The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!
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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/
Make sure to check out the Seattle Kraken team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/
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The 2025-2026 season was another trying year for the Kraken, as they failed to make the playoffs for the third season in a row and finished below the .500 mark. Partially to blame for the team’s performance was their team-wide struggle to score, Jordan Eberle led the team in scoring with only 55 points in 80 games, and the goaltending couldn’t help make up the difference. Phillip Grubauer had a very solid year in the backup role (2.65 GAA and .909 SV%) , while Joey Daccord struggled in the starter spot (2.99 GAA and .897 SV%).
Shane Wright trade rumours flew the entire year- although he remains on the roster as of writing, and Jacob Melanson (36 games) and Oscar Fisker Molgaard (13 games) got extended looks throughout the season. Though the real world performance was disappointing, the fantasy value of the farmhands continues to be worth paying attention to. The NHL team made some quiet, understated moves that keep the team moving in the right direction.
They held on to a solid finisher in Bobby McMann by locking him up to a six-year $5.75M contract and Mackie Samoskevich was a savvy add who brings grit without sacrificing offensive prowess. The team now rosters (potentially and currently) six of their own draft picks in Matty Beniers, Berkly Catton, Jani Nyman, Ryan Winterton, Ryker Evans and Shane Wright- and Jacob Melanson’s three-year, $1.45M extension signed this week likely points to him being a fixture on the NHL roster- with several more knocking at the door. Given the depth and breadth of talent on the farm, Seattle has the opportunity to trade some prospects and picks to fill some long term roster holes. They have both their own first and a conditional one from Tampa next year to dangle. The Kraken also enter the year with seven expiring contracts worth $31M and potentially two first round picks to spend. This is a team with plenty of dry powder, but fans and poolies alike are no doubt hoping to see them use more of it soon.
Let’s dive in and take a look at the newest members of the Kraken organization.
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2026 NHL Draft Recap
Round 1: 7th Overall, Chase Reid, RHD
The Kraken likely didn’t expect to see Reid still on the board as they stepped to the podium for their first pick on draft day. The top ten of the draft was always going to be defenseman-heavy, and opinions varied on how to rank them, but Reid was consistently viewed as one of the best of the bunch. So much so, in fact, that NHL Central scouting had him as the second-best North American skater, and several publications ranked him as their top defender.
In Reid, the Kraken are getting a bona fide puck-mover who can also beat goalies with his shot.
Reid was a league leader in breakouts and zone entries, leveraging his superior skating to nimbly outmaneuver defenders to gain ice and enter the attacking zone. This forces defenders to respect the rush, giving him the option of passing or shooting to pressure goaltenders to consider both options.
Reid finished the year ranked fifth in goals by blue liners in the OHL in his draft year, despite playing at least ten fewer games than the four players ahead of him, all of whom were 19 and 20 years old. From an assist standpoint, Reid’s 30 sat him 18th in the league, but again, every player ahead of him played a minimum of 10 more games. Over a full 68-game season, Reid was on pace to finish tied for second at 45 assists. His 1.07 points-per-game ranks 16th among age-18 seasons from a defender in the OHL since 2009-2010, placing him in a peer group with 18 year-old Brandt Clarke, Cam Fowler and Thomas Harley.
Organizationally, Reid immediately becomes the top defensive prospect in the Kraken pool, and arguably supplants Jake O’Brien for the top prospect in general. Given that the Kraken have long gone without a top-end PP1 quarterback, he immediately fills a need. That gives him an edge over O’Brien as the Kraken have a fairly deep stock of centremen.
Fantasy managers should take note that Reid fired nearly four shots a game on net, blocked just over three shots, and laid just over a hit per game. Those totals will almost certainly regress against NHL competition, particularly early in his career, but they hint at the type of multi-category contributor he could become.
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Round 2: 38th Overall, Casey Mutryn, RW
Mutryn skated for several teams within the NTDP program in his draft year, amassing 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points and 89 PIM in 62 games for the U18 team, while also recording 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 25 USHL games.
Mutryn is a fierce competitor, one who is willing to be a bull on the forecheck, throwing hits, engaging in board battles and pushing defenders to act quickly to force misplays. The Instat tracking comparison data is more robust for his USHL games, although that was where he played fewer games. We can still start to see Mutryn’s performance relative to his peers, as he was near the very top in scoring chances per game among USHL forwards (99th percentile) and hits (92nd percentile).
As he heads to Boston College in the fall, we will get a much better picture of his game against stronger, bigger and more experienced competition. His 6-3, 200 lbs frame will help him play his physical game despite the step up in opponents, and we will look to see if he can continue to be a solid playmaker. Mutryn is still raw, and will likely spend several seasons in the NCAA before we see him leap to the AHL, giving us plenty of time to watch his development.
Mutryn’s current power-winger style is enticing in fantasy. When a player’s offensive contributions are borderline replacement level, the fact that he hits a fair amount and generates penalty minutes (where positive) elevates him into ‘strong asset’ territory. Translatability will be the deciding factor if he can become an effective NHLer, and our first example of that is but a month away. There’s likely an NHLer here reminiscent of Jacob Melanson. Despite being a 50 goal scorer in the QMJHL, Melanson is in the midst of carving out an NHL role based on his physical play.
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Round 4: 99th Overall, Viktor Fedorov, C
Fedorov completed a rite of passage for many Russian prospects, shuffling between the MHL, VHL and KHL in his draft year. He skated in 18, 32 and 13 games at each level, respectively. It is uncommon for an 18 year-old who isn’t a phenom to get regular ice time at the KHL/VHL levels, and Fedorov was no exception. Throughout the year he was frequently limited to short shifts, and saw less than 10 minutes of ice in both leagues- sometimes less than five in the KHL.
The book on Fedorov is that his playmaking and motor are the keys to his game. He will need more time to settle into a role at one specific level to stabilize his development and carve out his niche in order for us to effectively gauge his potential. As managers, we want to see him spend more time in the KHL when not featuring strongly in the MHL. Very few NHLers have spent a large amount of time in the VHL, and those who did were top-end point producers for their age level. Pavel Dorofeyev stands out as but one example, and his time was limited.
It is too early to tell what the Kraken or fantasy managers would have in Fedorov, so prepare for a long wait. At first, deployment will mean as much if not more than performance.
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Round 5: 131st Overall, Finn Kearns, LHD
You’re a mean one, Mr Kearns. The Kraken selected for snarl when they drafted the 6-4, 212 lbs Finn Kearns with their first fifth round selection. Kearns had an interesting development path in his draft year, playing 15 games in the OHL, 53 in Triple-A, and some games in the Prep league. His offensive tools are not notable, especially in comparison to his physical game, but they won’t be what punches his ticket to higher levels of hockey.
Kearns has committed to the NCAA this fall, where he will skate with the University of Massachusetts, and we will be able to see how he fares against tighter systems and bigger players.
Kearns is a raw prospect, and defensemen especially are notorious for long development arcs. If you choose to draft Kearns in your league, be prepared to wait a few years as he develops, and ensure that your league will reward you for the hits and penalty minutes he is likely to provide in excess.
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Round 5: 148th Overall, Luken Huff, RHD
In his first year of draft eligibility, Luken Huff, aka “Hawke”, stood 6-3 and 190 lbs as a 17 year-old. His name was not called in 2024, or 2025 for that matter, but after a breakout campaign in the USHL, the Kraken traded up to pick him at 148th overall in his D+2 season.
In an interview with NHL.com, Huff himself attributed his renaissance to focussing on the finer details of the defensive game and minimizing mistakes. Those are no doubt a key focus for a player of his position and archetype if he is to make the NHL. Huff will take reps in development camp before heading to the University of St Thomas in the NCAA this fall. We will be able to get some insight as to whether his D+2 pop was due to a step forward in his skills, or benefiting from his age, experience and size advantage over his USHL peers. It will be a few years before we will see Huff in professional hockey, but his age over the draft class and his physical maturity could shorten that timeline.
Though not as much a missile on skates as previous pick Kearns, Huff’s game is of the physical shutdown mold. Less body checks, more blocks, stops and takeaways- he was in the 90th percentile for takeaways this past season. That archetype of defenseman is gold for NHL clubs, but depending on league settings, it can be a fade in fantasy. If your league is more focused on offensive categories, Huff may be of less interest than in a league that rewards defensive statistics like blocks and takeaways.
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Round 6: 166th Overall, Ola Palme, LHD
Palme, a 6-2, 200 lbs defenseman, played his age-17 season predominantly in Sweden’s U20 Nationell, while seeing scant time in the SHL. Though he played fewer games than many of his peers in the U20, his 0.70 point pace sits tied for 20th in the league by defensemen.
His underlying numbers give us a hint to the style of game he plays. He sits in the 85th percentile or higher in shots on goal, all scoring metrics, zone entries, breakout and blocks among defensemen in the U20. His draft reports all mention his cerebral, puck carrying game, which tracks with the data.
His draft year was disrupted by a medical issue that caused him to miss a portion of his season, as well as jockeying across leagues, so fantasy managers will want to see him establish a role this fall, preferably in the SHL, but more likely to play top-pair minutes for Vaxjo in the U20.
Given his young age and the lengthy development curve of most defenders, it may be some time before we can be certain of Palme’s eventual NHL likelihood and archetype. Pencil him in as a defensively responsible blue-liner with middle-pair potential, and track his development. He may end up being the type of defenseman that we appreciate more on the ice for the Kraken or Firebirds than on our fantasy rosters. If Seattle has landed an eventual NHL pro in the sixth round, it’s an impressive feat- fantasy relevance or not.
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Round 7: 198th Overall, Rylan Singh, RHD
As far as seventh round picks go, Rylan Singh carries an interesting tool kit. His four goal, 19 assist stat line in 52 games doesn’t leap off the page, but the theme of this 32-32 will be looking at the underlying numbers for some guidance.
His offensive totals don’t raise any eyebrows at first glance, but he sat in the 75th percentile of OHL defenders for per-game shots, assists, points, and the 90th percentile for per-game shots on goal, takeaways, blocks, breakouts and entries. Singh appears to provide above average offense for his deployment, and his puck carrying and defensive acumen stand out even more.
The NHL game has plenty of space for two-way, hybrid defensemen, but one could expect Singh to lean towards his defensive gifts rather than becoming a regular power play quarterback. Singh’s penchant for solid defensive play and puck carrying skills won’t fill a lot of buckets on our fantasy rosters, and seventh round defensemen aren’t commonly roster-able players in most leagues. Kraken fans and fantasy investors will need to show patience to watch how Singh’s progression goes, and we will get another look at him in the OHL in the fall.
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Round 7: 204th Overall, William Tomko, C
Tomko is precisely the type of seventh round selection that fantasy managers love. While teams are swinging for the fences, drafting the children of staff members, or giving their analytics department the wheel, there can always be a gem or two. Every draft has players who become much better known names a year after being selected – Tomko can be one of those players. Skating for the Sioux City Musketeers in his draft year, he provided a statline of 24 goals and 26 assists in 59 games. That performance was 22nd, 14th and 14th best in the USHL respectively.
Strong performance in the USHL doesn’t guarantee NHL success, of course. When digging into his underlying numbers, Tomko starts to look like the type of player who may not shoot the lights out at higher levels, but who ‘does enough things well enough’ to one day make the show. His offensive outputs were all in the 90th percentile or higher, but so too were his face-off wins, takeaways, blocks, penalties, hits and puck battle win percentage. The peer group, however, was the USHL, so the Kraken haven’t necessarily found a superstar here. Temper expectations accordingly.
Tomko projects as a bottom-six player if he makes the NHL, but he has the makings of a Swiss Army knife that can be effective in multiple situations. That archetype has value at the NHL level, and your league settings will determine if a bottom-six forward who can give you some of the multi-cat categories will be a good investment for you. He’s a great last-pick-of-the-draft swing if you have picks left and no one in your queue.
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Off-Season Moves
Incoming
Curtis Douglas – UFA signing. Two years at $1.25M AAV.
Mackie Samoskevich – Trade with Florida Panthers
Outgoing
Jamie Oleksiak
Jaden Schwartz
Max McCormick – Coachella Valley Firebirds Captain since their inaugural season.
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In The System
Risers
Jagger Firkus, RW
Firkus has been on fantasy radars since his name was first called by the Kraken on draft day. Firstly, he will immediately be in the top-ten coolest names in the league the day he gets called up. Most importantly, he carries a strong upward trajectory, culminating in his successful transition to professional hockey. He led the WHL in scoring in his final year of Junior, scoring 61 goals (fourth most in a season since 2009) and 126 points in 63 games. That production gave him the fourth-best points-per-game pace among age-19 seasons since 2009, with names such as Logan Stankoven, Mark Stone and Brayden Point having similar age-19 campaigns.
As an AHL sophomore, he contributed 21 goals and 35 assists in 63 games, and the underlying numbers are great as well. According to Instat, he was in the 90th percentile or higher for all the important offensive categories: goals, assists, points, primary assists (68%) and shots on goal. As a smaller player (he is still listed at 5-11 and 165 lbs), he unsurprisingly lost more puck battles than he won (35%) and hit less than once a game.
Firkus is certainly ready to compete for an NHL roster spot, and it wouldn’t be a surprise for him and Jani Nyman to be fighting for the same spot. Both have shown they can translate their success to AHL hockey, but they play different games. Nyman’s body size is the polar opposite of Firkus, and if push came to shove, Firkus could be the stronger overall finisher. He will need to be, as his game likely won’t translate to an NHL bottom six.
Julius Miettinen, LW
Miettinen wrapped up his WHL career with a solid 35 goal, 41 assist campaign for 76 points in 52 games. His point total sat him 21st in the league, but of the 20 names ahead of him, nearly all of them played 60 or more games, giving him the eighth-place point per game rate in the league.
Miettinen helped to lead the dominant Everett Silvertips to the Memorial Cup final, where he and fellow draft favourites Carter Bear and Landon DuPont fell to the Kitchener Rangers. Though the 20 year-old centre would have likely preferred to cap off his Junior career by hoisting the Memorial Cup, he can carry that hunger into the AHL after dominating the WHL.
Despite being a less flashy name than some WHL prospects, Miettinen certainly deserves some attention for our fantasy rosters. He projects as a middle-six, likely third-line pivot in the NHL, but his underlying numbers show a player who excels at all facets of the game. According to Instat, Miettinen ranked in the 90th percentile in nearly every important category when accounting for per-game pace- goals, assists, points, scoring chances, faceoff performance and play driving. He carried a 70% primary assist rate and also won 70% of his puck battles and finished in the top third for takeaways and blocks.
What does that mean for us as fantasy managers? We still need to see how his game translates to professional hockey, but his 6-4, 207 lbs frame will help cushion the physical translation to older and larger competition. Miettinen’s WHL game was strong in all areas of the ice, and this helps us imagine a solid floor at higher levels. If he isn’t deployed in the Kraken’s top six, he can lean on his physical stature and defensive abilities to continue to earn a roster spot in the NHL. If an injury bug hits the team, Miettinen appears to have the offensive gusto to capably fill a spot in the top six.
In deep leagues where a potential strong third-line player can have value, Miettinen should be near the top of our shopping list this offseason. Expect to see him step back a bit offensively in the AHL this season, but track his progression as the year goes on while he acclimates- there is a likely NHLer here.
Oskar Fisker Molgaard, C
After competing in the SHL in 2024-2025, Molgaard came to North America to join the Coachella Valley Firebirds, scoring 10 goals and adding 24 assists in 49 games. His performance in the minors earned him a 13-game call-up to the NHL where he managed two assists, playing nine minutes in mostly fourth line action.
Molgaard’s play in the AHL showed an ability to adapt to the North American game as a complementary player. His offensive showing was decent (10th in goals on the team and fourth in assists in fewer games than his peers) but did not stand out. He provided just under two shots and less than half a hit per game, so multi-cat intrigue is not apparent yet either.
His faceoff win totals and win percentage were in the 80th percentile and 55th percentile of the league respectively, which is notable given that he was a young rookie in the AHL. If he can become a reliable faceoff option while being a positive play driver, he has utility at the NHL level regardless of whether the offensive contributions materialize. The Kraken benefitted from his play-driving when he was on the ice. His Fenwick% (the percentage share of shots for versus against while he was on the ice) as well as his Net xG (the expected goals scored minus the expected goals allowed while he was on the ice) were in the top 25% of the AHL. Essentially, the box score output wasn’t tantalizing, but the underlying play-driving numbers are intriguing.
These metrics are promising pieces given that there isn’t a great deal to hang our hats on for him at the moment. As other Firebirds move up or move on, opportunities for more deployment will present themselves to Molgaard, and the fact that he saw a 13-game NHL call-up over some other more incumbent players in the system is a strong indication of the organization’s faith in him.
What we will need to watch for is which fork in the road he will steer down. Will he be a meaningful fantasy contributor, or a player who is better in real life than in fantasy? He hasn’t veered yet, and this season will give us a better indication of which is more likely. He is a worthwhile farm stash in deep leagues, though he is not as blue-chip or as certain as other players in the system. The bottom-six NHL path appears to be clear.
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Fallers
David Goyette, C
Last season, Goyette was handed down a 20-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. That news on its own isn’t what lands him on a fallers list, however. As an AHL sophomore, Goyette saw an erosion in his offensive output last season. In just two fewer games, he saw three fewer goals and assists each, and had no points on the power play. There exist a few silver linings deeper in the numbers, he only shot 5.5% compared to a 12% rate the previous season, and six of his seven assists were of the primary variety. Goyette is starting to look less like the top-six option he appeared to be when he led the OHL in scoring with 40 goals and 117 points in 68 games in his final year in Junior. If Goyette makes the NHL with Seattle, it will likely be as a winger- given organizational centre depth and his AHL deployment- and there appears to be diminishing opportunities for him to solidify himself into a top-six role. According to Instat, Goyette managed less than one hit per game, and won a quarter of his puck battles. Don’t let the high PIMS fool you into locking him in as a multi-cat performer. Goyette’s ship hasn’t sailed yet, but his fantasy stock is certainly reaching its lowest point. He will head back to the Coachella Valley Firebirds and hopefully prove me wrong this fall.
Lukas Dragicevic, D
The 21-year-old defender was a rookie in the AHL last season, and finished seventh on the Firebirds in points from the blue line. The players above him were more established and received more of the workload, preventing him from earning the type of deployment he enjoyed in his Junior career. Given the type of offensive game that Dragicevic played prior to making the AHL, his rookie numbers aren’t great news for fantasy investors. He shot less than once per game and factored in minimally on the power play. The grain of salt is that Ty Nelson and Tyson Jugnauth have helped to shelter him as he learns the pro game, and will soon graduate to the NHL roster, opening up a lane for him. The question that Dragicevic will have to answer is: can he take a step forward next year, and will he be able to wrest a meaningful offensive role at the NHL level with Chase Reid now an heir apparent to PP1?
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Expected to Start in the NHL
Jacob Melanson
Ryan Winterton
Jani Nyman
Likely to See NHL Action
Jagger Firkus
Ty Nelson
Jake O’Brien
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Top 20 Prospects
This section is intended to paint a picture of the Seattle Kraken prospects whose current trajectory projects them to make the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.
- Chase Reid
- Jake O’Brien
- Jagger Firkus
- Jani Nyman
- Julius Miettinen
- Jacob Melanson
- Casey Mutryn
- Oscar Fisker Mølgaard
- Ty Nelson
- Tyson Jugnauth
- Nathan Villeneuve
- Blake Fiddler
- Carson Rehkopf
- Caden Price
- Semyon Vyazovoi
- Lukas Dragicevic
- Eduard Sale
- Ryden Evers
- David Goyette
- Logan Morrisson
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Final Comments
The Kraken continue to make subtle moves that benefit their franchise, but Seattle fans and hockey fans alike are ravenous to see the team start making bigger steps. They will be forever compared to the Vegas Golden Knights, and given all the success and late season hockey being played in Las Vegas, the slower moves from Seattle certainly exemplify a different approach.
It isn’t helpful to say “be patient” every year, but the mantra still stands. The build has been slow, and now it’s time to start graduating some of the prospect pipeline to the NHL. To this end, the Kraken have a slew of AHL players ready to start making their mark in the NHL. This is still a fun young team to get behind and be excited for. They are well-positioned to be buyers in the off-season, and if the team is in a good place in March, as early as the trade deadline.
There are plenty of fantasy-relevant players knocking on the door, and you will want to begin to stash them before the Kraken start climbing the standings.
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Make sure to check out the Seattle Kraken team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/
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Alex Wyatt