Berkly Catton named team captain for 2024-25 season
Spokane, Wash. — The Spokane Chiefs named forward Berkly Catton the 37th captain in franchise history in a pre-game ceremony before Saturday’s home opener against the Tri-City Americans.
“Selecting a team captain is something we take very seriously, and with how Berkly has grown and matured as a player combined with how he conducts himself both on and off the ice makes him a perfect fit,” Chiefs Head Coach Brad Lauer said. “He’s a quality person and how he handles himself is a perfect example of what we think represents a leader for our organization.”
Catton was drafted by the Chiefs first overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and made his Western Hockey League debut on February 11, 2022 against the Portland Winterhawks. Since then, he’s piled up 175 points on 78 goals and 97 assists in 140 career games, including highs of 54 goals and 62 assists in his sophomore season.
As part of last season’s leadership group, Catton capped the 2023-24 campaign as the fourth-highest scorer in the WHL and the highest-scoring draft-eligible skater in all the CHL, earning himself WHL U.S. Division Player of the Year honors, as well as a spot on the CHL Second All-Star Team. He’s the fourth CHL skater this century to score 50+ goals and 100+ points in his draft year, joining the likes of Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, and Connor Bedard.
The Saskatoon native had a historic draft year, becoming the second-highest-scoring 17-year-old in Chiefs history behind only Pat Falloon (60-64-124), and was selected 8th-overall by the Seattle Kraken at this year’s NHL Entry Draft in June. Catton is the first-ever Chief to be drafted by the Kraken since their inaugural draft in 2021 and is the highest-drafted Chief since Pat Falloon went 2nd-overall to the San Jose Sharks in 1991.
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The Spokane Chiefs are a member of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey league, the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players. Since 1985 the Chiefs have been a pillar in the Spokane community, offering family-friendly entertainment and a winning tradition which includes: two Memorial Cup Championships in 1991 & 2008, two WHL Championships in 1991 & 2008 and four Western Conference Championships in 1991, 1996, 2000 & 2008. Over 60 alumni have gone on to play in the National Hockey League.
