NHL Prospect Watch: Seattle Kraken
Ahead of the 2025-26 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. This series will highlight current and former WHLers who are signed to an NHL contract, have recently been drafted by an NHL team, or meet the NHL’s definition of a rookie.
Today, we check on a prospect pool far deeper than the Puget Sound!
Clarke Caswell
Brandon, Man. product Clarke Caswell entered 2024-25 as a newly-minted Seattle Kraken prospect with a ‘C’ on his chest. The 5-foot-11, 181-pound winger buried 22 goals (including two game winners and a pair of shorthanded tallies) and 62 assists for a career-best 84 points. Caswell finished second on the Broncos in points while leading the team in helpers. The 19-year-old had three games with four or more points, highlighted by a two-goal, three-assist effort against Prince Albert on November 1, 2024. He also added two goals and two assists in five playoff games against the eventual champion Medicine Hat Tigers. Drafted by Seattle with the 141st overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Caswell also got a taste of pro life when he was called up to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds upon the conclusion of his WHL season, though he’s yet to make his professional debut.
CLARKE CASWELL SHORTHANDED 🚨@SCBroncos | @SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/VLWMWoitii
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) October 10, 2024
Berkly Catton
Kraken fans flocked to watch 2024 eighth-overall pick Berkly Catton as he led the Spokane Chiefs to the 2025 WHL Championship Series. With 38 goals and 71 assists for 109 points in 57 games, Catton finished third in the league scoring race while finishing 12th in goals and faceoff wins (622, 59.2%), fourth in helpers and fifth in plus/minus (+46). The 5-foot-10, 175-pound pivot led all skaters in playoff scoring with 42 points (11G-31A) in 20 games, highlighted by a monster two-goal, five-assist effort in Game 5 against Vancouver, as the Chiefs came up just short in the WHL Championship Series. Catton, 19, was awarded the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player and even won CHL Sportsman of the Year. He was named Tempo WHL Player of the Week four times and picked up a Player of the Month nod in February, in addition to making the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. With 284 career points (116G-168A) in Spokane, Catton is eighth in all-time Chiefs scoring and assists and 10th in goals. The Saskatoon, Sask. product registered one assist in five games in his first trip to the IIHF World Junior Championship and is a favourite to make the team again for the 2026 edition of the tournament. He recently participated in the 15th edition of the NHLPA Rookie Showcase and returns to Kraken Camp in hopes of cracking the big club for the 2025-26 season. Catton signed his three-year, entry-level contract on July 5, 2024.
Captain Clutch is at it again.
For the fourth time this season, @SeattleKraken prospect and @spokanechiefs captain Berkly Catton is the Tempo WHL Player of the Week.
📝 | https://t.co/tEQOEgIfhe#WHLChampionship pic.twitter.com/PDrpabSjy1
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 12, 2025
Lukas Dragicevic
Twenty-year-old defenceman Lukas Dragicevic thrived in his first season with the Prince Albert Raiders after playing parts of four seasons with the Tri-City Americans. Dragicevic potted 18 goals and 52 assists in 66 regular-season games, finishing fourth among all WHL blueliners in points, third in assists and seventh in goals. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound right-shot defenceman also paced the Raiders in the playoffs with 14 points (6G-8A) in 11 contests. His finest performance came with a one-goal, three-assist showing to eliminate Edmonton in Game 7 of their first-round series. Dragicevic, from Richmond, B.C., was chosen with the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He put pen to paper on a three-year, entry-level contract in March of 2024. He made his AHL debut with the Thunderbirds in the spring of 2024 and re-joined the squad this year once Prince Albert’s season wrapped up.
🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥
Define "Clutch"
Lukas Dragicevic:@PARaidersHockey | @SeattleKraken | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/2j2iTTo3Lv
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 23, 2025
Blake Fiddler
The latest addition to Seattle’s defensive pipeline, 6-foot-5, 212-pound Blake Fiddler is ready to do some damage after a promising sophomore WHL season. The 18-year-old doubled his rookie total in 2024-25, scoring 10 goals (including a pair of game-winners) and 23 apples for 33 points in 64 outings. Fiddler led all Oil Kings defencemen in goals and points while finishing third in assists and tacked on one assist in seven games in his first trip to the WHL postseason. The Frisco, Texas product captained the United States at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, snagging a goal and three assists in five games, wore the ‘A’ for the CHL at the first annual CHL USA Prospects Challenge, which saw the CHL sweep the United States National Team Development Program 2-0, and put up three points (2G-1A) at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship. Fiddler was one of the youngest players to attend the USA’s 2025 World Junior Selection Camp and was among the final cuts. He’ll aim to crack the roster on his second go-around after impressing at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. The Kraken picked him up with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
They say everything is bigger in Texas – and that absolutely includes Blake Fiddler's game!@EdmOilKings | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/fKW7EvQ0VS
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 27, 2025
Jagger Firkus
The 2024 WHL Champion saw modest success in his first professional turn. Firkus netted 15 goals (plus three game-winners) and 21 assists for 36 points in 69 games- finishing seventh in the Firebirds scoring race and fourth in goals. The 5-foot-11, 163-pound forward notched another three helpers in six postseason matches. Firkus, 21, played parts of five seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors, culminating in his CHL-leading 126-point (61G-65A) campaign in 2023-24. He led the 2024 WHL Playoffs with another 32 points (14G-18A) in 20 games to help the Warriors hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history and added four points (2G-2A) to reach the 2024 Memorial Cup semifinal. A second-round pick of the Kraken in 2022 (35th overall), Firkus has cemented himself as an all-time Moose Jaw great. The Irma, Alta. product sits fourth in franchise scoring with 310 points, second in goals (144) and fifth in assists (166) in 230 regular-season games.
the firkus circus never disappoints 🎪 pic.twitter.com/5E6oTLLVOC
— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 27, 2025
Kaden Hammell
One of five defencemen on this list, 20-year-old Kaden Hammell bagged 10 goals and 28 assists for 38 points and a +45 rating through 59 regular-season games to help the Silvertips clinch the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL Regular Season Champions. The 6-foot-1, 188-pound rearguard tied for first among all WHL defencemen in game-winning goals (4) while ranking second in plus/minus. Hammell, who was also named co-captain for the season, scored another 13 points (4G-9A) in 13 postseason tilts to help the Silvertips reach Game 7 of the second round. The Langley, B.C. product was rewarded with a three-year, entry-level contract on July 1, 2025. Drafted by the Kaken with the 148th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Hammell has hit the ice for 242 regular-season games with the Tips and Kamloops Blazers, amassing 103 points (26G-77A).
CAPTAIN CLUTCH!@SeattleKraken prospect Kaden Hammell has scored twice in four minutes to send this match to overtime 🤯@WHLsilvertips | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/6iov4TJdlw
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 17, 2025
Ollie Josephson
The Red Deer Rebels captain made the most of a frustrating campaign after missing more than 20 games with a lower-body injury. Still, the 6-foot, 188-pound pivot finished the year with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 48 games- good for third on the heavily-bruised Rebels. One of his strongest games features a hat trick and pair of assists to down the 2024 league champion Moose Jaw Warriors on March 11, 2025. The Victoria, B.C. product also earned an invitation to represent Canada at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. Josephson was drafted with the 105th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Have a night, Ollie Josephson!@Rebelshockey | @SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken | #WHLHatTricks pic.twitter.com/E00LfB5zeo
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 12, 2025
Tyson Jugnauth
Best in class! The Portland Winterhawks alternate captain was named WHL Defenceman of the Year after a tremendous 89-point (13G-76A) campaign, including a monster six assists in a 7-2 win over Vancouver in December of 2024. The Kelowna, B.C. native led all WHL defenders in scoring and helpers while finishing second on the Winthawks and 13th among all WHL skaters. He even ranked third in assists among all skaters. Jugnauth dialled it up in the postseason with another 33 points (4G-29A) to help the underdog Winterhawks reach the Western Conference Championship. He finished fourth in playoff scoring and signed his entry-level contract shortly afterwards. Jugnauth was selected with the 100th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and has closed out his WHL with 20 goals and 110 assists for 130 points in 106 regular-season contests with Portland. He cracked the 2024-25 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and the CHL Second All-Star Team.
Fresh off an 89-point season with the @pdxwinterhawks, @SeattleKraken prospect Tyson Jugnauth is the recipient of the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the WHL's Defenceman of the Year! #WHLAwards
📝 | https://t.co/GLrAMtnEEk pic.twitter.com/FV5VI3nSPy
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 6, 2025
Julius Miettinen
The formidable 6-foot-4, 207-pound center (and netfront menace) continued to impress despite an injury-shortened season. Miettinen posted 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points in 36 regular-season tilts. He still finished eighth in scoring on the regular-season champion Everett Silvertips and cruised to third in points per game (1.08). The 19-year-old was in a boot after going down at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had a goal and an assist in seven games in a silver medal-winning effort for Finland. Miettinen recovered in time to close out the regular season and contribute nine points (6G-3A) in 13 playoff contests. He’s expected to represent his home country again at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship and hold key duties for the Silvertips, who boast a stacked roster and playoff aspirations again in 2025-26.
OVERTIME. MAGIC. CONTINUES. @WHLsilvertips Take game two thanks to Julius Miettinen!@SeattleKraken | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/MHyokEk2ct
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 13, 2025
Caden Price
After playing parts of four seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, Caden Price was one of the most highly sought-after defenders at the 2025 WHL Trade Deadline. Lethbridge ended up landing the 6-foot-1, 190-pound left defender in a blockbuster deal. Price picked up nine goals and 34 assists for 43 points in 57 games with the Rockets and Hurricanes, with all three of his goals with Lethbridge standing as game-winners. The Saskatoon, Sask. product was rock-solid in the postseason with another eight points (2G-6A)- including a seven-game point streak- to reach the Eastern Conference Championship. Prince went to Seattle with the 84th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and signed his ELC in April of 2024. The 20-year-old also had a goal and an assist in five games for Canada at the 2025 World Juniors and spent some time with the AHL Thunderbirds following the end of his WHL season.
Wish my teammates in Chel could pass like this 😪
Caden Price polishes off a beauty for the @WHLHurricanes @SeattleKraken | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/eQJlp4jzKi
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 20, 2025
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