My fully updated rating of the Seattle Kraken’s top 10 prospects is complete, the link to which can be found below. D-man Chase Reid, the 7th overall pick in this season’s draft, is Seattle’s top prospect on this list, and is projected to begin his NHL career next season after one more year of development at Michigan State University. Prior to committing to the Spartans, Reid spent roughly a season and a half with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL.
What really struck me in preparing this ranking is the sheer number of Seattle prospects who have competed, or will compete, for their respective countries in one or more World Junior Championships. Of the top 10 prospects, 7 have played in at least one WJC, including Reid for Team USA (who will occupy a roster spot this season as well). Finland leads the way here, as forwards Jani Nyman and Julius Miettinen, as well as goaltender Niklas Kokko, each have represented the Finns on two occasions. Also, all of these players competed in the WJC’s highest division with the exception of 2026-27 projected NHL forward Oscar Fisker Molgaard. Molgaard hails from Denmark, which played in the second tier of the tournament during Molgaard’s two-year stint with the team. Finally, rounding out the list are AHL top-pair Canadian d-man Ty Nelson and still-developing Czech forward Eduard Sale.
In addition to the players who have already competed for their countries, two more players on the top 10 list presumably will compete at this season’s WJC in US d-man Blake Fiddler and Canadian forward Jake O’Brien. With respect to O’Brien, his presence at the WJC assumes Seattle gives him the go-ahead. He is projected to be with the Kraken this season, and Seattle’s decision on the proper development path for the young man will determine his participation in the event.
The fact that so many players at the top of this prospect pool have represented their countries at the highest level of international amateur competition speaks volumes about the quality of Seattle’s pipeline.
https://thehockeylawyer.net/team-stats/seattle-kraken/
