Follow our live coverage of the 2024 NHL Draft
Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Seattle Kraken’s new prospects and how they fit into the farm system. This page will be updated throughout the 2024 NHL Draft.
Complete coverage of the NHL Draft
2024 Draft Grade: B+
Seattle’s first-round pick, Berkly Catton, is a true high-end talent up front and has some star upside for Seattle. Their day two was less exciting for me. I like Julius Miettinen and could see him as a well-rounded top-nine forward, potentially down the middle. I could never wrap my head about Nathan Villeneuve as a top-two-round pick, especially after the bounty scandal he got caught up in the OHL this season. Regardless, if they get two regulars from this draft and a play-driving top-line forward it’s a successful weekend.
Advertisement
Draft Class
8. Berkly Catton, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
January 14, 2006 | 5′ 11″ | 174 pounds
Tier: Bubble NHL All-Star and top of the lineup player
Skating: High-end
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Player comparable: Logan Cooley
Analysis: Catton was one of the best players in the WHL this season and was the best player at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the summer. He is a well-rounded center and a high-end skater, with powerful edge work that will make him very difficult to check in the NHL and lets him elude pressure constantly. His footspeed is strong, but not at the same level as his edges. He’s a very skilled puckhandler and a great passer who can run a NHL power play. Catton makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and has a lot of pace in his game. He’s not overly physical, but he competes. He wins pucks, gets to the net and can kill penalties. He projects as an excellent top-six center with a chance to be a No. 1 center.
Pick grade: B+
Thoughts on the pick: I’m a huge fan of Catton’s game. I thought he was one of the most dynamic players in the draft. Given how much Seattle needed a premier defense prospect, it’s a bit surprising that they went and took a forward, but if they were going to take one, Catton is more than reasonable at this slot. He has top-line forward potential and could be a star if he truly hits. Teams were worried by his size, but everything else about his game was a major positive.
40. Julius Miettinen, C, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
January 20, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 201 pounds
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Player comparable: Eetu Luostarinen
Analysis: Miettinen started off slow in his first season in North America, but caught fire as the year went along and became a big part of a successful Everett team. Miettinen is a big-body forward with very good offensive skills. He has the one-on-one play to beat pro defensemen and do so with pace. He shows a lot of creativity inside the offensive zone as a puckhandler and passer. He can create off the perimeter and around the net due to his frame. I wouldn’t call his compete level high, but it’s good enough given his frame. He’s a strong skater. I wish he’d play a bit quicker at times, but he has a powerful stride and can skate with pros. He has a chance to be a third-line center.
Advertisement
63. Nathan Villeneuve, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
April 13, 2006 | 5′ 11″ | 194 pounds
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Villeneuve had a solid season on a deep Sudbury team, although he was suspended as part of the OHL’s investigation into a bounty program. The No. 3 pick in his OHL Draft is a well-rounded forward prospect. He’s a strong skater with a lot of pace to his game. He competes hard, and with his powerful stride is often buzzing around the ice. He plays fast and has a good skill level which should allow him to score as a pro. Whether he’s going to score at a major level is a question. He sees the ice well, but I wouldn’t call his pure skill or vision standout traits, so it remains to be seen what role he slots into at the higher levels.
73. Alexis Bernier, RHD, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
June 21, 2006 | 6′ 1″ | 196 pounds
Analysis: Bernier played a large role on a top QMJHL team this season logging minutes in all situations. He’s a smart puck-mover who can run a junior power play. He skates well enough, and is a solid defender with his gaps and reads. Bernier has a lot going for him, but nothing about his game truly stands out. His skill and size are pro average and he’s not exceptionally athletic.
88. Kim Saarinen, G, HPK U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
July 22, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 181 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Analysis: Saarinen had a good season at the Finland junior level, although he was less impressive with their U18 national team. I can see what makes Saarinen quite appealing to NHL teams. He’s a big goalie who moves quite well for a 6-foot-4 goaltender. He can make a lot of difficult saves, showing the lower half power to explode across the net when he needs to. As a pure athlete, he looks like an NHL goalie. His sense and puck tracking are my major concerns. He loses the puck a lot, and despite being so big he doesn’t square up as many pucks as you’d like, often having to scramble in his net. As of now, he doesn’t project as a full-time goalie, but he has the tools to become one.
Advertisement
105. Ollie Josephson, C, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
July 22, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 190 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: Josephson didn’t have a great statistical season in the WHL but he was still a good two-way forward for Red Deer. He was part of Canada’s Hlinka team in the summer and is a former top-five pick in his WHL Bantam Draft. Josephson is a highly competitive center. He’s not overly big, but he plays big. He’s very physical, and wins a lot of 50/50 pucks due to his effort and possessing good speed. He has some skill, but the degree of offense Josephson has as a pro will be his main question. He makes some plays, but isn’t a natural scorer. He is a great off-puck forward in junior but whether that translates to a bottom-six NHL forward is debatable.
141. Clarke Caswell, LW, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
February 2, 2006 | 5′ 11″ | 176 pounds
Analysis: Caswell is a strong skating forward with good skill and hockey sense.
202. Jakub Fibigr, LHD, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
July 22, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 172 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Fibigr played a lot of minutes for the Steelheads this season in all situations. He is a strong skating defenseman who can make a solid first pass and has a good point shot. He makes plays and shows good poise with the puck, but for a 6-0 defenseman he’s not really dynamic offensively like you’d want at his size and he’s not a super hard to play against type either. The tools are intriguing enough to give him a shot to make the league but something about his game will likely need to elevate to give him a clear path.
(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
