Kraken Rate 4 Of Top 145 Prospects
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked 23-and-under NHL players & prospects into five tiers (1. MVP, 2. Franchise, 3. All-star, 4. Star and 5. Support). Two current Kraken and two others soon to be made the list (Jani Nyman and Jagger Firkus came close).
2026 1st round draft pick Chase Reid landed in the “All-Star” tier. Players in this tier are considered “a top 60 player. Someone who wouldn’t be the best player on a contender, but would be an important part of any contending or championship core.”
The top five defensemen from the 2026 draft class all debut here. “If I had to pick one of the 2026s to move up, it would Reid, who was my top-ranked D of the bunch pre-draft and looked the part at the World Junior Summer Showcase.”
Three other Kraken made the “Star” tier, “Someone who would be a strong piece within a contending or championship core, but not a go-to option.”
Berkly Catton: “A so-so rookie season has softened some evaluators on Catton. Now he has to show them why that’s unfair. He has the skill and skating to do it.”
Shane Wright: “After being viewed as a middle-of-the-pack star, he’s now viewed as a bubble guy between the upper end of Support and the lower end of Star. Scouts think he’s a solid player but wonder if he’ll produce enough.”
Jake O’Brien: “His combination of skill and poise gives him a Star projection, and he’s smart off puck, but there is reason to wonder about his lean build and whether he’ll be hard enough to produce.”
Keen On Three Young Kraken
In its 2026-27 Yearbook, McKeen’s Hockey took a shine to three young Kraken. O’Brien, their 2025 1st round pick, gets listed among the top 30 prospect forwards.
“They have selected the likes of Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, Berkley Catton, Jagger Firkus, and Eduard Sale. While all of these options could still emerge as the guy for the Kraken, it is popular opinion the Jake O’Brien (#13 in the rankings) has the highest potential of the group.
“The 6-foot-2 centre posted 98 points in his draft year and had another monster season leading the powerhouse Brantford Bulldogs in scoring with 93 points. Expect him to take advantage of the newly opened window, allowing 19-year-old players to join the AHL (Coachella Valley Firebirds).”
A pair of Seattle blueliners made the McKeen’s list of top 20 defense prospects. Not surprisingly, Reid slotted at #3.
“The top ranked defender was still on the board with the seventh pick. Seattle has spent the vast majority of their premium draft capital on forwards, which means there is little competition either on the roster, or in the pipeline for Reid’s potential to be a future number one franchise defender. Reid will play his D+1 season in the NCAA at Michigan State and could be NHL ready in the following season.”
Tyson Jugnauth, a 4th round pick in 2022, took the #20 slot. “Jugnauth carried his WHL momentum right into the AHL where in his rookie season he played his way into the top pairing on defence by scoring 45 points in 72 games.
“He has surpassed the likes of Ty Nelson and Lukas Dragicevic and has an inside edge on a roster spot ahead of recently drafted prospects like Chase Reid and Blake Fiddler. If he continues to develop, he will play his way right onto the Kraken defence by season’s end.”
Jugnauth Lit Fire Under Firebirds
“2025 WHL Defenceman of the Year Tyson Jugnauth flexed his offensive prowess in his first season in the pro ranks,” writes Cami Kepke at CHL.ca.
“The 22-year-old sat seventh in scoring among all AHL defenders and first among rookie blueliners. Jugnauth cracked the AHL All-Rookie Team and represented the Pacific Division at the AHL All-Star Game. The former Portland Winterhawks alternate captain put up 130 points (20G-110A) in 106 games over two seasons in the Rose City.”
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