile, new Abbotsford Canucks coach Ryan Papaioannou described the message to his campers.
“We talked to them about energy and an overriding theme of competitiveness,” Papaioannou said about the weekend set. “If you don’t know where to go on a forecheck… overriding theme. You forget where you’re going on a trap… overriding theme. We just kept going back to competitiveness.”
Earlier Kraken:
— Impressive Showings Lifted Kraken Goalie Prospect To KHL Starter
