![]() ![]() He can slow it down and pick things apart or hurry up his passes through holes. I love him on the half-wall/point on the PP with his ability to hit east-west seams (he just seems to see every lane and opening). He’s got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. Scouting perspective: “ a smooth skater who is noticeable in transition for both his ability to weave up ice and facilitate and also his ability to create breakaways for himself and beat goalies one-on-one. Height: 73 inches | Weight: 168 lbs | Shot: L | 7 goals, 7 assists, 49 games playedīig Board: 17 | Highest rank: 7 (Craig Button) 20, Eduard Sale, LW, HC Kometa Brno (Czechia) Seattle’s draft picks bring a wide array of talents Logan Horn, The Hockey Writers: Grade A.Chase Rochon, McKeen’s Hockey: Grade A.Louis and Mitchell Brown, Elite Prospects: Grade A Public draft analysts ranked the Kraken draft class highlyįor these reasons, it is not surprising that public draft analysts (upon whose work the Big Board was built) were generally complimentary of Seattle’s draft, frequently referencing it among the strongest draft classes assembled: Columbus, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Philadelphia each accomplished that feat. The Kraken selected seven of those 87 players, most in the league. In other words, these are the choices that the Big Board would deem a “value” pick. In total, only 87 players were selected at a draft position equal to or later than the player’s rank on the Big Board. ![]() Overall, Seattle consistently found value with their draft picks–at least in the eyes of the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. Some scouts question whether Dragicevic can be good enough defensively, but his potential as a blueliner proficient in the transition game and on the power play is significant. Setting aside high school players, Dragicevic scored more total points (79) and on a per-game basis (1.07 points per game) than any other right-handed defenseman in the 2023 NHL Draft. Likewise, the Kraken took a big swing at offensive talent in the later stages of the second round in the form of Tri-City defenseman Lukas Dragicevic. Still lauded as one of the most skilled playmakers and scorers in the draft, the Kraken could have a top-tier talent if Sale can find his offensive footing again. He played a limited role, though, and met adversity playing against veterans in one of the best professional leagues in the world. His season was so good, he made the rare leap to Extraliga, Czechia’s top pro league, as a 17-year-old. Seattle’s first-round pick Eduard Sale was frequently projected as a top-10 draft choice after his draft-minus-one year in which he posted 99 points in 44 games in Czechia’s top junior league. That said, the Kraken did take (at least) two high-upside swings during the 2023 draft on players that have the potential to provide top-tier production. 1 overall player on the Big Board, Shane Wright, but did not have a similar opportunity to draft any true top-tier amateur players this year. ![]() Last year, the Kraken were able to grab the No. The key distinction this year was that Seattle’s own draft picks were those of a playoff team, rather than those of a 60-point team. Seattle’s five top-50 players tied San Jose for most in the NHL. Again the Kraken were armed with extra second-round picks from the team’s trades at the 2022 NHL trade deadline, and again the team came away with five top-50 players on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. ![]() Remarkably, history repeated itself at the 2023 NHL Draft. Last year, at the 2022 NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken leveraged extra draft picks in the second round to acquire five of the top 50 players on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board. For the second year in a row, the Kraken accumulated a deep and talented class How do the Kraken draft picks stack up on the Sound Of Hockey Big Board? How have public draft experts graded Seattle’s performance? What do we know about the newest Kraken players? Let’s dive in. Before we do that, though, at least one piece of offseason business remains–a recap of the Seattle Kraken’s 2023 NHL Draft. As the calendar turns to August, we will be shifting our focus full time to the upcoming NHL season soon. ![]()
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