The Seattle Kraken concluded their run at the 2024 NHL Draft snagging a suite of new prospects with a noticeable lean towards forwards, particularly centers, as they wrapped the event with a total of eight new players - a strategy that lends itself to strengthening up the middle and bulking their offensive line-up. During the first round on Friday night, the Kraken selected 18-year-old Berkly Catton, a center from the Spokane Chiefs, with enthusiasm for his record of 54 goals and 62 assists in the last WHL season, as KING5 reported.
With eyes on the future, General Manager Ron Francis and the Kraken's scouting staff, led by Director of Amateur Scouting Robert Kron, spent Saturday in Las Vegas bolstering their roster with what they consider promising talent Ron Francis expressed contentment with the results of the draft, stating "For us, we're happy,” according to NHL.com, Kron echoed this sentiment, particularly praising their first pick, Catton.
The Kraken focused on size and skill, especially in the center position, deemed a difficult spot to fill through trades or free agency, and subsequently, they made four forward selections on Saturday, which complement their first-round pick, along with two defensemen, and a goaltender, notably the third straight Finnish prospect at the goaltender position for the team; these strategies outlined their draft approach as forwards came in as priority, alongside some backend support, this pattern was observed and detailed by MyNorthwest.
The international essence was not lost on the Kraken, their second-round brought in Julius Miettinen, a 6-foot-3 center from the Everett Silvertips, hailing from Finland he brought not just height but also movement up the draft ranks starting off 49th and ending 18th on international skater rankings, picking up Nathan Villeneuve from Sudbury Wolves showcased an Ottawa native with promising stats; 23 goals and 27 assists in his past season, the choices reflecting a clear intent to knit a web of potential core players for the upcoming seasons, as the scouting department zeroed in on the best-available candidates while also addressing team needs.
